# Surefire outdoorsman



## Surefire6p (Mar 5, 2018)

Hey all, Ive had this surefire outdoorsman for a few years now, its got the incandescent bulb I absolutely love it and have never seen one on the market since I got it, is it a rare light?


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## search_and_rescue (Mar 5, 2018)

It is a nice flashlight from the Paul Kim era. These will never be made again.


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## Surefire6p (Mar 5, 2018)

Wow that’s very interesting, thanks for the info. I’m sure glad to have it in my collection!


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## search_and_rescue (Mar 5, 2018)

Sure thing! :twothumbs


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## bykfixer (Mar 6, 2018)

That one is definitely a keeper. 

Basically it's like a E series in platform and stature. An easy to carry, bright little incan that is popular with the fans of E lights.


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## PJ (Mar 6, 2018)

Those had a 25 lumen bulb standard, an MN02 I believe is the designation. Lower output but it gave about 2.5 hours of run time.


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## novice (Mar 6, 2018)

I also have a round-body E2O Outdoorsman. It will fit an AW black-label "protected" 17670 cell. I put my MN02 away for safekeeping (somewhere!), and I am using a Lumens Factory EO-E1R bulb (designed for 1x Li-ion) producing a theoretical 76 lumens declining to 49 lumens, in 69 minutes. It doesn't run nearly as long as the MN02 on 2x primaries, but I like using a rechargeable. The new 16650 cell would run it longer.


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## bykfixer (Mar 6, 2018)

Yeah, definitely check out Lumens Factory for a new bulb and stash that original one.

I bought the one for 2 regular batteries (6 volts) and it's beam is pretty close to a stock E2. Ships from China, takes about 2-3 weeks, but they come with a nice tube to stash the original in and a Lumens Factory sticker.


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## Chadder (Mar 6, 2018)

Still one of my favorites. I have my original MN02 also stashed away. I have the lumens factory led drop-in in mine. I still remember this light in the 2003 surefire catalog. I dreamed of getting one back then. I remember reading the story of the Alaskan brush pilot and him carrying this light.


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## Chadder (Mar 6, 2018)

I think there is a thread around here that has all of the old surefire catalogs linked in it.


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## Surefire6p (Mar 6, 2018)

im so impressed with its output only being 25 lumens. its got a good amount of throw and the run time is great at 2.5 hours!!!, they really nailed the reflector setup on these E2O'S. I've heard about the lumens factory drop ins in the past but never looked into them, I just took a peak and man I'm getting the bug to stash away the mn02 and upgrade. its such a cool piece its gotta be one of the best EDC'S!!!


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## novice (Mar 6, 2018)

Chadder said:


> I think there is a thread around here that has all of the old surefire catalogs linked in it.



post#3 in the following thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362227-SureFire-Product-History-Thread


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## bykfixer (Mar 7, 2018)

66...7. Yup. Good idea.

I put a Tana singLED in an E2 that draws 350mA for about 100 lumens on high. Then chose the memory mode and it now starts at 25% and a 2nd click is 100, but it always starts at 25. 
He has some in 3000k to look just like a light bulb too. At $80 they are kinda pricey, but a pair of batteries goes a long time and being an LED it'll outlive me if I make it to 108 years old. (ie double my current age)


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## Chadder (Mar 7, 2018)

Thank you for posting the link! I may not get anything done at work today because of spending too much time looking at all the old surefire catalogs. Beautiful lights!!


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## ampdude (Mar 11, 2018)

I have several E2O's in all of their original configurations, some with the two flats, twisty tailcap and some with the newer round body and clicky, and some with round body, but twisty tailcap. I have a round body that still has the twisty tailcap that came in the original red box, a few came that way during the transition to the Z57 clicky tailcap. There is basically three variations. I like the MN02 and MN03 lamp assemblies for EDC. The MN03 is basically like carrying a 4D Maglite with better output and that's plenty, plus the quality of light is better with the lithium batteries and orange peel reflector. I have one E2e that I have configured as an E2O. Basically it has the long pocket clip and MN02, but it was originally an E2e. And I EDC several different E2e's with the MN03. It's such a wonderful little light, I don't know if I can ever bring myself to really EDC anything else for lights, I'm old school like that.

Seeing an actual E2O is fairly uncommon nowadays, especially compared to the E2e. I don't EDC any of my E2O's anymore.

Another thing I wanted to mention was that I've noticed it seems that the E2O's bezel length is often slightly shorter than the E2e's. This could be manufacturing tolerances or an actual difference between the lights themselves. I've never really been able to decide if this is a real thing or a coincidence. Just something I've noticed over the years in comparing E2e's to E2O's. The amount of orange peel varies greatly from bezel to bezel in E2e's and lamp assembly to lamp assembly in the larger P60 style lights, so it could very well be due to tolerances.


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## novice (Mar 14, 2018)

ampdude said:


> I don't EDC any of my E2O's anymore.



Yeah, I don't know if mine completely qualifies as a "shelf queen", but it resides in the safe and I'm going to be careful how I carry it if I'm going to take it outside to use. I have accessorized it with an FM55 "bolt-down" flip-up red filter; a ridiculously expensive filter, if you can even find one, but I am in awe of the design and construction of the thing, considering how small it is.


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## Minimoog (Apr 3, 2018)

I have one or two of these but I'm still running the original bulbs for 25 lumens. Seems just right in the dark and I love the beam shape and throw. Are the Lumens Factory bulbs a better bet still? I carry one of the SF battery holsters with a spare bulb in the middle and that is a nice accessory.


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## DayofReckoning (May 3, 2018)

I sure wish the MN02 lamps were commonplace, but sadly that is not the case.


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## Crazyeddiethefirst (May 4, 2018)

DayofReckoning said:


> I sure wish the MN02 lamps were commonplace, but sadly that is not the case.



T Customs on the ‘bay has brass sockets and replacement bulbs in varying types that work great. I use a Steve Ku drop in and Lumens Factory LEDs for most my E series, but I have two sockets and around 20 spare bulbs when I want incandescent light...


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## DayofReckoning (May 4, 2018)

But do any of those T Customs bulbs have anywhere near the 2.5hr runtime of the Mn02?


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## bykfixer (May 5, 2018)

DayofReckoning said:


> But do any of those T Customs bulbs have anywhere near the 2.5hr runtime of the Mn02?



That is the $64,000 question. 
Apparently ole Tad was working on a runtime bulb at one point but to my knowledge it hasn't been revealed to the world yet.


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## ampdude (May 7, 2018)

DayofReckoning said:


> I sure wish the MN02 lamps were commonplace, but sadly that is not the case.



Yea that sucks, I use one nearly everyday in a modfied E2E with the long clip. I wish Surefire had released the E3e and a 3 cell lamp assembly for E-series in high and low like the P90 and P91. I'm not a huge fan of bi-pin bulbs for EDC, so I don't really care if they come out with a MN02 clone type bulb.


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## night.hoodie (Jan 22, 2019)

DayofReckoning said:


> But do any of those T Customs bulbs have anywhere near the 2.5hr runtime of the Mn02?



Tad Customs A Series lamps are 1.2A, and there's one that's 1.8A, one that is 1.0A. You'll get an hour on the 1.2A with 1200mAh, that's easy math. Higher amps is how they outperform 1.07A MN03 in brightness, but have about the same runtime. The MN02, the virtues of which I just finally discovered, is a 0.51A lamp, and quite incredibly bright for such low amps. I get 2 hours 12 minutes of 18 lumens or so with a 1200mAh 18350, which seems crazy. 

But the tint of Tad Customs lamps blows away the MN-series, the light is nicer, less angry, can not put my finger on it, but MN-series lamps seem to have a strange temperature quality to it that is not all that friendly to sensitive eyes, like most incan lamps are.

Also if you could take the time find 50 MN02, it might cost you $1500 or more, while 50 Tad Customs lamps would cost you about $121 (socket included). Granted, the durability of the lamps is not equal, but at more than ten times the price, I'd expect some serious durability from MN02.

Also, there are more Tad Customs lamps coming... I have it on good authority there is a decent possibility eventually of an A7205, a half-amp lamp for 2x Li-ion. Tad runs a small operation, so I expect any changes to what he can offer will be slow. I also know if an A3705 were possible from his supplier, he would sell it.




ampdude said:


> I wish Surefire had released the E3e _and a 3 cell lamp assembly_ for E-series in high and low like the P90 and P91.



You're aware of UBHII and the Vital Gear switchless twisty body I bet. I thought E2L AA could be bored for CR123A, but the idea was unpopular when I asked about it in another thread. Also, PrecisionWorks isn't taking any more orders for boring right now. :/ But more importantly, Tad Customs has a 3-cell lamp, A7212 works with 3xCR123A.



ampdude said:


> I'm not a huge fan of bi-pin bulbs for EDC, so I don't really care if they come out with a MN02 clone type bulb.



Where do you get your MN02? Anyway, it is a problem when the stocks are limited and no one knows where the remaining stocks are, or at least, no one is talking.


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## kelmo (Jan 23, 2019)

I've got a couple and still use the one I bought off of TIN. I was fortunate to come across 3 MN02 lamps NIP a few years back. I also have a couple of used ones waiting for use. This is the perfect around camp light!

ampdude is right, the E2O bezels were about a 2 millimeters shorter than the E2e bezels.


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## ampdude (Jan 23, 2019)

Surefire6p said:


> im so impressed with its output only being 25 lumens. its got a good amount of throw and the run time is great at 2.5 hours!!!, they really nailed the reflector setup on these E2O'S. I've heard about the lumens factory drop ins in the past but never looked into them, I just took a peak and man I'm getting the bug to stash away the mn02 and upgrade. its such a cool piece its gotta be one of the best EDC'S!!!



It is probably more like 40 lumens on fresh batteries. I love my MN02's and will never get rid of them.

It is also one bulb I've noticed that doesn't seem to dim much over its runtime.


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## ampdude (Jan 23, 2019)

kelmo said:


> ampdude is right, the E2O bezels were about a 2 millimeters shorter than the E2e bezels.



Wow, I thought I was the only person that noticed that and I wasn't sure if it was just a manufacturing mistake. Were yours as well?

I thought it could just possibly be something within manufacturing tolerances. But since it's CNC that doesn't seem likely.

I have one transition model in the red box that still has the Z52 twisty, but I think it has the newer style body, and two sealed E2O's in the gray box that will obviously be old school.. 

I'm so tempted to open them all right now and check them out.

I do have a pair of calipers!


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## kelmo (Jan 23, 2019)

ampdude said:


> Wow, I thought I was the only person that noticed that and I wasn't sure if it was just a manufacturing mistake. Were yours as well?...



Mine were also short bezels. And they had a much darker anodized cowling as compared to the lower barrel with the hex ring! Olive drab and grey.

Both of my E2Os have twisty switches and the bodies have witness marks!


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