# C2 Centurion



## Outrider212 (Nov 30, 2019)

Greetings,

Found a C2 Centurion in one of my old duffel bags. After a few searches Ive found my way here. I've already surmised that pretty much everything made for the C2 was discontinued years ago. Is this thing worth keeping, and if so, what tail caps/ bulbs can I use in it? Definitely not opposed to going LED. 

Cheers


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## Not So Bright (Nov 30, 2019)

Welcome to CPF.
Get a Malkoff drop in and you will have a great tool for life.


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## scout24 (Nov 30, 2019)

Congrats on the C2! One of my all time favorites. Google search "Surefire 6P upgrades", "P60 dropins", "Z41 McClicky kit" in the CPF search bar, above and right side below the header. You can spend $20 on up ton many hundreds of dollars making the C2 into pretty much anything you want. We're here to help! Enjoy the ride... 

Lumensfsctory still makes compatible bulbs if you want to stay incandescent, by the way.


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## Modernflame (Nov 30, 2019)

One of my greatest flashaholic regrets in life is selling my Centurion. Lots of cool ways to upgrade it. If it were mine, I'd get the 219b version of the Malkoff M61, still available from illumination supply. If high CRI is not your thing, then I'd go straight to Malkoff Devices and get the flavor of M61 you like most. These drop ins are essentially indestructible and will make the most of your flashlight.


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## thermal guy (Nov 30, 2019)

I literally just scored one on eBay for cheap. Very cheap. And in pretty good shape. Never had one before. Not even sure what I’m going to do with it but for the price it was a no brainer. Looks like a great light.


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## archimedes (Nov 30, 2019)

Although I know that some here prefer the Z's, for my money, the C-series SureFires are best-of-the-best P60 hosts.

Congrats and :welcome:


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## lion504 (Nov 30, 2019)

+1 on the illumn.com special edition P60 drop-ins - the Malkoff 219b V3s. Unfortunately there’s only like 3 left, so if you want one, action it fast. I have two: a LL and a LLL. For a single mode light, the lower lumens is more all-around useful (for me).


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## Outrider212 (Nov 30, 2019)

Judging by all the congrats I got on the find, I'm gonna assume it's very much worth keeping. 

Im gonna try to find a click on tail cap to replace the momentary/twist on it came with, and probably a nice LED and reflector with great throw. 

Looks like a lot of folks also have the body bored out to fit an 18650. Not sure I like that idea as it doesn't look like there would be much of a wall left.


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## scout24 (Nov 30, 2019)

A 16650 rechargable cell will fit perfectly in a stock C2 without bore work and run all but the most high powered drop in modules. Runtime depends on power demands, but spare cells are easy to carry.


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## ampdude (Dec 1, 2019)

Outrider212 said:


> Found a C2 Centurion in one of my old duffel bags.
> Is this thing worth keeping,



Haha!! Sorry, kinda misquoted you there, but posts like this make me laugh. You got a gem there. I wish I could look into old dufflebags and find random classic Surefire lights.


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## Eric242 (Dec 1, 2019)

Check out the Sportac dropins. Well made, affordable and a good variety.


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## ampdude (Dec 1, 2019)

Eric242 said:


> Check out the Sportac dropins. Well made, affordable and a good variety.



They look good quality. Seems they only offer cool white though. I see 5K listed as both "cool" and "neutral" on the same page of their site.

I consider 4K to be where cool tint starts. Though most will refer to 4K as neutral.


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## ven (Dec 1, 2019)

Someone say c2, lot of love here. One of my all time fav's for sure.






Cryos bezels , OR triad tails,in no order many engine(and bulb) options....... sportac/malkoff/EDC+/Oveready/p60vn's/lumensfactory/tana off top of my head.
McClicky tail cap is another option for the back end. Can run sanyo/keeppower 16650 fuel, so 2500mah and good for around 5a ish for easy guilt free lumens.


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## ven (Dec 1, 2019)

Then bezel rings




Sportac and malkoff




I enjoy the SF bulbs to, for that nostalgic beam




EDC plus triple




EDC/malkoff




This one is from mtn elec , quad 219c with frosted optic


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## Outrider212 (Dec 1, 2019)

Well, I ordered a Malkoff M61N drop in. Going to be ordering an M41 McClicky Med press tail cap next week. Any recommendations on 16650's? This will be my first jump into Lithium Ion rechargeables.


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## Eric242 (Dec 1, 2019)

ampdude said:


> They look good quality. Seems they only offer cool white though. I see 5K listed as both "cool" and "neutral" on the same page of their site.
> 
> I consider 4K to be where cool tint starts. Though most will refer to 4K as neutral.



Well, I only have one (XHP35) but that´s definitly warmer than my Oveready V5 4500k XP-L dropin.


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## Modernflame (Dec 1, 2019)

Outrider212 said:


> Im gonna try to find a click on tail cap to replace the momentary/twist on it came with...



If you prefer a clicky, then you'll find multiple options. However, many people, including me, think that the momentary/twist tail cap from Surefire is the finest mechanical flashlight switch ever built. They last forever, whereas clicky things wear out and are more prone to failure. Just something to consider. 



Outrider212 said:


> Looks like a lot of folks also have the body bored out to fit an 18650.



+1 on the 16650. No need to have the battery tube bored out.


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## scout24 (Dec 1, 2019)

Outrider212 said:


> Well, I ordered a Malkoff M61N drop in. Going to be ordering an M41 McClicky Med press tail cap next week. Any recommendations on 16650's? This will be my first jump into Lithium Ion rechargeables.



Any reputable seller with Sanyo based 16650 cells are good to go. Anything from ebay or with "fire" in the name may be more trouble than they're worth. The cost difference is neglegible, may as well run quality batteries.


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## bykfixer (Dec 2, 2019)

Battery Junction is way more reliable than eBay or Amazon who often times do not know a supplier sells fakes. 

The thing I learned at vaper sites was to watch out for "re-wraps" which are not necessarily bad batteries but mostly indicate over inflated numbers.


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## Kestrel (Dec 2, 2019)

It's very difficult to start this crazy hobby with a better platform than a SureFire C2 - a very fine light in its own right, and the upgrade options are nearly endless.

You have also made an exceedingly fine purchase with that Malkoff M61N.
A single 16650 LiIon will run that module very well (i.e. not getting the light bored for an 18650, for the time being).

If you ever do go into the very high-output dropins (e.g 1000+ lumen triples), that would be a good point to consider getting the body 18mm bored.

Until then, enjoy your light - a SF C2 with a Malkoff "N" is one of the very finest illumination tools ever assembled.


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## bykfixer (Dec 2, 2019)

The N is for NICE……


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## Outrider212 (Dec 3, 2019)

How close of attention do those of you who run 18650's and the like, to the battery voltage for recharging? Started doing research on Li-ion cells and I'm not sure I want to go down that rabbit hole if I need to monitor voltages that much/often. Can I get away with a quality charger from Nitecore and just recharge when the light dies? I see many newer lights have built in charge indicators but the old C2 doesnt.


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## archimedes (Dec 3, 2019)

Something or someone will need to monitor voltage.


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## scout24 (Dec 3, 2019)

For the M61N you have on order, a protected 16650 puts out plenty of amperage to run the module. The protection circuit won't let the battery over discharge, and any decent charger won't over charge your cell. I'd charge my 16650, turn on a light and a stopwatch at the same time, and run it until it shuts down so you have a good idea of total runtime you can expect on a charged cell.


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## Tempest UK (Dec 3, 2019)

What a great thing to find in an old bag! Lots of great suggestions already posted - please show us a picture if you can!


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## thermal guy (Dec 3, 2019)

Keeppower makes a very good 16650. I got about a dozen.


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## gravelrash (Dec 3, 2019)

This thread makes me want to get out my C2 and accessorize it. Just when I thought I was done spending flashlight money for the month...


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## Outrider212 (Dec 4, 2019)

16650 ordered, along with a Nitecore F2 charger.

What mods have you all done to the C2?


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## scout24 (Dec 4, 2019)

I hesitate to recommend mods without seeing a pic of your light first. If it's an old "crosshairs" logo, anything quasi-permanent may lower value. A McClicky tailcap kit for the original tailcap or a replacement with a clicky already in place, another common mod is a new bezel ring to protect your stock head. You'd most likely need a bezel wrench to remove the old one.


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## Kestrel (Dec 4, 2019)

+1 on pics needed first; my particular thing are the oldest "3-flats" C's - so few of them around compared to the revised "4-flats" models.


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## Outrider212 (Dec 4, 2019)

What do ya'll use to host images now that photobucket is useless?


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## archimedes (Dec 4, 2019)

The pictures already posted in this thread are hosted on Imgur.


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## kamagong (Dec 4, 2019)

The C2 remains one of the most eye-catching lights ever.

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## ven (Dec 5, 2019)

Agreed I love the design, but I am also torn with the z2 as well. Maybe both are my fav medium size surefire flashlights.


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## Outrider212 (Dec 5, 2019)

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## Outrider212 (Dec 5, 2019)

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## kamagong (Dec 5, 2019)

ven said:


> Agreed I love the design, but I am also torn with the z2 as well. Maybe both are my fav medium size surefire flashlights.



I prefer the Z2. But it's really six of one, half-dozen of the other.


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## scout24 (Dec 5, 2019)

Outrider- That's a newer production light, mod away!  The value there is as a solid user, they're not as rare as the older style. Just as cool, though.


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## thermal guy (Dec 5, 2019)

What’s the older C2 look like?


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## archimedes (Dec 5, 2019)

thermal guy said:


> What’s the older C2 look like?



There were a few different generations, but the crosshairs logo is a major point of difference


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## thermal guy (Dec 5, 2019)

But there all square yes?


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## id30209 (Dec 5, 2019)

Here’s the old M2 which was identical to C2, only letters were different. This one has bottom rounded like early C2’s had















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## archimedes (Dec 5, 2019)

thermal guy said:


> But there all square yes?


No, the body shapes differ too


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## Outrider212 (Dec 6, 2019)

Should I decide to change the m61n out for another, what are some good options for narrow throw modules?


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## Kestrel (Dec 6, 2019)

Outrider212 said:


> Should I decide to change the m61n out for another, what are some good options for narrow throw modules?


I think you'll find no better blend of flood & throw than your M61N; there are certainly compromises when additional throw is attempted in a relatively narrow platform such as this - if you were to cover that option, a much better selection would be a larger Malkoff flashlight - the Hound Dog.

This reminds me of when I started with CPF something like a ~couple yrs ago; I thought 'throw' was the way to go, but after a few years of using high-performance lights, I better understood the utility of having considerable flood to a beam - and now I'm a flood addict, lol. :-/


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## Outrider212 (Dec 6, 2019)

My move towards finding lights that are good for throw isn't because I want the distance per se, but because I want the tight, focused beam that is inherent to that design. I use head lights that have great flood and now want to find hand helds that are the opposite, for pinpoint lighting.


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## Outrider212 (Dec 7, 2019)

Got the M61N in and it's definitely an upgrade over the incan bulb, both in temp and pattern. Quite pleased with the upgrade. 

On another note, found a second Surefire light in my C bag but this one has no markings beyond the Surefire name. Gonna try to post a photo for ID soon. Has a click tail, relatively smooth body, High/Low modes and is LED. Same length as the C2.


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## archimedes (Dec 7, 2019)

Outrider212 said:


> .... On another note, found a second Surefire light in my C bag but this one has no markings beyond the Surefire name....



Very curious ... looking forward to pictures


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## Outrider212 (Dec 7, 2019)

Sadly, I have no more duffels to look through to find more toys.


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## F250XLT (Mar 29, 2020)

Many recommend the 16650, why not 17670, what am I missing?


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## id30209 (Mar 29, 2020)

F250XLT said:


> Many recommend the 16650, why not 17670, what am I missing?



17670 is old format, 1600mah and barely 3A discharge. 
New 16650’s are the same site as 17670 but eith 2500mah capacity and can deliver 5A and sometimes even more


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## ven (Mar 29, 2020)

Yes sanyo 16650 is where its all at. 

Most of mine bar 3 surefires are standard, and to be honest i prefer it that way. Granted i can not run my powerful drop ins as high on 16650 fuel, but for when i want to(not often), i can use it in a bored host.


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## F250XLT (Mar 29, 2020)

id30209 said:


> 17670 is old format, 1600mah and barely 3A discharge.
> New 16650’s are the same site as 17670 but eith 2500mah capacity and can deliver 5A and sometimes even more



Kinda figured it was something like that, looks like I need to step up my game and order some cells. So the AW stuff is not where it’s at anymore?

How about 18650, and changes there?


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## id30209 (Mar 29, 2020)

Everything changed since AW factory was flooded 
Keepppower 16650’s are my nr.1
18650...there are so many of them now, all better than AW back then. Just look at HKJ reviews


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## ven (Mar 29, 2020)

18650- Samsung 30q are good all rounders. Sony vtc6 (vtc5a as well)also, many more of course. Just make sure Sony/Samsung/Sanyo /Panasonic /LG. But latter getting less and less I think.
A good all rounder the 10a 3500 Sanyo/Panasonic , but still recommend the 30Q over these. I am not fully up to date as not needed cells for a while.
16650- Sanyo inside, naked can be charged to 4.35v(4.2 is fine for about 90% charge). Keep power wrappers are protected button top 4.2v. As long as not using crazy quads, those will be fine for most applications.


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## F250XLT (Mar 29, 2020)

id30209 said:


> Everything changed since AW factory was flooded
> Keepppower 16650’s are my nr.1
> 18650...there are so many of them now, all better than AW back then. Just look at HKJ reviews
> 
> ...



I've been out of the hobby for quite a while, I had no idea about this.



ven said:


> 18650- Samsung 30q are good all rounders. Sony vtc6 (vtc5a as well)also, many more of course. Just make sure Sony/Samsung/Sanyo /Panasonic /LG. But latter getting less and less I think.
> A good all rounder the 10a 3500 Sanyo/Panasonic , but still recommend the 30Q over these. I am not fully up to date as not needed cells for a while.
> 16650- Sanyo inside, naked can be charged to 4.35v(4.2 is fine for about 90% charge). Keep power wrappers are protected button top 4.2v. As long as not using crazy quads, those will be fine for most applications.



Thank you for the info, much appreciated.


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## ven (Mar 29, 2020)

Welcome F250, hopefully a new lease of life into your classic surefires

As much as i love triples/quads, i still enjoy the nostalgic incand bulbs........fantastic!


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