SureFire G3 Flashlight $30 Midway!

[Barth]

Surefire G3 Flashlight Xenon Bulb with Batteries (3 CR123A Lithium) Nitrolon Black
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/519092/surefire-g3-flashlight-xenon-bulb-with-batteries-3-cr123a-lithium-nitrolon-black
http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/3962/dsc04948j.jpg

[gb6491]

Thanks for sharing Barth, but Xenon is so 2000:)
While you might get slightly better throw with a Xenon bulb, in this size flashlight I'd be much more inclined to buy this light: http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/581349/streamlight-polytac-flashlight-white-led-with-batteries-2-cr123a-lithium-polymer-black

Surefire specs the G3 at:
Type: Xenon Bulb
Battery Type and Number: (3) SF123A lithium
Output: 105 lumens (200 lumens with optional lamp assembly) You'd get about 20 minutes with the 200 lumens light module.
Run time: 60 minutes

The Streamlight goes:
Type: C4 LED
Battery: two CR123A lithium batteries
Output: 120 lumens
Run Time: 3 hours of continuous run time

So at a $5 price increase for the Polytac, you trade the possibility of slightly greater throw for increased run time/brightness on fewer batteries (123A batteries aren't that cheap).

If you don't need a push button on/off switch and stepping away from Midway USA, you can get better output and run time than the G3 from a single CR123 light at about the same price point:
http://www.batteryjunction.com/fenix-e15.html

Regards,
Greg

[JFootin]

Heartland America has two focusing LED flashlights at great prices. I have the less expensive one ($19.99) and plan to get one of the 5 watt ones ($29.99). Mine is high quality, bright and has no branding on it anywhere, not even a "Made in China" label. The 5 watt one is new and branded, but looks very similar. I think I'll ask them what the wattage and lumens is on both. I may just get another of the less expensive ones.

You can access both from here:
http://www.heartlandamerica.com/browse/search.asp?search=flashlight

[Barth]

Thanks for sharing Barth, but Xenon is so 2000:)
While you might get slightly better throw with a Xenon bulb, in this size flashlight I'd be much more inclined to buy this light: http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/581349/streamlight-polytac-flashlight-white-led-with-batteries-2-cr123a-lithium-polymer-black

Surefire specs the G3 at:
Type: Xenon Bulb
Battery Type and Number: (3) SF123A lithium
Output: 105 lumens (200 lumens with optional lamp assembly) You'd get about 20 minutes with the 200 lumens light module.
Run time: 60 minutes

The Streamlight goes:
Type: C4 LED
Battery: two CR123A lithium batteries
Output: 120 lumens
Run Time: 3 hours of continuous run time

So at a $5 price increase for the Polytac, you trade the possibility of slightly greater throw for increased run time/brightness on fewer batteries (123A batteries aren't that cheap).

If you don't need a push button on/off switch and stepping away from Midway USA, you can get better output and run time than the G3 from a single CR123 light at about the same price point:
http://www.batteryjunction.com/fenix-e15.html

Regards,
Greg

Seemed like a good deal at the time by a well respected manufacturer.
I didn't do any research at all though (as I usually do).
My bad.
It's an old technology light being pre-LED. I didn't know that.
Your recommendation looks superior.
I've wanted a SureFire for about 10 years (since 2000 LOL!).
But was unwilling to pay that much for a flashlight.
At $30 bucks this one is palatable.
Much like computers everything gets much better an much cheaper quickly.

The tip was on GlockTalk and I passed it on, and ordered OPS, without
checking it out. Will be more careful next time.


Oh Well

[ltxi]

Surefire G3 Flashlight Xenon Bulb with Batteries (3 CR123A Lithium) Nitrolon Black
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/519092/surefire-g3-flashlight-xenon-bulb-with-batteries-3-cr123a-lithium-nitrolon-black


That's a great price for a good, solid light. While most of my 20 some lights are rechargeable powered LED, some custom, I still keep a Surefire C3 Centurion with the high wattage bulb by the back door. Great beam width and throw....really lights up the back yard.

[Barth]

That's a great price for a good, solid light. While most of my 20 some lights are rechargeable powered LED, some custom, I still keep a Surefire C3 Centurion with the high wattage bulb by the back door. Great beam width and throw....really lights up the back yard.

Thanks

For those who jumped on my recommendation all is not lost.
This is from a member of Glocktalk -
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++
The price is still excellent even when thinking of it as simply a Surefire "Host". A Solarforce host will cost at least that much, and not be the build quality of the Surefire. 30 bucks for a Surefire host is a very good deal. Then for another 30 bucks you can get a Thrunite P60 XM-L single mode drop-in and you've got a 460 lumen flashlight with a several hours of runtime.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/thrunite-xml-1m-9v.html

...or any of the other P60 drop-ins:
http://www.batteryjunction.com/p60-dropin.html

Put a McClicky on it for multi-mode drop-ins and you have a light with several output levels. Everybody should have at least one Surefire that takes P60 drop-ins, just too much fun to "build" and "re-build" into whatever suits your fancy.

Good luck finding a better host for less money.
__________________

$60 Bat Signal
$30 Surefire G3
$30 Thrunite P60 XM-L 460 lumen drop in
http://www.parconline.biz/photoart/images/20060929110728_img_0023.jpg

[gb6491]

Barth,
I was sincere in my thanks for sharing what you found. I agree with ltxi that it's a great price on a good solid light. I was just pointing out that there are some very good LED lights at that price point and one of those would be my choice. My apologies if my earlier post came off as trashing yours, that was surely not my intent.
A good thing about the G3 is there are LED light modules available for them that might be worth a look when the Xenon bulb passes on:
http://www.lighthound.com/Lighthound-Cree-Drop-In-LED-Bulb-for-SureFire-and-other-Flashlights_p_965.html
http://www.batteryjunction.com/p60-dropin.html
BTW, a Surefire E2 was my first decent high output small flashlight. I still have it.:)
Regards,
Greg

Oops, must have been typing at the same time you were.

[ltxi]

Thanks, Barth for the additional info. I'm going to follow up on that lead. I haven't built a new light in a couple/three years and this looks really intriguing.

[ltxi]

Barth,
I was sincere in my thanks for sharing what you found. I agree with ltxi that it's a great price on a good solid light. I was just pointing out that there are some very good LED lights at that price point and one of those would be my choice. My apologies if my earlier post came off as trashing yours, that was surely not my intent.
A good thing about the G3 is there are LED light modules available for them that might be worth a look when the Xenon bulb passes on:
http://www.lighthound.com/Lighthound-Cree-Drop-In-LED-Bulb-for-SureFire-and-other-Flashlights_p_965.html
http://www.batteryjunction.com/p60-dropin.html
BTW, a Surefire E2 was my first decent high output small flashlight. I still have it.:)
Regards,
Greg

Oops, must have been typing at the same time you were.

I still have a couple of E2s as well, or maybe just one. My household utility lights are still mostly KL4s or E2s with KL4/KL2 head replacements and multi level tailcaps. My still most favorite (rugged and handy, palm held and operated) Surefire light is an E1 body with a KL4 head and a early, non-clicky, tailcap, powered by a 3.7V rechargeable 123.