Surefire forend for 870: change to LED?

You need to find out if it uses a P-60 drop in. Google Malkoff flashlights and call them. If not you will prob have to oder from surefire.

+1 on Malkoff.

If it uses a P60 Surefire bulb, the Malkoff is the answer to your prayers!

My old 6P Surefire flashlight used a set of batteries every 30 minutes and went dark suddenly with no warning.

My Malkoff LED is at least twice as much light.
I replace the batteries about every 4 months now instead of every four weeks.
And it doesn't just shut of when the batteries get low.
You have a low light output that will last long enough to get you back to fresh batteries.

http://www.malkoffdevices.com/

rc

The problem is that if it's got a shock isolating bezel, the LED drop in may have heat regulation issues. I replaced mine years ago with the BP60L kit, which was a Z44-BK bezel and a P60L lamp. I don't know that they're still around. On Surefire's site they have a LM1-BK conversion that take one battery and a LM2-BK conversion that takes two batteries.

On the other hand, I replaced the incandescent lamp on a Surefire M2 a while back with a Malkoff drop in and I'd trust it with my life. That's one solid unit.

Well, it's probably not like you are going to go snipe hunting all night with a Surefire 870 Forend light in continuous use.

My 6P doesn't get hot enough to notice during normal on & off again use.
I doubt the dedicated 870 forend would either.

rc

I tend to think the Surefire forend would melt off before the Malkoff would.

I do no believe the Malkoff will fit the Surefire forend. I replaced the light assembly head on my 870 forend with the LM2-BK LED. It is 200 lumens, which is about the maximum output one would want for HD purposes. I don't know how you could be draining your batteries that fast. These are tactical lights, to be used only in short bursts to temporarily blind or disorient an adversary and to acquire and identify the target, not general purpose flashlights. http://www.surefire.com/LM2

I did this conversion a year ago, using the KX4 shock bezel with LED bulb. Works perfectly, is very bright, and holds up to continious firings and run time. Best of all, it dosen't cost too much for what you get.

Which drop-in did you use?

SpookyPistolero said:

I've got the Rem 870 Surefire forend with the standard lamp, but that thing sucks down batteries. I'm wondering if there's a replacement housing for an LED instead of the bulb?

I haven't been able to find the answer on the 'net...

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Search evil bay for "CREE LED" cheap to spendy and up to 1k Lumens.

The recoil got my original lamp so I replaced with a low cost cree unit. Brighter, longer battery life, less heat generated and holding up to 3" mag slug recoil.

Look at the stuff offered by John at Lighthound.com

Great retailer, thought highly of by the gurus over at The Candlepowerforums.

That item looks like the head they put on the G2 LED. You can buy the whole light for that money and I will by the body off of you, for real PM me if you want to do that. You could order somethin like a R5 P60 lamp from lighthound for cheap and drop it in, it may work. Do you know anyone with a Surfire G2 or P6 light cus you can just pull the lamp out to see if it works. Also CALL MALKOFF and ask if they have or can make a drop in. Oh and CALL MALKOFF!

Yes, you can replace your existing Z32 (M2) incandescent, shock isolated bezel and P60 lamp assembly with the KX4 unit, which produces 120 lumens. The KX4 is, however, an integrated bezel/lamp assembly and cannot be disassembled and upgraded with drop-ins. You could use your existing Z32 bezel and install a Malkoff drop-in, such as the M61, which produces 260 lumens. http://www.malkoffdevices.com/shop/m61-mod-to-fit-surefire-and-malkoff-p-7.html You may have spacing issues, however, and need to use a Malkoff fitting ring ($1) in order to use an LED in a shock absorbing bezel. A much better option would be to purchase a Z44-BK LED bezel and use the Malkoff drop-in. The Z44 has recently been discontinued and it may be hard to find. I believe Surefire is moving towards self-contained, integrated head/lamp assemblies (such as the KX4) which cannot be disassembled and upgraded. The other option, of course, is to purchase the LM2-BK.

The KX4 bezel with LED light screwed right on and took a few seconds to install. It works very well. No other calls to make, after market stuff to buy, etc.

splithoof said:

The KX4 bezel with LED light screwed right on and took a few seconds to install. It works very well. No other calls to make, after market stuff to buy, etc.

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Yes, that's true. But, as I have said, the KX4 is an integrated unit that can not be upgraded (and, BTW it is not a "shock bezel", as LED's do not require shock protection). It costs $85 and produces 120 lumens. The OP already has a bezel, most likely the Z32. He only needs to purchase the Malkoff M61 drop-in and a $1 "fitting ring" (spacer). Total cost: $56, lumens: 260. He only needs to remove the incandescent lamp from the bezel, drop in the Malkoff, plus spacer and screw the bezel back on. Pretty simple. Do the math.

If it costs $85 so be it. I bought the KX4 at a special sale for about half that. If I ever wear it out, then I will investigate the other options as well. In the meantime, it works very well as is.

splithoof said:

If it costs $85 so be it. I bought the KX4 at a special sale for about half that. If I ever wear it out, then I will investigate the other options as well. In the meantime, it works very well as is.

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I guarantee you will not wear it out. However, know that SF will introduce newer, more powerful integrated heads (perhaps a KX5 is next) that also will not be upgradeable, forcing you to replace the entire bezel/lamp assembly, rather than simply dropping in a new LED emmiter. That is direction they are going.

Back to the OP, since he already has a bezel, the Malkoff at 260 lumens and $56 would be what I would do. Having used both SF and Malkoff drop-ins, I can say the SF lamp assemblies are truly excellent, and the Malkoff units are works of art.