SUREFIRE M951 series contract gun flashlight review

The American company Surefire is one of the leading manufacturers of military tactical flashlights for various purposes, including highly specialized weapon flashlights. And the model, or rather the M951 series from the Surefire MU (Millennium Universal) System WeaponLights line, whose history dates back to the dawn of the 2000s, is one of the most popular in the company's assortment, including as one of the elements of the SOPMOD program ( Special Operations Peculiar MODification).

The review presents a used M951 model with a Kit02 set (NSN 6240-01-532-4184), which was officially presented in 2007, replacing the 2006 version of the same name, the only difference is in the case design, including the bezel design and the absence of heat-dissipating fins , which allowed to reduce weight by 10%. Kit02 includes an M49 mount, two lithium batteries, an XM07 remote button and an FM63 infrared filter. Kits are also available with diffuser FM64, simply with protection plug FM67, or with color filters (red FM65, blue FM65).

The full name of the Surefire M951XM00 model presented in the review, where M9 means that this is a gun lamp of a certain series, 5 is the number of the module compatible with P60 / P61 bulbs and two CR123A batteries, 1 provides for the M49 base mount (Thumb Screw Mount), and XM indicates that the flashlight is supplied with an end button with a connector for a remote button. The last two digits represent the length of the XM07 Expansion Button Cord, where 7 inches is the base length. Two zeros indicate that the cord and the remote button are not included in the kit.

The Surefire M951 flashlight is made in a rugged and sealed aluminum alloy housing with a wear-resistant anodized coating that meets the military standard Mil-A-8625 Type III Class 2. The flashlight is 156 mm long, 38 mm head diameter, with a filter no more than 41 mm. The weight of the flashlight, without batteries and filter, is about 210 grams, the total weight with batteries is 244 grams, if you add a filter, the weight will increase to 281 grams. For a visual comparison of dimensions, the photo shows the Fenix TK25 R&B series LED flashlight.

A few words about the M49 mount, which is compatible with the standard Picatinny rail interface (MIL-STD 1913). The mount is completely removable and is interchangeable with the A.R.M.S. M50. At the same time, the process of removing the fastener is not quick and requires an appropriate tool. It is important to note that the flashlight was not designed to be used without a mount. The mount itself is made in such a way that it is a one-piece, but adjustable, structure, without completely separating elements, which excludes the possibility of losing anything during operation. The M49 mount measures 56mm long and 32mm wide.

The M951 is equipped with a replaceable xenon lamp type P60 (NSN 6240-01-513-6526) with integrated reflector. The maximum declared brightness is up to 65 lumens, a full charge of the batteries should be enough for an hour of continuous operation. In this case, the manufacturer does not officially indicate the effective range of the light beam. Also, the Surefire M951 flashlight, if you do not take into account the products of third parties, where there are even LED "alternatives", can be used with P61 lamps, the brightness of which is increased to 120 lumens, but the runtime is reduced to 20 minutes.

The flashlight works only in one mode, and with maximum brightness. In our tests, when using Olight lithium batteries (there was no opportunity to purchase original ones), the declared capacity of which is 1600mAh, a full charge was enough for about 53 minutes. In this case, the body warmed up to 43 degrees. The flashlight maintained its maximum brightness practically throughout the entire test, and only at the end did it start to fade out gradually. The effective range at which a human figure could be discerned was approximately 123 meters. In the images, the building is located at a distance of up to 100 meters, the shooting was carried out using a Sony IMX586 sensor, auto white balance.

The M951 model presented in the review has long been discontinued and has been completely replaced by more modern and powerful devices, including the M952V MU model, which already uses a 350 lumen LED (12750 candela, 2.5 h, 225 m). At the same time, the M951 is still available in the secondary market, and continues to be supported by the manufacturer. In addition, a variety of modifications from third-party manufacturers are available for this flashlight, including compatible LED lamps of different wattage.

Instead of a conclusion. Yes, the flashlight is far from "fresh" and a huge number of brighter, more compact and functional devices are available on the market, including those from Surefire. At the same time, the M951 model demonstrates high reliability and compliance with the declared characteristics, excellent build quality, well thought-out design and components, and will easily "digest" any recoil of small arms.

For this introductory review, the Surefire M951 series gun flashlight was provided by the Punisher specialist retailer, where it is available in various states and trim levels, and is priced at $ 170 on average, excluding shipping.

Source: https://www.gearshout.net/oznakomitelnyj-obzor-oruzhejnogo-fonarya-serii-surefire-m951/
Author: GearShout