[ExSoldier]

Okay the weekend BEFORE Hurricane Wilma ripped thru my area, I went to a gun show and went looking for my favorite SureFire Dealer who said he'd stopped carrying SureFire. He said he was going with the next BIG THING: Pentagon Lights had taken surefire and "OUT ENGINEERED" that product. Said that the 82nd Airborne had tested the product and that frankly for the duration of this test spare bulbs were not included yada yada yada. So I bought the equivalent of a SureFire 6P with a xenon bulb...about $65.

First problem I noted was uneven contact with the tailcap actuator switch. It seemed to require pressure from the middle of the button and it required a strong force. But okay, maybe it just takes getting used to.

Next: The storm hit and Miami Dade County was plunged into darkness and it was getting hairy at night...even with a curfew. I needed that LIGHT! So when the first set of Pentagon supplied batteries died....I replaced them with the new proprietary batterys. NO LIGHT. NOTHING----- DEAD BULB. If this had been a hostile situation (no shortage of those in a DISASTER ZONE!!) I and my family might be dead. I'm going back to SureFire.

 

[maclean3]

Wow, that's pretty disheartening to say the least. I just heard about Pentagon lights the other day through the posts here. I was looking at the different LED models this morning and pondering.

I'm really curious if your's is an isolated incident of a lemon slipping through QC or if it's a more widespread problem. I'd already decided to avoid their batteries based on Betty's "exploding Nitrolon" thread, think I'll stick with Surefire and be happy.
Jack

 

[Betty]

Maclean3,
I've heard the PentagonLight batteries and the Surefire batteries come from the same factory - they just stick different labels on them. I don't know if that's true, but I've got a set of PentagonLight batteries in my E2E right now. I was questioned if water came in contact with the lithium batteries, but I don't think that happened - the light was my dad's and he never used it much (it sat on a table most of the time), and the gaskets on that light keeps most everything out.

Surefire makes great products. I have the E2E, gave two Nitrolons away as gifts, and have an M95 mounted on my Bushmaster. They are very pricey. I know of at least one vendor who's upset at them because they won't allow him to lower the prices on his Surefires. He still stocks the Surefires, but also stocks PentagonLight flashlights, and is impressed by them. I don't have a PentagonLight and have never used one, so I can't comment on their quality.

 

[JustinM]

Tim, the owner of Tactical Supplies swears by Pentagonlights. I personally prefer Surefire just because I've had surefire lights since 6th grade. Tim knows his gear but like Betty, I've never handled one so I can't be sure. But from what I hear they are good. Maybe you got one of the bad ones?

 

[ExSoldier]

Well, as soon as I get my e-mail capability back, I'm gonna send them what I've written here and see what they do. As it stands I'm in the FINAL 10% of people in Miami-Dade County STILL without power after the storm.

 

[maclean3]

Thanks Betty, hadn't heard that about the batteries but I know a lot of imported power tools are like that (Delta & Grizzly bandsaws, etc.) so it seems plausible. Any chance your Dad's O-rings dried out, or were defective, and allowed some condensation into the battery compartment?

Since I haven't come across any substantial amount of info I'm curious how long Pentagon's been around. The 82nd's endorsement is pretty impressive but I'd like to hear more user reports before I decide to plunk down my money on them - the prices seem about on par with Surefire so I don't see much reason to change brands at this point - the red and green LED models are interesting though.
Jack

 

[P95Carry]

Ex - had wondered how you were doin' - the vid's of what hit you looked real bad.

I too have no personal experience with those lights but must say - your testament on yours would hardly tempt me to buy one!!

I stick with my lil' E1e and love it - plus I have recently, thx to LP Guy, fitted a ''Nite-Ize'' to my MiniMag - which makes for a good second level flashlight. Beyond that I have other odd lights all over the place!!!

I guess - you are running a gen'y now and again, to get power for posting. Hope things normalize real soon.

 

[ExSoldier]

Wilma

Ex - had wondered how you were doin' - the vid's of what hit you looked real bad.

I guess - you are running a gen'y now and again, to get power for posting. Hope things normalize real soon.

It's not been a lot of fun, that's for sure. But I'm able to post only because I'm finally back at work. Schools opened today. Gave the kids a big assignment and crept online to post at my fav sites. Then I clear my cache, cookies and history before I leave my 'puter locked on my personal password. ~SIGH~ Progun security in a world full of antigun lefties. Welcome to my world.

My wife put it best yesterday: If it was pure survival and the power wasn't coming on for months and we were all in the same boat, we'd do fine. But when your neighbor ACROSS the street got power back two days after the storm and YOU have to suffer thru cold showers, sterno meals, genset on and the TV all the way up just to hear the dialog on E-RING (my current fav show) for ELEVEN days and counting...well...to be somewhat indelicate: It Sucks.

But the truly good news is that there have been no acts of which I'm aware of post storm violence or looting beyond small neighborhood situations in the inner city. I still went about armed just in case...but that's the daily fact of my life...except of course, at work. One of the benefits of living in a truly progun state like Florida. I guess nobody wanted to be the test case for the new "Castle Doctrine" law. LOL!

 

[maclean3]

Ex:
My apologies, I read your original post and somehow it didn't register that you were dealing with Hurricane fallout. I'm sure it sucks to say the least but it's good to hear you and yours are getting through it safely. Hopefully they'll get your utilities straightened out soon and life will get back to something resembling "normal."
Jack

 

[Bumper]

Dang, I was wondering where you were. Sorry to hear of your situation and hope that the power company gets you restored soon. Hang in there!

 

[ExSoldier]

POWER RETURNED AS OF 1711HRS today!!!! 12 days of cold showers are finally GONE!

 

[Bud White]

Glad you got your power back that long sucks ...Guess ill stick to surefire also

 

[Miggy]

Welcome back to the 21st century! I didn't know the Gables was in darkness till I just saw your post.

 

[srfl]

Ex and Miggy...be well and safe down there!

I'm glad to hear that power is back for you Ex.

 

[maclean3]

Glad to hear it Ex! So which came first, a hot meal or a real shower?

Jut out of curiosity, when the Pentagon light failed, I assume you had a Surefire (or 6) to fall back on?
Jack

 

[P95Carry]

Good news Ex!!

That 12 days musta seemed like an eternity. I know for me an outage of even a half hour seems like a day!!

 

[ExSoldier]

We've been eating out a lot....so HOT SHOWER!

Glad to hear it Ex! So which came first, a hot meal or a real shower?

Jut out of curiosity, when the Pentagon light failed, I assume you had a Surefire (or 6) to fall back on?
Jack

SHOWER!!!!

SureFire? Yup, but it was only the little "Executive" model with a single lithium battery. Bright still, and reliable. My nitrolon coincidentally crapped out with a dead bulb but it was on it's .... lessee....about 20th set of batteries...not the first, like the Pentagon light. I still stay with the known quantity: SureFire.

I'm seriously thinking of a SureFire rechargeable model. Over 100 lumens! Anybody had any experience with these? I'm also looking hard at the X200 as a gunlight. I'm no longer so excited about the LED option, as I don't think it has the range of a more conventional light before washing out so I'm looking at other brands of gunlight to hang on my future USP 45. SureFire's seem too expensive for my taste and I'm certain that probably has to do with government contracts....

 

[maclean3]

Umm, just a thought but if you lost power again wouldn't a rechargeable light be sort of like a paperweight after the first charge ran down? I believe the 9P is close to that lumen output, though I don't how the run times compare.

No experience with the weapons lights, interested to hear other's opinions though. Assuming it's to be a dedicated weapons light would holster availability become an issue? I'm guessing it would have to be carried owb.
Jack

 

[ExSoldier]

No power? No problem....now

Umm, just a thought but if you lost power again wouldn't a rechargeable light be sort of like a paperweight after the first charge ran down? I believe the 9P is close to that lumen output, though I don't how the run times compare.

No experience with the weapons lights, interested to hear other's opinions though. Assuming it's to be a dedicated weapons light would holster availability become an issue? I'm guessing it would have to be carried owb.
Jack

That's why God created generators! I'll post a link to some of the gunlights I'm looking at. I'm not sure they still make the 9P.

Blade-Tech has both IWB and OWB holsters that handle most popularly available gunlight combos. Comfort with them is rarely a problem. The draw from concealed is going to take practice, although I'm thinking this is going to be a nightstand gun rather than a carry piece with gunlight attached. For carry I'll just use a SureFire and the Harries technique, as always.

 

[maclean3]

Just rechecked Surefire's site, it says the 9P is back for 2005 after being briefly discontinued. The lumen output is definitely up where you want it but battery life is the usual 1 hour, or 20 minutes with the optional 200 lumen P91 lamp ... talk about seeing stars!
Jack