Own both lithium & rechargeable models....
Good Evening Everyone-
My experience is "limited" to a first-generation 9N, a brand new 9AN Commander HA, a Millennium Centurion M2, and an Executive E2-HA. Wow, I must be weird for high-intensity light or something...
The 9AN Commander normally stays at home, except for extended trips or weekends out in the country. The durable Millennium Centurion M2 rides in my briefbag and is my "everyday" light. The Executive E2-HA lives in the center console of my car for map reading or viewing address numbers on darkened houses. It's dandy for dealing with tailgating punks on the highway in their lowered Honda Civics, too!
While these lights are quite expensive, they are drop-dead reliable. Clean threading and supple gaskets pretty much ensure a long and trouble-free service life.
In addition to the lights themselves,
SureFire makes a whole boatload of accessories like "spares" carriers, holsters, colored filters, lanyards, batteries, and a bunch of other things.
Go with the low-key Hard Anodized (HA) finish and you won't be disappointed. If you anticipate using the flashlights in a more formal or office setting, you would probably do better with the black or gunmetal finishes.
SGoeing makes a good point that sometimes the lights are "too bright" in some instances. I would
love if my Millennium Centurion M2 featured a second low-intensity lamp of 10-15 lumens for close work. The reflection of 65 lumens off a piece of white paper can be blinding. This is where the 9AN Commander has a big advantage.
Herb, what are your anticipated applications for the 500 lumens model? If it's primarily for use indoors with the .357 Magnum, you'll want something smaller, and easy-to-grip that allows you to negotiate doors, locks, and maybe even dial a cellular phone. The 140 lumens coming out of the 9AN Commander is
excruciatingly bright...
I'm not a SureFire employee, nor do I play one on TV.
Good luck,
~ Blue Jays ~
