OVEREADY Custom HA 6P

The venerable SureFire 6P Original has received a 21st Century makeover from the fine folks at OVEREADY. With modifications made to improve both performance and aesthetics, their Custom HA 6P allows users to get the most out of the latest P60 LED drop-ins and more powerful lithium-ion rechargeable batteries.

Available with either black or natural (gray) hard-anodized finish, the Custom HA 6P can be purchased as a host (with no light engine) or as a turnkey flashlight with a TorchLAB Triple LED drop-in (Review) or M2 Mini Turbohead already installed. A selection of switches, lenses, and bezel rings rounds out the available options allowing the Custom HA 6P to be configured in a multitude of ways.

A sample with black hard-anodized finish, black smooth steel bezel ring, Ultra-Clear lens, and McClicky tailcap switch was provided for this review by OVEREADY. Since actual performance will vary depending upon the drop-in used, this review will focus on the host itself.

OVEREADY Custom HA 6P – Overview

The matte black finish of the Custom HA 6P is notably different than the glossy Type II finish of a stock 6P. The original SureFire laser engraving is still visible but has a more muted appearance.

The hard-anodized finish is flawless and even across all parts of the light. Much more than just a “coat of fresh” paint”, the refinishing process is quite involved and requires several steps. To learn more about the process, visit the Custom HA Fire Red 6P Review for a full description of the work that goes into creating a hard-anodized host.

The black smooth steel bezel ring stays in character with the host’s muted appearance and provides more protection than the stock SureFire plastic bezel ring. A wide selection of other rings is available including brass, copper, silver, and titanium as well as crenelated stainless steel versions.

Switching duty is normally handled by the stock SureFire Z41 “twisty” tailcap switch. Upgrades are available, including the McClicky tail switch conversion (shown below), the ZeroRez Twisty, or the ZeroRez Mounty, all installed in the original Z41 aluminum tailcap.

As with all custom hosts from OVEREADY, the battery compartment of the Custom HA 6P has been bored to accept 18mm (nominal) diameter lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Double O-rings are used at the tail as opposed to the single O-ring provided by SureFire.

A battery retention lip with rubber O-ring bumper keeps the battery (or batteries) in place when changing the bezel or light engine.

OVEREADY Custom HA 6P – Conclusions

One of the great advantages of using the SureFire 6P Original as a host is the simplicity with which it can be modified and upgraded. Due to its modular design, no tools are required to add many of the available accessories such as lanyard rings and pocket clips or to change tailcaps, light engines, and bezels. It was this ease of customization that first attracted me to the SureFire family of flashlights.

However, as great as the 6P is, it has limitations when used with some of today’s high-powered LED drop-ins. Perhaps the biggest drawback is the fact that the stock 6P battery compartment is not wide enough to accommodate 18mm diameter batteries. Also, the stock Z41 tail switch can begin to heat up, thereby increasing resistance, when used with high current drop-ins.

The Custom HA 6P addresses both of these concerns with its bored body and options for the more efficient McClicky and ZeroRez tailcap upgrades. Throw in the numerous other upgrade options and the 6P still remains the most solid and future-proof flashlight host around.

Priced at around $120 and up, depending upon options, the Custom HA 6P may seem expensive at first. However the price does not seem out of line considering it currently costs about $85 to $100 to purchase a new 6P and have it professionally bored. Bored versions with the SureFire factory finish are available for those who would like the ability to use 18mm batteries but don’t have a need for the more durable hard-anodized finish.

For more information about the Custom HA 6P, visit the OVEREADY website or use the links to specific items below.

Items mentioned in this review (Links to OVEREADY website)