Introduction
Surefire recently updated their Scout rifle light to produce much higher candela. It’s a great light, supported by the aftermarket scout ecosystem. However, you may be wondering which battery version is best for you: 18650 or 18350. Let’s find out.
Specifications
Let’s start with manufacturer specifications. These two lights should be mostly identical except for the batteries.
| Manufacturer Specifications | Surefire Turbo Scout Light Pro 18650 | Surefire Turbo Mini Scout Light Pro 18350 |
| Lumens | 700 | 650 |
| Runtime | 165 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Candela | 100,000 | 95,000 |
| Color Temp | Not specified | Not specified |
| Price | $323 | $359 |
| Price Includes | Light, Battery, Click Tailcap | Light, Battery, Click Tailcap |
| Included switching | Tailcap | Tailcap |
As you can see the 18650 version has a much longer runtime, and marginally better lumen and candela output. It’s also cheaper on MidwayUSA for some reason…
Lab Test: Lumens, Runtime
Practical: Warehouse Lumens
Lab Test: Candela
Practical: Candela
Here is our range at 240 yards (bucket on top of target) and 330 yards (target only). These lights appear to have similar (in this case, just about identical) output profiles, which is exactly what I would expect.
Lab Test: CRI, Color Temp
Practical: Mounting
These lights mount up pretty much the same, with the only difference being that the 18350 version is smaller, which may be helpful on smaller carbines.
Practical: Switching / Activation
Add three of these lights utilize what appears to be the same switching and activation. For more information, see our premium rifle light comparison article.
Conclusion
Except for the time of output, these lights are identical. If your requirement is long runtime, then get the 18650 version. If you need a more compact solution and runtime isn’t as important, then get the 18350 version.
Any variance in light quality is likely variances in the LED emitters. I saw a fairly wide variance in the Surefire X300 Turbo lights.
In short, battery size only matters for lasting power.
