20mm ARMOUR-
PIERCING BULLETLITE

20mm Armour-Piercing Bulletlite, retail $79.95 (www.bulletlite.com...)
Manufactured by Venturetek, Inc. (www.bulletlite.com)
Last updated 10-11-09




Thuhh kumpeny thaat maiks thuh Bulletlite kant spel "light", but I think they still make a fantastic product!!! The 20mm Armour-Piercing Bulletlite is a very realistic 20mm artillery shell with one hidden secret: an LED flashlight is cleverly tucked away inside; this is revealed when you pick the surprisingly heavy Bulletlight up and look at its base - where you would normally find the primer - you'll see a shiny, mirror-smooth reflector and Nichia high-powered SMD LED in the primer's place. This LED is part of a Terralux TLE-10 module; which is why it can operate with just two AA cells.

It comes in a nonanodized (or otherwise untreated) brass body, which will develop a patina (a brownish or greenish oxidation) over time, which you may polish away with a brass polish like Brasso if you wish to keep your Bulletlite looking in like-new condition, or leave it as-is and allow it to age naturally.


SIZE



To turn on the Bulletlite, aim the unit so the bottom (wide end) is pointed away from you, and give the skinny bullet-end a clockwise twist (as if tightening it).

To turn it back off, twist the bullet-end counterclockwise (as if loosening it) until it turns off.

Yes, it really *is* as easy as that.

The Bulletlite is *VERY* heavy; like a piece of live ammunition.



To change the batteries, turn the Bulletlight upside-down so the LED & reflector faces up. Unscrew and remove the narrower bullet-end, and while still holding that piece, set the larger portion aside.

Remove the two used AA cells from the bullet-end, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Insert two new AA cells into the bullet-end, orienting them so their flat-ends (-) negative go in first.

Screw the larger piece back on, and back it off slightly when your Bulletlite springs to life.

Current usage measures 102.3mA on my DMM's 400mA scale.

The manufacturer recommends Ray-O-Vac alkaline cells in the instructional material furnished with the Bulletlite.




Photograph of the Bulletlite's "business-end", showing the LED and reflector.

This is a novelty artillery shell with a light in it, not a flashlight designed to be used every day and thrashed and abused, so I won't try to drown it in the toilet, smash it against a concrete sidewalk, throw it against a wall, stomp on it, throw it at a wall-mounted porcelain urinator to see if it smashes open, sit down hard on it, or otherwise abuse it. So this portion of the web page will be somewhat more bare than this section of the web page on a page about a flashlight who's sole purpose in life is to be a flashlight.

The Bulletlite appears to be water-resistant and even waterproof to some degree. When I administered that dreadful suction test on both ends, no leakage was detected. I also suctioned just the reflector-end while it was removed from the rest of the unit - same results. So if you need to take it outside to use in rainy or snowy weather, you should not have any problems with water entry. And if it falls next to the mailbox and the dog pisses on it, no problem. Just take the garden hose to it or douche it off under the faucet - good as new!
There are O-rings visible both where the bezel and tailpiece screw on; these O-rings appear to offer effective environmental protection.

The beam has a bluish-white hotspot and a "rotten porpoise urine green" penumbra and less-tinted but still slightly greenish corona, but this should not impact its usage as a flashlight. This color tinting is normal with the Terralux TLE-10 module that was used in the Bulletlite.


Photograph of the bezel of the Bulletlite disassembled; showing the black lampholder, the Terralux TLE-10 lamp, and the brass bezel assembly with reflector.

My downstairs housemate remarked that it resembles a b***plug (or a "dildon't"); and that you could turn it on, stick it up there, turn around, and read the newspaper by its light.



Beam photograph on the test target at 12".
Beam really does have that "rotten porpoise urine green" tint in its penumbra.
Measures 215,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED in this flashlight.

Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED in this flashlight. Outer part of beam.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this flashlight. Inner part of beam.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.



Beam photograph at ~15'.

That red star thing is from an American DJ Laser Widow, and that rectangular graphic thing near the bottom is a marquee from a Williams 'Stargate' upright coin-op video game from the early-1980s.


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis.
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.






TEST NOTES:
Product was purchased from the Bullet Flashlights website on 12-04-05, and was received on the morning of 12-08-05.

(Update 12-09-05:): I just now realised that the Bulletlite was sent priority insured mail, which is unusual in that most other flashlights are not sent with postal insurance.

Product was made in the United States. A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Seems relatively sturdy
Very nice as a piece of artwork
Water-resistant
Good output for a 2xAA flashlight


CONS:
Brass can tarnish with age - some people will not find this objectionable however.
The 4-Star rating I gave it is subjective; you may find it to exceed this rating


    MANUFACTURER: Venturetek, Inc.
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: Nichia high-powered white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with dimmer penumbra; much dimmer corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Twist tailpiece on/off
    BEZEL: Metal; LED & reflector protected by plastic window
    BATTERY: 2xAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 102.3mA
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: 2 Ray-O-Vac alkaline AA cells
    SIZE: 6.70" long, 2.25" wide at base
    WEIGHT: 14.1 oz. with batteries
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





20mm Armour-Piercing Bulletlite * www.bulletlite.com...






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