Description
What the SureFire DS00 Switch Assembly Is
The SureFire DS00 Waterproof Switch Assembly for Scout Light WeaponLights, Tan is a control component, not a light. It supplies the switching for a Scout Light body, produces no illumination of its own and has no lumen figure, so it only makes sense as an addition to a host such as the SureFire Scout Light Pro in its M640U form. The listing states compatibility with most SureFire WeaponLights and specifically excludes the Micro Scout Light Pro. The assembly carries both an integrated pushbutton and a remote switch receptacle that operate independently, which is what the specification means by switch redundancy: either path can activate the light without the other being involved. The click on and off pushbutton is listed as a physical actuator with a defined detent rather than a soft pad.
- Specified as compatible with most SureFire Scout Light WeaponLights
- Independent operation of the integrated pushbutton and the remote switch
- Physical click actuator rather than a pressure film
Drawbacks to Consider
The published limitations are worth reading before ordering. Compatibility excludes the Micro Scout Light Pro, which rules the part out for owners of that body. The product name says waterproof, but the published figure is an IP54 rating, and that pair does not agree: IP54 covers dust ingress and splashing water, not immersion or pressurised water, so the listing states one thing in the name and another in the specification table. Confirm the sealing figure on the manufacturer sheet before exposing the assembly to anything beyond rain. The tan finish is a fixed colour choice on this part number. The swivelling housing that allows the pushbutton to be rotated into position is also the part most likely to move out of position if the clamp is not tightened properly.
- Not compatible with the Micro Scout Light Pro
- IP54 rating covers splashing water only, despite the waterproof product name
- Swivelling housing needs to be tightened deliberately to stay put
Design and Build Quality
Construction is a two piece O-ring sealed housing in a compact envelope, with the swivel mechanism allowing the pushbutton to be indexed to a chosen grip angle. Connection is by a 3 pin screw terminal rather than a soldered joint, which is the detail that makes the part serviceable in the field, and the contact material is listed as metal without a more specific alloy being given. The IP54 rating is the only ingress figure published for the assembly. The tan finish matches SureFire’s tan bodies rather than any camouflage pattern, so buyers matching a black setup will want the black variant of the part instead.
Control and Operation Features
The listed ON and OFF operation mode uses a normally open contact type, meaning the circuit is broken until the switch is pressed. The parallel circuit design is what makes the integrated and remote switches independent of each other. The receptacle is specified to accept SureFire remote tape switches including the ST07, SR07 and SR07-D-IT, which is the practical reason to choose this assembly over a plain tail cap. Buyers who want the tape switch supplied in the box rather than bought separately usually look instead at the DS07 dual switch assembly and its 7 inch remote tape switch. The system disable feature is published as a lockout against accidental activation and the battery drain that follows it.
Fit With Host Lights and Rail Setups
Because this is a component, the decision comes down to the host body rather than to the switch on its own. Scout Light bodies mounted along a rifle handguard put the tail cap out of reach of the firing hand, which is the whole argument for a remote pad, and that is not a problem pistol lights have: the SureFire X300U-B and its integral toggle switch sits directly under the trigger guard where the support hand already is. The ring and pushbutton controller types listed for the DS00 address different hand sizes and grip styles on a long gun. The swivel adjustment exists for the same reason, since handguard diameter and grip position vary between hosts.
Price to Quality Ratio
Priced as an accessory, the assembly costs a noticeable fraction of a complete light, and the case for it rests on the screw terminal, the sealed housing and the published compatibility list rather than on any performance figure. Cheaper generic switches use plastic housings and moulded leads that cannot be reterminated. For occasional use the standard tail cap that ships with the light is already adequate, and the DS00 is aimed at setups where a remote pad is going to be fitted anyway.
Product Comparisons
Against tape switches from Streamlight and other makers, the DS00 is positioned on dual independent activation and the sealed swivel housing rather than on price. Several competing switches publish higher ingress ratings than IP54, which matters for anyone working in sustained wet conditions. Competing assemblies also tend to be sold as a fixed unit with the pad attached, while the DS00 is a receptacle that takes a choice of SureFire pads. Where the whole discussion becomes moot is on compact handgun lights with the switching built into the body, such as the Nightstick TCM-5B and its integrated paddle switches, which have nowhere to fit a remote pad in the first place.
Favourable Attributes
- Independent integrated and remote switching from a parallel circuit
- Metal contacts and a 3 pin screw terminal rather than a moulded lead
- O-ring sealed swivel housing that can be indexed to the grip
- Receptacle specified for the ST07, SR07 and SR07-D-IT remote pads
Areas of Concern
- Not compatible with the Micro Scout Light Pro
- IP54 rating does not support immersion, whatever the product name says
- Swivelling housing can rotate out of position if left loose
- Tan is the only finish on this part number
Read as a specification rather than as a light, the DS00 is a switching upgrade for an existing Scout Light and nothing more, which is exactly how it should be judged. It belongs in a build that is already going to carry a remote pad, and it is the wrong purchase for anyone expecting a light in the box. Buyers comparing complete weapon lights before worrying about switching will find the rest of the tactical flashlight and weapon light category a better starting point.
