I suppose I should give an update on this.
I received the Olight M3X and tested it the same night. It put out an incredible beam. It lit up my backyard, my neighbor's backyard, and the other neighbor's backyard like you wouldn't believe. It scared the beejeebers out of the coyotes, too.
But I sold it for a $10 loss.
It was an excellent flashlight, but I wanted something heavier and more robust. After a lot of searching, I found a
ThruNite Catapult V2-XML (review). I purchased the light from
LightHound.com for $150+ S/H. I've done business with them a number of times and they are quite reputable. (Note that the review has a photo of the V2-XML next to an Olight M31, which has the same dimensions as the Olight M3X.)
As great as the Olight was, the ThruNite beat the socks off of it. It is no exaggeration that the beam is nearly equal to my patrol car's spotlight. Best of all, the flashlight will do a great job beaning someone's noggin', should the need arise. I think it's best described as a baton that doubles as a flashlight.
The flashlight has some weight, is very well built and perfectly machined. My only complaint is that it's difficult to switch between high and low beam, but it might have something to do with the fact that it's built like a tank. Other than that, I couldn't ask for more.
Scuzzy; come to think of it, it would be nice if it came in a semi-auto 40 caliber model.