Maglite for the car glove compartment

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I modified a 3 cell MagLite with Luxeon emitter and heat sink, rewiring the switch to do it. After about 2 weeks, the wife and dog were speaking to me again. Bright, looong runtime. From that time to this, I have bought drop-in LED modules for all my flashlights. Besides, I don't think additional parts are available, like a switch , in case the unthinkable happens.
Now that the weather is getting warm, I will put a light back in the car. Batteries do leak, but, NIMH like rechargeable Eneloops work well, and I've yet to try the Lithiums.
I have two Mini Maglites left...the rest have been given to nephews, grandkids, and friends. The "neat" flashlights like are made by Fenix and others have too many fussy modes. I bought a 3 cell Mag Led on sale at Scheels a few years ago, but the construction was much lighter than my old Mag lights, and there were those "fussy" modes! I returned it! S0S I can see, but strobe? For calling in air strikes on your neighbor's loud party? :D On and off does me just fine, but a low mode for finding your way around the dark house without stepping on the kitty or a Lego is handy! Cell Maglites are a bit easier to carry, and the head is the same size as the D cell ones, and most of my lights are of smaller size, either 2 or 4 cell AA, but my very favorite is the G.I. issue angle head light (with LED drop-in) that I can clip to my belt or a pocket, leaving both hands free. I once put a 2-cell LED in my ancient EVEREADY shop light...it had the brightest, beautiful white beam I have ever seen...for about 30 seconds!:(
 
Ayoob will get people killed for hesitating at the wrong time. Deadly force is deadly force, use it as needed. A civilian has no great responsibility for bringing in a felon alive like a cop does. Legally, what was good about the video is the citizen discontinued the attack as soon as the perp was incapacitated and unarmed, keeping within the fine line between SD and revenge.

Be that as it may, I have a fleet of maglites, mostly 3c and 4 c. never had a problem with batteries in a warm climate, I use eneloop rechargeables and recharge them them every 2 months. Most have leds. One has eneloop adapters to use AA which seems to work well.

Nobody has mentioned the 3AA minis. Seems maglite has discontinued a winner. Great feel and great balance and could be handy for a throat jab or temple smash. Yes, holding by light end gives better grip.
 
I have a 6 cell Mag light in the D battery size that Iv had since 85 or so, that thing had rolled around in almost every truck or car I've had I eventually retired it only because I could not find replacement bulbs . Recently I ran across the LED replacement kit and got the old beast working again. One time back in the day I had a cop ask about it, and I told him he was jelous 'caus mine was bigger than his , got a laugh out of him .
 
My first experience with Mag lights, close to 50 years ago, still lives today, but has multiplied. My EMS bat belt behind the left hip, has an ancient Surefire M-3 with cannulated brezel, in front of which is a ring for a 4 D Mag light. When you work nights, the cops aren't always around, and cop or not, the flashlight is likely in your hand, when things go south, and you may not have an opportunity to access better right just then.
I always have my pocket lights, but walking into the unknown, unsupported as it were, I'll still choose that Mag light.
I live in NY, the "tools" I can keep access to in public is limited. The 2 AA mini resides in my left rear pocket, it's my medical pen light, best I've found, and bright enough to see what I need to see, but not blinding to the patient, when checking pupils. The 5 D that sits between me and the door in my car, serves the same purpose, it did for thousands of officers, it lights the dark, the shadows, and puts a potent defensive tool in the hand. A 5 D guards my side of the bed, and a 4D sits next to me as I type this. We can't carry ASPs, night sticks, billys, fish bats, jacks/saps or Kali sticks, so the flashlight has to fill that roll, God forbid. I can't walk around with the flashlight, nobody else does, and that attracts attention of the wrong kind, that's the roll of my walking stick. And the walking stick has in common with the deployed flashlight, averse any other commonly available weapon, it's already in your hand.

BTW, the D sized lights make better clubs, the C sized make better sticks. Unfortunately Mag in their wisdom don't make anything bigger then 5 C any more.

Regards, Jim
 
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I used my msglites in the vehicles and bedstand for years, in fact. I'm not sure how I got away from them. I guess flashlights became smaller and lighter with new technology. Nothing beats a maglite for weapon posing as a light.

I used conduit hangers to hold my maglight to the back of my nightstand, and back door closet.
 
I've carried Maglites in many sizes for many years. Back when I was hunting coons in Iowa barns and abandoned houses with terriers, I carried a 4 cell D Maglite. Many coons got whacked in the head with it.

I'm down to one 2 cell C light and several 2 and 3 cell AA, all LED. Good stuff.
 
I don't know, I like simple. Perhaps it's where I come from, or my IQ, but dead bang reliable, caveman strong and idiot simple, always seem to work for me. My pocket light has one mode, I save that for unexpected contingencies. The 2 AA mini Mag, navigation light, pen light, and pocket stick, but it's buried pretty deep left rear. My 40 year old Monadnock key fob works pretty well. I really like head lamps. I keep Petzl TacTicka's scattered about. Once you get used to hands free illumination, you'll never be without them.

Regards, Jim
 
We have used them my hole life, I had one in my truck. I liked the 2 cell tho. Plus I had a streamlight Vulcan on the the floor board. I remember a cop giving my dad a hard time about using one in the glove box,
 
Mag-lites/Kel-lites once ruled the earth at one time. Now with new generations of cops not knowing what a wood shampoo is or administering some extruded aircraft aluminum blunt force trauma, hard to do with your Poly Stinger. I too still keep the old school aluminum flashlight in my vehicles, plus they are not a "per se" weapon.
 
Of course not, they are primary illumination devices, that are occasionally in the right place at the right time. I don't carry weapons, I carry flashlights and a walking stick.
 
Speaking to the battery issue, I like lithium, but the store I was in only had Duracell. The packaging said guaranteed for 10 years. I kept the packaging and receipt.
Regards, Jim
 
The only problems I've ever had with maglites were due to battery leakage. That will FUBAR one.
 
I find that at least in my most used flashlight, the batteries die before they have a chance to corrode. I've yet to have a problem if I'm using lithium. I have a Pelican AA Stealth light in my glove compartment, for God only knows how long, lithium batteries, GTG. In my "emergency" lights, laying around the house, they get checked the first of every month, including batteries, and the batteries get replaced every January with the smoke detectors.

Regards, Jim
 
the batteries get replaced every January with the smoke detectors.


Just a heads up...a lot of people don't know....

Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 yrs. In simple terms, the sensor part loses sensitivity over time.

The new one have a non-replaceable battery thats supposed to last 10 yrs.
 
Bought a new 5 D cell from Amazon, and the other evening, I noticed the rubber switch cover had gone missing. So I contact Maglite warranty, and I get this condescending e-mail back, that they will send a replacement FREE this time. I ain't looking for free, or favors, but I am looking for warranty repair on a brand new flashlight that was used for nothing more strenuous then riding in my car, so maybe it wasn't put in correctly?. But I have no reason to complain, this is the first time I EVER had a problem, over 50 years. In todays world, that is fairly remarkable.

Regards, Jim
 
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The tool that I’ve owned the longest, dating back decades, is my 5 C cell Maglite, first purchased and employed by me for hard use /drop proof flashlight service and car wreck window breaker, as a volunteer EMT, on a busy urban ambulance corps. It saw yeoman service in those roles and never failed me.

Over the years , I have upgraded it several times. First with a drop-in LED bulb module, giving it longer battery life and ~300 lumens. Next was added a new Bust-a-Cap tailcap with a slightly pointed tip to enhance its car window breaking ability. Most recently, after Duracell rebuilt it after a battery leak, I changed out the batteries and replaced them with the new Duracell C size, leakproof, 10 yr. guaranteed, Long life , more powerful, lithium batteries. Periodically, I unscrew it , take an emery board to spring dottom and other contact points, clean the threads and rubber gaskets and spray them and the switch cover, with silicone spray.

It still rides next to, wedged between the driver's seat and the center console. A life saving tool and , by now, an old and trusted friend. A bit scratched up, but still able to give emergency service & support.
 
I prefer the rechargeable lights for the vehicle. It gets used fairly often and it's nice to be able to keep it fully charged and not have to worry about when to replace the batteries.
 
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