Rediscovering Mag Lights

[WardenWolf]

I used to be a MagLite fan, but not really anymore. While I recognize their utility as both a blinding light and a potential bludgeoning weapon, they're also bulky and heavy. I largely retired my Maglites years ago during the time period when powerful LED flashlights came out and Maglite lagged behind by several years in coming up with their own effective LED lights (their early versions were LESS powerful than the bulb versions). These days I use INOVA lights, which give me a blinding light in a much smaller package.

 

[kayak-man]

I love my maglight!

I used to keep one by my bed, and another in my volvo wedged between the driver seat and center console.

The one by my bed has been in my family for as long as I can remember (so 20 years) and I haven't changed the batteries in a couple years - not such a good idea. One of the batteries coroded and is stuck inside. Now I can't find my other maglite.

Still, I love my maglites!

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[Mike J]

I've got a 3 D cell mag light I keep in my truck. It is my roadside trouble light. My wife & I keep a 2 D cell mag light on each side of our bed. I still have a few of the 2 AA ones floating around. I used them for a long time at work or when deer hunting.

 

[2WheelsGood]

I'm just waiting to see a picture of a 6D cell MagLite mounted to a shotgun. Anyone?

 

[Vermonter]

High quality LED upgrades for MagLights
http://www.malkoffdevices.com/shop/dropin-mod-dropin-lamp-assembly-for-maglite-c-1_25.html

 

[Panzercat]

A reminder- there is every reason to assume that a C or D cell Maglite or the equivalent might well be considered a lethal weapon by the authorities if it is in fact used to deliver blows to the head.

Some call that a bonus

 

[hirundo82]

I keep a 3-D cell Maglite in my car and a 4-D by my front door. I always have a Surefire Z-10 on me, but sometimes it is easier to just reach for the big light. The potential use as an impact weapon (within the limits of your state's use of force laws of course) is a benefit in my eyes too.

 

[22-rimfire]

Very inexpensive and made in the USA.

I wouldn't go quite that far... inexpensive?

There have been so many changes in "flashlight" technology in the last 10 years with the introduction of the LED and halogen bulbs. In my opinion, the market is saturated with choices these days and you'll start to see some of the companies who specialize in the high powered lights going out of business as now you're seeing much cheaper products coming out of China and being sold for half the US product.

I like the Mag Light LED's and have purchased a number of 2 and 3-cell mag lights with LED's. I like the focusing beam feature of maglights and I understand that D-cell's are very efficient as a power source. But you lessen the portability with the increased size. I supply my workers Mag Lights mostly when they need a portable light source. If they want something smaller, they can buy their own. I also have a number of these scattered around my house because you really don't loose these big flashlights for weeks on end.

I just purchased a 150 lumen Task Force brand 2 C-cell light at Lowes. Going to try it out. It wasn't cheap, but none of the LED lights are "cheap". I suspect the battery life will be very good with the larger C-cell size versus stacking one or two sets of AAA batteries. It comes with a nylon belt case which is nice as I have to buy these as accessories on other flash lights now.

I am favorably impressed with the 3-AAA and 6-AAA sized Rocky brand flash lights sold by Sam's Club. I have probably 10 of these already for work purposes. If I forget one or loose one in some dark place on a job, it won't kill me cost wise. A $100 flashlight would probably force me to spend whatever it takes to find the misplaced flashlight.

So, I use flash lights on just about every job at some point and I experiment with the lesser priced ones to see what I like. I am generally not a big fan of the rechargable flashlight batteries.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Quote:
Wasn't there a guy on here selling upgraded maglights a year or so ago?
Was this the guy?
http://www.blackbearflashlights.com/

My buddy bought one. Very bright light, also kind of pricey.

I've got a friend who bought one too several years ago. Pricey; but if you ever wanted to signal aliens in space with a handheld flashlight, that is the one. It gets insanely hot though.

 

[blackspyder]

I had a 3D Mag light that I left in the shop truck while I was on call, the next month another guy was on call and I had forgotten to remove the light. Well, he had a roadcall for a flat on one of our trucks one night and was using it. Somehow it managed to find its way into a traffic lane, was run over by 1 Semi, and another car and ended up in the median strip. Road-Rashed awfully bad, dented, but still shining.

The next time I saw him he'd bought me another Mag light to replace mine, I just swapped the LED kit into the new one and threw both behind the seat of the shop truck. That was 6 months ago and I think someone finally threw the dented one out when the batteries died and they couldn't get the batteries out of it because of the dents.

I love them, $30 gets a 6D I'd say they may be the best bang for your buck flashlight with LED upgrade kits.

 

[hirundo82]

I wouldn't go quite that far... inexpensive?

Hvae you seen what "tactical" flashlights go for? A quality American flashlight for under $20 is a great deal in my book.

 

[Averageman]

In my job I beat the heck out of flashlights.
Although MagLights aren't cheap as far as I can tell they are the best "Bang for the Buck" out there. I have a Mini Mag Light with 2 AA's in it that has served me for 15 years. The only upgrades are LED's and that just adds to the battery life. I think these Batt's have been in for 3 months. I just took it off my belt and although dimmer than the day I put them in they still would work for me.
As a Military contractor I can assure you exotic batteries arent available in Akburgishgobble East Bumfluckt. AA's are.
As far as the D cell thats in the Truck, it works enough to get the job done and it's a heck of a weapon.
Tacticool lights are cool, bright and well...tacticool. past 50 feet and mounted on my gun what can they do for me?
WTSHTF does Wal Mart have that battery?
YMMV

 

[DammitBoy]

you can put the new maglite super bright led bulb in your old monster maglite

 

[22-rimfire]

In Walmart today, they had two 2-D cell regular mag light packs with the AA Mini light for $9.00 each (closeout). I would say that's cheap! Not LED, but not bad either.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

A 6-D cell Mag lite is a Loaded Night stick. I saw a Lady Cop drop a 6.4 drunk man to the ground with one blow to his right knee.

 

[Dirty Bob]

Modded, they're even better

I mod the 2C MagLite, and it's cheap and easy to do. I insert a piece of plastic tubing to reduce the inside diameter, so I can insert 3 CR123A "camera" batteries. You have to press a little harder to depress the spring when replacing the tailcap, but otherwise an easy change. A six-cell Xenon or 5-cell Krypton bulb replaces the original.

The result is a much brighter light, and less weight. I get about an hour from the batteries. I buy them in bulk from batterystation.com, so cost isn't a big issue.

This is the cheapest way I know to get into a super-bright, reliable light. I've had some cheapy, no-name "tactical" lights fail me, but this modded 2C is a trooper.

All my best,
Dirty Bob

 

[22-rimfire]

I find it interesting when thinking about mag lights.... when they came out, they were the best thing going as you were comparing them to the old flashlights. I never noticed or cared what the lumens rating was on these. They were just bright and tough. I just looked at my 2-D cell mag light pachaging and it states 45 lumens with 10 hour battery life. Now people scoff at 50 lumens as not bright and are buying 100+ lumens LED flash lights in very small packages. Amazing really. The large mag lights still make good defensive night sticks and that won't change.

 

[The Captain]

I have an old 5 D-Cell and two new 3 D-Cell LEDs. The LEDs are awesome. One by the bed every night.

 

[strambo]

I don't miss the mini-mags at all. Those never lasted long for me. I never had any issues with my big 'ol D-cell model. I should upgrade it with a Malkoff LED someday.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

You guys convinced me to get one. Got a 2AA Maglite LED. I like it! Carries comfortably also.

Now I just need to get 2 of the 2D LED Maglites for my bedside and for my car.

 

[xcgates]

Dirty Bob, I like that! Gonna have to see if HEB carries Maglights next time I'm there... already have a few flashlights that use CR123s, and love keeping the same type of batteries in multiple things.

(But sorry, no maglight can beat the value and size of my EDC Inova, an X5? I think.)

 

[Dirty Bob]

Dirty Bob, I like that! Gonna have to see if HEB carries Maglights next time I'm there... already have a few flashlights that use CR123s, and love keeping the same type of batteries in multiple things.

(But sorry, no maglight can beat the value and size of my EDC Inova, an X5? I think.)

It works great! It gives a smallish MagLite an amazing amount of throw. Although it's a bit bulky, it isn't heavy. It makes a wonderful glove box light for our vehicles. It's also just big enough to be like a very short stick. Not long enough for swinging, but it could be used to poke, like a giant kubotan.

I get my bulbs from brightguy.com (although I think Altex has them, too), and I think I bought my last MagLite 2Cs at Home Depot. The clear tubing for "sleeving" the light came from Lowe's. It comes flattened and curved from being on a roll, but I dunked the tubing in boiling water to straighten it out and restore its shape.

The only caution is that you always have to change all three batteries at once, as with any light that uses CR123s.

My EDC light is one of the Inova X1s. Great light, and an amazing amount of illumination from a single AA.

PM me if you want more info. We're both in the Alamo City.

All my best,
Dirty Bob