Ugh! Something to dislike about the M*gcharger!

I lost out on an MC reflector from FM as I don't have a Paypal account anymore and with FM if you don't get in VERY soon you are doomed!!!

I've been playing with my new MC and different bulbs and battery combos.

But I've found something that hacks me off. There is play in the head assembly. Focus can be affected by taking it out of the charger. And since it doesn't focus using threads, there doesn't seem to be anything to do about it. ARGH!

The MC is pretty bright but has MAJOR wings with a 1274 or 1185. Less so with the stock bulb which is marginably brighter with 6AA over the stock battery stick. I handheld my 3D LOP reflector over the 1185 and it makes ALL the difference. Making missing out on the FM LOP MC reflector even WORSE!!!

Anyhow, while MC is okay for a lot of uses, a 3D with 1185 and LOP is my go to BRIGHT light!

At this point I'm not sure the MC will replace the Stinger in my truck as the Stinger has a really sweet beam.... the MC is brighter and whiter however...

The MC is mega whiter and brighter than the Stinger!!

It was a pita to put the MC where the Stinger was and it isn't secured as well as the Stinger Charger was.

But JEEZ! It was a MAJOR BUMMER to miss out on the LOP MC reflectors!!!!

I'll have some more 1160 coming next week, but a LOP would go a LOOOONG way to fixing what is wrong with the MC.

Hey there PlayboyJoe!

Like you mentioned in the other thread, and when you chance upon the Armour Etch, experiment with it on that Welch~Allyn U-01160. It'll take a while to get the beam corrected. It did and was worth it for me. . .Of course Your Maglite May Vary accordingly.

Enjoy!

Oh believe me I plan to!

Only other thing is it is pretty easy to knock it out of focus, since it focuses in half turns instead of full turns...

I love my MC even still since i got addic,,, i mean into top flight light's. But
my MC is about 15 yr's old and it's tolerance's are very tight. I never owned other mag C or D light's till i did the KPR112/3x123 mod to a 2D, and could really feel the extra bit of quality and fit & finish. I don't know if that is the age, (made on newer dies and machine's at the time?) or that MC's just get a touch more love, but other then having to really work to get the lamp straight
when changing a new one, it hold's focus, will not shift back and forth, tight as a drum. It's time for a new batt stick and ready to order my Aero nimh's, other then that it tip top.

I too would love to try an LOP for my MC, I hope with the throw will be near the same, at least with the WA lamp,it's the WA bulb flashlight len's.com were selling, I like it for big bright throw+spill, But the stock is fine with me too.

I guess i never tried other mag's other then the mini mag, so that my limited
knowledge on the subject

But after yr's of "hard" abuse it's still tight, and one of the best. VDG

Check your O'ring... if it's missing replace it. might be a mistake and forgot to put the o'ring. if it's there, add a second to tighten the turning...should work....hope it helps you.

The light is out in my truck. But I have been thinking about o-rings and such.

I will check it out and report back. Because as I think more about that MUST be it!

Unless I can find a thicker o-ring to replace the stock one I know not what else I can do.

But I had another thought today. What about cutting down a M*gcharger to 2D length and either running 5AA or even 6AA in an adapter? The runtime would be down but the portability and WOW factors would go up...

I presume something could be done for the charger to handle 6...

Well, that's an option I suppose, but I love my M@gCharger just the way it is, it has a WA 1160 bulb and Fivemega's LOP reflector...and a little mica under the bulb to reflect some heat away from the switch. I say add a second O'ring to up the "friction" on the barrell, heck, go with three if needed, but it will work if there is contact...the more O'rings , the harder it should be to turn the barrel. Handy to keep the "focus" setting. I may add to mine too just to hold it where I prefer it focus-wise. Just take the light to you local hardware store and a match up the ring with a mate ..
:buddies:

Don't know for sure how or why, but putting another o-ring which ends up just behind the "shim"? the head rides against has taken the vast majority of the movement out AND made it more dificult to focus :thumbup:

Also a frosted stock bulb has given a more cohesive spot.

Yes I suppose a frosted bulb looks decent. i only went with Fivemega's reflector becauseI wanted to dissipate some heat from the wa1160 as well as help the beam. Witha stock bulb, frosting is all thats needed. I don't have a lot of experience, but I have learned a lot here in a short time....from some of those that are long time CPF members' posts. It's quite amazing what a bulb swap does for the M@gCharger ! The only issue I have is it takes quite a few tries to properly center the bulb :wow: The other thing I did to it was wrap the barrel in paracord because I found it to be slipperier than my other 3D hosts...must be the HA3 or something, don't know just guessing. NiteIze also makes a handy slip-on grip, I have some on my other lights. hey... Enjoy your M@gCharger :rock:

As you may be aware I missed out on the FM LOP MC reflector :sigh:

The frosted bulb gives me a very tight spot, with some very bright corona near the spot, gradually going out to the edge of the spill. The spot might actually be too tight.

Some 1160s should be along soon, and more experimentation is called for!

But on the head wobble/centering problem with one extra o-ring that ended up where it did, the head is SOLID!

If I do anything for grip, I'll use sport tape. But probably not on this light.

PlayboyJoeShmoe said:

But I had another thought today. What about cutting down a M*gcharger to 2D length and either running 5AA or even 6AA in an adapter? ..

Click to expand...

Check out this thread of mine with very good feedback
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/97909

I found my Mica sheet and made a shield for my MC60. Just to keep problems from happening!

Since I added O-Ring and Frosted the 1160 I LIKE my MC!!!