MAG 85, HOW MUCH RANGE???

Friends from the South are popping this question, here in the Northeast I have too much snow and ambient light.
The other day I range 243 yards to a stop sign, but this was done with the Fivemega 3" head and the stop sign is reflective.
Will this light illuminate a COYOTE at 250 yards?
That is the question that my friends from the south want answered.
Any reports from the field?
I am working on a way to mount the Mag85 to a Remington 700. Any ideas? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

Juan C.

At max focus, it would illuminate something 250 yards away.

BUT...I wouldn't want to count on it to be able to distinguish between a coyote and a dog at that range.

Using a scope, it might be enough.

Bill

Will the lamp survive shock from recoil?

bwaites is right... you may be able to illuminate out to 250 yards, but you'll definitely need a scope to see what's out that far away.

I wouldn't bet on those expensive bulbs resisting the recoil. They might or they might not, but unless someone wants to risk some testing they won't know.

juan:

Countycomm sells a kit that mounts d-sized lights to shot guns which jave much worse recoil than many of the 700 variants, so I see no reason why the mags can't survive the 700(what caliber do you have? because if you are using varmint cartridge like 223, 222, or the 270 the recoil would be moderate, but if you have 308, 243, 223wsm or 223wssm I can't tell you) provided that there is a good mount(read, some sort of rubber mount that isolates the light from the rifle itself. The design of the mag(a spring loaded pestel and isolation from the battery) gives it somewhat a good shock withstanding platform, that why you can drop mags from several stories and the bulbs can survive that fall( I drooped my 3D once from the 3rd floor and it turned on like a champ). In fact i think in the old days the police used to mount Mags on there shotguns with lots of rubber padding and a whole of zip tie.

In short, if it's a small caliber 700 and you know what you are doing, it shouldn't be a problem(and a muzzle break, if possible would be even more ideal, but I don't think the 700 normally is available with that).

Nick

The Mag85 has a lot of punch for its size and it's a wonderful performer at what it does but 250 yards is an extreme stretch for anything out of a 2" reflector for practical illumination on a K9 size target.

Eh' it could be my ageing eyes but I read a lot of fluff here about LED's throwing several hundred yards and yes they will but it's not useable throw on a non reflective target incandescent lights still rule in this realm for "useable light" such as hunting.

Your best option for long range illumination is to pick the right tool for the job a high power spot light so you can clearly see and identify the target.

Later
Kelly

I find the maximum useful range of the Mag85 to be about 200' At that range, anything you point it at is light brightly by a fat hotspot. Of course you can see things much farther out. 400-450+' is not out of the question though.

Wilkey

I've tested 330 yards, there is enough light to tell me if someone is standing there (there is a guard rail at that range, around waist height), but I wouldn't count on telling apart two animals which may look similar. It's more like, person vs nobody.

PS: Maybe they need.....THE BEAST /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Well, you wont be able to hit that coyote for very long so youd better drop it fast. id rather have a havis shields 35w and a 12v car plug /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shane

Well, I thank you all that answered, as I stated it is not for me, but for some old boys down in Texas that will like to do some coyote hunting a little different than is usually done.
The way they do it, is to go at least two guys to cover up and downwind, call with a wounded rabbit call and shoot with a varmint rifle scoped with a 3x9 or 4x12 scope.
At night they use a 2 million candlepower spotlight like the LSI night tracker.
The side spill of the light is used, so not to scare the animal with the center spot. When hunting for bobcats and raccoons they use a red filter, as these animals show up very close to the callers.
The caliber used don't have much recoil, 223 and 22-250 are the most popular in Varmints rifles, these rifles have very heavy and thick barrels and wide fore ends.

I checked Countycomm as per Winchester 270 recommendation but I only find a L-44 mount for the Remington 870 shotgun, I don't think is anything out there to hold a 3D Mag under the barrel.
I dusted off my 1980's Lite-Saddle that was made by Pelican but is now out of production, it holds the maglite very well and has a lot of rubber to isolate from recoil.
I will contact Pelican to see if they have some in the trash bin.

In the snowy fields of New England in a moonlight night, you can see a coyote coming to the call from a long way off, even with the naked eye. It is a different story down south between the cactus and other gray and green thorny plants, so the question of range is important. Except for Ginseng , KevinL and Bwaites said that the light will go up to 250 yards; the good old boys down south got much exited when I told them about the Mag 85 and its capabilities, after all what they use now (Surefire 9 P's) can make it beyond 67 yards.
I thank you again guys for your input.

Juan C.

Well, if you are comparing it to a Surefire 9P, you can probably expect a *HUUUUUUUUGE* improvement. I had a C2 with an A19 up to yesterday (the A19 went to get an Extreme Makeover - HA3!) with a Surefire P90 and P91. It really isn't that great beyond 70 yards. On the other hand, the truly awesome flood and spill of the '85 is something to behold.

There's a 3" turbohead for the Mags that Fivemega was offering. All of mine were tested with the stock 2" Mag head and Carley reflector - you may get better results with a 3".

Probably the only other alternative is a Surefire-something, maybe you could get the classic 3" turboheads.

PS: Forgot to mention, that I've previously tested the P90 on the same target. Practically useless - the light is so dim that it is almost impossible to see the reflection off the white building. You can see it, but you really have to strain your eyes to look. On the other hand, the Mag85 floodlights the whole side of the building and is so bright I'm left thinking "Who ELSE for 300 yards around can see me?"

I've done handgun competition shooting with a group of 30 folks. The Carley 852 bulb survived AOK, the M@g body was dinged and scrathed from a couple of drops onto concrete and gunslide abrasions.

The only concern I have is the EL 3AA-D holders. I dropped my Mag85, it hit butt first, and I had to gently pull the springs on the bottom of the holder back out.

Greg:

That is exactly what i'm experiencing right now!!!


It's a pain to have to readjust the spring when I dorp the light. I think I eventually will bite the bullet and buy a decent charger so I can use batterypacks with better current handling capability. But I just bought a fivemega 3"head, can't wait t osee the difference...


nick

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270winchester said:
Greg:

It's a pain to have to readjust the spring when I drop the light...

nick

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a couple of surgical clamps and am thinking of lopping off an eraser nub from my mechanical eraser and carefully inserting it underneath the spring to keep it from being compressed when dropped. I think the tension will keep it in place. Of course then I have to perform the mandatory drop test to see how it works. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mpr.gif

Nick, can I borrow yours? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif It will greatly benefit the entire CPF community... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'd kill for one or more of those 3" heads, but can't afford even one!

I've seen a few things that tell me it would be GOOD!!!

[ QUOTE ]
litho123 said:
[ QUOTE ]

Nick, can I borrow yours? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif It will greatly benefit the entire CPF community... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


LOL I slept on the idea of the 3"head for a LONG time now, the cost is really steep for me(118 including shipping). I was debating on that or a Surefire turbohead kit to use with my C3 and A19 so I can run a-you guessed it-M4 HOLA without buying the whole M4(at 330, even i think it's over priced...)


but the more primitive side of me said in my head "go for the brighter one", and after calling around trying to find a combo for a KT2 with the M4 HOLA, and no one sells that combo, I finally dropped the ball and said, *&%^ it, the Mag85 deserves a better beam /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now another two things I bought the 3"head for is 1) so I have another heat resisting reflector to use with my 1274 in my 2d for a better beam, and then the new favorite of mine, the Carley 1057, whic h iam very curious to see how narrow of a beam the 3" head can do...and 2) I just got a couple of Osram 64623 and 64138's, as well as a G3.5 socket. As soon as i can find a way to make a new switch assembly and a way to charge RC battery packs, I'll try to mimick the Aurora class lights that Ginseng did a ways back(Ginseng, by the way, you are like a GOD /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif) and the 3" head will find its way on that light too.

You'll be more than welcome to check it out in this coming year if you are in the area(come on, you know you want a California vacation /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) and I *might* being going to the East Coast later in the year...

nick

You may want to point Your friends from the South here LightForce makes scopes and attachable lighting systems for night hunting. I would suggest down loading their catalog the web page doesn't contain very much information.

Later
Kelly

I have a Mag85. I finally got it working correctly but I really couldn't give you an answer for distance. When I turn the thing on at night, the light actually reflects into my eyes off my glasses (is this normal???) and I can't see for long distances. And of coarse when I take them off, well......you could guess that that is worthless /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I can't wait for contacts!!!

Well, you already have great answers from the masters anyway /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif