MiniMag options, opinions requested.

browntown · Jun 7, 2003

Hi there folks, I'm pretty new to the game so pls be patient with me. Just moved x-country, to the beautiful pacific NW and payed a visit to my parents house, and found some of my old stuff including a 15 year old minimag. First question is, that somewhere on here I remember reading that older minimags are easier to mod, something about the serial # or some type of id on the flashlight. Well I looked all over the flashlight and couldnt find any numbers, so if someone can elighten me on the identification of the "good" minimags it would be appreciated. I'd like to run the flashlight on the regular 2AA's or even lithium AA's or 123's if thats doable.

Ok to the point, I want to do my first mod. I never liked what the minimag did in terms of brightness or beam, but since I found the thing I figured it would be a good 1st mod. I plan to buy a new 22.6mm B270 lens from flashlightlens.com and a kroll switch in addition to anything else i do with it.

So from purusing posts it seems that the popular mods are:

badboy 400 & 500 & madmax like the ones offered by dat2zip. those look like my best bet, but I wanted to know if there are other options I should look at or opinions that may be helpful. Also, should I change the reflector, are there any easy options there?

Thanks again, I know this has likely been gone over at nauseum, but the links in the mod reference database dont seem to work since the board moved and I wasnt having a whole lotta luck with the search feature.

-browntown-

jtice · Jun 7, 2003

The MM+ Q3L is avalible now... cames with NX05 optics.
I plan on getting one soon, heard nothing but good things about them.

shankus · Jun 7, 2003

The reflector would be replaced by the optics with either of the BadBoy or MadMax mods.

I have two MadMax+ Q3Ls, and I love them. The MadMax is my everyday carry light. It would be a great mod light, unless you're looking to do the mod yourself. The BadBoy & MadMax just drop in.

Another mod worthy of consideration is the Opalec Newbeam. Not as bright, but long 8-10 hour, constant brightness runtime.

hotbeam · Jun 7, 2003

Definately a BB400, BB400 w/Q3L or BB500.
The BB400 has good runtime, BB400 w/Q3L is brighter and has good run time and BB500 is brighter than BB400 but shorter runtime.

If you choose, the BB400 or BB500, let me know. I have overbought 3 items. Will throw in some extra goodies. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

SDryer · Jun 7, 2003

Browntown, I just did my first "mod" with a Brinkmann Legend. I bought the MM+Q3 and am really impressed with the results, it has the push button switch so I didn't need to buy the Kroll switch. I'm also usuing NiMH AA's in mine and get plenty of run time, I also just ordered 2 of the 22.6mm lens's from flashlighlens.com, but havn't gotten them yet. I think you'll be very impressed with the results.
Regards Sonny

shrap · Jun 7, 2003

You can't put 123's in a Minimag without serious modification.

The Badboy, Madmax, and Opalec mods are probably the best. If you want to stay incandescent, or need a long throw, the Brinkmann Nextstar bulb fits and is brighter.

browntown · Jun 9, 2003

appreciate it fellas, now I have to rustle up some dough to pay for an ever increasingly expensive hobby. I will prob put some knives for sale in B/S/T so keep your eyes open. hotbeam, im sending you a PM

highlandsun · Jun 9, 2003

I just bought a new MiniMag at Target the other day for about $9.00. I dropped in one of my InReTech adapters, and the Energizer AAs that were included with the MM. Looked OK. Then I found that this new one is just a bit wider inside than my old one, and my LiIon AA's wrapped with tape slid right in. So now I have the InReTech fed off two 3.6V LiIon AAs in parallel, looks like it's drawing about 500mA. I wanted parallel for longer runtime, but I guess without a resistor it's just going to suck out more power faster...