The iconic Maglite 3D

Think I've got this right: 1980-82 Vari-Beams share S/N with regular D cell lights as they just took a light off the production line and anodised it blue & silver.
1983 onwards were given a separate S/N unique to Vari-Beams (approx 1-25000). These later lights can't be date checked with Mag because of this.
 
Jason's site says the Vari-Beams with the straight knurling were sold in '83-84 and then production went back to the normal bodies with standard serial numbers until they were discontinued. I have standard Vari-Beams from mid '83 and early '84, so the second variety must not have put much of a dent in normal serial production.

8556 would be a 1979 (first year) light :)
October 30, 1979. So close to Halloween.
 
Oh right. So the Vari-Beams with the separate S/N all had the different knurling. That would make sense.
 
Non of mine have a bi-pin bulb. Even though two of them have the 2018 onwards bezel (MAGLITE instead of MAG-LITE). They both came in the factory packaging with the pr flange bulb.

In an effort to secure a bi-pin with a recent S/N I've got a grey 3D on order from Amazon US. Trying for a 51 million+ S/N.
 
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Having not had a maglite for years and not followed any of the mods, what are some of the nice upgrades you can do to a 3D?

Particularly interested in frugal runtimes and nice considered/moderate highs that don't ramp down/blaze out after 1min/30mins…
 
Probably the most economically informed purchase you can make is to buy a modern 3d, designated ML300L. It's only disadvantage is the parasitic drain unless you loosen the tailcap.
If you are like me and have decided you are not going to buy another flashlight until you upgrade your perfectly functioning old light then Malkoff and Lumencraft are good choices. The Lumencraft uses a full diameter reflector and the Malkoff does not.
 
Okay, I cancelled my Amazon order after they didn't dispatch for a week. Ordered a black 3D from a UK seller and it arrived today. Still no bi-pin though. I'm wondering if Maglite only sells the bi-pin bulb separately for the 3D. Nothing on the box says xenon.

Approx 2022 production.
S/N 50,474,993.
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Not sure you've got the right date as 1979 was the first year from everything I can find online.
If you send that serial number to maglite they can give you an accurate date of manufacture.

That's certainly a beauty though. :love: Museum quality piece.
 
ABTOMAT's 3D is now 45 years old!
In lieu of presents please send cash.

Not sure you've got the right date as 1979 was the first year from everything I can find online.
If you send that serial number to maglite they can give you an accurate date of manufacture.

That's certainly a beauty though. :love: Museum quality piece.

My uneducated guess would be that number dates from mid 1979 but who knows what was going on at Mag-Lite back then. I will say their serial number database has a number of errors in it. The ones I've seen are usually more obvious, like being decades off or having suspicious numbers like a bunch of different lights all coming back the same day in an odd year.
 
Yeah, 1979 was the official start year for all Mag lights. March '79 was the beginning of the first batch dates. (take that with some salt)

They are happy to give anyone the DOB on any of their lights. Just e-mail them.

I have one that was a gift. A 5D from FEB 2000.

Now with 4200lm (adjustable output) LED li-on mod.
 
I can see how it could be easy to be a couple of decades out.
Take knucklegary's serial number as an example.
30006610 we know is a 3D number 0006610. But someone could easily mistake it for the 30,006,610th light. A much later light.
 
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