U.S. military "angle head" lights?

[Canonista]

Anyone else like the looks of the old lights? IIRC the .mil number for em' was the MX-991/U. I want to get one, then do an AR build with the triangle handguards for backyard patrolling.:thumbsup:

As a kid we always had a bunch of em' around the house. As common and cheap ($8-$12 USD) as they are I'm suprised they aren't hosts for LED conversions, too. Maybe I should get a few just to have, and mess with one of them in a "Malkoff" sort of way.

 

[depusm12]

Elektrolumens does modify them with leds.

 

[StarHalo]

If you've got a good army surplus store in your area, they probably have bins of angleheads available for sale, that's where I got mine when I was a kid. Lousy output, unreliable contacts, and soft plastic makes for a subpar flashlight, especially when it's that large and heavy, so any mod you can come up with would be an improvement. On the bright side, it does have a great set of filters that are really handy for use with better flashlights (blue filter + TerraLux TLE-300 Mag @ 600 lumens = completely blue room!)

 

[baterija]

They weren't bad lights. Especially when you compare them to what was available at the time of introduction. Once upon a time I usually carried a Minimag in the field, but there was usually one of the Fulton's stashed in my vehicle. I actually found them to be amazingly durable for the construction. The switch was always an annoying point for me. The location sucked. Pretty much every switch I ever dealt with got either sloppy and loose, or tight and hard to use shortly after it was new.

It takes a PR bulb so it's easy to drop in one of the many PR based LED modules (list here). There is no heat sinking which makes heat an issue. The Electrolumens mod added a heat sink. I don't know if i would use it for "backyard patrolling" because of the weight and switch. With an LED it could make a very long running emergency/work light pretty easily.

 

[Solscud007]

I kinda wish there was a mod or adapter that could turn a SF head 90 degrees to make an angle light.

I forget the company but they make a new angled head. it is small though and designed to clip into the modern vests PALS or MOLLE system straps.

 

[LED_Thrift]

...I forget the company but they make a new angled head. it is small though and designed to clip into the modern vests PALS or MOLLE system straps.

Streamlight Survivor?

 

[baterija]

I forget the company but they make a new angled head. it is small though and designed to clip into the modern vests PALS or MOLLE system straps.

Maybe the Pentagonlight MOLLE lights is what you were thinking of.

 

[karlthev]

I pick up anglehead lights at yard sales and antique stores--usually for a few dollars each. Try there.


Karl

 

[RGB_LED]

I had one of those khaki plastic, green, angle-head lights with incandescent bulb that ran on two D cells many years ago... I picked it up at an army surplus store and I remember that the beam was ringy and it felt, disappointingly flimsy. As others have mentioned, I wonder if it could take an LED as the heatsinking would be pretty minimal.

Personally, I prefer some of the newer designs such as these... :twothumbs

 

[Nitroz]

Here's a place that has them really cheap. I payed $11.55 shipped.http://marketplaceadvisor.channelad....aspx?sfid=86892&i=129117306&mpid=4848&dfid=1

 

[Solscud007]

No I was thinking of First light. similar to the Pentagon Molle light.

 

[Burgess]

Still have mine, purchased 02/08/1997, at a local gun show.


It's quite a decent performer, as PR-2 flashlights go.


But, for me, the switch contacts are the weak link here.

And, ya' can't hardly get at it, to fix it !


:hairpull: (well, maybe not that bad)



I installed a PR-based SMJLED bulb, from Lambda, in 2006.


A nice improvement.


But still, that switch . . . .


_

 

[kramer5150]

Ive had one since 1984... still works too. I guess mines one of the few good switches. My brother gave it to me for christmas when I was 13. I thought it was the coolest thing. There was one time we went water skiing and slept out on the boat at night under the stars. We wanted to see how deep the water was so we tied up my MX991U with some rope by the belt loop, turned it on and dropped her down. It didn't get very far, maybe 20 or so feet and I started to friek out. Not wanting to damage my light, we reeled it back in. I think I had a radio hack halogen bulb in it at the time and it was the brightest light we had... and this was DECADES before CPF!!:twothumbs

I remember I used to use butter to lube the gaskets and O-rings... LOL !!

 

[Sub_Umbra]

The real Fulton lights have great bodies but are hopelessly doomed by their unreliable switches. (As others have mentioned)

Elektro Lumens (bless 'um) has done some hidiously cool things with them and though they will set one up nearly any way you want -- it'll still have that same switch. I love what they've put together for that light. It's like dat dope -- I'd really like one of the EL's Fulton option packages -- but I can't go with the old switch.

What is really needed is a reliable switch option. :sigh:

 

[HELL LIGHT]

I have three of them in my own personal possession and personally I think they are better than the Maglite!!!

 

[swampgator]

Sitting on a shelf in the next room are both my lights from when I was in the service. One Fulton and one G.T. Price. I bought one of them 9 Sep 1992 at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The other one was "secured for safe keeping" somewhere during my five years working for my favorite uncle.

Once upon a time I usually carried a Minimag in the field, but there was usually one of the Fulton's stashed in my vehicle. I actually found them to be amazingly durable for the construction. The switch was always an annoying point for me. The location sucked. Pretty much every switch I ever dealt with got either sloppy and loose, or tight and hard to use shortly after it was new.

I always carried my minmag on my LBE, and kept an anglehead hanging in a grenade pouch. Both of my lights feature the famous tight switch.

The other night I was playing around with one and did the 3 CR123/KPR103 mod. Pretty good output and it lightened up quite nicely. Switched it back to normal configuration so my four year old can play with it. It's his favorite of all my lights, as he likes the colored lenses!

 

[pfccypret]

I kept having to replace the bulbs on these things in basic training/AIT. Drop it, the bulb dies, replace bulb....Very annoying. While they are a neat novelty, they definitely aren't a great light.

 

[Lunal_Tic]

I've stuck a SSC LED and McGizmo 38mm reflector in mine and have been really happy with it. No switch problems here but it has the stiff switch in it.

-LT

 

[ZMZ67]

I have a couple of Fulton's in my collection, they were also made in tan and maybe black.I always liked the design but as previously noted the switches aren't reliable.All the angleheads I used when I was in the service failed because of the switch and I gave up on them as a usable light.My 3D Mag still works fine to this day.
For anyone interested I believe Fulton is still making the anglehead as well as a number of other military/industrial lights.They are located in northeast Ohio.Fulton has a web site but I can't remember the web address,just do a search.They probably still sell lights on thier site but you can find them cheaper at surplus stores and online retailers.With so many better designed lights out there I think the angleheads days may finally be numbered.

 

[Burgess]

BTW, has anyone EVER seen a Fulton anglehead

flashlight in BLUE color (for the Navy) ?


I saw a photo of one, on "the internet".


Anyone ever see one of these in real life ?


Just curious.

_