In all honesty, how tough is the Maglite body?

I've never held a Maglite outside of it's packaging but plan on purchasing one for a dual role of light source and if ever need be protection in my car. If I ever had to use it as the latter and strike someone with it, would the body hold up or twist and warp on impact?

Seems to me like the 3D would hold up better on impact than a 4D since it's a shorter tube thus not subject to the same gravitational forces during impact.

Thanks.

Tr0n said:

I've never held a Maglite outside of it's packaging but plan on purchasing one for a dual role of light source and if ever need be protection in my car. If I ever had to use it as the latter and strike someone with it, would the body hold up or twist and warp on impact?

Seems to me like the 3D would hold up better on impact than a 4D since it's a shorter tube thus not subject to the same gravitational forces during impact.

Thanks.

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There no chance of it twisting or warping at all. Its more likely that the persons head would be ... "damaged" (skull cracked ) before it did much to the Maglite. They aren't that tough in the surface / coating department. They'll stand up the the occasional drop but will start to wear down after a few years. (A HA-III coated body with knurling can cut through the Mag's body.) but as for using it as an impact weapon would work fine.

I certainly would not worry about the Mag 'holding up' or 'twisting' they are tough and heavy (certainly with 3-4 D cells) and I am absolutely sure any attacker would end up far worse off than the light.

Using a Mag as an impact weapon is something that LEO's have doing for along time. The Mag will hold up no worries on that subject :sick2:.

Just use it wisely if you ever have to strike a person with it. I'm sure you know better but if it is just you and another subject getting ready to fight and you have the Mag and they have nothing but there fist, your the one who will most likely end up going to jail or getting charged with battery w/a deadly weapon.

Just be carefull is all I'm saying.

But if it is you vs. multiple attackers, by all means, club away with the Mag. :naughty:

Haha thanks guys :twothumbs

I'm not a violent person at all, but I do like to prepare for the unexpected. I don't plan on fighting random people with it on the side of the road in fits of (road) rage. But if someone was attacking me I'd happily pull it out as a deterrent. If he chooses to ignore it and still come at me, that's when I'd use it to bash him.

lightr07 said:

(A HA-III coated body with knurling can cut through the Mag's body.) but as for using it as an impact weapon would work fine.

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Most Mags are only HA-II. Only the Mag Charger is HA-III.

But anyhow, I agree, they will wear with heavy use, but won't fail.

Marduke said:

Most Mags are only HA-II. Only the Mag Charger is HA-III.

But anyhow, I agree, they will wear with heavy use, but won't fail.

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Sorry, have to be correct there. There is no HA-II, HA stands for Hard anodizing which is call Type-III or HA-III. Type-II anodizing is not HA-II and should no be referred as such. There is no such thing as HA-II. Sorry, had to clarify.

I agree with everything said about Maglites. They usually are tough and dependable and with the Malkoffdevices drop-in, very bright too.

Welcome to CPF Tr0n!

Gunner12 said:

Sorry, have to be correct there. There is no HA-II, HA stands for Hard anodizing which is call Type-III or HA-III. Type-II anodizing is not HA-II and should no be referred as such. There is no such thing as HA-II.

I agree with everything said about Maglites. They usually are tough and dependable and with the Malkoffdevices drop-in, very bright too.

Welcome to CPF Tr0n!

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Sorry, I meant Type-II, not HA.

I have seen Mags used as a hammer, used to break car windows, run over by a car and once, used as an impact weapon. Never seen any damage to the lights other than some dings.

I have used a 5 C Cell mag for an improvised bat in a pickup baseball game at a parking lot waiting for the doors to open for a concert. Have used it for a prybar to tighten the alternator belt on my Trans Am, and have used it to transport what was most likely a 100 lb snapping turtle as it had a death grip on the cap and I moved it off the road and into a pond.

Never been let down yet.

Thumps up for the MagClub :twothumbs There are only a few batons out there that can light!

Tr0n said:

I've never held a Maglite outside of it's packaging but plan on purchasing one for a dual role of light source and if ever need be protection in my car. If I ever had to use it as the latter and strike someone with it, would the body hold up or twist and warp on impact?

Seems to me like the 3D would hold up better on impact than a 4D since it's a shorter tube thus not subject to the same gravitational forces during impact.

Thanks.

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if you ever actually used a maglite to swing at something you will find mags aren't exactly balanced for swinging....I bought a miniature version of an aluminum baseball bat for that purpose.

to twist an aluminum body would be difficult unless whats twisting it has enough grip to hold the body in place during the twisting cycle. I never had the chance of using my maglite to beat somebody [nor would I want that chance] but by experience of using the body to pound tent pegs and the tailcap to hammer nails on plywood in hurricane season....it survived relatively well:naughty:

Tr0n said:

I've never held a Maglite outside of it's packaging but plan on purchasing one for a dual role of light source and if ever need be protection in my car. If I ever had to use it as the latter and strike someone with it, would the body hold up or twist and warp on impact?

Seems to me like the 3D would hold up better on impact than a 4D since it's a shorter tube thus not subject to the same gravitational forces during impact.

Thanks.

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Welcome to CPF Tr0n. The bulb may break if you hit something with the head of the flashlight. Unless it is a life or death situation, it is a bad idea to hit somebody with a big metal flashlight. Remember, you want to charge your battery, not get charged with battery.

Art Vandelay said:

Welcome to CPF Tr0n. The bulb may break if you hit something with the head of the flashlight. Unless it is a life or death situation, it is a bad idea to hit somebody with a big metal flashlight. Remember, you want to charge your battery, not get charged with battery.

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No doubt, again, I'm not a violent person nor do I look for fights. But if I'm in a situation where I have to defend myself having a large black pipe in one hand is a great de-motivator for most people, and if they still insist on coming at me, well .. you know what happens then

Hmm. This topic makes me want to go buy a 3D, load it up with D cells, and beat the @*#$ out of it. Would make for a fun video.

WadeF said:

Hmm. This topic makes me want to go buy a 3D, load it up with D cells, and beat the @*#$ out of it. Would make for a fun video.

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thats good idea, but I did that to my mag 3D and the light stops working:thinking:
smashing it on concrete harder does the trick....

whenever you want to smash your maglite remember to do it twice per serving of smashing

WadeF said:

Hmm. This topic makes me want to go buy a 3D, load it up with D cells, and beat the @*#$ out of it. Would make for a fun video.

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Drop it off a 9 story building and i'll pay for the Mag!

The reviews I have read state,the 3d and 4D maglites,"can take a fair beating" My question would be,"can your attacker? .

Just, keep within the law on necessary force,and you will be fine.

lightr07 said:

Drop it off a 9 story building and i'll pay for the Mag!

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Ok, lets do this,just for fun :laughing:anyone got a maglite donation? :green:

TITAN1833 said:

Ok, lets do this,just for fun :laughing:anyone got a maglite donation? :green:

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It would have to function prior to the test.