Need an 18mm diameter light...

Good evening all,

I've got a flashlight mount for a shotgun that is designed to take a MagLite 2AA flashlight of 18mm diameter.

I'd like to use a quality LED flashlight instead. Both to get away from the filament bulb and to increase light output.

Problem is, it's next to impossible to shop for a flashlight by barrel diameter! And to make matters worse, it cannot have a tail-cap clicky or twisty - it has to have a head twist switch like the 2AA MagLite.

So, anyone have any suggestions for an LED lite in the same form factor as a 2AA MagLite? The 2AA LED MagLite was my first thought - but it's too long...

thanks much!
-ben

Peak LED Solutions AA lights have an 18mm diameter battery tube and a "twisty" bezel. They offer a few different 1AA models and might stock a 2AA battery tube.

Ask about them in the Peak forum section.

The only thing I can think of is the Quark Mini AA.

Thanks much! I will check both out...

thanks,
ben

Nitecore EZAA is a tad skinnier - 83.0 x 16.6 mm.
It is a pain to get to high mode if its mounted though. Mine took 3 quarter turns from low to high.

Quark Mini AA is good.

If you want something with more throw, the iTP A2 EOS is available in stainless steel or aluminum.

divine said:

The only thing I can think of is the Quark Mini AA.

Click to expand...

The QMini AA is only 16.6mm at the battery tube, 17.7mm at the head and tail.

The LED 2AA Mini Maglite with lanyard tailcap is only 0.5" longer (non-lanyard tailcap version would be a little longer than that). Do you not have any wiggle room at all?

Robin24k said:

The LED 2AA Mini Maglite with lanyard tailcap is only 0.5" longer (non-lanyard tailcap version would be a little longer than that). Do you not have any wiggle room at all?

Click to expand...

Nope. Standard 2AA maglite already .25" too long...

thanks,
ben

Hmm, well these interesting constraints will limit your options a lot...probably only 1AA or short 2AA lights...

kd5byb said:

Good evening all,

I've got a flashlight mount for a shotgun that is designed to take a MagLite 2AA flashlight of 18mm diameter.

I'd like to use a quality LED flashlight instead. Both to get away from the filament bulb and to increase light output.

Click to expand...

What about getting a conversion LED 'bulb' for your old 2AA mag? There are a few aftermarket ones readily available for under $20.

Yup, not sure why I forgot about upgrading the light. You can try something like this:

http://www.terraluxcorp.com/terralux/Products/Portable/Upgrades/TLE5EX/tabid/82/Default.aspx

Upgrading the 2AA to LED - now that's a great idea! I feel kind of silly not thinking about it either! That TerraLux LED upgrade looks to have very good reviews here and has some impressive specs.

I'll have to get one on order!

thanks much!
-ben

If the Quark MiNi AA is too narrow you may want to try the Quark MiNi 123.

It's even brighter.

You are going to need something that comes on high first for that purpose.

I'm with Parnass on this one

You need a 2AA light with twisty head that always comes on with max power, has a 18mm battery tube and can handle the repeated recoil of a weapon. The Peak Logan #8 power with narrow optics and Cree XP-G R5 LED will give you all of those requirements.

Putting a drop-in in a minimag? I don't think it could handle the shock of the recoil for too long.

My recommendation is not to use a minimag as a weaponlight. You should use a light that can accept a remote tape switch so that you can turn it on and off without letting go of the weapon. You don't want to walk around with the light on all the time in a "tactical" situation. You'll just give your location away and make yourself a great target for your enemy. You don't necessarily have to go all the way up to Surefire territory to get the job done, but you want something along these lines.

You could search some gun forums to see if there is any cheap way to mount a 1" ring on your shotgun. There is many solutions for that, barrel clamps, rail etc. There is lots of really bright led lights that fits a standard 1" ring (usually 2xcr123 and 1x18650 battery lights) Many of these lights may handle the recoil better.

Both my fenix tk11 and malkoff md2 fits a 1" weaver ring perfectly, and i bet that they will handle the recoil from any of my shotguns just fine. Its not legal to mount a light on a gun in Norway (not for civilian use), so i have never tried it on my guns myself.