Maglite Mag-Tac - Not impressed...

Brian900

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Dec 25, 2012
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Just got the Mag Tac today after much anticipation and am a little underwhelmed. For starters the lens is THIN plastic I could cracked with my pointer finger. Secondly the lower (not low enough) output setting requires three clicks within a one second timeframe to function - kind of a pain, especially since this is the most used setting in my case.

I have more complaints but don't want to be too much of a grump on my first post. Was just expecting more from Maglite on this one.
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shelm

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Dec 8, 2011
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The branding looks good. Everyone knows Maglite as high quality original real brand name for flashlights. Ordinary people all over the world know the name 'Maglite' and none of them ever heard of 'Surefire' or 'Fenix'. This new product would look too tacticool for my mums .. but it says "tac" in the name so it's what you get.
 

CarpentryHero

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What's the clip made of? Does it feel like spring steel? If its spring steel it'd be a great flashlight for nonflashaholics. Something that is simple, sturdy and works.
 

TEEJ

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Its a mag light...a name with a nice history of reliability and poor performance.

Enjoy!

:D
 

yellow

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Wondering Mag is doing a new model (which is good) but also
wondering whom they plan to be customers ... (2* CR123 is not typical Mag buyer battery setup)
:thinking:
 

Brian900

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Dec 25, 2012
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The clip is a hard polymer. Not bad.

I would be surprised this light makes a decent military/law enforcement application considering the thin, plastic lens and having to fully click through the momentary option (two full clicks to turn light on).

Additionally, the threads feel really cheap compared to an entry level Surefire and I think the tail cap threads and inner portion of the body are plastic. Can't tell for sure though.

My last major complaint is the light does not flood well as all. As if intended for more long range use I assume.

Unfortunately, it seems I'm going to have to look at Chinese manufactures to get the features I'm looking for. Bummer:(
 

silver_bacon

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Jun 17, 2008
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Maglite seems unwilling to go away from the thin plastic lens for whatever reason. The MagTac, Pro, and XL series need something better. Especially the XL because they cannot be easily replaced and I assume the MagTac series is the same. The lens also scratch extremely easily. Although I have yet to see one of their newer ones break, but perhaps I am just lucky.
 

Norm

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Its a mag light...a name with a nice history of reliability and poor performance.

Enjoy!

:D
I can remember when Maglites were known for there great performance, Mag just haven't kept up with the rest of the herd.

Norm
 

dano

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Aug 11, 2000
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East Bay, Cali.
Having thoroughly used one for the last month, in a law enforcement capacity, I can say that the Mag Tac has performed great. No problems with the lens, and the light is carried in my leg sap pocket (a small pocket located underneath the traditional pant rear pockets), so the clip is subjected to all sorts of contact/abrasions, and has survived without any significant damage.

Overall, I can highly recommend the light as a viable 2-cell (CR-123) light.

One trend I find fascinating is the trend of people trying to out design the designers.
 

Divine_Madcat

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Apr 26, 2012
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Because it's cheap and durable? Pelican, UKE, etc have plastic clips that hold up fine.

The problem today, is that people hear plastic, and forget that there are some excellent polymers out there (if a firearm can be top quality and mode from it, certainly a flashlight can be).

That said, for the clip, i would not want plastic, simply for the idea of: i get it caught on something, and it will snap rather than bend (and as long as the clip is removable, i can fix a bend). That said, it should still hold up well to abrasions..
 

alpg88

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Because it's cheap and durable? Pelican, UKE, etc have plastic clips that hold up fine.

2 pelicans i have are made of plastic, and have plastic clip, however, the clip has steel pin\ pivot, and steel spring.
 

Brian900

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Dec 25, 2012
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The clip is actually really nice. Probably my favorite feature of the light.
 

twl

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Feb 20, 2005
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TN
Momentary is a big priority on a tactical light, and it is important that it remains in momentary mode until you specifically take it out of momentary mode.
So, I can see the double click requirement to get out of momentary to be quite a reasonable thing, given the intent of the light.

The thin lens might have some reasoning about it. I doubt that they were concerned with any "millionth of a penny" cost difference in cheap plastic thicknesses.

I don't plan to buy one of these lights, but if it does the job for its intended market, then that's all it needs to do. Not all lights can be all things to all people.
 

TEEJ

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I can remember when Maglites were known for there great performance, Mag just haven't kept up with the rest of the herd.

Norm

Like candles I suppose?

:D

IF they had kept up, say within the past decade at least, sure...but its been decades since they could be considered as good performers....relative to what else was out there.

Hence the history of poor performance.

At least they are still somewhat sturdy.

:D
 

Divine_Madcat

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Like candles I suppose?

:D

IF they had kept up, say within the past decade at least, sure...but its been decades since they could be considered as good performers....relative to what else was out there.

Hence the history of poor performance.

At least they are still somewhat sturdy.

:D

As an outdoorsman, they are less sturdy to me. The plastic lens scratches too easily, and it (my mag led aa, not this one) is the only one that is not waterproof (i have dunk tested every one of my other lights). Not to mention, the focus ring just introduces another point of failure, one i really dont care for given the useless focus anyway (again, not this light believe).

It is good seeing them catch up a bit, but still feels like too little too late
 

parnass

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Nov 11, 2005
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Illinois, USA
Having thoroughly used one for the last month, in a law enforcement capacity, I can say that the Mag Tac has performed great. ...

It's good to read that the new Mag-Tac meets or exceeds expectations. Thanks for posting that.
 
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