New guy. 5D mag ,looking for suggestions.

First off thanks for all the great info on the forum.
I come to you to ask what I can do to improve the out put on my 5D mag.

Welcome to the forum!

Get a Malkoff Devices LED conversion.

Coincidentally, I'm working on improving my 5D Mag too. My flashlight collection is nothing to brag about. There isn't anything custom or special about it. I actually gave away an old aluminum incandescent Surefire 6P (OMG.) I could have modified that with an LED! I could have bored it out to fit an 18650 battery. It would have cost over $100 but it would have been worth it to me. You can mod (modify) your 5D Mag by ordering a 3-6 D cell drop-in. I ordered one three days ago and can't wait to get it. You will get a better result using rechargeable 1.2 volt NiMh batteries. The chemistry of these batteries is better suited for flashlights. Alkalines run better in lower power consuming devices like quartz clocks. Interestingly though, I got some NiMh C batteries for my girlfriend's River Rock flashlight and she says she doesn't like it because it's too bright. So in her case at least, alkalines are better because after a while the flashlight would run dimmer. I don't know how to do the math, but I'm hoping my modified 5D Maglite will run a long time with its five batteries. The trade off of course will be having to carry a heavier light but I don't mind that.

Also as an FYI, the total length of 5 D cells and 6 C cells are the same. Using a section of 1" I.D. PVC conduit the length of the cells make a perfect sleeve to be able to use the C cells in it, making it more versatile when looking for batteries.