Rechargable Mag Lite Vs Sure Fire

Otay guy's here's my question for the week

I'm looking for a rechargable duty flashlight for work (Police) and am trying to figure out what rechargable flashlight to get as a replacement for my worn out Mag Charger. Purchased the Mag Charger back in 1989 and it's been around the world with me several times. However it's finally given up the ghost and now I need a replacement light.

Right now I'm using a regular 4 cell Mag light and keep a D2 Defender on my belt for a backup.

I'd like the longest lasting brightes light that can be recharged by AC or DC while the battery is in the light. Size is not really a matter as I'd rather have serious light when needed instead of a compact light.

Thanks!!!!!!!

Kind of avoiding your question, but...

What's wrong with it? Battery packs are available, and the rest of it should be covered under the lifetime guarantee.

Totally different approach.. If you don't wish to repair it, will you consider selling it as is?

I've debated from time to time giving up my MagCharger, it's heavy and big and a SureFire can do the same lighting job, but that's not why I carry a MagCharger. A MagCharger is a good impact weapon when you don't have time to get to a baton. I usually take my MagCharger on all of my calls on evening and mids and it really is hard to replace as an overall performer. I'm kind of anti-Streamlight for reasons I really don't want to get into right now, but stick with either the MagCharger or go with the 10x or even the old 9N as a primary duty light. As an LEO, I'd recommend sticking with a MagCharger because of it's overall usefullness. And maybe consider getting a KR2 rechargeable conversion kit for your D2 with a P61 bulb along with an extra B65 nicad battery.

Hope this helps. Be Safe and Take Care from a fellow LEO.
-dwolf

well aside from watermelon bashing ability, the Streamlight Ultrastinger is very comparable to the Magcharger in brightness and throwing distance. I compared my two the other night on the Pacific surf...the Mag battery was a couple of years old and measured a few tenths of a volt lower than the new Ultrastinger before the 'test' - but they were so close in brightness and reach, and considering the battery age differences, I'd have to say it was a tie...The Ultrastinger may have a slight edge though because it's tightest beam was tighter than the Mag's. It was a little difficult tell just how far they could shine because of the reflectance of the fog above the water, at night... Also the U.Stinger burns twice as long as my present Mag...

Well, I'll be dipped in Doo-Doo !

Shrike9,
they're supposed to last a lifetime ! I mean, unless it needs a new battery (or 2), then you must just be looking to buy a new torch ......

Like Velcro and Gadget, I'm really curious about what you mean.
If there is something wrong with it, the warranty will cope. I know from pleasant experience that Mag-Lite stand by their warranty very well.
Can you say what exactly is wrong with it, if it's a mechanical failure ?

Lumenaddict,
how did you decide on your choices between the "at home" and the "in vehicle" units - I think I can understand the reasoning for the "on body" option, though.

Ted, you got me there on run-time - is that true of the SL35X's generally ? Still, I guess that the MagCharger is truly beautiful, and the Streamlight is ummm, really useful.

(Mag) lightlover

[-dwolf,
re: "I'm kind of anti-Streamlight for reasons I really don't want to get into right now", I'm curious. Without wishing to intrude, (or being able to e-mail you) could you let us (me ) know why, when you feel you can ?]

Never knew it had a lifetime warranty. Will have to contact Mag-Lite about this

Let's see now, it's been dropped from a vehicle (while on) going in excess of 90MPH and this really banged it up a tad chipping the lens. I also think it got ran over a time or two, but the lamp was still on when I found it again.

The charger cradle does not hold the light very securly any more. The wires are also showing bare wire where they enter the cradle. SOmetimes I've got to jiggle and jostile the light to get it to charge.

The cig lighter plug is almost worn out as the light was moved from car to car and back again always getting pluged in this way never being hard wired. I've got to force it in the cig lighter and hold it there when hitting any bumps, otherwise it will slide out far enough to break the contacts thus falling to charge.

Now the light it gives off is extremly yellow and does not focus as well as it once did.

Should not need a new batt as the one in it is less than 1 1/2 years old. However the light is not as intense (bright) as it once was.

I'll have to look into getting a rechargeable conversion kit for the D-2.

Thing is I've been taught (PPCT and Caliber Press) that using a mag light as a impact weapon is considered the same as using deadly force. Seems the impact of a mag light is way more powerfull than any PR-24 or ASP.

Well, some of that abuse may void the warranty.

If they tell you no way, and/or it will cost too much to get parts, I'd still be interested in taking it off your hands.

However, I'm sure they realize the LE community uses them and they may honor the warranty regardless of its physical condition. Best of luck!

Why not just get a new charger sleeve? They are available, and cost a lot less that a new flashlight.

Just like Go Go Gadget Flashlight said, what's wrong with it? It can't just suddenly stop working after 11 years, I mean it is a MagCharger (unless you are using it as an excuse to buy a new light ).
Perhaps the battery pack has died and you have to replace it. Or you may need to replace the lamp.

I would say, try one of these suggestions first (if you haven't already), it may work. If not, then you can always make an appeal to Mag Instrument's Limited Lifetime Warranty. If you do so however, keep in mind that the warranty does not cover any of the following: "1 Battery exhaustion; 2 Battery leakage; 3 Lamp burnout; or 4 Damage to or failure of the flashlight or any component thereof due to alteration, misuse, battery leakage or lack of maintenance.".


Greetings,
Velcro

I've talked to guys who've had MagChargers for 10+ years and they're still running like champs. A few minor part replacements and you'll have your trusty old MagCharger back in no time.
I disagree with the idea that the MagCharger is boardering on deadly force when used as an impact weapon. If your striking in the same places as your taught to with a ASP or PR24 then it should be any different. If you hit someone in the head with an ASP or PR24 or Mag there is potential to kill someone, but that also depends on how hard and fast your hitting them. And also you can't get the full extension and power out of a MagCharger that you do with the ASP or PR24 as they are much longer and slimmer in design.
Hope all this helps.
dwolf

By the way glad to see you're considering the KR2 conversion kit for your D2.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by *something ridiculous:

Ted, you got me there on run-time - is that true of the SL35X's generally ? Still, I guess that the MagCharger is truly beautiful, and the Streamlight is ummm, really useful.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I don't know about the SL35X's generally, just the Ultrastinger (or, duh on my part, is that the numerical moniker of the Ustinger? I don't have it here so I can't check). The UltraStinger IS focusable by the way, into a very tight bright center spot, one of UltraS's more 'beautiful' aspects...again, it wasn't a very fair test; because the US has a new fresh battery..what is the run time of a Magcharger with a NEW battery?

Got a spiffie e-mail from Mag-Lite. They said to box her up and ship her to them. Not to mention if I still had the old battery just add a check for $18.00 to replace it

Guess I'll be Mag-Chargerless for a couple of weeks

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Emeraldwolf:
I disagree with the idea that the MagCharger is boardering on deadly force when used as an impact weapon. If your striking in the same places as your taught to with a ASP or PR24 then it should be any different. If you hit someone in the head with an ASP or PR24 or Mag there is potential to kill someone, but that also depends on how hard and fast your hitting them. And also you can't get the full extension and power out of a MagCharger that you do with the ASP or PR24 as they are much longer and slimmer in design.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, but the weight of the Maglite more than makes up for the slight loss of speed. Do an experiment. Take a couple of2X4's and hit one with a PR-24, and the other with a Maglite. See which one causes more damage. The colapsable ASP (they actually do make rigid straight batons, and even side-handle batons too!) as well as the friction locking batons be Monadnock and Casco I believe will hit less hard than a rigid baton, or one of the SX, MX, or Monadnocks with the Power Safety Tip since they have les weight. The hardest hitting batons are probably the PR-24NX and PR-24FX. Both are the expandable batons using a solid aluminum shaft, either with an epoxy or nylon finish, as is the SX-24NX also by Monadnock. And even those weigh less then a Maglite I'm pretty sure. It's like the diference between a wooden baton, and a plastic baton, or a 12oz hammer, and an 18oz hammer.

Okay, look at from this perspective: A PR24 with the side handle design is probably one of the most devastating batons ever made partially because of that side handle baton and the speed and power you can get out of that. Supposedly you can break bones with a ASP (I refer to the collasible ones when I saw ASP) when you strike them in the legs and yet the times that I've seen guys have to use them in the field and trying to stop a suspect and hit them in the legs and the suspects still walking and no broken legs.

The whole point I'm getting at is that with the thinner end, longer length and lighter weight you should be able to do more damage (I'm talking about physics here) than using a heavier, shorter, thicker baton.

Bottom line is: deadly force is deadly force. If deadly force is justified: the suspect is a danger to you or someone else, then it shouldn't matter what the means are to use such force. In the end if your striking a person with a flashlight in the same zones (arms and legs) as you would with a baton then deadly force should not be an issue. My department states that we can use a flashlight if you have your flashlight in hand and do not have time to get to your baton.

It's football season so perhaps the following might add a little to the weight v. velocity debate.

A big and chunky defensive lineman doesn't have to be moving as fast to exert his strength/energy but on the other hand, a defensive back needs to use his speed to hit as hard as the lineman because he doesn't weigh as much. There, that should add some confusion.

Unfortunately with civil rights attorneys in California(like Steve Yagman and Johnny Cochran) making millions of dollars from officers' mistakes, I would not want to be a defendant on trial for hitting a suspect's head with a Maglight. It's deadly force and no amount of "creative writing" can justify its use.

On the physics part it should lean to the Maglight instead of the ASP. Around 50% of the weight of the ASP is in the handle where it does not do you any good. The Maglight has almost all of the weight in the shaft. Yes velocity does play a part in the momentum formula as does weight. But there should not be a difference in velocity great enough (when swung by an average person) to overcome the difference in weight.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ted the Led:
..what is the run time of a Magcharger with a NEW battery?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I see your question hasn't been answered yet. It is approximatically 90 minutes.


Greetings,
Velcro

Thanks, Velcro, I'm going to discharge and recharge the Mag again, and see if I can get anywhere near half that runtime!
At an hour and a half, my Mag is o-u-t.

Okay a lot of you have missed a point here, the length of the ASP vs. that of a MagCharger, it does make a difference.

Deadly Force is Deadly Force. If I feel that my life or another's is endanger then deadly force is justified. As long as an officer can articulate why deadly force was justified and why he used that particular means to carry out that use of force, then I don't see how there is a problem. This point has been debated many times with officer's that I work with and officers from other agencies including rank and file officers as well as high ranking officers all of which have a great deal of experience in the use of force with the use of force continum as a guide. And the consensus is that... deadly force is deadly force.