BIG Flashlight!!

[NYlakesider]

Gang today at work we were cleaning out and reorganizing one of our old tool lockers and it was plum full of all kinds of random odds and ends. Well buried deep in the back were two brand new in the packaging Maglite 6D flashlights! The tool manager let me have one. Here it is next to my Model 66:

Takes six D batteries and weighs a little over three pounds and is almost twenty inches long! It's enormous! The way it balances and the location of the on/off switch makes it most comfortable to use when sitting on the shoulder like a dang rocket launcher or something. I tried the Harries method with it and it works pretty well with the flashlight resting partially on the arm and it's in a great position to strike with in this manner.

If you don't already know these were popular with police and could be used as a powerful club if needed. It uses an old fashioned incandescent bulb and isn't all that bright by today's standards but the beam can be tightened or expanded by twisting the lens.

Overall super cool and glad to have it. We have no idea who ordered these huge lights or why. Pretty cool though! Anyone ever use these? I'm sure some of our LEO members are well acquainted with them. Just thought I'd share guys, I'll stick this one in my new truck when I get it just in case.

-Jay

Many years back I had one like that. The city police force at the time had a thing about "so called weapons" in your car. Things like tire irons, big wrenches, baseball bats, crow bars if they could be reached by the driver were many time consider verboten and items confiscated and tickets issued at a traffic stop. Note this was a time when cops took and used more power that they were legally entitled to do

I carried my flashlight in the front seat with the back of the light jammed into the little gap between the bottom and seat back. Never had a LEO problem with that big light! Started with the light when I started the LOOOOOOOOOOONG process to get my CCWP. It would stay in the seat pretty good.

I also used it when looking for oil sticks on some the cars coming into my buddies gas station at night. Some of those stick were very well hidden in the dark hours! It was a very handy light and if needed a serious weapon. I did employ it to protect myself one night, just its size alone stopped his hostile intentions!

I used a engraving tool and put my name on it in about 5 places as it cost at least to me then a lot of money.

 

[Iggy]

Out of instinct more than anything else, I once threw my 4 cell at a cars windshield as he gassed it and almost struck me at a DWI spot check. When he was corralled a couple miles down the road, drunk, he insisted it wasn't him that almost hit me. I was able to identify my flashlight as the one that was sticking out of his shattered windshield... Still have it.

Larry[/QUOTE]
A Nebraska State Trooper got mine back out the windshield of a truck that ran a winter road closed barrier.

 

[pmanton]

I put an LED in mine. Now it is big AND bright.

 

[Eddietruett]

I think you need to mount it to the top rail on that Model "66"

I think you could mount the 66 on the light

 

[Infidel137]

I kept one of those 6D cell Maglights in my vehicle for 25-30 years, recently retired it. It was bright enough to look for things off the road, like house numbers, vacant campsites, etc., but the newer ones are way smaller and way brighter. I also retired a 2D and a couple of 3D.

 

[GB]

I have a flashlight fetish. I still have a Kel-Light, traded from a police Sgt. when his dept. forbid aluminum lights. I have a Bianchi B-Light(yes the holster company sold flashlights for a while) I have two SL-20 Streamlights. One bought new and carried for the last 8 years of my time on the pin side of the tin. The other bought for 5 bucks in a pawn shop in New Mexico. They didn't know what it was and couldn't make it work. I have a grundle of Mag-Lites, from Minis to 5 cell, bought over the years. (First mini was bought to wear on my Sam Brown as a back up light.) I now have a few LEDs and while I don't like them much, they do provide a brighter, white, light.

 

[Old cop]

I was the champion flashlight loser on my patrol squad so I never spent more than $5 on a flashlight. My agency outlawed the maglight due to the controvesy about cops using them as clubs. Very liberal city, I’m surprised we were allowed to buy ammo.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Saw an interesting flashlight before Christmas. They were all aluminum, shaped like a small baseball bat, and had LED bulbs. I almost bought one, but passed. Wish now I had just for the novelty of it.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I was showed a technique where you held it at the front in a reverse grip at shoulder level. Amazing how hast you could swing it from that position.resting on your shoulder. He told me that if I did that to have a spare bulb cause in all likelihood it would break from m the concussion.

 

[Whitwabit]

LEO friend of family told me years ago .. 50 some ,, that a mag lite is the best club to carry in one's vehicle .. that and a sharp ice scraper on the end of a long pole can cause a huge amount of damage to a person from someone fending off an attack ..

Always have both all year in my vehicles ..

 

[JohnRippert]

We kept a couple 3 D cell Maglites around the house for taking the dogs out at night, ets. I also had one of the 5 D cell versions that I kept in the car. I also used the rest it on the shoulder method as that kept it in perfect position to use as a club. These days I carry a little 1 AA Eagletac D25A that probably has as many lumens as the 3 D cell Maglite. It is about the size of my ring finger.

 

[loknload]

Still have and use 4-4 cells, carry 2 in the motorhome and have 2 In the house.
Great flashlights!

 

[JayFramer]

Excellent stories, gang. Thinking on getting a Malkoff LED conversion for it, I hear great things.

 

[Abbynormal]

Sometimes "Old School" still works efficiently and legally!

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

It has been a long, long time. Are 6D Maglites even made anymore?
I carried one on my belt for years when I started in private security. Got a lot of bruises on my leg and knee from it. Several of my co-workers called it my sword.
When I went to the academy, our instructor wanted to inspect our lights for night qualification. When he came to me, he picked mine up and declared to the class "THIS IS NOT A FLASHLIGHT! THIS IS A LAWSUIT! THIS IS A WEAPON! NO DEPARTMENT IN THIS AREA WILL LET YOU CARRY THIS!"

I still got to qualify with it.

Had several over the years, wore each and every one of them out. Technology has long left such an instrument behind, but this thread reminded me of a "blast from the past" and there are some times I would still feel more comfortable carrying it on duty.


POSTSCRIPT: I checked their website....THEY STILL MAKE IT! (Now guess what I'M going to do!)

 

[Farmer17]

I have had several of the big D cell lights and one sits in my garage right now with no batteries in it because I have a whole bunch of smaller and brighter lights. For an emergency club I always liked the 3D cell light in my car because the larger ones seemed too heavy and awkward. I also remember seeing female cops with the 4C cell lights which seemed like an all around much better size, which they probably were, but the male cops wouldn't be seen with a C cell light.

 

[max]

Somebody owes me some money. I was reading this last night and drinking a beer or 2. This morning, I got an email from Amazon telling me that my LED conversion kit is headed my way.

I have 3 or 4 Maglites that were factory LED and one older bulb type. Looks like it will soon be LED.

 

[Grayfox]

One of the 3 D-cell versions sat on my night stand for many years. Its now been replaced by one of the much smaller and brighter tactical lights.
Speaking of Mag lights, I remember when the Mini-Mag was first introduced. Those little, but bright (for their time) flashlights were the greatest thing since sliced bread! I carried one in a belt pouch at work for many years. I was also a Scout leader at the time and many scout leaders always kept one on them during camping trips. Such a small, handy light that you could easily carry constantly was quite an innovation at the time.

 

[Frank46]

I've used Maglites for yeaars. The oldest is about 25 years old. Replaced the batteries,lamps. Over the years replaced the lamps, and batteries.Still continous working. Frank

 

[BigBoy99]

I've given up on Mag Flashlights. The last one I sent back for repair had some small internal brass piece bouncing around inside of the tube. It was something which had come loose from the inside of the light. The letter I got from Mag Lite said that I should contact the maker of the batteries because it wasn't a Mag Lite caused problem. Since when do batteries shed small brass parts? Mag Lite said they would replace the flashlight if I sent them a check for payment of a new one. Some deal.