The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: fightingquaker13 on September 08, 2012, 07:16:25 AM
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I have to confess to being something of a flashlight geek. I chalk it up to living in a hurricane zone and being a a hunter and fisherman. I always have a few scattered around the house and in the car. Heck I carry one in my pocket when I go out at night, and will do so always after reading the navy SEAL's report on the Aurora shootings. (He mentioned that a tac light in the eyes would blind someone for a few seconds, which is enough time to flee).
Anywhoo, I was looking for batteries online and found a good site that sells them cheap, Battery Junction.com. However, they also sell LED replacement bulbs for maglights. If you're like me you own at least two mini-mags and a head knocker C or D cell. For $13 you can amp those old neglected flashlights up to 140 lumens. And get this, its supposed to extend batterry life by up to 50%. I am definitely going to give them a shot. They also have replacement tail caps for the mini mags that make them a click on/click off light. This is a huge improvement. Currently they are having a large sale ($1 a pop on 123As, though they are a no name brand, but still, how bad can they be?) so I would browse them now.
FQ13
PS I got educated on lithium batteries. Don't buy the cheapos for high drain functions like tac lights. Stick to surefire, duracell, energizer and panasonic (I'm assuming rayovac counts since panasonic makes their batteries, but who knows?). Anyway the cheapos are meant for things like cameras and can short and burn in high drain devices. Spend the extra cash. My .02.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/maledre.html
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Thanks for the info...... I have a couple of old dinosaur (20 yr old) mini and mag lights.
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I will stick to my solarforce with extended battery tube
It will throw a beam 300 yards.
Using 18650 batteries they are cheap to run and give full power up to the very last sec.
I use it for shooting instead of a spot light and have a smaller 260 lumen one on my rifle for 75-100 yrds visability
http://www.solarforceflashlight-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=26&id=137
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Word of caution... all 123A's are not the same. I don't know anything about Battery Junction or their inventory but, in general, be very careful when considering very low-priced batteries. Some of these can be very dangerous - causing both flashlight damage and injury. Some flashlight manufacturers will void their products warranty if you use certain questionable batteries.
http://www.surefire.com/BatteryFAQs (http://www.surefire.com/BatteryFAQs)
Bargains are good, safety is better, and safe bargains are great! :)
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I like the 120 lumen light I carry in my pocket.
Bought two at Sam's for less than $20 and they run off AAA batteries. Been carrying one for almost two years and still going strong. Bright enough to blind you at twenty yards or less, and will light up (enough to see human or animal) at my mailbox, 75 yards away.
Similar to these:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004D19U30/ref=asc_df_B004D19U302173495?smid=A1Q5NPAAIERF11&tag=dealtmp352191-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B004D19U30
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Word of caution... all 123A's are not the same. I don't know anything about Battery Junction or their inventory but, in general, be very careful when considering very low-priced batteries. Some of these can be very dangerous - causing both flashlight damage and injury. Some flashlight manufacturers will void their products warranty if you use certain questionable batteries.
http://www.surefire.com/BatteryFAQs (http://www.surefire.com/BatteryFAQs)
Bargains are good, safety is better, and safe bargains are great! :)
Thanks for that. I had no idea. I just figured cheaper=shorter life. The sure fires aren't bad at $20 odd per 12. I'll look at battery junction to see what their price on name brands are.
FQ13
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Was talking to a guy last night about the Glock in his belt and we got around to talking about lights.
He said the strobe function on his weapon light was disorienting enough that the person looking at it couldn't detect the holders movement right away. (He used his kid as a test subject who could be retarded for all I know)
Does this sound legit? All my lights pre-date strobe features, anyone ever tried this and noticed the same thing?
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Its well known that a strobe will disorient a person. My next light will have a strobe on it for sure.
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Its well known that a strobe will disorient a person. My next light will have a strobe on it for sure.
Yep.
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I have to confess to being something of a flashlight geek. I chalk it up to living in a hurricane zone and being a a hunter and fisherman. I always have a few scattered around the house and in the car. Heck I carry one in my pocket when I go out at night, and will do so always after reading the navy SEAL's report on the Aurora shootings. (He mentioned that a tac light in the eyes would blind someone for a few seconds, which is enough time to flee).
Anywhoo, I was looking for batteries online and found a good site that sells them cheap, Battery Junction.com. However, they also sell LED replacement bulbs for maglights. If you're like me you own at least two mini-mags and a head knocker C or D cell. For $13 you can amp those old neglected flashlights up to 140 lumens. And get this, its supposed to extend batterry life by up to 50%. I am definitely going to give them a shot. They also have replacement tail caps for the mini mags that make them a click on/click off light. This is a huge improvement. Currently they are having a large sale ($1 a pop on 123As, though they are a no name brand, but still, how bad can they be?) so I would browse them now.
FQ13
http://www.batteryjunction.com/maledre.html
At least you have an excuse. I'm just a shameless flashlight whore! :o ::) ;D
For the 123 batteries, you can get them up to 2000mA. And those LED upgrades are well priced - I think I paid almost $20 for mine a couple years ago. Good find.
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Was talking to a guy last night about the Glock in his belt and we got around to talking about lights.
He said the strobe function on his weapon light was disorienting enough that the person looking at it couldn't detect the holders movement right away. (He used his kid as a test subject who could be retarded for all I know)
Does this sound legit? All my lights pre-date strobe features, anyone ever tried this and noticed the same thing?
Strobes can really mess you up. That's why the lights on Police cars strobe. A few years ago the was an animated movie that included a character with flashing eyes. The frequency of the strobe effect caused nausea and vomiting in viewers .
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Worked outside at night with a light on the top of my truck. Needed it to get in and out of traffic zone but the contractor asked me to turn it off when I was with his crew. I noticed it was bad myself!
FWIW
Richard
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Strobes can really mess you up. That's why the lights on Police cars strobe. A few years ago the was an animated movie that included a character with flashing eyes. The frequency of the strobe effect caused nausea and vomiting in viewers .
That was a Pokemon cartoon that aired in Tokyo in 1997. Supposedly kids up to a certain age are more susceptible to photosensitive seizures. That incident sent more than 700 kids to the hospital.
Now for the tinfoil hat...
You all have seen or heard of people recounting their abducted by space aliens stories. They even made a movie about such an incident and called it " Fire in the Sky" :
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_in_the_sky#section_4
Okay if not space aliens, why not the government? How long have they known about the stroboscopic effects on the human brain?
One company makes a flashlight called the puke light:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292271,00.html
There was a movie by Michael Crichton in the 1980's called Looker. People would get hit with a bright flash of light and suffer basically a petit mal seizure or a catatonic state for hours.
That science fiction has been turned into fact. Somebody got a patent on it according to this link:
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2011/04/optical_stun_ra.html
Getting back more on topic... a few years ago the NRA show came to St. Louis. Blackhawk had a booth area set up. Inside this area they had erected a black tent. I went inside the tent and got to experience the strobe feature of their then new Blackhawk Gladius flashlight. After a few seconds, I got dizzy. The demo person then went on to say that the strobe also allowed you to close on people. About 3 seconds later I felt his index finger pressing against my temple. I didn't even see him
Move from about 3 to 4 feet away. That part was kinda spooky.
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Getting back more on topic... a few years ago the NRA show came to St. Louis. Blackhawk had a booth area set up. Inside this area they had erected a black tent. I went inside the tent and got to experience the strobe feature of their then new Blackhawk Gladius flashlight. After a few seconds, I got dizzy. The demo person then went on to say that the strobe also allowed you to close on people. About 3 seconds later I felt his index finger pressing against my temple. I didn't even see him
Move from about 3 to 4 feet away. That part was kinda spooky.
Yeah.... had a cop friend show me that one too....... I could hear him moving about, but had no idea of distance or anything until he touched me in the center of my chest. I was too focused on trying to keep oriented and failed miserably at it.
I don't remember the brand of light, though.