Author Topic: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights  (Read 4913 times)

billt

  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6760
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 454
A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« on: February 06, 2018, 09:57:37 AM »
I picked these up the other day at Harbor Freight, and have since purchased several more. They are all machined Aluminum and are very bright. The smaller unit comes with batteries, the larger multi LED unit does not, (It takes 4 AA's).

They both have a nice press on / press off switch. The larger one has both a low and a high power setting. On low power a small center rectangle of LED's are illuminated. On high they all are. The smaller unit is the same as the one's you see advertised all the time on TV. It has one large LED, and a push / pull adjustment that allows for a pinpoint beam, or else a much larger spread of the light.

These things are really nice and well made for the money. I'm going to keep one of each around the house, and in both vehicles. You can't have enough flashlights. And with some of these LED's costing well over $50.00 each, these are a nice alternative. Just be sure if you buy them get a 20% off coupon. Harbor Freight has them all the time.

https://www.harborfreight.com/588-lumen-tactical-flashlight-63934.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-3-4-quarter-inch-109-led-flashlight-98506.html




Big Frank

  • NRA Benefactor Member
  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9456
  • DRTV Ranger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1048
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 02:05:38 PM »
American Rifleman magazines have had 25% off coupons for Harbor Freight in them several times, but I'm not willing to butcher my magazines. I keep them for 10 years so when an article references an earlier issue I can look it up if I want to.

I've gotten a few non-tactical flashlights for free with coupons from Harbor Freight. They're 3.5" long and 1" in diameter, with 9 LEDs. I keep one in the glove box of my truck. There's another in a bag full on things I put in the rear cargo compartment of my ATV when I ride. Some of my friends have them too. I'm pretty sure I had a third one but probably gave it away. It could also be in my glove box as a spare but I'm not checking. They use 3 AAA batteries side by side with one facing the opposite direction of the other two. Black ones are selling for $1.99 apiece, and there's a 2-pack with a red one and a blue one for $2.99. I don't know how long the batteries last because I only use them for a moment at a time.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-12-in-mini-flashlight-62573.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-3-12-in-9-led-mini-flashlight-69112.html

ETA: I got one of these free too and keep it on my fridge door using the magnet on the back. When you push the button the 3 front LEDS come on, and when you push it again the other 24 LEDs turn on instead. Whatever mode you used it in last, it will be in the other mode the next time you use it. It also has a hook that swivels all the way around to hang it on. These are very handy.

https://www.harborfreight.com/27-led-portable-worklight-flashlight-67227.html
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

billt

  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6760
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 454
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2018, 02:54:03 PM »
I have the one with 27 LED's at the bottom of your post. It's a good light. And I got it free as well. And with 2 separate purchases of the flashlights lights in my post, I got 2 of these free multi test meters. The problem is I don't know how to use them.  ;D

https://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-digital-multimeter-90899.html

Timothy

  • Guest
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2018, 05:33:44 PM »
You can run a five axis mill, Bill!

A multi meter is a piece o cake!

billt

  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6760
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 454
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2018, 06:01:54 PM »
Electricity and I don't get along too well.

Sponsor

  • Guest
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #5 on: Today at 04:57:33 PM »

Solus

  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8664
  • DRTV Ranger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 43
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2018, 06:30:13 PM »
Electricity and I don't get along too well.

Keep one hand in your pocket and you will be fine...

Electricity is just a little more complicated than plumbing because stuff is series and stuff in parallel  have different equations...

And I like working with my house plumbing and electricity a whole let more than the gas lines.

If I get a plumbing joint faulty I have water someplace.  If I get electric wiring wiring wrong, I blow fuses or something smokes.  If I get gas fittings wrong the house blows up...
   
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
—Patrick Henry

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
— Daniel Webster

les snyder

  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2018, 06:33:05 PM »
sorry, I've had too many of the inexpensive lights fail... Dad always said always buy the best tools you can afford...  I live on the central west coast of Florida in the tropical storm belt...my flashlight addiction started years ago with a Surefire 6P incandescent, which now sports a Solar Force XML2 LED module... since then, a couple more Solar Force cr123 and 18650  L2 bodies with their voltage particular P60 LED head and a mongo 3x123 M3 head... a couple of 2D Maglight LEDs with attaching rings, one in the house, and one in the car... a AAA Fenix E5 is on the key ring

whatever you buy, consider running NiMH re chargeable cells like Eneloops and get a good charger.. since the 2004/2005 hurricane season,  my  hurricane LED lighting and radios are AA Eneloop, and no failures due to cell leakage in addition to the head and tail light on my bicycle

Big Frank

  • NRA Benefactor Member
  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9456
  • DRTV Ranger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1048
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2018, 07:00:26 PM »
I have the one with 27 LED's at the bottom of your post. It's a good light. And I got it free as well. And with 2 separate purchases of the flashlights lights in my post, I got 2 of these free multi test meters. The problem is I don't know how to use them.  ;D

https://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-digital-multimeter-90899.html

I had one of those free multi-meters too. My friend already had a couple of them, so I gave it to one of his sons. It had thin wires that looked like they would break easily. I like the multi-meter I got at Radio Shack much better. I must have had it a couple of decades and it still works like new.
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

Big Frank

  • NRA Benefactor Member
  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9456
  • DRTV Ranger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1048
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2018, 12:11:31 AM »
Almost all of the flashlights I've ever bought were MagLites. The only exceptions I can think of are a Streamlight Scorpion that I have in a cheap Picatinny rail mount on an AR, and some tiny LED flashlights that went on keyrings. I have a 2-C MagLite in my bedroom. I used to have a 3-C MagLite but it got lost in the muck while riding my ATV at night. I have some 2-AA mini MagLites around the house, and a 1-AAA MagLite on my key ring.

Before tactical flashlights were a big thing I bought a LiteSaddle made by Pelican Products Inc. It's a device made of a C shaped hard plastic piece and a larger U shaped soft rubber piece molded together into one solid piece. It's 3.25 inches long. A C-cell MagLite slides into the hard plastic part, and the soft rubber saddle goes on the fore end of a shotgun or rifle, with a Velcro strap to hold it on. Just for the heck of it I strapped it on my arm right behind my wrist one day and had it hanging there while holding a pistol. I'd call that option possible but not practical.

I like the looks of the Kel-Tek CL-43 flashlight. It looks easy enough to hold it and a pistol at the same time, and it comes in your choice of seven colors. It takes 3 CR123 batteries so it can't be too big.

https://www.keltecweapons.com/keltec-gears/flashlights/

I had a 6-D MagLite in my truck for ages but it finally died on me. It's still sitting here a few feet away from me, but I haven't checked to see if it was a burned out bulb or the batteries died. It's almost certainly the batteries after all this time, but I don't think I'll replace them since I use that flashlight less than once a year on average.

I only buy alkaline batteries for all of my flashlights. If there's a power outage I don't have any way to recharge any type of rechargeable batteries, but I can replace alkaline batteries with spares.

P.S. Full size MagLites can be lethal weapons. Tiny little weapons lights, not so much.  ;)
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

crusader rabbit

  • Top Forum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2709
  • DRTV Ranger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 26
Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2018, 06:11:28 AM »
sorry, I've had too many of the inexpensive lights fail... Dad always said always buy the best tools you can afford... 

A long time ago, I bought a boat from an old guy.  He said he wouldn't include the cookware and I told him I would just go to K-Mart and buy some cheap stuff to keep aboard.

He gave me some great advice:  Buy quality and you only pay once;  buy cheap and you pay every time you use it.

Crusader Rabbit
“I’ve lived the literal meaning of the ‘land of the free’ and ‘home of the brave.’ It’s not corny for me. I feel it in my heart. I feel it in my chest. Even at a ball game, when someone talks during the anthem or doesn’t take off his hat, it pisses me off. I’m not one to be quiet about it, either.”  Chris Kyle

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk