Maglite Serial Number Age



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For those who are trying to put a date to a serial number, mine is 741143. BTW, It can be found by locating the switch and look at the barrel sideways (with the switch on top) then while looking at the switch, rotate the barrel away from you until the switch almost disappears over the horizon, and there it is, stamped on the barrel. REFUND & RETURN POLICY. Mag Instrument, Inc. Offers a 30-day money back guarantee on any product purchased on Maglite.com. Simply return the packing slip along with the unused item in its original package for a full refund, excluding any shipping charges you incurred when purchasing or returning the product. Maglites without a D in the serial number are from before 1992. These lights are quite a bit different from the later 'letter serials'. The biggest difference is the size of the light. Non-letter serials have a much thicker body and weigh much more. The Law Office of John Pierce, Esq. 3101 Lee Highway Suite 18 # 167 Bristol, VA 24202 Office: (276) 206-9615 Fax: (703) 890-2485 email protected.

Parts

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120V AC Adapter for Maglite ML150LR

Serial

120V AC Adapter for Maglite ML150 Rechargeable Light System118-287, ML150-A2175..

ML150-A2175

$9.84

12V DC Auto Adapter for Maglite ML150LR

12V DC Auto Adapter for Maglite ML150LR flashlight.118-296, ML150-A2205..

ML150-A2205

$5.90

12V Straight Wire Adaptor for Rechargeable Mag Flashlight ARXX175

Check Maglite Serial Number

12V Straight Wire Adaptor for Rechargeable Mag Flashlight RE1019, RN1019, RL1019Replaces part number..

ARXX175

$13.95

2 AA LED Mini Maglite Replacement Face Cap, Black 253-018, 253-000-018

Replacement Face Cap for the LED AA Mini Mag Maglite Flashlight Does NOT fit Incandescent, LED PRO o..

253-018

$6.50

2 AA Mini Maglite Face Cap, Black 203-004, 203-000-004

Face Cap for the Incandescent AA Mini Mag Maglite FlashlightIncandescent models only, does not fit L..

Maglite Serial Number Lookup

203-004

$6.50

2 AA Mini Maglite PRO LED Replacement Face Cap, Black 255-000-001

Replacement Face Cap for the 2AA PRO LED Mini Maglite Flashlight. This is the Face Cap Only, does NO..

255-001

$6.50

2 AA Mini Maglite PRO+ LED Replacement Face Cap, Black 255-000-008

Replacement Face Cap for the 2AA PRO+ LED Mini Maglite Flashlight. This is the Face Cap Only, does N..

255-008

Maglite Serial Number Age

$6.50

2AA Mini Maglite / XL Series AMBER Plastic Lens 208-027, 208-000-027

Amber Plastic Lens For the AA Mini Mag Maglite Flashlight*Fits: Incandescent, LED, LED Pro, and LED ..

208-027

$2.15

2AA Mini Maglite / XL Series BLUE Plastic Lens 108-000-616, 108-616

Maglite Serial Number Age

Blue Plastic Lens For the AA Mini Mag Maglite Flashlight*Fits: Incandescent, LED, LED Pro, and LED P..

108-616

$2.15

2AA Mini Maglite / XL Series GREEN Plastic Lens 118-092, 118-000-092

Green Plastic Lens For the AA Mini Mag Maglite Flashlight*Fits: Incandescent, LED, LED Pro, and LED ..

118-092

$2.15

2AA Mini Maglite / XL Series RED Plastic Lens 208-025, 208-000-025

RED Plastic Lens For the AA Mini Mag Maglite FlashlightFits: Incandescent, LED, LED Pro, and LED Pro..

208-025

$2.15

2AA Mini Maglite and XL Series Anti-Roll Device / Lens Holder (208-065, 408-022)

Anti-Roll Device / Lens Holder For the AA Mini Mag Maglite and XL Series FlashlightsManufacturer par..

208-065

Maglite serial numbers

$4.30

AA and AAA Mini Maglite 9' Wrist Lanyard, 208-076, Black

Wrist Lanyard For the AA & AAA Mini Mag Maglite FlashlightsManufacturer part number: 208-000-076..

208-076

$2.44

AA Mini Maglite Battery Spring 108-044

For the AA Mini Mag Maglite FlashlightAlso fits Generation 2, Pro & Pro+ LED models.Manufacturer..

108-044

$4.00

AA Mini Maglite Clear Plastic Lens 108-046

Clear Plastic Lens for the AA Mini Mag Maglite FlashlightFits: Incandescent, LED, LED Pro, and LED P..

108-046

Maglite

$2.15

Showing 1 to 15 of 153 (11 Pages)
Summary: In 1990 Maglite started to modernize their lights. This marked the end of the vintage Maglite era and the lights started to look more like the ones produced today.
Since 1979 Mag Instrument has been dedicated to finding ways to cut costs through manufacturing efficiencies instead of raising prices on their lights. Throughout the 1980s Maglites remained largely unchanged except for minor cosmetic differences. That changed in 1990. By 1992 the light's design was completely overhauled into the flashlight that's currently available today. In this post I'll discuss the 1990 and 1991 model lights. Most collectors refer to these as 'transitional' models. Before I start it should be noted at all parts interchange between the 1991 and prior models even though the aesthetics changed slightly. This is not the case with 1992 and later lights where most parts will not interchange. Shown below is a 1991 Red Transitional 5D and a 1983 Black Vintage 5D. I'll discuss the differences shortly.
One of the changes that started in early 1990 was that the light's grip size was reduced. The grip size was reduced due to the fact that the grip near the end of the flashlight went largely unused as most users held the light near the switch or in the middle for a better balance point. The decision to reduce the grip saved on production time and tooling costs. Grip sizes were reduced according to the table below and the grip length was standardized to it's currently available length. Also shown below is a picture comparing two 3Ds. The top one is a vintage light that is an example of the 1989 and prior models and the bottom one is a 1990 that is a good example of 1990 and 1991 transitional lights. This picture show the overall reduced grip length. This change makes it very easy to spot the older lights on everyone's favorite auction site or in photos. Along with the bezel style it is a very useful tool in determining the age of a Maglite without knowing the serial number.


The bezel also changed. Like the Mini Maglites I covered earlier the bezel on the original models was stamped and the stamping was then filled in with white paint. Over time the white paint would sometimes wear away and the bezel stamping sometimes produced quality control issues. The laser etching, like the grip size change, reduced production time and although it was a large capital investment at the time the overall production cost was again reduced. Shown below is a picture of the difference between a stamped bezel on the pre 1990 models and a laser etched bezel of a 1990 light. The light on the left in both pictures is a laser etched bezel and the light on the right in both pictures is a stamped bezel. It's much easier to tell these apart in person because the laser etched bezels are smooth whereas the stamped bezels are indented and there is a groove for each letter.

Maglite Flashlights Phone Number

In addition the switch style was also changed. Up until 1989 the switches used an aluminum retaining ring that screwed into the inside diameter of the light and held the switch in place. Starting in 1990 Mag Instrument changed this to a plastic retaining ring and it is now the only style available when ordering replacement switches for older style lights. I've detailed the benefits of this change in my post on removing stuck retaining rings. I do have a large collection of NOS (new old stock) metal retaining ring switches that I use for restorations so I can use the correct switch for the light being restored though. Shown below is a picture from that thread showing the difference between the switches. The older style switch is on the left and the newer style switch is on the right.
These 'transitional' lights kept the same barrel size and non-letter serials as the pre 1990 lights. In 1992 the Maglite was completely re-designed into the model that's available today. Details on those changes can be found here. Most collectors regard the 1991 models as the last year of vintage Maglites and some even regard 1989 as the last year. I have several 'transitional' Maglites but they are not as collectible as earlier lights. In fact most folks confuse these with the 1992+ 'Panther' Maglites because they look so similar. I enjoy these lights because they still have the larger barrel even though they may be some of the least collectible Maglites.
Colors were very limited on these lights. This was mainly due to the fact that Mag Instrument was starting to modernize their facility and starting to build new tooling and assembly lines for the switch over to the redesigned lights in 1992. I've only seen these in black, red, blue, and silver. Serial numbers are going to be around the values listed in the table below as I have examples of each D cell transitional model and they were only produced for 2 years.

It is interesting to note that these serial numbers are also the production numbers of each model D cell up until 1991. So, in around a decade 4,000,000 3D Cells were produced. This is a good example of how popular, or unpopular, certain models are. I've always been curious as to why Maglite produces a 5D seeing how close in length they are to a 6D and 4D and how unpopular they are. I posted a D Cell Quick Dating Guide that shows round about serial numbers for each model and the above table can also be used to guesstimate the age of your light. Production numbers were low in 1979 and 1980 but were pretty constant throughout the rest of the 80s. Of course, Maglite can tell you the exact date your light was manufactured if you send them an info request on their web site. It's also interesting to note that in the 90s some model Maglites sold in these numbers in a single year. For example 3Ds would easily sell 2,000,000 a year or more in the late 90s. This puts into perspective how rare the 1991 and prior lights really are.

Maglite Serial Numbers

As always I'm looking to buy Vari-Beams and Vintage/Rare Mags. Please let me know if you have any, top dollar paid.




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