1981 and 1982 Cabela's Lights

Summary: Maglite has done a few licensed lights over the years. They made their first licensed light for Cabela's, a U.S. sporting goods retailer. These Cabela's lights were only produced for a couple years in the early 80s and are now very rare.

In 1981 Mag Instrument had been in business for 2 years. Their sales were slow by today's and the industry's standards. Based on serial numbers they were selling around 100,000 total lights a year. This is far off from the millions of lights they sell currently. I heard one figure at around 10,000,000 a year during the early 2000s and I believe it based on serial numbers. In the early days Mag Instrument's sales team was selling hard and had less hesitation about doing special requests from retailers. The Vari-Beams are another prime example.

In 1981 Maglite sent a salesman to Cabela's in Sidney, Nebraska. For those not familiar, Cabela's is a large national U.S. sporting goods retailer. The salesman pitched the idea to Jim Cabela about partnering with them to create a light to be sold through Cabela's national catalog. Cabela's requested that their name be put on the bezel. Due to copyright concerns Mag Instrument fulfilled the request but also stamped Maglite on the opposite side.

Jim Cabela accepted the salesman's offer and about 1,000 lights were produced for Cabela's. These were produced in 2, 3, 4, and 5 D cells in late 1981 through early 1982.  Most of the lights were 2 and 3 cells so the 4 and 5 cell lights were very few and far between. The business relationship went south very quickly after they were produced and Cabela's pulled the remaining order and the lights from their catalog. They gave most of the rest away to employees and as gifts to visitors of their corporate headquarters. Shown below are the markings on the bezels of these lights.

From what I've been told Cabela's advertised these lights in their catalog. I have a Fall 1981 and Fall 1982 Cabela's catalog, as shown below with my 2D and 5D Cabela's lights. The ads appear to show a a standard Maglite. Note the 7D cell offering in the top, 1981 catalog. 7D cell lights were discontinued in early 1982 and it's why they don't appear in the Fall 1982 catalog. I have a few 7Ds that I've detailed here. The prices are also interesting in that they are the same now as they were then and I've covered Maglite's pricing philosophy in another post. I've been scouring everyone's favorite auction site and elsewhere for a 1981/1982 Cabela's catalog that shows these specific lights but I've not had any luck finding one so far. Cabela's had a master catalog, camping catalog, fishing catalog and a seasonal catalogs for each year so it makes it a little tough. If anyone has a lead on one of these catalogs or even a scanned page of the lights I sure would appreciate it!

I was lucky enough to acquire 2 of these lights over the years. The 5D came from an estate sale of a retired Cabela's executive. It is in pristine condition except it has damage to the finish up by the switch because it had a battery stuck by the switch which had to be removed. It is a ~287,000 serial. The 2D came from an owner in rural California who was the original owner. He remembered purchasing it through Cabela's catalog in the early 1980s. It is a ~386,000 serial.

Both lights have the TM after Maglite on the bezel and the barrels are stamped Patented Made in the U.S.A. which puts them after July of 1981 which is when the Maglite patent was approved. Please see my Quick Dating Guide if you're interested in these features and dating lights. I have only ever seen one other Cabela's light and it's a 2D with a ~187,000 serial. I am only aware of 2 instances of Maglite putting another company's logo on the bezel. The other lights with custom stamping on the bezel were done for another catalog retailer, Assault Systems.

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

Early Maglite History and Maglite Head Sizes Debunked

Summary: Early Maglite packages made reference to different head sizes. These head sizes never actually existed. Before flashlights had an adjustable focus head they did have different size heads and that was likely the plan early on for Maglite. However, that idea was scrapped and the "large head" and "small head" designations were used as marketing terms for the D cell and C cell lines instead.

There has long been a rumor online that Maglites were available early on in different head sizes. Maglite has never produced different head sizes although it was considered early on and some early marketing made reference to this. One example is the early packaging as shown below.

The picture on the left shows a box end from a C cell light and makes mention a a"large head". The picture on the right shows a box end from a D cell light and makes reference to a "small head". Rather than each cell size being available in different head sizes this labeling was likely a marketing decision as the smaller C cell barrel made the head look bigger. This is even though the reflectors and face caps were the exact same size. It should be noted that Mag Instrument used this packaging from 1980 through 1985 and that all these lights came in hard cardboard boxes which are surprisingly durable and as such many survive today.

Another example is this very early D cell package insert as shown below. It even lists part numbers in the old style Mag Instrument format for the large head reflector and parts. This insert was only used very briefly in 1979 when the lights first started to be manufactured. Mag Instrument has always been about optimizing manufacturing processes so C and D cell Maglites have always shared reflectors, bezels (facecaps), and lenses. For Mag Instrument to produce different head sizes would require a different head, reflector, lens and bezel as shown below. This insert gives an interesting look into the plan before the head size options were abandoned. C cell inserts came out in 1981 and while these inserts make no mention of head sizes the packages did as shown above so the plan was likely scrapped within the first few months of 1979.

Everyone knows Tony Maglica started Mag Instrument. However, the man behind the Maglite was Don Keller. Don Keller may not be the most famous name is flashlights but he certainly should be. In 1968 Don invented the aluminum flashlight, the original Kel-Lite. By 1972 he was forced out of the company he created and eventually went on to work for over a dozen different flashlight companies, many of which are still around today. Don created so many firsts in flashlights it is impossible to list. Among the most impressive are his creation of the first weapon mounted flashlight and the first LED flashlight.

Starting in 1970 Tony Maglica began producing parts for Kel-Lite through his machine shop as a third party vendor. Prior to this Tony was producing 30mm artillery shells for the US government. Don was so impressed with his workmanship that the two went into business in 1979 to form Maglite

Why do I mention the early history of Maglite and Kel-Lite now? Well because the head of marketing for Maglite was Don Keller from 1979 through 1986. In the early days of aluminum flashlights beginning in 1968 none of the lights were available with an adjustable focus. Maglite was the first to introduce a beam that could adjust from spot to flood with the twist of the head. Flashlights instead had varying head sizes to achieve either a spot or a flood beam. Shown below are 3 second generation Kel-Lites from approximately 1976. These show the smaller head on the left through the larger head on the right. The smaller head was designed to be a long range spotter and the larger head was a close range flood with the medium head being a compromise of both.

This goes even further in showing that due to Maglite's adjustable focus there would be little to no need for varying head sizes. The terminology was left in the marketing of Maglites likely to make the lights more easily identifiable to consumers and as a haphazard reference to the abandoned planned large headsizes.

As an interesting side note please find a 3D Maglite next to a large head Kel-Lite. This photo gives a good feel for how large the large head Kel-Lites really are and what a large head Maglite would have looked like.

Kel-Lite's are a fascinating story themselves and Don Keller is a legend in the industry. (Literally, he has a flashlight named the Legend produced by Brinkmann after him.) A couple good resources are:

http://kellite911.blogspot.com/
A truly awesome Kel-Lite collection with many rare items from the Norm Nelson estate. Norm was the second president of Kel-Lite. I got the name form my blog as a tongue in cheek reference to this one.

http://www.flashlightmuseum.com/multimedia/KelliteHistory.doc
Don's self penned article about the history of Kel-Lites.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?272627-The-ABTOMAT-Police-Flashlight-Collection
The ABTOMAT police flashlight thread on Candle Power Forums. ABTOMAT was one of my early inspirations in flashlight collecting.

I have a very small collection of Kel-Lites and other early aluminum flashlights that I've made a separate blog for and can be found at:

http://otherflashlights.blogspot.com/

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

Stuck Retaining Rings and 3D Vari-Beam Restoration

This is part of a series of posts I've written about common Maglite repairs. I've also covered the following topics:

Removing Battery Corrosion and Straightening Bent Lights
Stuck End Caps
Stuck Batteries
Switch Removal and Stuck Switches
Switch Disassembly and Repair

Disclaimer: I'll start out by saying that these repairs are tedious and challenging. It is very rewarding to make an old Maglite light again though. If you have a special light and don't feel up to the challenge I do restorations and custom work on most vintage flashlights. My contact info is at the right side of the page.

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There are not too many challenges that can't be overcome in restoring a Maglite (or Vari-Beam in this case). I've detailed Vari-Beam history and differences in this post. One of the most difficult ones though is a stuck retaining ring. Before the late 80s Mag Instrument used an aluminum retaining ring that screwed into the inner diameter of the barrel to secure the switch in place. This retaining ring has two holes in it and is meant to be removed with the Mag Instrument spanner tool, part # 112-000-001 or alternatively a pair of needle nose pliers.

A picture of the metal retaining ring switch next to a newer style plastic retaining ring switch is shown below. The plastic switch is now the only one available from Mag Instrument. It is part # 108-000-022. I have many C and D cell NOS (new old stock) metal retaining ring switches that I use for restorations. Because of the damage to the threads in this restoration I'll be using the plastic style even though it is not the switch originally installed in this model. If you need metal retaining ring switches for a restoration please let me know my contact info is at the right.

Usually due to battery leakage, the alkaline will leak down through the switch and bugger up the threads on the retaining ring making it impossible to remove with the plastic tool. Most times the dowels on the tool will either pull out or the plastic will break. This requires some creativity. Sometimes the light can be soaked in vinegar to soften this alkaline as detailed in my post about removing battery corrosion. Most times this will not work. In the picture below the plastic switch was removed without issue as per the standard Maglite switch removal process that can be found all over the internet including YouTube. I've detailed some of the removal process in my post here as well as dealing with stuck switches. In the photo below you can see the alkaline corrosion around the threads of the retaining ring which won't allow it to turn.

What I'll do next is take a 5/32" drill bit and drill out the small indents that are made for the spanner tool. Be sure to hold the drill straight up and down. The object is to drill as close to the threads as possible without actually touching them.Once through I'll drill another hole close to the inner diameter of the retaining ring to effectively split the retaining ring in two. When done correctly it should look like the picture below.

Once there is little material remaining a brass punch can be used to break the retaining ring away from the threads. Be sure to set the light on a wooden surface so it is not damaged during the removal. I set the brass punch as far away from the threads as I can as the object is to bend the retaining ring and split it where it was ground down so it will pull away from the threads. Shown below is what the ring looks like after broken and removed. You can see how little material is left that had to break at the outside edge.

Next I will soak the light in vinegar again and use a brass brush to remove any remaining alkaline from the threads. I'll be using a newer style threaded switch with a plastic retaining ring for the install below as the switches with the metal retaining rings are long out of production. Throughout this whole process it is important not to damage the threads as I do not know a tap available to fix them if they do become damaged. This tap is likely proprietary to Mag Instrument and not sold anywhere or is very expensive.

So, why did I bother saving this light? Well it's a Vari-Beam which in and of itself is fairly rare. It is also the intermediate style Vari-Beam which is even rarer. This style is easily identified as the grip is cut like a Soliatire instead of the pattern of the regular Maglite. These are also numbered individually from other Maglites and Vari-Beams. This one is a ~2,000 serial. I've seen less than half a dozen of these intermediate style Vari-Beams as they were produced for a very short period of time in 1982. This one is easily the lowest number serials out there. Anyway, please find pictures of the restored light below.

If you have have general corrosion from the batteries inside the barrel please proceed here for my post about removing corrosion.

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

Early C Cell Maglite History

Summary: Maglite started making C cell lights in 1981, almost 2 years after D cells. Early C cells have a flat end cap and early 5, 6 and 7Cs are especially collectible today.

I've previously covered Early Maglite History, but that post mainly covered D cells. So I figured I'd make an Early C Cell History post as well. Most flashlight manufacturers throughout history have made both C and D cell models. At one time C cells were more popular than D cells due to their more compact size and smaller diameter. Many consumers felt the C cell form factor was more ergonomic and fit their hand better. Many police officers preferred C cells because they were similar in size to the billy clubs and batons they were used to carrying. However, customer sentiment began to sway with the introduction of a heavy duty police light, the Kel-Lite.

As I've previously covered Don Keller, the founder of Kel-Lite, was the co-founder of Maglite and was the driving force behind most of the early innovation. He took the lessons he learned at Kel-Lite and various other manufacturers and applied them to Tony Maglica's improved flashlight, the Maglite. He knew from experience that D cells sold better than C cells so the first Maglite Tony and Don put together was a 3D cell. This was in early 1979. Don also knew that C cells had modest sales too so in 1981 after setting up the D cell production line Maglite introduced a C cell model. Shown below is a complete line of early C cell Maglites.

I have a few other early 7C models too which are especially rare. The 5 & 6Cs are getting very tough to find as well. The 2C is brand new in box, BNIB, and the box is labelled as a "large head". I've explained those differences here but they were mainly a marketing gimmick to differentiate C and D cells.

Maglite's trademark was approved in May of 1981 so only the very very earliest C cells will be stamped "Paten Pending". I only have one such model. These early style Maglites were produced until 1986. I have a C Cell Quick Dating Guide for those interested in the differences throughout the years. The biggest difference is that these early lights have a flat end cap. Shown below is this flat end cap as compared to the 1987+ "store-a-bulb" extended end cap.  I should also note that around 1982 an extended end cap may have become an option on these lights. They are extremely rare and may only be a prototype. They look different than the standard one that was offered in 1987. I've covered mine in another post on my blog.

Vari-Beams were also produced in this early style and were produced right along with the first C cells. Shown below are some of my Vari-Beams mixed in with my early C cells.

Aside, from 5, 6, and 7Cs other early C cells do not command a high price. I've been able to pick up new in box, NIB, early C cells for $50 or so and used models only go for around $20 to $30. I should also note that I've only seen a blue and silver C cell as far as finishes go aside from the Vari-Beams but they may have been a test run finishes because I've never seen any others.

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

1989 3D Camo Light

Summary: This was a "test" camo finish done in 1988 to see how different finishing techniques would look. All of the camo finishes wear quickly and this one was changed to the woodland pattern still seen today after a very small manufacturing run.

In addition to the standard black, blue, red, and silver finishes Mag Instrument has also done some special colors on the non-letter serials to try to increase sales. I've covered the earlier standard finishes here. Since 1989 Mag Instrument has produced a painted camouflage light. Shown below is one of the first full size Maglites with a camo finish.

This light has an R with a circle next to the Maglite logo but does have a stamped bezel so it is a pre-1990 light. Early lights will have a TM bezel while the trademark was still pending approval. I've detailed all of these changes in my D Cell Quick Dating Guide. This light is a ~1,700,000 serial which puts it right at 1989. Mag Instrument currently produces a woodland and until 2017 produced a digital camo light. All 3 variants are shown below. The 1988 camo light is on the left and as far as I know was only produced in one small batch in 1988 before the woodland camo lights became standard. This finish can be considered a "test finish" to see how well the light would wear and sell. This is similar to the early test finishes Maglite experimented with.

Because this finish is painted on over the aluminum and not anodized it wears very quickly. As such Mag Instrument only did small runs of these. Even the new style lights that you see for sale used will have a good portion of the finish worn off. This light was sold to me by a fellow collector and I've never seen another one. I also don't believe they were produced in any other size except 3D. It's also interesting to note that Mini Maglites were available with a painted woodland camo finish from 1984 on but it took a little while for Mag to apply this finish to their full size lights. I have some first generation Mini Maglites that I've detailed in this post.

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

Stuck End Caps

This is part of a series of posts I've written about common Maglite repairs. I've also covered the following topics:

Removing Battery Corrosion and Straightening Bent Lights
Stuck Batteries
Stuck Retaining Rings
Switch Removal and Stuck Switches
Switch Disassembly and Repair

Disclaimer: I'll start out by saying that these repairs are tedious and challenging. It is very rewarding to make an old Maglite light again though. If you have a special light and don't feel up to the challenge I do restorations and custom work on most vintage flashlights. My contact info is at the right side of the page.

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I'll also be performing this procedure with a Streamlight (3rd Gen  Kel-Lite) as I'm not currently working on any Maglites with a stuck end cap and I didn't grab pictures in the past. The light is almost identical to a Maglite but I figured I'd make that disclaimer lest anyone is confused. I know this blog is mainly geared towards Maglites but I do restore lights for friends and other folks too that aren't always Maglites. I also collect some Kel-Lites myself.

The first step is to identify the problem. 99% of time a stuck end cap results from stuck batteries. The alkaline leaks from the cell and expands. If the leak is near the end cap the alkaline usually migrates into the threads and corrodes the metal. You can see the result of this in my 2D restoration post. Anyway this is usually identifiable as the end cap cannot be removed by hand or there are marks from pliers on the end cap. Do not try to use vice grips or pliers to remove an end cap as they will damage the finish and most times will cause the rend cap to go out of round. You can see the end cap below with the typical vice grip marks.

After identifying the problem and verifying the end cap cannot be removed by hand wrap the light in a heavy duty tape. Duct tape works best but any kind including electrical tape will do. This is to protect the finish of the light from the pipe vice and pipe wrench that we will be using on it. Below is how it should look.

Next you'll need a pipe vice and pipe wrench. Luckily I do a lot of pipe work so I own one. Most folks probably don't though but I made a few suggestions above for getting one. Do not use a regular vice for this. The light must be tight enough so that it doesn't spin when the pipe wrench is applied. Using a regular vice will flatten the barrel of the light and cause it go out of round ruining the light. Set the light up in the pipe vice as shown below making sure the tape covers all of your contact surfaces. Tighten it slowly at first. Cranking down on the pipe vice will yield the barrel of the light and it doesn't need to be super tight.

Next use the pipe wrench on the end cap being sure it doesn't cut through the tape and damage the end cap. The end cap should easily remove. If the barrel spins tighten the vice a little more until it doesn't. Be careful not to tighten it too much though especially on the new Maglites with the thinner barrels as it will crush the light. I've removed about 2 dozen stuck end caps like this and not had an issue.

And below you can see the results. This light has a lot of alkaline stuck in the threads but luckily very minimal corrosion.

Below you can also see how the tape should work, it provides the friction needed to turn the end without damaging the finish. The more tape the better.

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

PR Single Contact (SC) Miniature Flange P13.5S Base Bulb Specs

Incandescent Maglites take mostly Single Contact (SC) Miniature Flange P13.5S Base PR bulbs. New models, 2012+, come with a bi-pin bulb though and aside from NOS (new old stock) these are the only replacement bulbs available through Maglite. Examples of each are shown below with the bi-pin on the left and a PR-12 on the right but the 2 is a little washed out due to the lighting.

PR bulbs have number designations assigned to them that have specifications associated with them such as current, wattage, voltage, etc. For simplicity we'll skip that and I'll just show the reference chart that came as an insert on the older Maglites. I have included this information at the end though.

PR-2 2 Cell

PR-3 3 Cell

PR-13 4 Cell

PR-12 5 Cell

PR-18 6 Cell

PR-20 7 Cell

When Mag Instrument first started out they used a generic PR (miniature flange) base bulb that was originally designed for automotive use. After some time Mag went on to produce their own line of proprietary bulbs, a first in the flashlight industry, that aimed to squeeze more run time and brightness out of a similarly sized bulb. The history of these can be found in the list below. I thought it's pretty interesting to see the increase in efficiency and lumens throughout the development of new fill gasses and bulbs. Also note that the rated voltages came closer and closer to the actual voltages put out by the cells in the light.

Argon / Vacuum Generic, for a short time from the mid 80s up until the late 80s Mag Instrument used the LPR model number and marketed these as their "Standard Flashlight Lamp".

Availability: In production

Original Run: Sourced from Philips from 1979 to ~1989

Notes: PR bulbs were designed for automotive use so no 7 Cell bulb was really available for this application. The bulb is rated for a low voltage and therefore isn't very bright.

Average Efficiency: 10 - 15 Lumen/Watt

Krypton, the original Magnum Star Bulb, design later changed to a proprietary Mag design. Stamped as MSA-1 through MSA-7 but actually a KPR bulb

Availability: In production as generic bulbs

Original Run: ~1984 to ~1992

Notes: KPR bulbs were designed for flashlights and the 7 Cell bulb was properly designed to increase life and brightness. 7 Cell lumen value is calculated

Average Efficiency: 15 - 18 Lumen/Watt

Krypton, Mag proprietary design marketed as Magnum Star and then White Star when Magnum Star was changed to denote Xenon fill.

Availability: Discontinued but NOS still available

Original Run: ~1992 to 2002 as Magnum Star and 2003 to 2012 as White Star

Notes: These are the first proprietary Mag Instrument bulbs. The rated voltages were increased to closer match the number of cells to increase life and brightness. No data available for 2 Cell as they are likely re-stamped LWSA301 or KPR102. 2 Cell lumen value is estimated.

Average Efficiency: 18 - 20 Lumen/Watt

Xenon, marketed as Magnum Star

Availability: Discontinued but NOS still available

Original Run: 2003 to 2012

Notes: I'm not sure if Mag Instrument ever produced a Xenon 7 Cell bulb. I can't find any data on one and since Xenon bulbs weren't introduced until 2003 and 7Cs were discontinued in 1989 and 7Ds in 1982 it's doubtful. These model numbers were used for the Krypton bulbs as well before they were re-branded as White Stars prior to 2003. No data available for 2 Cell as they are likely re-stamped  LMSA301. 2 Cell lumen value is estimated.

Average Efficiency: 20 - 22 Lumen/Watt

Bi-Pin Xenon, Marketed as Magnumstar II

Availability: Current Production

Original Run: 2012 to Present

Notes: These are fairly new and all I was able to find was the lumen ratings. I don't think Mag has released any specs and I don't think any independent testing has been performed.

Halogen Bulbs

I should also note that although Mag Instrument never officially produced a PR based Halogen bulb (HPR) they were widely available and are still sold by some retailers. A Halogen bi-pin did come standard in the Mag Chargers. Many dealers have also sold HPRs as an upgrade to other style PR based bulbs. Shown below is an Osram, a German made, bulb that has the HPR 50 designation. It is for a 4 cell light and is one of the finest PR based bulbs available. This one is from 1983 and still gives off an amazing light. I do get the question a lot though: Why are the Halogens seemingly more expensive when based on the numbers there doesn't appear to be much benefit?

Well, the answer is that the Halogen prevents the glass of the bulb from darkening / blackening over time. The Mag Charger bulbs were designed to be especially long life bulbs intended for rugged service. If a Xenon or Krpyton bulb was used the bulb would run for so long that the filament would eventually degrade and blacken the glass leading to a reduced light output and a cloudy beam.

Quality control could sometimes be quite lax back in the day and the fill gasses were not always tightly controlled. So many folks opted to buy HPR bulbs for their lights instead of the common Krypton and Xenon models. The Halogen bulbs provided a marginally longer life but also ensured that the filament wouldn't darken the glass over time by combining with the tungsten atoms of the filament and re plating them there. This happens because unlike Xenon and Krypton, Halogen is NOT a noble gas and can combine with other atoms. The lights in turn kept a brilliant light for much longer.

This can be seen even when firing up an old HPR. The beam I got from the 1983 Osram above had very few imperfections and was a nice warm color similar to a brand new Xenon bulb. Even a new KPR on Xenon bulb doesn't give off a beam that nice. It's a shame Mag Instrument never included them with their lights because they truly are a premium bulb.

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

Non-Letter Serial Colors

Since 1980 Maglites have been available in different colors. 1979 lights were done in colors but only as small, test runs. The colors on the non-letter serial lights are rare though especially from the early days. Colors are increasingly rare on larger lights. Early Maglite packaging makes reference to black, red, and blue. Silver lights started in the mid 80s and were available from then on. I've also covered colors on the later, letter serial Panther lights.

Shown below is an insert from a 1983 to 1988 light. Even though certain options appear not to be available in certain sizes Mag Instrument did produce them. It's just that they were not available to order through their parts department because certain size/color combinations were done in small batches to gauge desirability among customers. Also note the 7C cell which has been long discontinued. The insert makes no mention to a 7D because they were discontinued in 1982. Please find the Mag Instruments Parts List below that show the colors and parts that are available to order. Earlier inserts varied somewhat and they are available here. I've also detailed C cells colors which are even rarer than their D cell counterparts.

All colors were anodized and they were produced in small batches. Silver, red, and blue appear to have been produced equally. About 10% total of the non-letter serial Maglites produced were colors based on all of the lights I've seen. There were two special colors done, that are not listed that I'm aware of. They are gold and camo. I have both and I've detailed the camo lights here and the gold lights here.

Please see below for a full range of the finishes done by Maglite on the old style non-letter serial lights on a variety of different size lights. The black light is your standard variety 1980 3D "Paten Pending" Maglite. The silver and blue one is a 1983 3D Vari-Beam, a re-branded Maglite, which you can find a ton of info on here. The blue light is a 1980 3D "Paten Pending" model which I'll give some additional info about below. The red light is a 1982 2D model. The silver light is a 1989 2D model. Starting in 1987 the bezel was also changed to reflect a registered trademark. The camo and gold lights are both 1989 3D models.

Here's a very early example of the 3D blue. It's a "Paten Pending" light from before Maglite's patent was approved in late 1981 but lacks the features of a 1979 light. It is a ~129,000 serial which puts it at early 1981. It's likely from the 2nd batch of lights Mag had anodized in blue. I don't own, but have seen, a ~50,000 serial anodized blue also. If you're interested in how to date these lights as I have here please see my Maglite D Cell Quick Dating Guide.

This one came from the original owner in California. Most early Maglites were distributed close to the factory. This one was in great condition and needed no work other than a new bulb. Additionally I also have a very early, 1983 light that was done in an Olive Green / Bronze as a special order for a catalog retailer. It is not standard so I haven't shown it here.

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