MAGLITE RX1019 Heavy-Duty Rechargeable Flashlight System, Black

Many police departments standard issue Mag Lite products. The 2,3..etc D sized flashlights make reliable flashlights and their weight can also make them useful as a baton in a pinch. I have several different Mag Lights (the mini's, the 2, and a 5 D monster). They always work, the beam is generally good, and for the money, they are a good value. They are NOT the best flashlight ever made... but for 20-30-40 bucks, they are a great flashlight for about 99% of what people need flashlights for...

If you REALLY need alot of quick light - i.e., you are planning to rely on this light for a tactical or self-defense situation, then I wouldn't buy a Mag Lite... ASP, Surefire (my favorite), Inova, etc., make much better flashlights for that situation. A Surefire C2 or Z2 model is about the size of a Mini-Mag but delivers about 5 times the light of the largest Mag LIte product... all without a focusable beam. The technology of SureFire is unparallelled, in my opine, but I think it is akin to comparing a Ferarri to a Ford... yeah, they're both cars, but that's about as far as the comparison should go... Also, most high-performance flashlights run for about an hour or so... Mag's will run longer. Also, you can go to any HD or hardware store and buy mags, batteries, lamps, etc.... try doing that with a SureFire... NOT. So there are comparative advantages and disadvantages to both...

Mag's products are good... but you get what you pay for and not every flashlight is suitable for every application. If you are a LE officer, military, etc., it's unlikely you will want Mag Lite as the product you're going to trust your life to.... they just are not bright enough to stun someone in a life and death situation... If you want a decent reliable flashlight for home emergency use, then Mag LIte is the best product you can possibly buy.

...I own both for different reasons... I just wish I owned a Ford and a Ferarri too!


Worth every penny   September 29, 2000
39 out of 40 found this review helpful

As a 10 year aircraft maintainer in the US Air Force, I've used everything from standard Mag-lites, scuba divers' lights, and even penlights in a pinch. I can say this flashlight is brighter than any other I've used. It cuts my inspection time in half because I can see things 55 feet off the ground just like it was right in front of me. Don't be fooled to think a rechargeable battery pack isn't as strong as standard alkaline batteries. This isn't the case. I wouldn't trade this flashlight for anything!


this is the VIP of flashlights   March 14, 2002
ODB (USA)
33 out of 35 found this review helpful

First off, greatest flashlight, not only is it bright but it could hypothetically be used to beat [up] a burgler, who would be blinded by its light...
The mounting cradle has a nice easy-in- but firm-holding mechanism, so you just slap it in, but have to use a good level of leverage when you remove it.

It DOES NOT come with an extra bulb in the base of light, like many mags do. And, the bulb is NOT the normal maglight battery, it is a differnt connector and voltage (6v). I dropped mine, which killed my bulb, so I then bought two bulbs for it and put one in the spare compartment under the battery spring in the base, where a spare should belong upon purchase. My recommendation is that you buy the extra bulb before you need it, and put it in the base.

It really is great to have this flashlight mounted in my storage room always there for me. I would eventually like to get a 2nd to mount in my car for safety etc, and find a good place to mount it (it comes with 12volt car plug adapter too).


Jack of all trades, master of none   December 11, 2003
Christopher Kanis (Savoy, IL United States)
16 out of 22 found this review helpful

I bought this for a family member for his birthday, and have had a chance to try it out a few time since. It's a good flashlight, don't get me wrong. But as a general home or bedside flashlight, there are much better choices.

In the first place, it's not cheap. You can get a very good 4 D-Cell Maglite for less than 1/4 of the price. I have one next to my bed, and I love it. Regular D-Cells last an astonishingly long time. It's highly probably that the money you'd save on batteries with the rechargeable would not make up for the difference in price in less than about a decade.

Second, this flashlight isn't THAT bright. It's fine for just locating things in the dark, but if you have any pretensions about using this flashlight as part of your home-security and defense plan, then you really want something brighter. I carry a small Surefire e2e in my pocket every day, and it's about twice as bright as this rechargeable Mag.

If you really do want a rechargeable flashlight for home use, consider spending a bit more on models made by Surefire or Streamlight. They're brighter and have better battery life -- although you'll pay through the nose for it. If you don't want to spend that much, a 3 or 4 D-Cell Maglite will still be one of the best flashlights you'll ever own.


This MAG is a lifesaver!   June 18, 2000
D. Whelan (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

As a police officer with over twenty years on the job, I can honestly say this MAG is the best flashlight in the business! I've used nothing else for the last twelve years.It's candle power turns the darkest area into daylight. The light's design makes it possible to keep the light held under the arm easily when both hands are busy, supplying a continuous stream of light. This is the perfect flashlight for camping--it takes drops and banging effortlessly and lives to shine another day! I'm ordering a second one to keep in my car. It's easily kept charged with the lighter adaptor.