The Martialist: The Magazine For Those Who Fight Unfairly

“Stay ‘unreasonable.’  If you
don’t like the solutions [available to you], come up with your
own.” 
Dan Webre

The Martialist does not
constitute legal advice.  It is for ENTERTAINMENT
PURPOSES ONLY.

Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.

RAM Instrument Tailcap Switch

A Product Review by Phil Elmore

One of the items I discovered while researching various
conversion kits for the 2AA Mini Maglite was a neat little tailcap switch
retrofit from  RAM
Instrument.  The Mini Maglite is a
fine little light – inexpensive, easy to use, and just the right size for
use as a pocket stick – but I’ve never liked twisting the focusable head
for on-and-off operation.  The tailcap switch lets you set the focus
of your Maglite where you like it and keep it there even when
switching it off.

The 2AA Mini Maglite (left) and the RAM tailcap
switch (right).

The switch itself is a lightweight piece of
red plastic that shifts freely in its housing.  It is not very
expensive and feels worth about what one pays for it.  It feels
“soft” when you press it (meaning it is not under much tension). 
Mine has never failed to activate, however, and does the job it is meant
to do without difficulty.

The switch housing is apparently aluminum
and is knurled after the fashion of the Maglite barrel.  The knurling
is not as fine as that on the Maglite.  The finish on the RAM talicap
is not as consistent as on the Maglite body.  The switch fits almost,
but not quite, flush with the barrel.

RAM Instrument tailcap installed on the 2AA Mini
Maglite.

This is not a momentary tailcap
switch.  Pushing the red button in deactivates the light, while
pressing it and allowing it to snap outward switches the Maglite on. 
When the light is switched on you can press the button lightly to
momentarily deactivate it without pressing all the way for positive
off, but it is not designed for truly “tactical” use in this way. 
Twisting the Maglite head all the way down shuts off the light completely
for storage.  No amount of pressing the button will activate the lamp
if the Maglite head is twisted to always-off.

Pressing and releasing the red button activates
the light.  Pressing
the button in until it clicks in place switches off the Minimag.

Equipped with a TerraLux
Diode Retrofit Kit or RAM’s own three-LED cluster
for brighter light and longer battery life, a Minimag equipped with this
tailcap switch becomes a much more functional utility torch.  The
light you see here is one I carry in a small survival pouch I carry in my
work bag.

I’m very happy with this retrofit and
I think you will be, too.