Review: MaxToch Mission M12

1.9A from a single cell is not overdrive at all, in fact it is pretty low; that’s about 8 watts to the LED.

How does it compare with your other xm-l2 lights in overall output?

I am talking about the M12 sniper 2x18650 version,cause i saw ppl talk about it too, if eff is 92% maybe the emitter runs at 3500ma or smth, not 3000ma, or its just the driver eff isnt 92% :slight_smile:

My modded Yezl beats it by far, but its dedomed too, still waiting for HD2010 and Olight to arrive
With 19650 PF class barreties it sometimes cant stand the rifle`s recoil, those batteries are a bit short

@ Tom E:
you told us, you`ve tried to resistor mod the original driver. Could you please tell me the results, and which resistors you have tried?

I have bought a used one, but already dedomed. Was reading 120kcd, after the tail spring mod 140 kcd with an 18650 25R.
That`s ok, but maybe i can get some improvemet by higher amps and better focusing?

Mac

I recently bought a M12 from MtnElec, and it has a different UI. It is 4 mode, with memory, and a hidden strobe that is accessed with a momentary half press quickly followed by another half or full press.

I got my M12 from Mountain Electronics in december.

Modes are High, Mid and Low, with hidden strobe.

I dedomed the Led, but got 120Kcd only. Funny thing is, the light seems to be underdriven.
I Haven’t measured the amp draw yet, but even on high it doesn’t even get warm……and yes, I did put Arcit Silver under the MCPCB, but it hardly rediatres any heat from the front……
So, it looks like the driver is missing the High mode.
From the measurements I would guess te led gets 3A at most. At most……

Anyways, tomorrow or sunday I will modd the switch spring, se what that will bring.
I use the latest Keeppower 26650 IMR 4200 so the battery is not to blame :wink:

Nico

Oh boy, can't recall. Think I went look'n in my notes too. Is there a post I mentioned this in?

The MtnE listing of the M12 describes that UI. My M12 was before Maxtoch mad some changes (I believe), so guess they changed the modes too?

Nicolaas -- the battery will make a hugh difference. Best 26650 now seems to be the EFEST 3500mAh, but the KP 4200's sound pretty good from GearBest. I mentioned in the OP the top cell I had charged to v4.22 got 4.0A, but with some light modding. Also, no telling now since the driver was changed - to what extent, dunno.

@ Nicolaas:
Mine is a 3 mode (with hidden strobe) too. I am measuring 3,63 A with fully charged KK 4000, about the same with a 25R.
Doing the spring mod ist really PIA. The problem is to get the tailcap out. |(
Make sure you use enough oil (WD40 or something like that) on the tailthread for at least 1 day.
If you couldn`t get it out, please tell me.

@ Tom E:
You only wrote, no success with different resistors. hmmm

I`ve ordered the DTP MCPCB. Still hoping to find the missing 40- 50 kcd.

Mac

I already had the tailcap out, cleaned the threads and re-installed.
I also bridged it when the tailcap was out: not noticeably brighter so modding the tailcap spring will probably not
bring much, if anything, but it needs to be done anyway.

I’ll have to check the amps the led gets, will post results.

EDIT: modded the tailcap spring and light is noticeable brighter, and naticeable more heat coming OTF.
but……clumsy me, now the switch doesn’t work anymore, always on :frowning:
O well guess I’ll buy a couple of new ones and do it again. This time I will take the spring of first and solder the wire
to the spring and after that re-solder the spring to the contact plate :bigsmile:

Nico

My guess is your copper braid/wire has touched the switch retaining ring or the inner wall of the tailcap. Try to solder the copper braid more nicely without it sticking out from the spring.

Don’t have time today to re-solder, but did take some quick lux readings. With MNKE 149Kcd, with Keeppower IMR 4200 I got 155 Kcd.
This translates to approx 82Kcd with dome on.

The little difference could be due to the Led needing to be a bit further into the reflector.

Anyways, a driver bump to 5A would already bring around 200Kcd, so not bad.

Greetz
Nico

Hy,

oh, we had the same idea but i used the burned driver from the SN6X-2X and LD1 Driver :wink:

Measured with XM-L2 U2 1A dedomed on stock MCPCB 230 Klux (Sony Konion VTC5).

This is a great performer and i like it much more than my HD2010 (LD1, 214 KLux).

Greetings

Kenjii

Thanks Kenjii, can’t wait to get this light back! :bigsmile:

—> Olight Javelot, eat your heart out.

Grtz
Nico

I measurd the throw at 13 Meters, using a full charged keeppower IMR26650/4200. I got a whopping 242Kcd. Gotta love that Ld01 driver!

I do not have a high end calibrated lux meter, but use two well tested lights as reference.

Cheers
Nico

What a great older review Tom,

Tom I was looking around trying to remember when the first versions of the Mission 12 might have crossed paths here at BLF and finally found it here and no surprise to me a review by one of the very best so this is really great to me anyhow.

Tom could you please tell me if Amanda sent you one of these lights, the new 2017 M12’s like perhaps a XPL-HI or maybe the HD just to get your input and a professional opinion of this light overall or just in general??

If I were to bet, I’d bet they didn’t bother apparently or I’d not be asking you this question that much I am sure of.
Anyhow I would like to know if you or if anyone really here at BLF ever has laid hands on one of these new M12 lights with the soul purpose of sending back feedback to Maxtoch prior to their going up for sale at Banggood and Maxtoch, w

A small word to the wise would be to not buy one of these lights just yet, this is a real pile of what have you.
I won’t let it sit anywhere near my other Maxs,
I would actually really prefer the light you reviewed here in 2014 over this newer M12, and that shouldn’t be, unless someone has seriously lowered the bar at Maxtoch, that I find hard to believe really.

Thanks Tom,

Yikes! No one contacted me from Maxtoch, and I don't know of anyone who did review it. The New Zealand hunter guys (mudgripz, think someone else) are tight with Maxtoch - have been for a long time. I see mudgripz hasn't been on BLF for several months though.

I ordered a new M12 on my own from BG on the M4D M4X coupon, a XPL HD, supposedly shipped but tracking is stalled since Mar 30th - no further updates. I got a GB light and an Ali light in the same situation - dunno what's goin wrong lately, least for me.

I plan on modding mine though, of course. What's so bad about it?

I have an XHP70 and XP-L HI sample of the new M12. It is OK, but for the price I won't be carrying it. I do not like the surface finish or engraving as much as the old version and I feel like overall even though it's a nice light, it is not a great value at the price they are asking for it. If it were $15-$20 less it would be great.

I was a huge Maxtoch fan, as the original M12 and M24 were awesome lights for the money, but I do not like this new design as much and their "dealer" bulk pricing ended up being lower than the GB pricing, so I stopped carrying them.

Ohh, thanks Richard. You mean higher than the GB price? Generally their driver/firmware is minimum, but agree the full price is high compared to what's out there. For me, was hoping I could leverage the dual switches, but if the quality of the finish isn't the same as it used to be, it's a different level. I recall Amanda telling me the anodizing they use is expensive - wonder if they changed to a cheaper method.

As a mod host, I like the dual switches, LED under the main switch, SS bezel, option for 1 or 2 batts. I'd never pay $90 for it though.

Yes, I mean that the price they were giving me was actually higher than what I could buy them for in a GB. When my cost is higher than the true market value, it obviously isn't worth stocking anymore.

The new anodizing is the shinier/smoother type, and in my opinion the new font and graphics used for the engraving look cheap in comparison to the old model. I do not know if the new anodizing is cheaper or less durable, but it definitely looks cheaper.

Hi Tom, sorry it took so long to get back to explain, seems Mr Richard actually has the very same thoughts as I do and summed it fairly well, but still left out some of the other oddities like that UI, for 2 switches and maybe someone can explain the purpose of these two switches when all Maxtoch had to do was use the driver and UI from the single switch D01 with stepless diming or single click with double click strobe so why this goofy dual switches, well perhaps on this light maybe just for the the fun of it I guess, but certainly not serving any good purpose that I can see anyhow,

I guess best way to sum this light up is to just up and say it the way it is, this is flat out the worst, the most pathetic, sorriest Maxtoch light that is currently in my house and that actually makes me feel pretty darn sad for a couple reasons, one being this very well could be the sign of what’s to come or a heads up that this is the end of a really great light most likely and being I am a thrower collector and my most prized lights are my Maxtochs, with that said, this M-12 junk will not be here long and will most likely be up for sale this week, unless I figure out how to use the driver and switch from the recent UTorch UT-02 which is also 30mm same as this over prized piece of aluminum, except I think the cloned U21 Manker I think it is or UTorch anyhow just might actually out throw this Maxtoch, I took it outside with the UTorch, the 2X & M24 Sniper and would say the Utorch and this M12 are fairly close to each other in throw, but the other couple Max’s I took out just stomp the mud out of this M12, and the sniper was straight stock at what 3.4 amps…? I don’t recall but not like the modded lights for sure.

Guess what causes these perfect circles in your beam profile, I do know the answer, but it’s really not that funny but what does strike me funny is this is exactly the same issue as when the first designs of this light came out in the Gladiator light, wild guesses…??

As Richard says, the M12 is very shinny compared to a real Maxtoch

Cat is wondering what is this new light , sure doesn’t look like a Maxtoch, is it a Thorfire with the shiny sort of ano.?

And then some real lights and all nice and happy and snugged away in the Wise Guy Kit, You say you have throw do ya… Alrighty Then… Lets get to work,

Thanks for posting this. I’m no longer interested!