Flashlight Mounts for Emergency Firearms?

[PatMarlin]

I need a budget, low dollar mount, or ideas to build some mounts to hold a flashlight on a couple shotguns, and the rail on my Sig.

Anyone have a source for something like this or ever made any?

Aside from self defense needs, I need to be able to see critters at night if one of my dogs gets into it, etc. To date I've just grabbed a flashlight and held it like the cops do, but it would be nice to have a rig setup and ready to go.

Some of the multi LED flashlights are really bright and cheap. I don't want to spend big bucks on a high dollar lithium tactical gizmo rig.

Harbor Freight has various multi LED flashlights. Even the little cheap ones with 4 LED's are amazingly bright.

[Von Dingo]

Pat,

I'm with you on the spendy, designer ones. The problem I've had, is the others just aren't reliable. I've had the full range of problems, from switches, to the plastic "cradles" that hold the batterys inside not staying togeather. I'm not just talking about the $2-5 ones, there have been the $20-30 one's too. I'm not one to constantly play with them either. Just some heads up, there is enough frustration on my end, that I feel obligated to share my experience.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been talking myself out of getting a couple of the new "economy Surefires", that are retailing for around $60.

As for mounts, I want to watch.

[PatMarlin]

Yea- that is a problem. $60 isn't bad either for when your ship comes in. If nobody offers mounts, I'm gonna design some for P-rails and shotgun barrels,. Even lever actions. You know what happens once you get me started...

[jsizemore]

I'd be intrested to see what you come up with.

[Chicken Thief]

Maybe here's something that is to your liking:

http://www.dealextreme.com/c/gun-mou...ccessories-914

[PatMarlin]

Yea- now we're talkin'.

[PatMarlin]

This one right here looks like you could adapt it to mount on a wide range of barrels and flashlights.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/qq06-al...x-wrench-33818

[PatMarlin]

Those Chicoms... what will they think of next? ...

[dualsport]

Maglite LED flashlights are way cheaper than Surefires, etc. The quality is good. Problem is the on/off switch is awkward for gun mounting. You can get a replacement tail cap for the MiniMag LED job that converts it to push button switch. I have one, so far great. Surprising amount of light and very long battery life. I wouldn't depend too much on the off brands when you can have a MagLite for $20 that lasts decades and is user servicable. Don't know about the mounts. Anyway, if you're interested I'll dig up the name of the company that makes the MagLite accessories. You can also convert an old C or D cell Mag to LED with one of their kits. Cheaper than buying a whole light. And MagLites are stout.

[PatMarlin]

I've been wanting to convert my mag lites to LED.

[Geraldo]

Pat, One issue with any light used is what the flashlight tekkies call "throw", or how far the beam is projected outward. For use across the room even the cheap lights give enough light to ID a target, but at longer distances they may be wanting. It depends on how far you need to shoot.

That said, I used a Surefire 6P ($30 at the time) in a set of 1" Weaver rings on the forearm of an AR and it worked fine. If you can find a light you like that will fit in scope rings, Picatinny rail can be bought fairly cheap, and you're good to go as long as there's someplace you can get the rail on the gun.

[Geraldo]

I just remembered something else. A friend who was with a SEAL team said that back in the day before proprietary light mounts, hose clamps and a flashlight worked just fine.

[dualsport]

Hah! In my misguided youth me and my buddies would duct tape a MagLite onto a Ruger 10/22 and go rat hunting out in the rice fields. With a 25 rd. mag. we would just blaze away and walk 'em in, no sights used. The MagLite accesoories I have come from NiteIze.com. Mine works.

[Lloyd Smale]

what about something like this pat. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=716435 I run these http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=108686 on a couple shotguns and they work great for the money.

[BruceB]

Reminds me of the hunting seasons of '91 and '92.

The mine where I worked was on strike/lockout (19 months), and I was camp manager at a trophy caribou camp in the Barren Grounds of the Northwest Territories for two hunting seasons.

Barren-ground grizzlies were a serious problem, and were IN CAMP at night, usually trying to get into our meat shed.

My camp rifle was a genuine TRW-built M-14 (not a problem in Canada). Being 150 miles from civilization, I had to work with what I had....a regular three-D-cell flashlight, and good ol' duct tape. I placed a bright fluorescent-red tape strip on the front sight, and taped the light on the right side of the fore-end so that it would illuminate both the front sight and the target.

Within fifty yards or so, it was very effective. The light was still working fine after the firing of over 20 rounds, but I expected it to go belly-up every time I fired the rifle. Normal, Elcheap-o flashlights are NOT constructed to resist recoil, but I suppose the 11-pound-rifle moderated the recoil to a large degree.

Tell you what...sitting in the pitch dark on an ATV, ready to shine the headlight on a grizzly at the meat shed, and being surrounded by soft sand (silent approach, right?)...there was NO trouble staying awake! Before I took up the night-guard position, I warned everyone in camp to make "human" noises if they approached my place. Funny, nobody ever bothered me! I wonder why?

[crabo]

http://www.opticsplanet.net/leapers-...-twist-on.html

I have this one on my AR and it works very well. It comes complete with a pressure switch. I am going to buy another to go on my guide gun for nightime hogs.

[Artful]

I have used scope ring for 1" or 30mm tubed flashlights and mount either a weaver rail or one of the AR Pitcarny rail chunk on which ever weapon. No exeriance with leaper but have used Tac Star, surefire, and even one costco/Sam's LED light - you need to watch the rear mounted switch's some are push in and when released turn the the light some are start to push in and light comes on - then as you push farther it locks/clicks to maintain contact - the later is preferable.

[PatMarlin]

Been wanting to get back to this thread for awhile-

Thanks for all the tips. They all Look good. I think I may try that Midway rig out on my Sig Lloyd.

[trickyasafox]

solarforce has some pretty affordable mounts too. I have no experience with them though.

http://www.solarforce-sales.com/prod...ame=&s=22&t=FA

I have ordered from solarforce-sales.com and though the shipping is slow (comes from Hong Kong I think) it is cheap (2 bucks no matter what you order) and the products have been of pretty good quality. I really like their L2 flashlights.

[PatMarlin]

Which L2 setup do you have?