Pros/Cons of Different Light Locations?

[Tomac]

In the past I've run my lights at 12 o'clock or slightly to either side. During nightshoots I've noticed backscatter from the muzzle exhaust which can momentarily obscure the target.
Someone suggested mounting the light at 6 o'clock so the bbl shadow is straight up to avoid the exhaust backscatter effect. While this sounds intriguing, it would also necessitate a bayonet lug mount for my TLR-1 HL and that would transfer a lot of bbl heat directly to the TLR-1 HL.
So, does a 6 o'clock location reduce/eliminate backscatter and would a bayonet lug mount transfer enough heat to damage the TLR-1? Thx...
Tomac

[BCmJUnKie]

That sounds ridiculous. It's not gonna transfer eonough heat to make any difference.

My mini scout has been mounted right next to a battlecomp and the lens takes the brunt of the concussion and heat .

As far as the muzzle exhaust obscuring target??? Move. You shouldn't be standing in one spot anyway.

While the shadow may be annoying, it's just that.

Personally, I have tried my lights in every position... It comes down to preference,

[Tomac]

That sounds ridiculous. It's not gonna transfer eonough heat to make any difference.
My mini scout has been mounted right next to a battlecomp and the lens takes the brunt of the concussion and heat .
As far as the muzzle exhaust obscuring target??? Move. You shouldn't be standing in one spot anyway.
While the shadow may be annoying, it's just that.
Personally, I have tried my lights in every position... It comes down to preference,

The reason I mention heat is that I briefly experimented w/a GG&G combo sling/light mount that attaches to the FSB. The aluminum body of the TLR-1 became uncomfortably warm due to direct heat transfer from the bbl to the FSB to the GG&G mount to the TLR-1. W/the bayonet lug being even closer to the bbl (literally attached to it) I have to wonder if direct heat transfer could damage either the TLR-1 or its batteries.
Tomac

[BCmJUnKie]

The only thing I could see being a problem is the plastic mount under the TLR-1 being mounted directly to a gas blOck. Those lights get pretty hot if they are left On for too long. Ive never had nor have I heard any problems

[Inkslinger]

As far as the muzzle exhaust obscuring target??? Move. You shouldn't be standing in one spot anyway.

Do you move after every round you fire? What if he's behind cover?

[BCmJUnKie]

Do you move after every round you fire? What if he's behind cover?

Uhhh. I certainly don't stay in an "Exact" position??? Wtf??

You have other options even if you are. Standing, kneeling,prone. You forget about those?

Tell me what situation that dictates you MUST stay in one place without so much as adjusting position and I will show you a dead shooter. I have been training with my light for years. Its not just an accessory that all the cool kids have. I actually use mine. In fact I have videos, behind cover, engaging up to 3 targets while employing a WPL.

Plenty of exhaust gasses with zero problems.

If youre gonna be a sissy and worry about losing your night vision or afterimage....shoot with sunglasses

[TehLlama]

I run 12:00 because I like being able to run a light as long as I have muzzle and optic line of sight (since the light is right in between there), and it lets me run a mirrored ambi setup with momentary switch hardware (X300, M300/X600 w/ just tailcap) for shooting in a variety of positions and over barriers, this works great for me. The offset 1:30 and 10:30 positions would make sense if I needed to run a tube light around a FSP, but the X300 lets me run the 12:00 setup really comfortably and still have the fixed front sight, so there's my answer on that.

If you're worried about heat affecting the function of a quality weaponlight, you'd need to be wearing fricking oven mitts before it's comfortable to drive that gun in the first place using a FF handguard, or any mounting solution that isn't somewhat mickey mouse. If you have some partly dead batteries and budget/curiosity to replace them, just leave the light on for 15 minutes - you'd be amazed how hot they get themselves without affecting function. For visibility, excess burnt powder is an issue, but in the time it takes for that to accumulate in the air to be noticeable, it's not exactly a directed or confined cloud of burnt gas, so light placement doesn't mitigate anything for that. Setting up a fighting gun on the assumption that you'll have good visibility and only be fighting in clean clear air is silly, and anybody with the luxury of clouding themselves in with a couple magazines of burnt powder should realize that's an inconvenience, not something to drive decision making.

The reason some instructors run the 6:00 light is to run a support hand forward grip and thumb-over placement and leave room for a laser system on a suppressed carbine that works best with that setup. It isn't necessary to run high end kit, but I prefer to (M300's); the smarter value setup for that is running the VTAC 3V L4 on an aftermarket mount as a poor man's scout light; mostly the SF Executive based lights can work with a 12:00 placed LDI DBAL-I2 and I can have all my electronic sighting aids mounted at 12:00 on the carbine and be maximally ambi with minimal snag risk on gear/vehicles/other junk.

The high dollar baller solution - C4 FSP12" handguard with a 12:00 TLR or X300. This setup rocks, works well from primary and support hand. Alternatively, free floated long handguard (11-13.5") and running the same approximate template (See LAV promo pics from BCM). The TLR works great on those, even in front of a DD Fixed Front sight.

[Inkslinger]

Uhhh. I certainly don't stay in an "Exact" position??? Wtf??

You have other options even if you are. Standing, kneeling,prone. You forget about those?

Tell me what situation that dictates you MUST stay in one place without so much as adjusting position and I will show you a dead shooter. I have been training with my light for years. Its not just an accessory that all the cool kids have. I actually use mine. In fact I have videos, behind cover, engaging up to 3 targets while employing a WPL.

Plenty of exhaust gasses with zero problems.

If youre gonna be a sissy and worry about losing your night vision or afterimage....shoot with sunglasses

Disclaimer: I am not or never have been HSLD, nor have I portrayed myself as such.

With that said, the only flaws that I see in your response are as follows; 1) All of your experience has been in a training scenario. All of your "situation" have been predetermined by you.
2) Speaking with such certainty about a potentially life ending situation with countless variables completely discredits you. In my eyes at least.

[BCmJUnKie]

Disclaimer: I am not or never have been HSLD, nor have I portrayed myself as such.

With that said, the only flaws that I see in your response are as follows; 1) All of your experience has been in a training scenario. All of your "situation" have been predetermined by you.
2) Speaking with such certainty about a potentially life ending situation with countless variables completely discredits you. In my eyes at least.

Roger that

[Inkslinger]

OP, I'm sure barrel length, position on hand guard compared to length of barrel, ammo selection, and even muzzle device would be factors in the amount of gas you experience. You'll probably have to experiment with different position to find what works best for you.