Pros/Cons of Different Light Locations?

[TehLlama]

I'd run at 12 o'clock on a 13" if I was using a red dot, but on a 9.5" it messes with my hand placement.

I run the 12:00 on longer handguards, but hopefully when Rosch gets their SF-Executive sized SL-1 setups online, i can find out if that lets me run good hand placement on those shorter handguard (since it lets the light and front sight occupy the same real estate). I'm looking forward to figuring out if that's the answer I've been looking for.

[T2C]

I have been using a setup with a light at 11:00 o'clock on standard handguards for 9 years with no problems. I run a GG&G mount and the head of the flashlight is about even with the leading edge of the FSB. The brightest part of the flashlight beam is POA from 5 yards to 15 yards.

I broke a light mounted at 6 o'clock while sorting out the optimum position for my own purposes. I never really noticed smoke interfering with target identification; I am usually moving too much for it to be a problem.

I don't like to mount a flashlight to the barrel, bayonet lug or FSB. I prefer the light mounted somewhere between 10 and 2 o'clock on the handguard. 11:00 o'clock is the position I settled on.

[Zim]

I've settled on using a short, single cell CR123 light in a Gear Sector mount placed on top of the rail in front of the front sight with the light at 11:00.