Two Alternative Mounts for the Surefire G2

[blackscot]

My preferred arrangement is for the light at a 10- to 11-o-clock position, to be tailcap activated by the thumb of the support hand with a conventional hold on the handguard. Overall handling with a vertical foregrip feels less natural to me. Likewise, I don't like tape switches, not because of the tape itself but rather the wire, which to me seems too much of a weak point. Finally, I'm not a huge fan of railed handguards, which to me are less comfortable than the conventional ribbed type, and for my needs are pretty much overkill.

Given the above, I have tried a couple of similar mounting arrangements with the G2, shown below. The first uses the MI FSB-mounted 2-inch pic rail, coupled with an inexpensive, locally bought 1-inch ring. The second uses the Viking Tactics offset light mount, coupled with an inexpensive, locally bought handguard-mounted 2-inch pic rail. Both set-ups put the light in roughly the same position, although a little further reward with the second.

Strength definitely goes to the first configuration, which would be damaged only by a blow great enough to likely damage the FSB itself. By comparison, the second configuration could probably be broken bare-handed with enough determination. The weak link is actually the handguard itself, which would likely break somewhere along the front edge. The same could be said for probably any kind of handguard-mounted arrangement.

Conversely, weight favors the second set-up, which I can definitely feel is less nose-heavy and more manueverable. The second pic rail of the MI mount is un-needed and adds weight. Likewise, having the Viking mount almost directly on the handguard is more efficient, and also seem more "aesthetically elegant" to me, if that matters.

Any further observations to add?

P.S. Do Vikings really have "tactics"? I thought they just pretty much levelled everything.

Set-Up A:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/DSC_00012.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/DSC_00032.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/DSC_00042.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/DSC_0007.jpg

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Set-Up B:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/left.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/right.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/right_front.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/blackscot/light_mounts/right_back.jpg

[BC520]

I've used the first method for years and its worked very well. I have to look at something different though, as a planned 10.5 barrel will put the flashider venting right on the side of the plastic head. The second one looks very promising but I have a heat shield I havn't seen before in the way it looks like.

[sonrider657]

More options here: http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=15912