View Full Version : Light mount question
KrampusArms
03-14-11, 14:02
I have an RRA 16 in CAR upper, (yes I know).......It's plain as can be, standard handgurds. I do not need a rail system, nor do I plan on installing one. I want to buy a mount for a flashlight, but I'm not sure what. I thought the Elzetta light mount was pretty slick, but I have a side sling swivel that mounts under the front sight tower. Are there any other ways of mounting a light that doesn't require drilling & modifying the standard handgurds to accept a rail? I saw these aluminum rails that you place on the top portion of the sight tower, but I'm not sure if that would interfere with my sight picture through my EOTech. Any suggestions guys? I'm just a boring civvie, no leo/military backround. Not going into battle, yet I do want a decent light mount for HD. Any comments are appreciated.
Probably better to run a search in the Tactical Lights forum. This is the Optics forum.
there is a mount that attaches to your Bayonet lug here is one that will works with the side sling
http://www.botachtactical.com/kzm4balugmo.html
KrampusArms
03-14-11, 19:53
Probably better to run a search in the Tactical Lights forum. This is the Optics forum.
Didn't realise, saw optics and mounts & was a bit too hasty.
KrampusArms
03-14-11, 19:54
there is a mount that attaches to your Bayonet lug here is one that will works with the side sling
http://www.botachtactical.com/kzm4balugmo.html
Beautiful thanks!
A Surefire 6P or Streamlight Scorpion hose clamped to your handguards.
(the rubberized body of the Streamlight grips best.)
Mount the light at "5 o'clock" for a lefty like me or "7 o'clock for righties, and close enough to mag well that you can hold the well with your off hand and actuate the light with your thumb.
KrampusArms
03-15-11, 02:40
A Surefire 6P or Streamlight Scorpion hose clamped to your handguards.
(the rubberized body of the Streamlight grips best.)
Mount the light at "5 o'clock" for a lefty like me or "7 o'clock for righties, and close enough to mag well that you can hold the well with your off hand and actuate the light with your thumb.
I'm sorry hose clamped? Please explain
Quiet-Matt
03-15-11, 05:45
These two would be my suggestion for your setup. It'll give you a little more room on that cramped carbine handguard.
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Midwest-Industries-MCTAR-01-p/mctar-01.htm
plus
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Vltor-G-Series-Scout-Mount-p/vltor%20sm-g.htm
or
http://store.impactweaponscomponents.com/tmc1olimo1.html
I'm sorry hose clamped? Please explain
Before the rails and mounts that we have today, this is how lights were attached to handguards. Either this or duct tape.
KrampusArms
03-15-11, 18:40
These two would be my suggestion for your setup. It'll give you a little more room on that cramped carbine handguard.
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Midwest-Industries-MCTAR-01-p/mctar-01.htm
plus
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Vltor-G-Series-Scout-Mount-p/vltor%20sm-g.htm
or
http://store.impactweaponscomponents.com/tmc1olimo1.html
Thank you. Yeah I'm having a hard time deciding what I want to do here. I like the bayonet lug mount as well, but this is what I originally was looking at. My only concern is that it may interfere with my FOV through the EOTech. Anybody have one of these with an EOTech mounted? I do have a lower 1/3 co-witness so maybe its a non issue.
KrampusArms
03-15-11, 18:45
Before the rails and mounts that we have today, this is how lights were attached to handguards. Either this or duct tape.
Oh ok. Laugh out loud. I had tried duct taping it to the handguard, but it just looked ghetto. I currently have a piece of bicycle innertube with a cheapy flashlight crammed between it and the barrel. It actually functions ok, but its only temporary.
Two shiny hose clamps from Auto Zone.
Run both around the handguards and flashlight, tightening it against the guard at say a 7 o'clock position
The rubberized body of a Streamlight is gripped far better by the hose clamps than the Surefire's metal tube.
Save the money on a vertical fore grip and just grip the magwell.
("most" gunners run a fore grip relatively close to the well anyway so....)
Use your off hand thumb to press light light switch.
Remember, your objective is to light up a hallway or patio not to look like a cool operator with a $350 KAC RAS with expensive schwag hanging off your pic rails.
Hose clamps are a couple of bucks.
("ooh, shiny not tactical!", some might say.) So paint em, tape em.
Necessity is the mother of invention right? Don't listen to snobs and gear queers. Do what works for you.
Let me know how you fare.
S/F
not being rude man .But the bayonet mount is only 15 bucks .hose clamps a few bucks sure ,But really there is no way I could go that route. what works for one Might not work for another. Not a "gear queer or Snob" But before I did that I would use Black zip ties
Good post Warpig. (no rudeness taken)
I tried zipties first and they weren't as stable as the wider clamps.
I'll try flex cuffs sometime....
Know that my M4gery (RRA entry tactical) was bought during
The Fed Assault Wpns BS and has no bayonet lug.
I live in Mass and they still subscribe to that bull Shiite.
S/F
Oh now that sucks i didn't think about the states still following the rules of the AWB .I was thinking of it snagging On gear and stuff ,The Flex cuffs sound good.
I have seen a few Buy small rails and attach them to the standard Hand guards but you have to drill holes in them to do that .
Don't listen to snobs and gear queers.
Folks that use quality, purpose-built equipment for it's intended purpose are not either of the above, and I'm not seeing any evidence of either in this thread. Nobody's calling you a Luddite for using hose clamps, and since you've already had a thread broomed for baseless instigating, you might want to tone down the name-calling.
BREAK BREAK
Krampus, you might want to check the stickied threads at the top of this subforum, particularly this one: http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=22625
There are many folks out there who have rifles similarly kitted out as yours, who experience no undue clutter to their FOV with a light mounted. The thread I cited is a long one, but has lots of pics and sources that can help you make an informed decision.
Have you tried the ImpactWeaponsComponents stuff?
The have a flashlight mount that mounts to the standard handgaurds w/out modification.
http://store.impactweaponscomponents.com/tmc1olimo1.html
KrampusArms
03-18-11, 13:11
Krampus, you might want to check the stickied threads at the top of this subforum, particularly this one: http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=22625
There are many folks out there who have rifles similarly kitted out as yours, who experience no undue clutter to their FOV with a light mounted. The thread I cited is a long one, but has lots of pics and sources that can help you make an informed decision.
Yes thank you. I've just finished looking through the thread, and I've decided to go with the MI FST mount. I have experimented with bicycle innertube and I managed to get it to slide over the handguards and place my light in roughly a 9 0'clock position. I think the MI FST would put my light in the most comfortable position for me. I have considered all options suggested to me and I would like to thank everyone for the input.
KrampusArms
03-18-11, 13:18
Have you tried the ImpactWeaponsComponents stuff?
The have a flashlight mount that mounts to the standard handgaurds w/out modification.
http://store.impactweaponscomponents.com/tmc1olimo1.html
Yeah this one is really slick too. But how do you get the screws in there without compromising the gas tube? I know on my standard carbine handguards, with a single heat shield, the gas tube is practically touching the interior at the top, right near the FSB. Were those mounts purpose built to be compatible with the MOE?
Yeah this one is really slick too. But how do you get the screws in there without compromising the gas tube? I know on my standard carbine handguards, with a single heat shield, the gas tube is practically touching the interior at the top, right near the FSB. Were those mounts purpose built to be compatible with the MOE? I just received and installed the IWC TMC 1" OD Light Mount on my Colt 6920. I had to change my hand guard from a double heat shield to a single heat shield M-4 type to readily install the mounting screws. There is plenty of clearance for the nuts if you have the larger oval M-4 hand guard.I checked the RRA website and your upper appears to have the smaller round diameter CAR hand guard. You need at least 3/16" clearance between the gas tube and the underside of the hand guard for the nuts to clear. If you can find a larger diameter hand guard on the cheap,the IWC mount is a very clean and low profile design for installing on the standard hand guard. Even though they are left and right side specific,it is very easy to operate the light,in my case a Surefire G2, with either support hand. Also Earl Pittman of IWC is just great to deal with and will promptly answer any questions or concerns you might have with their products.
Midwest Industries FSB mount in conjunction with a VLTOR Scout mount.
Stable, secure, getting the light out past the FSB will reduce shadows and dead spots in the lights beam, and the approx 11:00 or 1:00 position tucks the light closer into the rifle for a more natural grip and reduction in the possibilities of a side barrier obscuring your beam when shooting from behind cover/concealment. The position also reduces the tendency of your light to smack into obstacles as it's not hanging as far out on the side of the weapon. You also run less risk of the light shifting during use by using this more stable mounting method.
I run this combo on my Mk18 clone with great success. This was an evolution from side (9:00 or 3:00) mounts and offset mounts running the light from the top rail in the same orientation but further back on the handguard.
As already mentioned the shorter CAR handguards get crowded fast and this combo allows you to move the light out toward the muzzle allowing for more room for your hand adding comfort and increased stability by moving your hand out further toward the muzzle.
I am not a fan of lights mounted anywhere from 3:00 - 6:00 - 9:00.
Yes thank you. I've just finished looking through the thread, and I've decided to go with the MI FST mount. I have experimented with bicycle innertube and I managed to get it to slide over the handguards and place my light in roughly a 9 0'clock position. I think the MI FST would put my light in the most comfortable position for me. I have considered all options suggested to me and I would like to thank everyone for the input.
Good call.
Yeah this one is really slick too. But how do you get the screws in there without compromising the gas tube? I know on my standard carbine handguards, with a single heat shield, the gas tube is practically touching the interior at the top, right near the FSB. Were those mounts purpose built to be compatible with the MOE?
Yes intended to be used in conjunction with Magpul MOE handguards.
MOUNT-N-SLOT
03-20-11, 22:40
Yes intended to be used in conjunction with Magpul MOE handguards.
Impact Weapons Components designed our TMC 1" Light Mounts to be used on M4/A2 and MOE Carbine Gen 1 hand guards.
As previously posted in this thread, some hand guards have close spacing between the gas tube and inside of the hand guard / heat shields. If the weapon you have does not have an 1/8" of clearance, then our Mount should not be used without modification of the heat shields.
MOUNT-N-SLOT
KrampusArms
03-23-11, 19:01
Thank you everyone. You know now that I'm looking at the MI FST mount, I'm not sure it will work in conjunction with a side sling swivel as well. How much clearance is under this mount? I'm currently a bit too broke to order it just yet. Anybody use one of these who also have the side sling swivel? Does it provide enough clearance? I'd hate to order one of these, and find out its not going to clear the swivel. I called a local shop to see if they had any to try out, but they dont carry this item.
RogueElephant
03-24-11, 09:33
...Anybody use one of these who also have the side sling swivel? Does it provide enough clearance?
If the MI positions exactly like my GG&G, as it appears, it will not clear the side sling mount. Take a look:
http://www.gggaz.com/index.php?id=299&parents=38,47
KrampusArms
03-24-11, 13:37
If the MI positions exactly like my GG&G, as it appears, it will not clear the side sling mount. Take a look:
http://www.gggaz.com/index.php?id=299&parents=38,47
Well damn it to hell...... I was looking at the front sight tower and I thought with the swivel on there it may not have the clearance. Glad I don't have the funding at this time. This is the reason I didn't roll with the Elzetta mount. This damn side sling swivel keeps screwing me over. I may have to get rid of it and find alternative methods of sling attachment. I just want the damn light rail mount! Laugh out loud, friggin rail systems, granted they are really cool, I just dont need them.
RogueElephant
03-24-11, 15:40
Well damn it to hell... This damn side sling swivel keeps screwing me over. I may have to get rid of it and find alternative methods of sling attachment.
Without a rail, that is the best location I know of for a light. Just used mine in a class, that included a night shoot, and the light was easy to use and worked well mounted on the front sight. The change in the sling mounting location was an irritant both days of the class. Not sure what will be next???
KrampusArms
03-24-11, 17:37
Without a rail, that is the best location I know of for a light. Just used mine in a class, that included a night shoot, and the light was easy to use and worked well mounted on the front sight. The change in the sling mounting location was an irritant both days of the class. Not sure what will be next???
Yeah I'm not sure what to do now. I really like the side sling swivel, but I'd hate to get rid of it. I like how it sits when shouldering the weapon, and when moving with the rifle hanging at my chest. I thought I had it pegged. Damn. How much does the rail inhibit the swivel, or can you even install the FST mount at all?
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