Mossberg 500 "tactical" flashlights

[ky_man]

Question: what is the best setup for adding a flashlight to my Mossy 500?

I've looked into the Surefire unit, but it's out of reach at $250. I saw a "picatinny"? adapter in my Brownell's catalog for $55 but by the time you add a decent light (~$125) and adapter (~$25), you're close to $200, and might as well spring for the Surefire setup!

Any suggestions for adding a maglight to the shotgun? I've read that the recoil may damage the bulb, but what about a halogen bulb flashlight, or a LED flashlight?

I want to be able to illuminate what's in front of my muzzle. Is there an advantage to a directed beam, or is more general illumination preferred?

 

[trackaddict88]

VERY good question. I wanna know too!

 

[proud2deviate]

Something like this might work well for you. I'm not sure about this brand, just the general concept. If you just wanted a mag light on your gun, I'm sure there are a number of methods to attach one. If you could just find a clamp like the one in the pic, that'd work. I've also seen set ups that use a velcro strap that wraps around the barrel. Duct tape, perhaps?

Heck, with ten minutes and some sheet metal, you could probably make a passable clamp.


As for the output of the light, it depends on what you want to use it for. A narrow, tight beam is probably better if you want to blind someone in the night, but a wide, flood type beam is better for general illumination. I'd go for a comfortable balance, with a bias towards a spot-beam, considering the intended use. This probably isn't a light you're going to grab when you're looking under the hood of your car or changing a bulb in the basement, so a beam geared towards utility doesn't make much sense.

But that's just my opinion. I don't even go in for the light on a gun idea, but to each his own.

 

[BADUNAME15]

The surefire weapon light is leaps and bounds above all other systems. There is no other. It is neat, clean, no hanging wires. Keep an eye out for a good deal and pick it up.

 

[Rob96]

I use a 3 rail adapter that I got from Laserlyte mountedon the mag tube. For the light I use a Brinkmann MaxFire with a 1" scope ring. Works perfectly.

 

[Robert Hairless]

The surefire weapon light is leaps and bounds above all other systems. There is no other. It is neat, clean, no hanging wires. Keep an eye out for a good deal and pick it up.

He's right. It's a hard thing to say but there's really no substitute for the SureFire. I wish there were.

I'm not a Mossberg owner and just dipped into this message because the title and subject interested me, but I have the SureFires on a couple of different shotguns and have another shotgun rigged with another kind of weaponlight. The rigged one works all right but the SureFires work well and reliably.

In addition SureFire has just introduced a replacement LED assembly that makes it work even better. The SureFire weaponlights use its P60 lamp. The replacement LED lamp is P60L. All you do is remove the original and substitute the replacement. It takes under a minute and isn't tricky. The result is more lumens, much longer battery life, and no danger of breaking the LED.

 

[jmt1271]

I think the surefire's are incredible lights, but overpriced. Look around at the competition and you can find a better value. Streamlight, Pentagon and a ton of Chinese knockoffs are available. I bought one of the $10 clamps off Fleabay(it is the same clamp as pictured in the link someone posted above) and I have several lights that will work with it. I havent tried it yet, but I have a $26 Surefire G2 (nitrolon) that I intend to mount in it. It works fine and costs less than $40. Can be built cheaper.

 

[32 Magnum]

shot gun lights

Flashlights have the same problem as tracer ammunition - they work both ways. The difference is that with a flashlight attached to the muzzle of your shotgun, it generally will be pretty much directly in line with your head. Unless you are a police officer or "operator" with back-up, when you switch on that light, it becomes a target. What are the odds that you will illuminate your intended target on the first try? And if there is an armed perp hiding behind that LazyBoy, you've just made yourself an easy mark. Strobing the light may work, but it still gives your position away at that moment. I suggest a weak side hand held light, held well away from my center of mass, for IDing - then drop the SOB and grab the forearm - let the perp shoot at the light, it's on the floor and you're 5 feet away from it.

 

[LeonCarr]

I like a 2 C Mag-Lite with the LED bulb. 30 bucks, and it doubles as an impact weapon in an emergency , which the tiny lights can't do.

I know it isn't attached to the shotgun, but as previously mentioned the high dollar lights are attached to the shotgun, and when the shotgun is shouldered and the light is on, you become a target.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[jmt1271]

The benefits of lights greatly outweigh the drawbacks. Nothing is more important than IDing your target. You may give away your position, but most likely in doing so you are lighting up your target and can render it harmless. Most likely there is only one perp in an HD situation, so there should be no one to take you out after you take him out. Again, to me, for HD, a light is mandatory since you will likely be in an environment with friendlies.

 

[lesjones]

"I suggest a weak side hand held light, held well away from my center of mass, for IDing"

Can you do that while holding a shotgun?

 

[Robert Hairless]

Flashlights have the same problem as tracer ammunition - they work both ways. The difference is that with a flashlight attached to the muzzle of your shotgun, it generally will be pretty much directly in line with your head. Unless you are a police officer or "operator" with back-up, when you switch on that light, it becomes a target. What are the odds that you will illuminate your intended target on the first try? And if there is an armed perp hiding behind that LazyBoy, you've just made yourself an easy mark. Strobing the light may work, but it still gives your position away at that moment. I suggest a weak side hand held light, held well away from my center of mass, for IDing - then drop the SOB and grab the forearm - let the perp shoot at the light, it's on the floor and you're 5 feet away from it.

Worthy considerations all. But if I must turn on the weaponlight I plan to do a shadow puppet show in front of the light with my support hand while whistling excerpts from favorite Broadway shows so as to distract the bad guy. I do one heck of a great one-handed bunny on the wall, and my one handed puppy isn't too bad either.

I find it's just as easy to do that as to hold the shotgun in my strong hand while holding a flashlight in my weak hand, then dropping the flashlight so the bad guy can shoot at it while the flashlight is pointing who-knows-where and possibly revealing my tippy toes in its ambient light spill.

Of course the dropped flashlight idea might give me an opportunity to do a nifty little tap dance routine I worked up a few years ago. I'll have to think about that.

Or what I might do is not use the weaponlight until I have a good idea of where the target is. That's so boring though.

 

[Blubacon50]

A mount I have on one of my SG's is simple and has so far held up to about 500 rounds or so. The Weapons Light System 2000 (http://www.lippman-enterprises.com/tacstar.html)

You can get more expensive lights and mounts, and remember you get what you pay for, but so far, this one has held up pretty well if you are looking for cheap.

Blubacon50

 

[trackaddict88]

Thanks everyone for the ideas!

Steve

 

[Lovesbeer99]

On Sportsmans Guide there is a Streamlight knockoff for 39.97. It's say's it's made by Guide Gear. Anyone have any experience this these?

 

[craig]

i've had a wls2000 on my mossy for 2 years now. it hasn't broken yet.

i did add an ati clamp to it to make sure it didn't come off.

 

[r8rfan121]

without a doubt the wls 2000. I have it, it was like 100$, easy to mount on, bright, works like a charm. sure its no surefire but it is a nice setup for a reasonable price.

 

[karz10]

So can I add a mod to the question posed?

I'm also interested in a good weapon mounted light system for a Mossberg 500, but I was hoping to get one w/ a dual purpose. I shoot IDPA, and at some point I'll need a separate flashlight to shoot dark stages for that.

My Glock has a mounted light, but it's not a handheld type. I can't use the weapon mounted light in IDPA. I thought that whatever the cost was, to add the weapon mounted light to the shotgun, that if it was removable, and could pull double duty as my handheld IDPA light, then that might be the best thing for me, unless someone else knows why not...

So, do those surefire systems allow the light to be removed and used as a handheld? What about some of the others mentioned...?

Thanks,

Karz

 

[r8rfan121]

not sure on the surefire, but for that wls 2000 you can. just loosen the mount, slide it out, and your good to go. you can get that wls 2000 at cabelas.

 

[hunterpro]

I own a Mossberg 500 and i looked at all of the tac lights(mainly for varmint hunting purpose but also for the HD side of things. i came to a decision after seeing prices from $50 to $300 and I do have to say the same as several of the previous posts.
1. having a light right there on the barrel of your gun s like saying "heres my head, shoot it" however most of the time the light is going to blinds the target fast enough that they wouldn't be able to shoot straight (if they even have a gun). now statistics say that 85% of home break ins are one perp, however the need to identify is crucial, so as not to shoot your teenage boy on accident. besides how many of these idiots can even shoot a 9 glock straight enough to hit you?

2. a mounted flashlight can be good but you want to be pointing at your target before you turn it on, what i use is a hand held 2370 performer (an old police flashlight) and it is small enough i can hold it in the curve of my pump and load the gun without dropping it. this way i can move it around without moving my weapon from a target

now in my opinion a concentrated center with a small area around for peripheral so you can identify other possible targets in the direct area.
I just suggest a good small flashlight, hand held hat can be moved and have some cover before you turn it on. In my house there is a gun in every bedroom so if someone breaks in the target(s) should be outgunned and out manned.

 

[Titus]

My Glock has a mounted light, but it's not a handheld type. I can't use the weapon mounted light in IDPA. I thought that whatever the cost was, to add the weapon mounted light to the shotgun, that if it was removable, and could pull double duty as my handheld IDPA light, then that might be the best thing for me, unless someone else knows why not...

John Farnam's Guns & Warriors book has a bit about attaching Weaver #36 bases to the forearms of various guns to be used with a Streamlight M3. If your pistol light works with a Weaver rail, this might be an option. I was interested in it since I was trying to think of a way to put a light on an AK and happened to have a TLR-1 laying around.

 

[Lil' C]

The SureFire dedicated forend is the best, unfortunately; it is 100% "high-speed, low-drag". I have one for my 500 and one for my 870, and although the cost is too much for me to equip my backup guns similarly, the function of the SureFire is flawless.

Here is the cheapest, solid-performing option I have come up with for the 500:

* Falcon Industries rail forend for Mossberg 500 - $70 (plus $12 for a forend wrench)
* Viking Tactics 1" polymer flashlight holder - $19
* SureFire G2 Nitrolon - $36

After you mount the tri-rail forend, you can mount the G2 in the holder on your support hand side toward the front of the slide. The tailcap and push-button on the flashlight are then in position for you to either rotate for continuous illumination or depress and release for brief illumination, approximating the basic functions of an expensive dedicated forend light like the SureFire. The package remains compact and lightweight, and your shotgun can easily be reconfigured should your needs change.

 

[marklbucla]

I don't think I saw anyone else mention this, but $250 is too expensive for a base model new in box Surefire shotgun light. You can get them for $200 shipped from a guy on AR15.com, bringing it back into your price range. "Brightlights" was his name, I think.

But then again, even if it really was $250, you're talking about your HD gun. Are you willing to compromise just to save a few bucks?

 

[jmt1271]

Brightflashlight

 

[Markbo]

I am on the Surefire Bandwagon and that is what my Mossy wears. Let me tell you how bright it is... there was something on my brown and black comforter the other night... I don't know what it was, but it was tracked in by the dogs - you can imagine what I THOUGHT it was, but it turned out to be mud and grass and ...stuff.

Anyway, I couldn't see it where it was so I just grabbed the shotty and shined the light on it - a brown and black fabric mind you - and the reflection alone off the fabric blinded me. Not only could I not see the offending blob, I couldn't see anything.

To my mind, when it comes to tools that are meant to save your life, it is perfectly OK to save up enough money so that you don't have to get second best.