How to mount a tactical light on an M1 Carbine?

[Mattole]

Short of getting the Surefire pistol grip weaponlight ($600!) for use with a Choate stock, is there any other way of mounting a tactical light on an M1 carbine? Don't worry, this is my shooter/beater ranch gun - I'm not bastardizing an original GI M1!

 

[BBroadside]

There's all the universal mounting rigs like TacStar. I don't know if they're any good; I mention them in the hopes that someone who does will tell us!

Also I got curious and looked around and found this, but reading closely I'm not sure it actually fits the M1 Carbine.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I used an Ultimak rail to mount a red dot sight, and a Viking Tactics offset light mount to attach a Surefire G2. The light is placed on the right because I am left handed; I can press the tailcap switch with my right thumb.

From the side:



Top view:



This setup is rock solid.

The VTAC light mount appears to be made of glass reinforced nylon. It securely holds the light and itself to the rail with hex head screws.

The Carbine is a 1943 Rock Ola. The Ultimak rail is attached to the barrel with two clamps. The only alterations I had to make to the gun was to remove a little bit of wood inside the stock to clear one of the clamps. The gun can be restored to GI condition in about 5 minutes. You might need to use a Dremel to route out some space inside the stock for the clamp.

 

[Mike 56]

I have two TacStar mounts holding my homemade barrel strut on my Mini 14 they would hold a flash light just fine. You could all so use a cheap set of scope rings and some Remington 700 scope bases that can be bought at Walmart. Drill two hles in the stock and inset two nuts on the inside of the stock.

Mike

 

[JesseL]

 

[XTerminator]

That's what Red Green would do.

 

[Mattole]

Yep, duck tape looks like the way to go, although you forgot about reinforcing the whole affair with bailing wire. Or maybe the trick is to try a using bungee cords and zip ties - or hose clamps, for garsh sake - there's lot's of options!...

Anyway thanks for the input. Now - has anyone yet worked a way to attach an accessory rail to the bayonet lug on an M1 (besides all of the above).

By the way Dave that is a great looking setup and a fine looking M1. I look forward to owning one of those originals someday.

 

[guninthewater]

Someone ought to make a Picatinny rail adapter that fits on the M1 Carbine's bayonet lug. That'd be perfect.

 

[Seafarer12]

Never underestimate the power of zip ties and/or hose clamps.

 

[Mattole]

Then there are these for mounting a light and/or laser beneath the barrel: http://www.m1surplus.com/trirail barrel mounts and combos.htm

 

[brlau]

I recall Dr. Roberts M1 Carbine setup involved a piece of picatinny rail cut from a longer sacrificial rail screwed into the forearm. Then you can use any of the tac light mounts that utilize pic rails.

 

[Chrontius]

What about a bayonet-lug mounted accessory rail?

 

[amd6547]

I agree...the bayonet lug is just asking to be used.

 

[Wayne G]

M1 Carbine light mount

Here are some photos of my solution to the light mount issue. I secured a custom fabricated Walnut base to the Bayonett lug with 4 10-24 brass-tipped set screws and then mounted my Surefire 9P light to the base using a Weaver 63B Top Mount Base and Weaver Grand Slam 1" medium scope rings. This results in a rock-solid mount. My Carbine is a 1945 Inland in mint condition.

 

[feedthehogs]

There ought to be a law.

 

[Orlando]

I agree, Balsphemy

 

[amd6547]

Some of use our M1 carbines for SD (me, for one...)
While I have added nothing to my CMP Inland, a quick release light mount for the bayonet lug seems like a natural to me. No alteration to the weapon, and pure utility.
And Orlando...I am guessing that "balsphemy" is a blasphemer with ba**s, right?

 

[kwelz]

As a person who owns almost nothing but ARs and pistols with Rails on them I also feel this is Blasphemy!

 

[USSR]

Hey, they made 6,000,000 of them, do with yours as you please.

Don