M1 Garand weaponlight

[Ian]

One of the lessons I learned at the Front Sight rifle course I took a few months ago is that I can't shoot my M1 worth a hoot at night. I simply can't get enough light through the sights to see a target unless there's some extra light source being used. That spurred me to figure out how to affix a Surefire to the rifle in such a way that it would be easily and quickly removeable and still secure (y'know, something better than duct-taping it to the stock).

Ever since I got my first rifle with a bayonet lug, I've thought that it would be rather elegant to mount a light on a bayonet handle. It would be secure, detachable, and a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a zillion-dollar specialty foreend. This is especially true with an M1, because there are no specialty flashlight foreends for them (what, don't all the swoopy operators use M1s?).

So I bought a Surefire G2, pressure pad attachment, and old bayonet (total cost roughly $75). I lopped the blade off, padded the light with some soft rubber tubing, and hose-clamped the light to the bayonet handle. Poof, an M1 light! I haven't test-fired it yet, but itt's performing great in dry practice. The light beam aligns very well with the barrel, and it seems pretty robust.

 

[The Undertoad]

Looks great to me Ian.

I'd be curious to see how the bulb holds up to the recoil from the weapon over time. I like my G2 but I think full house rifle recoil like 30.06 would eat it real fast...

 

[jefnvk]

Is that the switch up front?

 

[homeka45]

Getting all tactical w/ the M1, cool.

 

[RTFM]

Now I realize what ever works for you is great. But that pic with the 100 mile an hour tape and the hose clamp..... precious!

We call that Yankee Ingenuity.

Now to clean the coffee off my keyboard.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

A dumb question from a non-tactical bozo:

What is "hundred-mile-an-hour tape"?

The last time I used tape "tactically" was some Army stuff we called "green tape" that was used to quiet the sling swivels.

Thanks

 

[meathammer]

Here is another option for mounting a light and scout or CQB type optic. m1 scout mount

I have no idea how good of a mount it is, looks cool though! I have thoughts of trying one on my new SA M1.

I do like your setup though, if it works, hey why not?


--meathammer

 

[Ian]

jefnvk - Yes, that's the pressure switch attached to the stock.

RTFM - The duct tape isn't a load-bearing component. The point of having this thing isn't for regular use, but instead for dark houses in matches, emergency HD use at night, and shooting school. It doesn't need to win any beauty contests.

meathammer - I do often think about putting an optic on the gun, and that mount looks like a good solution. Unfortunately, they mention that it might not fit tanker M1s...

 

[Omni04]

is it aligned correctly? It looks like the flashlight is angled down... maybe it is just the angel of the picture though.


Great idea though!

 

[MechAg94]

So......why did you have to cut the blade off the bayonet? Looks like you could have left it on.

 

[Ian]

Omni - Yes, the light is aligned with the barrel. I just looks off in the photos.

MechAg - Saves weight this way.

 

[Omni04]

sorry for being a newbie, but if it was pitch black outside, whats the range you might be able to get with that? (im sure the rifle outranges the flashlight)

 

[Ian]

About 50 yards.

 

[black bear]

I think that the Amega mount is great, but it is an add on to the fine Garand, Your way of mount it is very novel and practical.

Another way to mount it and have it quickly detachable (in the day you don't want to carry all that) it to secure it with Velcro tape on the left side of the rifle to a Weaver long mount for the Marlin 336 or the Remington 7400.
The light is hold by the Weaver ring and the the base is attached with double Velcro to the stock, so you can remove the base with attached flashlight and only a piece of Velcro is left. The mount is stabilized with two rubber bands)
The advantage of having the light on the side is that your front sight gets illuminated make it possible to shoot in near dark (from your position)

To protect your lamp you may want to use a Z-32 shock protecting bezel.

Looks at the similar set up that I have in the AK.
By the way the small Maglite blue 1 D you see in the picture is a customized light, it put out 300 lumens.





Your estimate of the range of the light is about right, but there is on the market a flashlight smaller than the G-2 that uses a similar lamp but with a bigger reflector and without the orange peel, resulting in longer range.These are the TACM III flashlights with the remote pressure pad switch.

I have a target against a fence 78 yards away and these lights reach that far.

Here you can see them in my Long guns.



If you want more range than that them one of the Surefire M-4 will get to 100 yards and so and more you will get with the Surefire M-6 with the 500 lumens.

More range than that can only be achieved with the MAG 951 (for 951 lumens) that I sell on the Forum; my light will illuminate targets more than 200 yards away.



If you want to reach 300 yards one of my MAG 951 BIG HEADS is called for, the only problem will be to mount it to a rifle.



If you want to reach over 350 yards and more you need a Surefire "the Beast" and a jeep full of batteries as this $2,900.00 flashlight uses 20 of them.

More range?? Something like 2,000 meters, well we have the MEGARAY for $7,000.00



So if you want to do some long range shooting it can be done only if your pocket is deep enough

black bear

 

[MechAg94]

Weight.
If you really need your rifle at night, a bayonet might come in handy.

Whatever fits you best I suppose.

 

[mattw]

one word: Sacrilege

 

[bad LT]

Sweet!!!

 

[Ian]

one word: Sacrilege

Would you be referring to the "tanker" M1, tthe act of putting a light on an M1, or the act of cutting the blade off a bayonet? Just curious.