What do you use for a Light?
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Robert Hairless
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On my 870 I use an overpriced Surefire.
It looks like SureFire has a newer polymer mount that clamps over an extended magazine tube and offers a Weaver wail. That plus a cheaper Weaver mount flashlight would be a decent setup. (There is another mount that has a ring that goes under the mag tube cap, but the new one I saw looks like it clamps down more solidly.)
I know the SureFire forend is the premium solution, but don't want to change the forend out.
I know the SureFire forend is the premium solution, but don't want to change the forend out.
Omaha-BeenGlockin
Member
Seems like you could get away with a G2--tape switch---and some sort of mount on the mag tube. Assuming you have the extended tube.
Chuck R.
Member
On my Benelli M1S90 I use an Insight M3X mounted on an Insight Mag Tube rail. I've used it for a couple classes, a few beavers, and a whole bunch of muskrats.
Still on the same bulb.
Chuck
Still on the same bulb.
Chuck
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
http://www.opticsplanet.net/streamlight-12ga-extended-mag-tube-tactical-mount-69901.html if you have a magazine extension, http://www.opticsplanet.net/streamlight-rem-870-tactical-mount-69906.html if you don't. You can order from anywhere you like of course, I've been happy with the service I got from the linked source on multiple orders.
Then you can mount whatever light will fit a rail on the gun. I've used multiple Streamlight M3s, LEDwave Z-5s, a Streamlight TLR-2, and an Insight SSL-1 so far and all of them have worked well so far. I prefer the LED lights for shotguns due to recoil resistance of the LEDs over incandescent bulbs. No matter what light you get, take it off for 'normal' practice- shotgun recoil batters batteries as well as bulbs.
I find that Surefire fore-ends don't leave enough room for my support hand, thus in my case the 'high priced spread' doesn't work as well. My wife likes a standard field length forearm so they don't work for her either. I still have them on a couple of guns but they are not in daily use (yep- batteries are out) though.
I'm working on another Express gun for the 'house gun' rotation here, and it has a Streamlight 69906 rail on it already (along with an 18" bead sight CYL bore factory barrel, a shortened birch stock and a LimbSaver grind-to-fit recoil pad).
hth,
lpl/nc
Then you can mount whatever light will fit a rail on the gun. I've used multiple Streamlight M3s, LEDwave Z-5s, a Streamlight TLR-2, and an Insight SSL-1 so far and all of them have worked well so far. I prefer the LED lights for shotguns due to recoil resistance of the LEDs over incandescent bulbs. No matter what light you get, take it off for 'normal' practice- shotgun recoil batters batteries as well as bulbs.
I find that Surefire fore-ends don't leave enough room for my support hand, thus in my case the 'high priced spread' doesn't work as well. My wife likes a standard field length forearm so they don't work for her either. I still have them on a couple of guns but they are not in daily use (yep- batteries are out) though.
I'm working on another Express gun for the 'house gun' rotation here, and it has a Streamlight 69906 rail on it already (along with an 18" bead sight CYL bore factory barrel, a shortened birch stock and a LimbSaver grind-to-fit recoil pad).
hth,
lpl/nc
Wopasaurus
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I have this on my 500.
I use the smaller one, because I only have an 18.5" barrel. Instead of having the bottom loop hang under, I installed it over the barrel, so it wraps around the barrel and the mag tube.
I use a Streamlight TLR-1 light. I have it positioned to the left, so that when my hand is on the pump, my thumb is resting on the switch. It works out really well. No fumbling, and really secure.
I use the smaller one, because I only have an 18.5" barrel. Instead of having the bottom loop hang under, I installed it over the barrel, so it wraps around the barrel and the mag tube.
I use a Streamlight TLR-1 light. I have it positioned to the left, so that when my hand is on the pump, my thumb is resting on the switch. It works out really well. No fumbling, and really secure.
MaterDei
Member
I had the opportunity to buy a Surefire for an 870 for $100. It was such a great deal that I couldn't pass it up. Now I just need to buy an 870. :blush:
Robert Hairless
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Nah, all a real Ninja kind of guy only needs the light and a recording of a shotgun being racked. The sound scares any sensible home invader out into the next county and the light blinds those who stay. Saves a fortune on ammunition.
MCgunner
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I've got switches on the wall and the house is wired for AC.
classic095
Member
just what ya want a light on the gun for someone to shoot at..if nothing else a flashlight held at arms length away from your body.
LOL
Here, too.
Muzzle flash functions as a backup lighting system.
No kidding! At least on a long gun, I can't help thinking of a light as a beacon. Unless you're shining it directly at an intruder, the light will help him find you better than it will help you find him. If you can't see the intruder, then chances are, you'll be shining the light away from him, and therefore marking yourself as a target. Not good.
classic095
Member
light
Just good old school police training. if its dark and you are using a flashlight and you suspect the perp you are looking for has a gun. keep light at arms length away from your body..
Just good old school police training. if its dark and you are using a flashlight and you suspect the perp you are looking for has a gun. keep light at arms length away from your body..
Snarlingiron
Member
Well, if you want to go for cheap, and in my opinion improve the forend of the gun, get a Choate Forend. I then used a Surefire G2 and an old scope ring that I had on hand. This forend is much smaller than the oversized thing Remington puts on the 870, and I find it more to my liking. Even if you had to buy the Surefire, you would still only be out about $65.00 - $70.00 for the whole rig. Applying side pressure to the rear cap of the Surefire causes it to light up nicely, and the ring can be turned with the index finger.
boilingleadbath
Member
My understanding...
The weapon light is not a lighthouse. The light is not a running light. The light stays OFF almost all of the time in an invasion situation.
The flashlight isn't for looking in corners to see if the intruder is there or other menial search tasks... it's there so you can illuminate the person in question.
You know, so you can make sure that you don't "light up" your relatives'/friends'; commentary about them perhaps deserving it for entering your home uninvited aside, killing non-threats is generally something we want to avoid.
THAT's why it is important that the light is very bright - so that IF the person in question is armed, they are too busy being blind to put holes in you.
************
A question, though... seeing that most civilian firearm use is pretty close in, and (correct me if I'm wrong) most of these lights have pretty narrow beams, could the flashlight be used almost like a laser sight?
I haven't tried it with a hi-power flashlight or a longarm, but I did attach a flashlight to a air-pistol once... and that actually worked fairly well at 5 yards or so.
Of course, at 5 yards, you don't really need any optical input from the firearm at all... your sense of bodily positioning (forget the term) should be enough.
Is enough, if you listen to the pistol point-shooting people. And that's with a pistol, which is harder to point-shoot than a long gun.
(so perhaps the flashlight-sighting concept explained above is superfluous)
The weapon light is not a lighthouse. The light is not a running light. The light stays OFF almost all of the time in an invasion situation.
The flashlight isn't for looking in corners to see if the intruder is there or other menial search tasks... it's there so you can illuminate the person in question.
You know, so you can make sure that you don't "light up" your relatives'/friends'; commentary about them perhaps deserving it for entering your home uninvited aside, killing non-threats is generally something we want to avoid.
THAT's why it is important that the light is very bright - so that IF the person in question is armed, they are too busy being blind to put holes in you.
************
A question, though... seeing that most civilian firearm use is pretty close in, and (correct me if I'm wrong) most of these lights have pretty narrow beams, could the flashlight be used almost like a laser sight?
I haven't tried it with a hi-power flashlight or a longarm, but I did attach a flashlight to a air-pistol once... and that actually worked fairly well at 5 yards or so.
Of course, at 5 yards, you don't really need any optical input from the firearm at all... your sense of bodily positioning (forget the term) should be enough.
Is enough, if you listen to the pistol point-shooting people. And that's with a pistol, which is harder to point-shoot than a long gun.
(so perhaps the flashlight-sighting concept explained above is superfluous)
MCgunner
Member
Well, I think the 100 watt bulbs in the ceiling are plenty. I can read by them, after all. I guess late night reading is a side benefit to shooting perps?
Honestly, I'm not INVADING, just protecting my property. And, if anyone comes in here, it won't be a relative or neighbor since I don't have any relatives around here and no neighbors that I would mind killing if they broke in. My friends know better, they use the door bell.If I need to go around the house, I don't do it with a long gun anyway. I use a handgun, easier to retain in a hand to hand confrontation. A handgun s easier to use with a flashlight if you wish to, see the need. The cops train with their maglights for just this sort of thing, but I'm not going to be doing with cops do, no thanks, not for what they get paid. Working in a chemical plant was dangerous enough and I made more money at it than a cops salary.
classic095
Member
Chuck R.
Member
In the past 2 years I've taken 3 low-light classes, 2 handgun and one long-gun.
Lights have their use and I'm a firm believer in them especially on a long gun. I've trained to use a long gun with a handheld light and it is a PITA. I see the weapon lights are bad discussion crop up frequently when someone asks about a light.
I'd like to ask the "no light crowd" how many have taken a low-light course using the modern techniques and come away thinking that likes still serve no purpose or will get you killed?
Chuck
Lights have their use and I'm a firm believer in them especially on a long gun. I've trained to use a long gun with a handheld light and it is a PITA. I see the weapon lights are bad discussion crop up frequently when someone asks about a light.
I'd like to ask the "no light crowd" how many have taken a low-light course using the modern techniques and come away thinking that likes still serve no purpose or will get you killed?
Chuck
sm
member
Don't ask me...
Recently with tornado and nasty weather I handed off a shotgun to someone else, used a old old iron sighted Win 94 in 30-30 with 170 grainers and was using a Q Beam and truck headlights in the wee hours of darkness, out running around in pitch black...
Recently with tornado and nasty weather I handed off a shotgun to someone else, used a old old iron sighted Win 94 in 30-30 with 170 grainers and was using a Q Beam and truck headlights in the wee hours of darkness, out running around in pitch black...
Robo_Railer
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Lee, thanks for the links to the Streamlight mounts. I hadn't seen those before. And PJR, thanks for the pic. I think one of those will work on my M37. The forend on the Ithaca comes right up to the lug (it's only the 4+1 mag tube), so nothing else will fit.
For those who'd like a better look at what was in the pic Wopasaurus posted: those are the Tri-Rail mounts from Leapers. (Never mind the "sniper" bidness in the URL.) Cheaper Than Dirt carries those, and I have one of the 3-slot mounts on order. Brownells has similar ones by Lite Mount Technologies.
The flashlight clamps are okay, but for something like an ITI M3 or Streamlight TLR-1 (I have one of each now), I think the Picatinny mounts are the way to go. With those, you can mount the light securely, and set it off to either side, working the "wingnut" rotary switch with the thumb or fingers of the support hand.
My original 500A now has a SureFire forend on it, an early model that I bought years ago but never got around to installing. Finally got up the gumption to tackle the project, and had to contact SureFire for a new wrench. Now that it's on there, I'm glad I did it, but they are (1) kinda pricey and (2) more work than some other methods of mounting a light.
For those who'd like a better look at what was in the pic Wopasaurus posted: those are the Tri-Rail mounts from Leapers. (Never mind the "sniper" bidness in the URL.) Cheaper Than Dirt carries those, and I have one of the 3-slot mounts on order. Brownells has similar ones by Lite Mount Technologies.
The flashlight clamps are okay, but for something like an ITI M3 or Streamlight TLR-1 (I have one of each now), I think the Picatinny mounts are the way to go. With those, you can mount the light securely, and set it off to either side, working the "wingnut" rotary switch with the thumb or fingers of the support hand.
My original 500A now has a SureFire forend on it, an early model that I bought years ago but never got around to installing. Finally got up the gumption to tackle the project, and had to contact SureFire for a new wrench. Now that it's on there, I'm glad I did it, but they are (1) kinda pricey and (2) more work than some other methods of mounting a light.
Good advice, but not all that handy when you're carrying a shotgun. Did you miss the part where he said "870," or is your police training really "old school" stuff?
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