What light is on your AR?

[uneasy_rider]

I am trying to set up an AR with a tactical light. I have a forend with picatinny rail. What is a good set up?

 

[Darthbauer]

Surefire scout light, bright and easy to use and takes up little rail space.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Surefire dedicated forend light, the 500A.

I am very happy with it but it is noticeably bigger diameter than a standard forend and if you have smaller hands it might be hard to hold on to.

If I were going to do it again I'd probably look real close at the Scout but I don't have rails.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

I just have a surefire G3 and some cheap wallyworld scope rings.

Its really bright, lightweight, I can turn it on in about 1 sec, and it didn't cost $5,000 like some setups...You can also buy a pressure switch for it, but I haven't.

The whole set up only cost about ~$35.00.

 

[uneasy_rider]

Does anyone have any experience with the Streamlight Thunder Ranch Urban rifle illumination system? This seems a little less expensive than Surefire.

Is there a way for a remote pressure switch to be put on that model so i can activate it from my vertical forend?

 

[TexasRifleman]

Does anyone have any experience with the Streamlight...

I have 2 Streamlight TLR2s on a couple of other things, and they are handy little low cost lights but I not too crazy about the reliability of the Streamlight.

I've had trouble with their tape switches, their end caps, bulb life under recoil etc.

 

[uneasy_rider]

I don't want to break the bank... maybe $200 is my budget. What would you recommend? I am not opposed to a Surefire mounted in a scope ring, if that will work well.

 

[TexasRifleman]

If you can do without the tape switch then just about any good flashlight with a push on/off tailcap can be mounted somehow. The big money comes in when you start getting fancy with how you turn the light on and off. It's not that big a deal to just reach up and click the tailcap switch.

 

[Amish_Bill]

I have one of the big surefire 952 series. - older tailcap model.

 

[uneasy_rider]

I really want a pressure activated switch that I can put on my vertical grip.

Is there a way to add one of those to a standard Surefire, and then just put that in a scope ring?

 

[TexasRifleman]

Is there a way to add one of those to a standard Surefire,

Most lights have a tailcap replacement with a place to plug in a tape switch.

This thing alone is $120 retail from Surefire, without even the light. Like I say, this is where the money is, not the light.

 

[highorder]

the Surefire part is nice and expensive, but there are cheaper compatable alternatives out there.

edit: I will have to find a link to the G&P part.

 

[Red_SC]

I'm using a Surefire 9P with a shock insulated bezel and a tapeswitch, and have been very pleased with it. It's mounted using a Viking mount. I don't remember the exact price, but it was somewhere around $100 from Brightflashlights on AR15.com. A dedicated Surefire weaponlight would be a little better, but it's a whole lot more cash. I don't want to change a thing on my light setup.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I'm running the Surefire G2 ($28) in a single set of Millet 1" low-mount scope rings ($19.85 for two). The first one went about 5k rounds and then the lamp died. A replacement lamp cost $17 and is still going strong.

My thought is buy two G2s and the scope rings. That way you have a personal light/spare and a weapon light and the whole thing is less than $100.

 

[halfacop]

I'm running the Surefire G2 ($28)

Yup yup - I'm running a G2 as well. Picked up a tailcap pressure pad for it awhile ago. Great set up and cheap.

On a side note: I know a few guys over in the sandbox running this exact same set up on thier rifles and not having any problems with it. That's good enough for me!

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

I also, have a G2(I said G3 earlier)

really want a pressure activated switch that I can put on my vertical grip.

Is there a way to add one of those to a standard Surefire, and then just put that in a scope ring?

I just have a surefire G3 and some cheap wallyworld scope rings.
Its really bright, lightweight, I can turn it on in about 1 sec, and it didn't cost $5,000 like some setups...You can also buy a pressure switch for it, but I haven't.

 

[uneasy_rider]

You can also buy a pressure switch for it

Are there any good alternatives to the $120 model mentioned by Texas Rifleman?

 

[valtr0n]

I use a Streamlight TLR-1 mounted just forward of my vertical grip. It's easy to turn on with my index finger, and from my experience it's been very durable. I've had it on there for a year, through at least 2,000 rounds, I've had it caked in mud and snow and hit it on rocks, and it's still going just fine.

I paid $105 and it was worth every penny in my opinion.

Not knocking the cheaper alternatives, just saying I'm very happy with the light thus far.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Are there any good alternatives to the $120 model mentioned by Texas Rifleman?

Yep, there is one made by CAA, and it just less than $30.

Edit: On Ebay there is one for $35.00

 

[Kingcreek]

Surefire M951 with SR02 cable switch because I don't like vertical foregrips. The rail mounted cable switch gives me fingertip control for either instant on/off or momentary light with pressure pad.
about $275. I know, its not cheap. and I know, I can get light to shine forth from my AR for less money, but its an essential part of my serious CQB rig.

 

[Markbo]

Wow. I had no idea. Nothing I will ever shoot with a rifle is close enough to be illuminated by a flashlight.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Nothing I will ever shoot with a rifle is close enough to be illuminated by a flashlight.

2 things with that one.

1) If you are using a rifle for home defense and you don't have a light then you are crazy. Any weapon you use for home defense should have some kind of light, so I think it's great the OP is looking for one. The "rifles for home defense" topic has been beaten to death and it's clearly the conventional wisdom so no need to hash that out again.

2) On a target with 8 inch letters I can read the letters from 100 yards out with my Surefire in total darkness.

I had the 225 lumen bulb in, could identify the target at 100 yards and closer
Friend of mine, Techbrute from THR here had the 120 lumen bulb in his, he could identify the target at about 60-70 yards and closer.

We did this during the low light portion of a carbine class. The restriction was you could only engage the target after telling the instructor what letter was on your target.

I'd say those are certainly appropriate ranges for a carbine.

 

[HorseSoldier]

+1 the Surefire G2 and standard scope rings. There are much more expensive options but that basic set up works well for what 99% of the folks out there actually need. And like Bartholomew Roberts said, it's also easy to keep it running -- especially if you're going to use the light for any kind of real training, etc. Something like a Millenium Surefire may be nice, but when it gets slammed into a door frame entering a shoot house it's a whole lot more painful, financially speaking.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

This isn't an AR-15 but it may give you an idea. Here is my Rock Ola M1 with a Surefire G2 in a Viking Tactics offset mount attached to an Ultimak rail.





(It's mounted on the right side because I am left handed. I can activate the tailcap switch with my right thumb.)

You could attach a VT mouth to the rail on your AR15 in such a position so that you could activate it with your off hand's thumb.

 

[uneasy_rider]

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