tactical lights - home defense shotgun / feedback

[jacklucas89]

just getting started putting a home defense shotgun. Hunted a lot in my life but never put something together like so I wanted to see if it's better to have a tactical light mounted on the side or under the weapon itself mounted to the pump action...any help is great...I have about $500 to spend.

 

[Six]

On my 870 I have a Streamlight TLR-1 mounted to the left side with a Streamlight adapter mount, it sits right at my thumb.

 

[PowerJoker6.0]

subscribing

 

[swinokur]

Surefire For End. Pricey but best in class IMO. You can go cheaper without suffering however.

Here is a bracket site

www.cdmgear.com
www.elzetta.com

 

[Fred Fuller]

Something like that comes down to personal preference. For years now I've been using the Streamlight 69906 -- http://www.opticsplanet.net/streamlight-rem-870-tactical-mount-69906.html for illustration, choose your own vendor if you decide to order.

Used with a good LED rail-mounted weaponlight like a TLR-1, it's done well for us here.

fwiw,

lpl

 

[brandon_mcg]

i like my light under my gun. have tried it in each place and just feel that it doesnt impede my f.o.v. with under the barrel as opposed to being side mounted

 

[RandKL]

The further away from the centerline of the barrel that you mount your light, the more lateral, shear force you expose the light and mount to and the faster they will fail. Rails screwed into existing forearms and then hung with lights will almost always strip the screws out of the forearm with enough use. I've seen screws actually break from the stress. Lights mounted as close to the centerline of the barrel expose the light/mount to the least shear force and tend to maintain their integrity the longest. Lights mounted far back from the muzzle also tend to create a shadowed field where the light is impeded by the barrel/magtube etc. Closer to the muzzle is always best.

rich