As my first build comes close to an end I find myself looking into sole tactical accessories. My big one is a light, I have a fixed front sight and my rail does not extend past it, I’m being told by my buddies with AR’s I should get a rail that extends past the sight so I can mount in the 12 o’clock position. Tactical speaking wouldnt an offset mount work fine, say at the 1 oclock position? I feel like an offset mount could be a snag point if I was wearing a lot of gear but for HD wouldn’t an offset mount be fine?
Also light models suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I use SF6P with a VLTOR offset light mount it in the 1 o clock position.
On a kac ras carbine length. I actually find if you are limited to a carbine length rail that the 1 o clock position works fairly well for me.
A light mounted at 3 o’clock (with VFG) or 9 o’clock (w/o VFG) works fine for me, so I don’t need a super long rail. If you want low dollar but serviceable, a Streamlight TLR1 is fine. A Surefire X300 is a good step up, and simplifies things for now. Of course you can spend over 500 bucks on a weaponlight, but until you really know what you want, I would stick to the more reasonably priced lights myself.
An offset mount will be fine. I don’t really like the 12:00 mount position, but there are those who swear by it. There are several who say anything except a 12:00 is not acceptable because of barrel shadow, but I don’t agree. I have been doing house clearing in a tactical environment for more than twelve years, and I beleive that shadow is just not an issue in a dynamic environment (at least for me it’s not).
I have a Surefire G2 LED mounted at the 10 o’clock position with a VTAC mount. The light is far enough forward that it’s edge lines up perfectly with the front edge of the FSB making almost no noticable shadow. The 10 o’clock position works well because I index my thumb forward.
I haven’t had a problem with it catching any gear because I’m very conscious of it and I don’t let my rifle hang. It’s more of a software issue with me rather than a hardware issue. If my light catches anything I’m wearing, it would be from the waist down and chances are if that happens, the muzzle is pointing at my feet.
I like the bayonet lug mount. The lug serves no other useful purpose for me. Mounting my Surefire there keeps things streamlined, symmetrical and balanced. Nothing hanging out to the side to get in the way or obstruct my view, and I can activate the light with my thumb by pushing on the front sling swivel. I shoot both right and left-handed so I like things balanced and ambi. It’s the cheapest, lightest, most solid way I’ve found to mount a light on an AR and it doesn’t require rails. Very effective.
I have the same setup as you, not that it matters, and I agree 100%. Both the 1 and 11 o’clock positions are more than acceptable places for a light on a carbine-length rail. I find the difference between where a light casts the shadow of the barrel from the 12 o’clock position, and either the 1 or 11 o’clock positions, to be of little or no concern.
An offset at the 1 or 11 position would work fine. You get a little shadowing from the barrel but not enough to effect your ability to ID a target. As for the light itself, Surefire G2L as someone mentioned. For the price, output and lifetime warranty, its hard to beat. I use a couple of G2’s on different longguns. Nice thing is if you want to upgrade bulbs , its an easy swap, same as adding a tape switch in the future if thats your thing. As for mounts, any of the major manufacturors would work fine. I have Larue, VLTOR, VTAC, DC and several others. Each has its pro/cons for my use . If you want to go really cost effective, some 1" scope rings would work although you dont get the closeness to the barrel like the Vltor or DC mount. As for a snag hazard, I have yet to have my M4 barrel get snagged because of an offset light mount.
I have a M600C Scout light in a Gear Sector off set scout mount on my BCM 16" middy with standard FSB and DD 9.0 rail. I have the mount on the top rail with the light hanging off in the 11:00/10:00 position. This is hands down the best mount set up I have ever used, very solid and positions the light perfectally so I can activate it with either hand. When I shoot reaction side, my thumb can ride over the top rail and hit the push button tail cap to activate the light.
Don’t know, I’ve never had a threat on the ceiling
Seriously, I have never noticed any distracting shadowing effects. It works very well and I also like the fact that it does not add any extra width to the carbine.
