What is your preferred Tac Light position?

Tactical Gear Tactical Lights, Lasers & Knives
1

What location do you prefer to mount your Tactical Flashlight on your rifle/carbine?

2

Best weapon light placement?

3

12 o’ clock??? Why would you do that?

4

That position is increasingly looking like the most effective overall…

Here’s a pic of one of GotM4’s:

5

It is ideal. With the light mounted at any other position around the clock shooting around barricades can become problematic. Try shooting around a left hand barricade with the light at 3 o’clock and you’ll either have to expose a few more inches of yourself and your gun or you’ll accidently splash light against the barricade and illuminate yourself and lose your night vision. Same with right hand and 9 o’clock or over the top of a barricade and the 6 o’clock.

6

C130 IR flood :wink:

7

I’ve been using this setup for a month or so. I like it…

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/HOMELANDEFENDER/2007_1227Bush0010.jpg

HLD…

8

I’m running a M900 so 6 o’clock is the way I go. I know it’s not the best thing to use off a sand bag or barricade, but I make it work. I like the fact that the light is out of my way and has the Nav LEDs. I used them alot in Iraq. I don’t have to deal with any cords to get tangled or broken. I know the M900 is expensive…I mean REALLY expensive, but it was worth the cash.

9

Preferred

But it has it’s disadvantages. Particularly should I switch to wrong handed.

10

11

Top S.B.R. at 3 off set
[http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a313/hkmp5a2/SBRs.jpg[/IMG]"]]([IMG)

MP5 At 6
[http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a313/hkmp5a2/100_1461.jpg[/IMG]"]]([IMG)

On G-17 [http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a313/hkmp5a2/AllGlock.jpg[/IMG]"]]([IMG)

12

I agree that 12 is the optimal placement, but mine are at 10:30 (as per my vote) due to a migration away from pressure pads. 10:30 lets me hit the tailcap with my thumb without modifying my support hand grip.

Placement of my VFG is for ease of light activation.

13

Just about EVERYTHING in terms of weapon configuration is a compromise. Weaponlight location is no exception. The 12 o’clock position is the optimal position in terms of illuminating from all of the odd angles that may occur when clearing rooms, shooting from behind and over different types/dimensions of cover, etc. But it is a compromise when considering which types of lights are compatible with the 12 o’clock position especially when you consider your iron or flip-up sight options. Anything bigger than a X200/X300 will require you to severely limit or even eliminate your front flip-up sight. And when you also take into consideration your switching options for any type of light mounted at the 12, your options are very limited. I like M-Guns (Ned Christiansen) fixed front sight post light mount for the 12 o’clock position with use of a X300, but again, it is a compromise as far as light output and switch configurations.

I prefer to have a 9volt high output light on my carbine, and in my opinion the Surefire M900 vertical grip/weaponlight mounted at 6 o’clock is the best option. The M900 is hefty, but when you consider what it offers: 9 volt shock isolated, super bright incandesent output, low output LED navigation lights, all wrapped up into a rock solid vertical grip package, the benefits “outweigh” the weight penalty of the system.

14

Same here.

15

Interesting, now I really can’t decide where to mount mine! the 12 o clock thing makes more sense now.

16

I have mine mounted pretty much the same way. The problem with wrong handed shooting isn’t a big deal for me since I have a second, identical light mounted on the opposite side. That’s not why I have two lights, but just a happy coincidence.

17

Thekatar,

While I completely understand the rationale behind the 12 o’clock position, it appears that the pictured set-up would be quite akward to operate the activation switch on the X200 especially when using a vertical grip. A XT07 tailcap/pressure pad switch could be added, but the front sight would have to be pushed even further back or completely removed.

Just tryin’ to stimulate some discussion on this to see if there is a better way that doesnt require so many compromises to use the 12 o’clock position…

18

It looks to me like the X300 in the picture above could also be moved forward a slot or two making it easier to acess the rocker switch or give more clearance for a tape switch.

I too just switched to a 10:30 position with a VTAC mount. I haven’t really heard anything bad about this mount yet, but it’s polymer construction has me a little concerned about long term durability, but at it’s price I had to give it a try.

I really like the 10:30 position and ditched my tape switch for a higher hold on my vfg and thumb activation of the light. I feel it’s much more natural, and as others have mentioned elsewhere, I feel like I have better control and can “drive” the front end of the gun better.

-RD62

19

I don’t have mine setup like this yet, but it looks to me pretty natural to press the x300 rocker with the support side thumb, no VFG used.

I may be wrong.

20

GotM4’s pic:

That is a X200 and I agree, it does look like it could be moved up at least one notch if needed.

I have a similar light set up on a JP rifle length handguard and find it to be very natural and easy to access and activate. I also think that with this set up it would be easier to avoid accidentally activating the light.

However, I think that the ease of access to the 12 o’clock placement might depend on the size of your paws and the overall size of the rail system. Fat or wide rail systems might make the light in this position harder to activate if you have small paws.

With the round JP tube it is a breeze even for my medium sized hands.