In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
I need a mount to put a flashlight on an 870.
kissgoodnight
Member Posts: 4,063 ✭✭✭
Does anyone know where I can get one? And is one better than others?
I just shot a possom trying to get to my chickens and it is difficult holding a flashlight under the shotgun and shooting at the same time. Thanks for your help...
I just shot a possom trying to get to my chickens and it is difficult holding a flashlight under the shotgun and shooting at the same time. Thanks for your help...
Comments
tho i remeber a few years ago back home in IN. a local hunter found a company that made rail systems for mossy and rem. Tac ? somthing sorry i cant be more help but someone does make them.
tried google?
www.elzetta.com is one I have on mine. You need a extended mag tube for most brackets.
www.gggaz.com/remington-870-forearm-flashlight-mount.html replaces the forearm.
It is going to depend on how much you want to spend.
Does anyone know where I can get one? And is one better than others?
I just shot a possom trying to get to my chickens and it is difficult holding a flashlight under the shotgun and shooting at the same time. Thanks for your help...
As mentioned, there are plenty of pro-quality shotgun flashlight mounts available. How much do you want to spend, and where on the gun do you want to stick the light? Here are some ideas:
Tacstar sidesaddle mount ($30):
Its not elegant, but for an application where your life isn't on the line (eg killing a possum), a few thick rubber bands or cut sections of inner tube will work fine to hold a flashlight against the gun, without having to take off any gluey residue later, drill and tap anything, or buy aftermarket parts.
In my opinion, there is something to be said about being able to shine a light at something WITHOUT violating rule #1 of gun safety (ie never point your gun at something you're not willing to destroy). Hard to do that when the light is deliberately mounted to point at the center of the point of impact of the gun!
One way around this is just to get a military style right-angle flashlight and, when necessary, clip it to your belt, collar, or put it in your front pocket.
Here's another cheapo solution: (EDIT: Laserlyte tri-mount, about $25):
Lastly, a flashlight cap may look a little corny, but I think it could also work for this sort of thing:
My comments are just based on the 36 years I spent in law enforcement and the 14 years as a SWAT leader then commander in SoCal. Using the free-hand light away from the body has pros and cons, as do any actions in a firefight. With the light off to the side it can be difficult to acquire the sights and it makes manovuering problematic in interior spaces. Most lights I have used with momentary (deadman) switches also have an on/off setting if needed.
If you are thinking about use as a defensive shotgun then the light should be on the shotgun - NEVER on your body, makes too good an aiming point for the opposition - and should have a momentary switch of some sort so you can turn it off while moving, loading, etc. If it's just for shooting the porkie out of the tree any of the clamp systems work fine once they are aligned to the bore.
I think ideally any "tactical" mount you use should let you turn the light on or off from a firing position. Having a "dead man" type control that requires you to hold the "on" button down to stay on or make quick flashes might have an advantage, but I think a simple "on/off" can work fine.
On guns/lights I've been counseled just the opposite.
If the light is on your the gun and in shooting position, its directly in front of you. A shot to the light likely isn't going to work out too well for you.
If the gun is in one hand and the flashlight another, you can hold the light hand away from your body creating a safety "gap". This has been termed the "FBI technique", since, well, its the technique FBI agents are trained to use (see below).
As mentioned above, all these separate flashlight/gun techniques also potentially let you point the gun and flashlight in different directions, which has safety, and potentially tactical advantages.
EG: What if you want to use the light but holster/sling your gun? Depending on what kind of flashlight mount you use on your gun, you may. . .or may not. . .be easily able to remove and replace the light from your gun, as the situation demands.
Here is a good tutorial on the various longarm/flashlight techniques, including the FBI one (which admittedly works better for pistols).
http://www.nrapublications.org/si/HB_longgun.html
Unfortunately, none of these are ideal for pump action shotguns, but you can use a variation of the Rogers (surefire) handgun technique reasonably well with a small light and a bit of practice.
And here's the complementary one for pistols:
http://www.nrapublications.org/si/HB_handgun.html
Edit: Responding to above, your points are all well taken.
On the "FBI"/light away from body technique, I think of that as something intended mostly for use in open spaces, and again, more suited to use with a handgun than a longarm.
I'm not saying its the "best" way to do things, and it certainly wouldn't make sense to do this trying to shoot a possum near your chicken coop. On the other hand, if you are worried about your light drawing fire, its probably does make sense to consider it, that's all.
as for the attached or hand-held debate; if I'm room clearing, of which I've done lots of over the last 20 years, I don't want to have another thing to carry and manipulate when I have a long gun. Trying to hold a light in the direction I want while holding a shotgun/rifle-carbine/or even a little mp-5k is not always easy, and honestly the last thing I want to be doing in such a situation is fiddling with a seperate flashlight. I want it mounted and sighted on the weapon, it's one less thing to think about under stress.
It's hard enough to accurately fire a handgun in the dark with a flashlight in hand, and everyone who has or uses both should practice it once in a while to see what style works best for them. Actually firing a long gun with a flashlight in hand, especially an 870 with a buck or slug load, is a real challenge to say the least.
I think Plumbers tape held it on the gun. Flat metal strap with a zillion holes and a couple bolts and nuts. Not sexxy by today's standards but effective.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260676626009&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390217852289&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
This mount seems to do all folk want today, tactical grip , qd, holds and operates light, storage with color choice.
I still have a lot to learn about flash lights before i spend even this kind of money but it looks reasonable.
I still have my * hunting light.