Shotgun Lights ..... what's economical?

City Boy

City Boy

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This year I found myself alone in bear country and I realized that I do not own a firearm with a light. I have been in much more remote areas before, but never alone; I would have had at least one hunting partner that could hold a flashlight, if some big predator were to cause trouble. So, I found myself wondering how I might have to hold a flashlight and a shotgun, if something were to happen.

Does anyone just use a regular flashlight in these kind of circumstances? Is an attached light even necessary?

What are the most economical ways to have a decent light attached to a shotgun? Do people share a detachable light with other firearms like pistols and such? Is a light attached to a magpul forend an economical answer?

It looks like shotgun lights can get quite expensive and maybe one of those Mossberg shotguns with a built in light in the foreend might be an economical way to get a light.
 
A decent quality light attached to the Magpul forend will work as well as anything. For work in the bush something with multiple brightness settings and good power is a good idea. I like the Fenix PD35.
 
City Boy said:
This year I found myself alone in bear country and I realized that I do not own a firearm with a light. I have been in much more remote areas before, but never alone; I would have had at least one hunting partner that could hold a flashlight, if some big predator were to cause trouble. So, I found myself wondering how I might have to hold a flashlight and a shotgun, if something were to happen.

Does anyone just use a regular flashlight in these kind of circumstances? Is an attached light even necessary?

What are the most economical ways to have a decent light attached to a shotgun? Do people share a detachable light with other firearms like pistols and such? Is a light attached to a magpul forend an economical answer?

It looks like shotgun lights can get quite expensive and maybe one of those Mossberg shotguns with a built in light in the foreend might be an economical way to get a light.
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I have this setup on all my Maverick 88 shotguns and it's cheap as dirt and work great but you cannot use a scabbard with the light in place.

$2.93 US dollar LED flashlight.

$5.00 dollars canadian 20mm-Weaver-Picatinny-Rail-Barrel-Mount-25-4mm-1-Ring-Scope-Adapter]

$2.70 US dollar Pair-Single-Scope-Ring-Profile-Weaver-Rail-Mount

$4.54 US dollar Tactical-1-Offset-Picatinny-Weaver-Rail-Mount-4-Flashlight-Quick-Release-

These should get you started. Use the optics mount to mount to the flashlight. The flashlights are of great quality but spend the coin and buy a real Samsung battery for it and you'll be happy as all get out with this cheap as dirt setup.....
 
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gmctech said:
I have this setup on all my Maverick 88 shotguns and it's cheap as dirt and work great but you cannot use a scabbard with the light in place.

$2.93 US dollar LED flashlight.

$5.00 dollars canadian 20mm-Weaver-Picatinny-Rail-Barrel-Mount-25-4mm-1-Ring-Scope-Adapter]

$2.70 US dollar Pair-Single-Scope-Ring-Profile-Weaver-Rail-Mount

$4.54 US dollar Tactical-1-Offset-Picatinny-Weaver-Rail-Mount-4-Flashlight-Quick-Release-

These should get you started. Use the optics mount to mount to the flashlight. The flashlights of of great quality but spend the coin and buy a real Samsung battery for it and you'll be happy as all get out with this cheap as dirt setup.....
Click to expand...

this is a gret idea. I have most of this stuff in the spare parts bin
 
Not sure I'd want a $3 flashlight and a bunch of parts bin castoffs if you're thinking you may need this light and shotgun because you're in bear country...

I run a Streamlight TLR-1 mounted on a GG&G rail section. Shopping around it cost me less than $200 for both the light and rail attachment, and it's good quality. The TLR can be used on railed pistols, or on my AR by mounting to rail sections.
 
Phat Eagle said:
Not sure I'd want a $3 flashlight and a bunch of parts bin castoffs if you're thinking you may need this light and shotgun because you're in bear country...

I run a Streamlight TLR-1 mounted on a GG&G rail section. Shopping around it cost me less than $200 for both the light and rail attachment, and it's good quality. The TLR can be used on railed pistols, or on my AR by mounting to rail sections.
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I've found in today's market place price has little to do with quality in a vast array of product categories ... There's even a $20,000 USD Android phone available for purchase and it has less of a processor than my $150 Chinese knock off UMI brand that has proven to be a work horse. I've had these flashlights for forever.... use them in the Arctic, in the oilfields and pipelining. Not so much as a glitch I'd put my $3 flashlight with a Samsung battery up against a $100 version any day. These little buggers have lubricated rubber seals in them and I haven't had any issues yet.

I can see one not trusting because of the price point but take it from someone who has real life experience using these flashlights, they work, they don't puke their guts out when attached to a shotgun and it's fired... when I push the button it turns on. Don't knock it because it's economical till you've tried it...
 
Just buy a proper forend. Used Surefires can often be fairly reasonable. Even some of the most reputable lights will die out after a box of double ought.
 
I'd opt for a good head lamp in the bush any day. Batteries last way longer (inexpensive AAA vs expensive CR123), and most important you wont be muzzle sweeping your buddy!
 
I have a little fenix pd 35 mounted on my 590 that I bought on amazon for around $60. It's 960 lumens and shines a bright beam a long ways out. Of course you can spend a lot more and a lot less. If I ever had to draw my shotgun on a predator in the dark, I know I'd be glad to have something that shines a little further out than a headlamp that runs on aaa batteries. You are probably already carrying one of those anyways.
Lots of options and opinions out there, that's just what I went with. All set up, under $100 is pretty worth it if something goes bump in the night out there.
 
RielM said:
I have a little fenix pd 35 mounted on my 590 that I bought on amazon for around $60. It's 960 lumens and shines a bright beam a long ways out. Of course you can spend a lot more and a lot less. If I ever had to draw my shotgun on a predator in the dark, I know I'd be glad to have something that shines a little further out than a headlamp that runs on aaa batteries. You are probably already carrying one of those anyways.
Lots of options and opinions out there, that's just what I went with. All set up, under $100 is pretty worth it if something goes bump in the night out there.
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X2 on my SA15. I plan to move the mount and light as far forward as I can (I'm reading Kyle Lam right now.....) and will then run it with a tape switch to my foregrip.

CJjLc9E.jpg


On my "go to" shotgun, a modded up HP9-1, I have a Surefire forend and a Malkoff device upgrade.

DSCN3428_zpsr1x0apxi.jpg
 
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+2 for a set of cheap weaver rings and a two pack of cheapo mastercraft "tactical" led flashlights, $10 for the two pack of lights. Have had the light on my 12g for a year and a half and it has stood up to recoil from slugs to buckshot and target load, has high, low and strobe functions and takes 3 AAA's. Works like a champ and didn't cost much, I already had the rail on the underside of the forearm.

 
I'm looking for something like that ^ because the Surefire forend costs almost as much as the DA grizzly did.

I plan to mount it on top of the receiver, though.
 
stevebc said:
I'm looking for something like that ^ because the Surefire forend costs almost as much as the DA grizzly did.

I plan to mount it on top of the receiver, though.
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It works great, it's far enough forward on my Fabarm forend that it isn't in the way and I can turn it on or off while I'm aiming it. Plus it lights up my POI nicely, puts the muzzle of my shotgun in the centre of the illumination. Not that I have ever needed it on my Fabarm, I'm likely going to more it over to my 12.5" grizzly as a truck/camp gun. I mounted it up more to see if a cheap light would hold up to the recoil, it has impressed my a lot.
 
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