Question for those of you that have Battle Rifles (FAL, HK, M14, Garand, AR-10, etc.) Do you mount a light on yours? If yes, why? If not, why not?

No weapon light on my FAL or M14, no need, I only shoot them at a range that's only open during the day, and they aren't my go to rifles if I needed to grab a rifle during the night.  I have an AR for that...

I would like to get an ultimate rail on my m1 but until then nope.

M14 is about to get one as well.

On my "historical" rifles- FALs, M14s, FN49, L1A1- no. On my 6.5 CM and .308 ARs- yes. My .308 AR is one of my small handful of go-to rifles.

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to put one on my Larue .308 AR-10, as it is one of my go to rifles. It's got a TA-11 on top so still doable for CQB.

If the rifle in question is a historical range toy (FAL, PTR-91, or M1A), no.  If it's intended to be a fighting rifle, (SCAR, Spear, AR-10), yes.

Every "serious" weapon of mine gets a wml,, hand and rifle. Range guns may or may not....

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I have a Surefire G2X on my SFAR. Don’t really see myself grabbing it for anything serious but better to have it and not need it, especially for under $100 with a mount.

This right here. For what my stg58 and M1a are set up for, there is no use for a light. Lastly I don't want either of those ending up sitting in a locker for years while impounded for evidentiary means, they can have an AR.

I do not have one on mine at this moment because its on a different gun right now. I need to save up for another light to put on it. I put a light on any gun that can be used at night. I don't have night vision, I'm not impressed with any of the cheap night/thermal "optics" out there right now. Flashlights work. I often couple them with a spot light.

I only have experience with the M1A. The AR10 should be pretty obvious, you just get a mount that works with your handguard. With the M1A there are multiple ways to go about this depending on what you you have. M1A/M14's can range from basic wood stock rifles and open sights, all the way to full aluminum chassis systems and any optic imaginable. There's stocks out there with as much m lok and picatinny as any ar10.

Assuming you don't have that, and don't want to buy that, one option is a clamp on mount such as from midwest industries. This does mount to the barrel, so I'm unsure how it effect accuracy.

Another option is different handguard. There's a bunch out there with different m lock, picatinny, maybe more.

Probably the cheapest option is a front sling mount adapter you can use on a wood stock such as this one. https://www.amazon.com/Accessory-MIL-STD-1913-Picatinny-Springfield-Armory/dp/B000G76IS0
It might be a little work to find a flashlight mount if you want the flashlight on the sides.

I suppose there is nothing stopping you from bolting a universal chunk of picatinny on the side of a wood stock either. If you really wanted to get fancy, there should be enough wood, and enough clearance inside to file a flat and make a backer plate to sandwich the mount.

My .308 AR is in my "go to" collection. Since I can't guarantee everything will happen outside on a nice sunny day, it gets a light.

Yes, because I like being able to see far away when it’s dark. When the urban hordes are coming towards my neighborhood in Minecraft, I want to see the pink mist.

All of my serious rifles have serious white lights.

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My FAL has one.  One of them I should say.  If I ever need a .308 it’s the one I’m grabbing.

  Ironically enough the old magpul moe picatinny mounts fit perfectly on the FAL handguards side vent holes so that’s how I mounted it, with inner tube holding the tape switch.

My AR10 SBR will be getting one eventually

My scar will get one soon, but I haven't yet. I plan to get a nice surefire in an ADM qd mount that can get moved between rifles a little bit. Don't really need $1k worth of flashlights laying around. But a few nice ones don't hurt.

I got the G2Z maxvision, attached a scope ring to it and switch that between my scar and evo 3. Only $150 at the moment, 800 lumens. Highly recommend.

OP, it’s up to you what you choose to be a “toy” and what to be a “tool”. Sometimes you don’t get to pick what time it is when you use a gun.

I don’t think it’s coincidence that all the modern cordless drills (and most other tools) have lights on them. Half the day is dark… and us humans can’t help but make structures with no natural lighting.

If it's a battle rifle from a practical standpoint, yes. My goto AR-10 has a light.

If it's a battle rifle in name only, probably not.