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Posted: 4/13/2009 9:11:13 PM EDT
| Is there any real reason why on shotguns most people put the flashlight on the bottom of the weapon instead of the left or right sides of the weapon? |
| A light at six o'clock is more streamlined (less chance of getting snagged), though I would rather mount a light at 9 o'clock (or 3 for lefties) because that's where your thumb normally is. I don't actually know if most people mount it on the bottom unless you count the SureFire forends. It's really personal preference. |
| Note, I' am a lefty. On my 870P I use a Surefire forend. On my AR15 I have a Surfire 9P mounted on the left rail (9 o clock) so I can tap the switch with my thumb when I use my verical foregrip. If I were to use a light and a clamp on my shotgun I would mount the light on right, just for quicker access to the tail cap switch. If I had a curly cord switch I would put the light on the bottom. |
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I have a Fab Tech forend on my 870 and have a Streamlight TRL-1 mounted in the 9 o'clock position. I can control the light with my thumb very easily. I also run the Knoxx stock and I have yet to experience any discomfort in my forend hand while shooting.
One thing I have noticed, though, is the light does cast a shadow with it being so far back on the barrel, but I think it's safe to say that the TRL would still blind a would be zombie. |
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Quoted:
A light at six o'clock is more streamlined (less chance of getting snagged), though I would rather mount a light at 9 o'clock (or 3 for lefties) because that's where your thumb normally is. I don't actually know if most people mount it on the bottom unless you count the SureFire forends. It's really personal preference. I have mine on the 9-o clock position, it sits just forward of where my thumb sits. Its pretty much out of the way, since my hand is there, if something was gonna "snag" it would snag on my hand anyways. |
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Quoted:
I have a Fab Tech forend on my 870 and have a Streamlight TRL-1 mounted in the 9 o'clock position. I can control the light with my thumb very easily. I also run the Knoxx stock and I have yet to experience any discomfort in my forend hand while shooting. One thing I have noticed, though, is the light does cast a shadow with it being so far back on the barrel, but I think it's safe to say that the TRL would still blind a would be zombie. Ive noticed the same thing, is that possibly why some people like them closer towards the muzzle and at 6 o'clock? |
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One of the tactical reasons is that if you are in a completely blacked out situation, your barrell throws off quite a shadow. If you are inside, you get splash from the other walls, no big deal. Outdoors, however, that shadow creates a lighting 'blind spot' that makes it really hard to see into. If your light is at 3 or 9 position, that shaow is on the opposite side of the barell from the light (obviously). If you mount it in the 6 o clock, the shadow is directed UP, which is rarely a threat direction (windows and rooftops non withstanding).
THat being said, my shotgun has a TLR-1 mounted at the 3 oclock (I am right handed, I use my forefinger) and my carbine has a TLR-1 mounted at the 2 oclock (same finger, just a MOE handguard). I just have to accept the issue with the shadow. |
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yeah, the infamous shadow phallic...
With how mine is mounted, you get the hot spot pretty much un-obstructed, but the "room filled" wide portion gets cut off. Its not a huge deal anyways. But I HATE tape switches, and having the light further forwards throws the gun off a little. I was surprised at how much the breaching/muzzle brake throws off my shotgun when its on! So the balance of the gun could be another issue. |
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Quoted:
Could reducing how many lumens your light outputs reduce that shadow, since you have less overall residual light to reflect? well sort of. its still gonna make a shadow, but it just wont be as much contrast. What you could do, is get a "turbohead" reflector or get one of the old Surefire X200A's with the super tight beam. The tighter beam will make the shadow less noticable. In all honesty, its not that big of a deal anyways. |
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Quoted:
I have a Fab Tech forend on my 870 and have a Streamlight TRL-1 mounted in the 9 o'clock position. I can control the light with my thumb very easily. I also run the Knoxx stock and I have yet to experience any discomfort in my forend hand while shooting. One thing I have noticed, though, is the light does cast a shadow with it being so far back on the barrel, but I think it's safe to say that the TRL would still blind a would be zombie. I have that same setup, but I put my light on the 3 oclock side and run it with my index finger. I wanted the light in the same place on my carbine and shotgun, and the left side of my carbine has my forward sling loop. |
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