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Light/torch mounting.

Khyber

Khyber

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Hey, so I'm making this thread purely for discussion on where and why you mount your torch on a rifle. At first I was mounting mine on the right side of my rail as this is what I saw everyone do. I have since moved mine to the bottom for, which for me, is a good reason. I noticed when it was mounted to the right the shadow from the barrel obscured the light and when 'pieing' doorways etc that shadow were quite often in the way and hiding what I was trying to illuminate. Since mounting to the bottom I find this has eliminated this and sent the shadow way up above my point of interest. Though now I have an after market longer rail, I have noticed the shadow is much smaller as the torch is further forward. How do you mount yours and have you experienced such hindrances? Is there a reason you mount it the way you do or is it just from mimicking. Curious on thoughts.

View attachment 89988

 
I've mounted all round, if you're concerned about the shadow you can get a light bar or thorntail (clones available) that push the light even further forward than the rail so you have it almost flush with the end of a suppressor, this is to combat exactly the issue youve had. I have a couple of the clones and they're solid enough. 

For me, where it goes depends on how I intend to activate the light. I've gone from pressure pads, to tail cap buttons back to pressure pads etc and can see the merit for both. I find pressure pads better for if you want to be able to activate with both hands as you can pick a good ambidextrous location for the pad, it's harder to do this when using the tail cap switch. Some people prefer the tail cap as they want white light to be a very deliberate action and to reduce the risk of white light negligent discharge. 

The specific set up of the rif, the barrel length, rail length, whether you have a suppressor or not all come into play. 

I really liked the 11oc with a tail cap, 

However, I eventually decided with a pressure switch it didn't matter, so for ease and cost effectiveness and consistency I tend to pop it in a standard position such as the 3 oc. It works, it's not fancy but it works.

 
I would say torches are generally speaking used for cqb; on short rifles. So mounting a light at 6 o’clock hinders grip. I’d say if you prefer push tail and are right handed, mount it on the left to be operated by your thumb. Mine is on the right as I have a dual torch and peq activated by my thumb using a c grip with my left hand. But this could all be irrelevant if you have just a peq mounted on 12 o’clock. 

 
Khyber said:
Hey, so I'm making this thread purely for discussion on where and why you mount your torch on a rifle. At first I was mounting mine on the right side of my rail as this is what I saw everyone do. I have since moved mine to the bottom for, which for me, is a good reason. I noticed when it was mounted to the right the shadow from the barrel obscured the light and when 'pieing' doorways etc that shadow were quite often in the way and hiding what I was trying to illuminate. Since mounting to the bottom I find this has eliminated this and sent the shadow way up above my point of interest. Though now I have an after market longer rail, I have noticed the shadow is much smaller as the torch is further forward. How do you mount yours and have you experienced such hindrances? Is there a reason you mount it the way you do or is it just from mimicking. Curious on thoughts.

View attachment 89988
Click to expand...


As the others have said if you want rid of the shadow you just want it to be as far forward as you can, how far forward will ultimately depend on the torch. Narrower beams can get away with being further back than wider ones for example. Looks like you've still got some room on that rail to move it forward, so bump it up a few notches and see how you're feeling about it. In terms of which part/side of the rail, if you're using a pressure switch (which it looks like you are), it doesn't really make any difference... just be wary of top mount because depending on your optic height you may well end up blocking it. The sides, or diagonals when using m-lok or a mount that gives you the option, tend to be preferable because it's not in the way of your grip and isn't taking up prime rail space for a grip, PEQ box, sling mount, pressure switches or <insert other 'tactical gubbins' I'm probably forgetting>.

 
I have mine mounted between 12 and 3 o'clock, pretty far forward with pressure pad mounted on top rail.

This setup had been used at a number of CQB sites now and I have no issues with it. The suppressor does cast a bit of a shadow but with 1500 lumens being pumped out, any area I point it at gets so flooded with light that the shadow is negligible.View attachment 89995

View attachment 89993

View attachment 89994

 
Fair question.  I've always mounted as far forward as possible, ideally level with the end of the muzzle, to eliminate shadows.  Then it doesn't really matter what side it's on, although I'll generally go underslung which I suspect is just mild symmetry OCD. 

My MP5K has it lefty-mounted rather than righty, but that's only because I'm out of functional pressure pads and so am having to work it manually like some grunting Piltdown Man.  But again it's so far forward that I've got the bell-end cable tied around the front sight to stabilise it, making the side largely irrelevant from a lighting point of view.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I like mine mounted at the 12 o’clock, I can activate with both hands and the pressure pad for the PEQ site right behind.

View attachment 89997

I think it depends on the type of light your trying to mount and also what your trying to clear at the shooty end.

Light bar’s are the way if your running a suppressor that’s for sure BUT mounting them under the barrel has been done so for a long time because it works…and if it ain’t broke! 

 
I’ve got an Inforce WML on my Mk18 and mount it on the left hand; 9 o’clock rail. 
 

Never had an issue with shadows being cast but then the light head only sits about an inch short of the flash hider. 

 
I mount a big Ledray on the left of my shotgun.   I use my thumb on the end cap.  

I find that it's not just mounting position that effects shadows, but the height of the torch mount and tightness of the beam too.  

 
With a raised optic, 12 o'clock works well for me. Even with a suppressor you only really block the ground you can't see through the gun anyway. Plus if you have a torch with a brighter spot in the middle it doubles as a crude laser, makes it a bit easier to snapshot at close range. 

 
As a right handed shooter, I've always mounted my light on the right hand side of my guns. This is mostly because of thing I read about how your opponent will usually aim AT the light pointing at them so if it's outboard of your body then they're less likely to hit you. Seems to work so I stick with it.

 
Lozart said:
As a right handed shooter, I've always mounted my light on the right hand side of my guns. This is mostly because of thing I read about how your opponent will usually aim AT the light pointing at them so if it's outboard of your body then they're less likely to hit you. Seems to work so I stick with it.
Click to expand...
Never thought of that before but does make perfect sense , think it’s safe to say near all players ‘need’(wether consciously or not)something to aim at so yea totally get it .?

 
Great reading everyone's reasoning. I think @Lozart reason makes most sense as to why you generally see it mounted on the right side. Given that most people are mimicking that look without knowing why. It has made me think about testing this hypothesis. When the dark nights roll in next winter I may try it at 6 o'clock and 3 o'clock and see if I take more hits with it at 6 as opposed to 3. As at 6 it will be more in line with me. Nice to brainstorm about something so seemingly trivial.

 
Khyber said:
Great reading everyone's reasoning. I think @Lozart reason makes most sense as to why you generally see it mounted on the right side. Given that most people are mimicking that look without knowing why. It has made me think about testing this hypothesis. When the dark nights roll in next winter I may try it at 6 o'clock and 3 o'clock and see if I take more hits with it at 6 as opposed to 3. As at 6 it will be more in line with me. Nice to brainstorm about something so seemingly trivial.
Click to expand...


You'll certainly see a difference between mounting at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, let us know what you think though!

 
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