Light for my AR-15

[psu5arp]

Ok, first off, I'm new here so be easy on me. I grew up loving Maglites and I thought they were the coolest thing ever. My brother actually has a ton of them that he used to get himself after working around the house for money. I wish I knew then how bring lights could be..... Anyways, i'm 21 now, and recently started reading stuff on here and I'm interested in getting a light for my AR-15. Now, I'm on other gun forums and have read what they have to say but I wanna hear it from the actual flashlight gurus. I already have a Fenix T1 (got last week), and I ordered one of these http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12060 hoping it is going to be all it's hyped to be. I also ordered some rechargeable 123's and 18650's.

However, I want to get a good light for using outdoors with my AR. I'm guessing some throw would be good, but I wouldnt mind spill either. I also would like to keep mount and light cost together to under $50-75.


Also, if you could post links to where I could order the mount for my AR so I could actually mount the light on my gun it'd be great.

This is my AR (now has a carry handle on top)

Thanks

 

[yekim]

On Mine, when I get around to it, I am going to go with a http://www.crosstac.com/AR-15-Accessories/Cletus-Front-Sight-Picatinny-Rail.html and a TLR1 or maybe a 6p with a LED drop on of some sort. You could go insane with the rail set ups, and spend anywhere from $150 to $500 on rails and another pile of cash on a SF VFG/Light, but I want to try and go as KISS as possible....but a HD (Home Def.) AR needs a good light on it.

My HD AR is virtually the same set up as yours except I scored an EoTech for it.

You can go cheaper and buy a rail that mounts to your handguards from like Tapco or some thing, and then use a 1" scope mount to mount up a Surefire G2 with shock bezel or a knock off of some sort. That would keep you in your price range. There are cheaper mounts that clamp onto the front sight on either side and I have seen folks mount a TLR1 on them and it seem to work alright for a little less dough than the Cletus mount.

 

[Xak]

Stick a 2008 Inova T3 in one of these mounts:

http://www.botachtactical.com/kzofm.html

 

[seattlite]

....
However, I want to get a good light for using outdoors with my AR. I'm guessing some throw would be good, but I wouldnt mind spill either. I also would like to keep mount and light cost together to under $50-75.
...

Between $50-$75....Lets see. Here are some pretty decent mounts:
http://www.commandarms.com/categories.asp?cID=19 (click on product to see animation)
http://www.vltor.com/vltor-mountables.htm

Get the mount that fits your flashlight body.

Lights...if you can afford it, get an E-series LED or a G2L. Then when you get more funds you can get a SF Tailcap/Switch module for the E-Series(UE07) or C-Series(XM07). You might be able to use your Fenix T1 if you can find the right diameter mount.

If you want a dedicated Weaponlight, the Streamlight TLR-1 is about $90 from a couple of vendors. Lux 3, but brigher than the SF X200, and easier to mount than the SF X200/300.

 

[Paladin]

Another TLR-1 owner, actually I have a pair of them! LAPoliceGear has them now for just under $90. The Streamlight handguard rail is another $15 or so. You get what you pay for, so I strongly suggest waiting till you can afford a good quality light.

If you retain the standard factory sling swivel the TLR-1 mount can be closer to 10 oclock. If you intend to add a rail system later, a G2L would also be a good cost effective option.

Paladin

ps, Botach is the devil, check their online reputation carefully before doing business with them.

 

[sbninja]

Hey Psu5arp, I'm pretty new also:wave:

I posted this recently on ar15.com (173 views no replies:thinking

$50-75 might be tough, not impossible - maybe try used for the mounts , to keep the cost down.

A couple of pics of my new Surefire 6p(w/270 lumen Cree Q5 from ebay) , CAA flaslight mount, and Midwestindustries front sight rail mount.

 

[DaFABRICATA]

$50-$75 is gonna be kinda tough though.


I have some Surefire weaponlight parts here in this thread.
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=176569

 

[psu5arp]

Thanks for all the replies, just got back from coaching youth soccer to find some good stuff here. So I like the ideas, but I don't have a picatinny rail and don't wanna upgrade my rails on my gun. So it looks like one of the mounts that attaches to the Front Sight will do.

Now, I have to figure out which light. And I'm wondering why not go with some light from DX? or somewhere similar. It seems to me that I don't need a fancy nice light that will go on my gun and get beat up. Why not but a high output less expensive one on it so that when I beat it up it won't bother me as much. Also, I'll have a backup on me so it's not the end if my light breaks thats on my gun.... (plus I kinda hope I won't be in any crazy combat situations, and in that instance I might rather have a gun in my hand so they don't shoot toward the light and hit me)

By the way, the mount I'm ordering has the capability of fitting a light 0.7 to 1.1 inches in diameter (18 to 28 mm). Any less expensive but still good ideas????

Oh, and thanks Sbninja for the ideas about the ones mounted to the sights!

 

[CM]

Thanks for all the replies, just got back from coaching youth soccer to find some good stuff here. So I like the ideas, but I don't have a picatinny rail and don't wanna upgrade my rails on my gun. So it looks like one of the mounts that attaches to the Front Sight will do...

Those tend to obstruct your view. You should get one that mounts on the side or on the bottom. There are mounts that allow you to put the light on the bottom. However, they seem flimsy to me. I would highly recommend replacing the plastic handguard with a lightweight rail system (Daniel Defense or Larue) since it greatly enhances the versatility of the gun. Anything you mount on the rail will be secure. I know you said you don't want to upgrade but I think you should consider it.

 

[psu5arp]

Those tend to obstruct your view. You should get one that mounts on the side or on the bottom. There are mounts that allow you to put the light on the bottom. However, they seem flimsy to me. I would highly recommend replacing the plastic handguard with a lightweight rail system (Daniel Defense or Larue) since it greatly enhances the versatility of the gun. Anything you mount on the rail will be secure. I know you said you don't want to upgrade but I think you should consider it.

I would except I don't have that much money to do it right now..... I found some that will be mount the light below and is supposed to be pretty sturdy.

 

[sbninja]

You can get a Solarforce light with a cree r2 pretty inexpensive from ebay. It seems to bee a surefire 6p clone. Here's a recent post
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=190442
If you can get it for the price in this post (ebay) and get a midwest industries front sight rail. You can just mount this light with a 1" scope mount. This will definitely keep the cost down.