Shotgun mounted lights and shock-isolation.

[Till]

How many of you have a light mounted to your shotgun?

I've had a SL TL-3 (specifically this) mounted on my shotgun (a Benelli supernova tac) via a picatinny rail adapter on the mag tube for quite a while now, but never got the opportunity to shoot it with the light attached until recently.

Other than the recoil knocking the entire flashlight out of the holder (easily fixed by tightening it with a wrench one good time) the first shot, I had no bulb problems due to the TL3's shock isolation.

After shooting several times with both 00Buck and slugs, I took the TL3 out of the holder, reared back, and whacked it against the wooden shooting table just to test the shockproof-ness again. No problems, it still worked perfectly. I was expecting to be replacing the bulb after this.

Anyway, another question (since I do not own any shock-isolated Surefire lights): Is Streamlight's shock-isolation on par with Surefire's?

 

[Mdinana]

No idea about what's on par with what.

I do, however, have a 6PL mounted on my shotgun. It works fine after 10 rounds of 00 and 15 rounds of #4 bird. Didn't try with slugs, mainly b/c the range was super busy and I didn't want to have to explain things to anyone.

 

[Till]

Aren't LEDs naturally shock-proof anyway?

 

[Solscud007]

yes they are. That is one of the selling points of LEDs. Im not familiar with Streamlight's SI system. But I do have a few SF with SI.

The M2/LU60 head has a neoprene shock absorber so the bulb can move around in all directions. Same with the M-series lights. M3, M6 head all have the same shock isolating setup.

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

While LED lights are quite strong, any light you plan to use mounted on a firearm, needs to be tested on that firearm. I've seen pistols start to malfunction due to the weight of lights added to them, some lights will turn off from the battery losing connection with the + or - terminal, and some electronics just go haywire when subjected to shock. Even lights that come with mounts, need to be tested on the firearm you are going to use them on. Period. Testing a light on a 5.56 then moving it to a .308 is not a good test if the light is shock resistant or can handle heavier recoil. Some multi battery lights have also had problems from the nipples on the batteries getting flattened from recoil, then not making contact with each other.
Just things to keep in mind.

 

[vtunderground]

I used to have a Pelican M6 LED mounted on my Remington 870 12-gauge. It took the recoil from just four slugs to effectively destroy the light (the LED became detached).

 

[Mercaptan]

I say go for the Surefire forend - heck, it costs a lot; but it was designed from the ground-up as a shotgun light.

Ones for Remington 870s are pretty cheap, 200 dollars shipped if you look around. Then throw in a P60L assembly, and you've got a 618LFA which retails for 350 dollars for some 250 bucks.

This is what I am currently doing with my shotgun. Hopefully I will have some results in a week.

 

[Neubauej]

Believe it or not, but I have a Rayovac Sportsman Extreeme 3w mounted to the end of my Rem 870 Super Mag 12 ga. with a magazine extension tube clamp. It stays put, and keeps working just fine even after 20 consecutive rounds of 3 1/2" 00 magnum buckshot, and many, many other rounds. 200+ as of this wrighting. Cheap, Effective, Rugged. Whats not to like?

 

[angelofwar]

I have a 918FA (basically an M3...shock isolated unlike the 6-V shotgun forends) on my 870 Marine Magnum...put some Magnum turkey loads, buck shot, and slugs through it and the light still works fine. I say if you want a shotgun light, buy a "shotgun" light...(i.e. a proper "weapon light")otherwise, your attaching a flashlight to your shotgun, and the reliability that comes with it.

 

[Size15's]

I have a 918FA (basically an M3...shock isolated unlike the 6-V shotgun forends)

All of SureFire's incandescent dedicated forend WeaponLights are shock isolated.

The 618FA for example has the Z32 shock isolated bezel.

 

[Scattergun]

I have a 458 WinMag with a weaver-rail on the barrel... I wonder if any of these lights will take the beating? Haven´t had the nerves to test it with a light assembled onto the rifle

 

[Till]

Unfortunately Surefire doesn't make a forend light for my shotgun.

 

[angelofwar]

All of SureFire's incandescent dedicated forend WeaponLights are shock isolated.

The 618FA for example has the Z32 shock isolated bezel.

I stand corrected! Thanks Size 15...I must have been looking at the "home-made" 618FA's.

 

[Size15's]

Note that the 618L features the P60L and a standard "6P" bezel (so no shock isolation system).

 

[Meltdown]

the SF weapon lights are shock isolated ONLY if you use their special (and expensive) taped-together 6v battery pack. if you just pop two CR123's in there you can have problems because the batteries will slap together and transfer the shock to the bulb assembly.

 

[Size15's]

the SF weapon lights are shock isolated ONLY if you use their special (and expensive) taped-together 6v battery pack. if you just pop two CR123's in there you can have problems because the batteries will slap together and transfer the shock to the bulb assembly.

It's a bit more complicated then that.
SureFire have not been offering their SF223AC and SF323AC battery sticks for several years - there is less and less need because SF123A's are so cheap that they don't need to spend as long in the WeaponLight such that they become damaged (crushed) and exhibit intermittent contact issues.

SureFire WeaponLights, unlike their flashlights, have a physical barrier preventing the batteries (or battery stick) from slamming into the back of the Lamp Assembly under the forces of recoil.
This barrier is in the Lamp Module Adapter Collar or Lamp Module Body.

In SureFire flashlights and WeaponLights the batteries are held between the spring contact in the TailCap, and the spring contact of the Lamp Assembly (I realise there are exceptions...). This method allows the batteries to remain in good quality contact.
In SureFires with shock isolated bezels there is a further buffer - the Lamp Assembly is also isolated from the bezel so there is
[front of bezel]~shock isolation~[Lamp Assembly]*~spring contact~[batteries]~spring contact~[TailCap switch]
In SureFire WeaponLights the physical stop is located at the *

If you change the batteries at the end of each use of the firearm then you significantly mitigate the need for 'shock-isolated' battery sticks.
(obviously one could inspect the batteries for signs of crushing during cleaning of the firearm to determine whether changing unused batteries is actually necessary)

Al

 

[abinok]

Theres a Malkoff in a G2 mouned to my shotgun via a 1913 tri rail forend. With 1270 rounds of birdshot, buck, and slugs through it, its still running just fine.

 

[Meltdown]

size 15's, thanks for the technical correction/update. interesting stuff.

also nice to hear the Malkoffs are holding up to recoil. i might mod one of my older SF L60 modules with a Malkoff M60 and see how goes.