Gun rail attachment to light

I'm not very knowledgeable about gun rail systems so am seeking help. I'm building a small battery box that I want to attach to one of my lights. It measures about 6.5" long x 3" tall and 4" wide. It will weigh about 2.5 - 3 lbs. I want to be able to slide the box on and off easily. Can I get some recommendations for something as small/short and low height as practical and strong enough for this use? Something that uses two screws to attach each of the two pieces to flat surfaces of the box and light is preferable as opposed to something that would have one part clamp around a barrel. Plastic if there is such a thing, or metal would be fine.

Do I understand correctly that you want to mount an 80 cubic inch, 3lb. box on your rifle barrel?

Yeah...is this thing going on a Ma Deuce, or a .22???

The basic answer is - maybe. Depending on the size of the weapon, like AoW pointed out, will influence how you can attach it.

If your weapon is a rifle of some sort, you can get picatinny rail adapters for the weapon and a picatinny female attachment point that attaches to your battery box. Most likely, you will have to do some colorful improvising: most of the picatinny mounts are pre-fixed for a specific device like a flashlight or a laser, etc.

If you had some specifics about the type of weapon and how you wanted it mounted, we might be able to give you some better feedback.

-Trevor

Not sure how I was mis-understood? No, the battery box is going to be attached to my light. I just used the term "gun rail" because I am not sure of the proper name of the sliding rails system. Is there a very simple, short, low profile, inexpensive set of rails that can be easily mounted to two flat surfaces? The same idea as using two pieces of sticky Velcro but in a more solid, sliding rail style.

Maybe I'm readiing the OP wrong, but it sounds like he's asking if there's a way to use a weapon-type rail to mount a battery box to a light. I'm not super familiar with all the mounting options available, and they range from relatively inexpensive (companies like CAA, GG&G, etc., to very expensive quick-release throw-lever type mounts. If I had a big budget I'd look at a picatinney rail for one piece and a throw-lever mount to be attached to the other. If you don't want clamps/rings, I'd start by looking at a mount for an ACOG rifle optic. I think those screw into mounting bases and while you might have to modify the base by drilling/tapping, or enlarging the screw holes, etc...It might work very well. It won't be cheap.

I'm making as assumption that most of these systems have a "catch/detent" where one piece positively locks into the other when fully slid into place. Then some type of button or tab is pushed for release. Links to a particular product are most welcome. Should not be over 6" long and could be a short as 4".

Hi BVH- there are many light mounting options that are targeted toward shooters that might work for you. Some are quick-release and others require a screw driver, allen wrench, etc. I did a quick search on Midway for you here:

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=flashlight+mount

These will mount on "picatinny" rail sections and they come in many lengths that fit within your parameters. They also come as "risers", etc. that will give you more clearance for fingers, etc.

Also from Midway here are a lot of rail sections:

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=picatinny+rail+section

Hopefully that will help a bit or steer you in a direction. Good luck.

Yeah - The male/female picatinnies are a good bet....and sound like what you want.

In for pics of a Hellfighter mounted on a .22 rifle.

OK, looked at the midwayusa (thanks CLBME) and called them to describe what I'm after. Best thing I can see that LOOKS like what I'm after is this:

www.midwayusa.com/product/568482/we...catinny-style-riser-mount-ar-15-flattop-matte

Am I looking at both the "male" and "female" sliders and then the friction screws hold it in place?

If so, then I'm close but there would be no room for the friction "wingscrews" to turn because of the very low profile height. The wings will hit the top of the battery box and the bottom of the light. That's why I am visualizing a push button release type of system.

You're welcome BVH-

It's hard of course to picture what you're trying to do but I had in mind a section of picatinny screwed down your box. For example this:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/771290/tapco-intrafuse-ultimate-accessory-rail-kit


Then a riser on top of that for height:
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=picatinny+riser

Then you could put your light on top of the riser. The riser/picatinny would stay affixed to your battery box. Just the light would come off. The riser should give you clearance?

I'll try to find a picture for you to help illustrate what I'm thinking and whether that even works for you.

ETA- here's a picture.......so you'd have a piece of picatinny screwed to your box then this would go on top- the ring shown would hold your light for example and could be easily removed due to the clearance provided by the riser.

OK, I can see that I failed to give an important detail. The light this is going on has a big, flat metal bottom measuring about 5" wide by 10" long. It's not a conventional round flashlight. I was sending everyone in the wrong direction. Sorry. The first pieces you linked to make sense for screwing to the top of the battery box. Now the piece in the pic...lets pretend the rings are not in the pic. The riser that is left - could I drill some 3 or 4" spaced holes in the middle of it's width, screw it to the bottom of the light with countersunk flathead screws and then slide the two pieces together? If so, how would they stay together? What are those 3 round knobs? I just need two mating rails that slide and lock together.

BVH said:

OK, I can see that I failed to give an important detail. The light this is going on has a big, flat metal bottom measuring about 5" wide by 10" long. It's not a conventional round flashlight. I was sending everyone in the wrong direction. Sorry. The first pieces you linked to make sense for screwing to the top of the battery box. Now the piece in the pic...lets pretend the rings are not in the pic. The riser that is left - could I drill some 3 or 4" spaced holes in the middle of it's width, screw it to the bottom of the light with countersunk flathead screws and then slide the two pieces together? If so, how would they stay together? What are those 3 round knobs? I just need two mating rails that slide and lock together.

Click to expand...

What's the shape/size of the battery box???

about 6.5" long, 3" wide and 4" tall. About 3 lbs.

BVH said:

about 6.5" long, 3" wide and 4" tall. About 3 lbs.

Click to expand...

3lbs? Hmm...I was thinking you could attach the bottom half of a thick scope mount UPSIDE DOWN on the battery box, and then just attach it to picatinny rails on the bottom of the light...but, at 3lbs., you might have to go a custom route...gimme some time to think up something. I don't see a "slide and lock" method working for you on this using existing weapon light mounts.

I'm thinking some pre-cut metal, and the battery would slide into a rail made out of it, and would secure by means of a pin (thick ball bearing type). The pin would be secured by a lanyard, so when you release it, the pin will stay attached to the bottom of the light or top of the battery.

Edit...ok...got it. 1" 90deg. angled aluminum bar (1/4" thick) on both the light and battery. Drill 1/4" + holes in both for the pins to secure them to each other. You could even build a stop on one of them. Let me do up a quick Powerpoint, if this is something you would consider.

OK, thank you. I'm open to anything that performs similarly.

Good morning BVH- Yes, I see that the pieces I linked to don't work in that case. I'm sure AOW will have a good solution for you as the width of your light bottom would make it hard to use the picatinny setup. But to answer your questions regarding the picture- The three "knobs" are the allen screws that tighten the riser down to the underlying picatinny rail section. Picatinny rails don't "slide" together in the typical sense. They are clamp-type attachments for lack of a better term. Installation is down by mating the two pieces together vertically. The rails sections as shown above have the grooves at right angles to keep anything attached to them from moving back and forth and to be able to index a scope, etc. in the same spot each time.

BVH said:

OK, I can see that I failed to give an important detail. The light this is going on has a big, flat metal bottom measuring about 5" wide by 10" long. It's not a conventional round flashlight. I was sending everyone in the wrong direction. Sorry. The first pieces you linked to make sense for screwing to the top of the battery box. Now the piece in the pic...lets pretend the rings are not in the pic. The riser that is left - could I drill some 3 or 4" spaced holes in the middle of it's width, screw it to the bottom of the light with countersunk flathead screws and then slide the two pieces together? If so, how would they stay together? What are those 3 round knobs? I just need two mating rails that slide and lock together.

Click to expand...

BVH said:

OK, thank you. I'm open to anything that performs similarly.

Click to expand...

I did up a quick diagram of what I think will work, but forgot to E-mail it to my house, but I'll send it to you tonight BVH.

Any particular reason a simple set of latches wouldn't work?

If all you need to do is attach a battery box to the bottom of a metal plate, you just need a set of latches/strikers to interlock them.

Essentially, lower the light onto the battery, and clip the latches, and you're done.