Hey guys. Looking for some help on Weapon Light placement on my AR-15. I’m not so much looking for info on 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, etc. I need to know how for forward or close the end of the flashlight should be to the muzzle / end of the barrel as to protect it from concussive muzzle blast and from getting darkened and dirty from shooting.

When you stop seeing a shadow that obstructs your vision you are near the sweet spot.

Just keep it behind the muzzle and use a quality light and you'll be fine.

Honestly if I could get a light that reached to the same length as my muzzle I'd use it. Get a quality light and concussive blast shouldn't be an issue. I've seen people run lights in line with brake ports before and have no issues.

Get your light as far forward as possible. Clean the lens as needed, or run CLENS, or any other cheap option like chapstick and such. If the concussion breaks your light, then it needed replacing anyways.

For me it was more of how far forward can I put it and still be able to control the light and hold the rifle at the same time.  I could mount farther forward, but then have to change grips to turn it on and off.  So even though I get a little barrel shadow, it's as far forward as I want it to be.

Minimal barrel shadow, as far forward as you can operate it.

High quality lights won’t be hurt by muzzle blast (mostly)

This seems surprising that the blast/concussion won’t hurt the light over time. I have a Surefire M600DF Scout.

You can use a blast shield if you’re concerned.

Mine is suppressed 99% of the time.

I have a SF I run on another rifle that gets blasted and it’s been fine

My favorite right now is actually a Steamlight TLR1-HL mounted 12-o'clock, forward of the FSB or in front of the BUIS.  I can actuate the light either off-hand thumb, it doesn't add to the width of the rifle or create any additional snag points, and doesn't cast much shadow.

FPNI.

Another vote for TLR-1 at 12 o’clock.

The sticky at the top of the page has some great info, pending you haven’t read through it already.

They're designed as weapon lights so I don't see how living my the muzzle could be an issue

Ideally you want to mount it where it will not interfere with your normal grip with either hand. If your mounting a pressure pad you want to have to make a deliberate hand movement to activate it and be able to activate the light also with either hand.

I mount mine to where I can activate the switch from a good squared up stance.

Putting the light way out at the end of a long rail is cool and all, but you need to be able to use it effectively from  every  stance and position.

If you run a comp or brake there may be some issues with carbon build up when the bezel is next to the muzzle device.  Flash hider, no issues.  Push them all out towards the front

For those with experience: how un/important is barrel shadow? Certainly no shadow would be ideal, but how detremental is barrel shadow in your experience?

Also, does everyone use their red dot on a higher brightness setting to mitigate "washing out" the red dot when employing a light?

I don't use a brake. I don't use a suppressor. I place my light so that the lens is right at (or as close as possible to) the muzzle device's crush washer. My lens never gets dirty in that position...and I get very little shadow.

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My suppressor throws a big shadow no matter where the light is mounted. I have my old 951V on the left side of the rail, with the bezel flush with the end of it.

Use my Aimpoint micro on 9 when indoors.  9 allows for easy dot acquisition when light is on

I prefer 1:30 to 3:00.

Right handed? It goes on the right side of muzzle looking down your sights. That way it does not obstruct your vision.

Didn't read OP for content.

No matter where you place a light, if it's behind the muzzle, you will get shadow.  This is just something you need to deal with and shouldn't drive where you place the light.  The main thing to consider is where are the controls (primary and tertiary) and can you clear a barricade with it?  The Access to the controls should be deliberate.  Do not ride the clicky cap or place the pressure pad where you naturally grip the gun (like on a vertical grip or directly under your thumb or fingers).  Just like clicking off a safety or pressing a trigger, activating lights and lasers should be 100% deliberate.

Placement of controls should not require a change in grip, but should require you to move your thumb.  I like to place my light above the bore.  This keeps it above barricades.  Essentially, if my muzzle clears the barricade, the light and laser will too.  Below is a pic of my primary rifle electronics



As a right handed shooter, I will primarily access the controls for my light and laser with my left hand.  My thumb naturally rides in between the light laser.  To fire the laser, I move my thumb to the left and press the buttons on the device.  To fire the light, I retract my thumb and press forward to click the tail cap.

Both the light and laser are mounted above the bore, so I easily clear barricades.

I also run a TAPS dual switch at the 12 behind these devices.  This is an important redundancy.  I have never ever ever ever ever ever switched shoulders in a gunfight.  I do not agree with doing so unless the primary arm is damaged.  BUT, I will switch shoulders if I need to post on a right side barricade while the team is doing whatever for 30 seconds.  At that point, I will want to offer as small a target to the opposition as possible.  But, fighting off my left shoulder should not impede my ability to operate anything on my gun.  I have an ambi safety, so I should have ambi controls for light and laser.  The TAPS switch is how I achieve this.

That's sound advice right there.

What's the part holding your switch down? Does the rail mount come with the rifle tlr tail cap?

It's a Picatinny switch mount...

Mine are as far forward as possible.

I like mine out at the end of the rail.

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Finally, someone with common sense.

Even when I swap shoulders on an extended hold to weak side of a barricade, I dont switch hands, I just move rifle to past center of chest on weak side. Its just more down time to switch hands back and forth and if I need to shoot its going to be strong handed.

Your light does not need to be mounted weak side. A good tight position blocks not much more than your hand does anyway and tail cap activation is best done weak side. My X300 activates with the same weak side forward press.