I am looking into mounting a light on my Carbine, but I'm not sure where to put it. I want something that will be easy to remove and replace, since it is a "multi-purpose" AR. Also trying to follow the KISS principle and and not break the bank.

The norm here seems to be leaning toward a handguard mount of some kind. Is there any reason I should steer away from a barrel mount light?

well if you barrel mount it ti will affect POI every time you add or remove it.  I suggest leaving it where you put it.  Several members have said the Wilson front sight mount works well.  If you want to remove it frequently with no impact on POI the you need a FF rail system.

if you want to poor boy it you can get a weaver rail for $10 and some machine screws, nuts and washers and mount in on the handguard.  you can mount it thru the vent holes in the bottom of the hand guard or thru the side.  don't drill thru the heat shield!

I really like the Wilson mount, but man is it pricey! I like the location of the light as opposed to under the handguard.

I'm looking to spend no more than $100 on light and mount. I know I won't get a great light for that, but I don't have a very big house, so target ID would be at no more than 20 feet or so. CTD has a light with a pressure switch for $30 that I'm thinking of getting.

I cant claim the original Idea for this but I am going to use a Wilson mount with a Surefire G2 light which only costs $38-40 and add a P61 bulb so I can get 120 lumens of light (as much as the 9V Surefires with standard bulb) and a 20 min run time.  Several members used that combo for an effective ultra light and inexpensive option.  You can order from

[url]http://www.strategosstore.com/store.asp[/url]

use the discount code of 186thousand for an additional 10% off and if you get both the G2 and the P61 bulb (any order over $50) you get free shipping.  An entire, lightweight, ergonomic, brand new, 120 lumen light system for under $150 is a deal by anyones standard.

Devl,
  You may want to think again about the G2 on your rifle.  It is basically a 6p in polymer vs. aluminum.  If you check some of the other posts, even with a shock mounted bezel, the batteries will batter the contacts and eventually your light will fail.  It isn't designed as a weapon mounted light.

Here is my idea.  Haven't bought the components yet but it seems to be the best I can come up with for the money.

I bought one half of a fobus handguard with the built in rail.  It goes on the bottom and uses a standard CAR handguard on top.  I know, I wish it was M4 sized, but it isn't.

I'm planning on getting one of the TACM-III lights with the tape switch and mounting it to the bottom with the fobus light mount.  It uses the springloaded catch like an M3 so it is easily detachable.

I still haven't decided if I want to try one of the vertical foregrips.  I've not heard any complaints about them, but I guess I'm a little old fashioned.  So, I'm either going to trim the little slide off handguard section so I can cover the rail behind the light, or I'll get a vertical foregrip and use that.

This is several hundred dollars less than the top of the line surefire's and at least $100 less than the lowest surefire combo.

I can just swap light assemblies every 500-1000 rounds and save money.

Not to be blunt (although I'm going to be), you're not going to get anything of quality for that amount of money.  Better to save up your pennies and get something decent the first time around.  When I first got into guns, I tried buying "economical solutions" to the tac light issue.  They were just a waste of money I could have used on a Surefire.  Now, after a few years experience under my belt, I use Surefires exclusively.  Their products are tough, and their service is great.  Just my opinion.

You might try a Streamlight M3 at $109 ($119 with batteries) with a Streamlight AR-15 handguard mount for $14.

[img]http://www.arizonagunrunners.com/images/m3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.arizonagunrunners.com/images/69902.jpg[/img]

[url]http://www.arizonagunrunners.com/Products/streamlightflashlights/flashlightsm3/flashlightsm3.html[/url]

Great service and prices at AGR, I have bought several items there.

Im not sure this will do anything for you Dev, to my knowledge, its not a cumulative effect, or something that wears on it over time.

It seems to me the spring keeps the batteries off the base of the P60 and as it recieves recoil the spring gets battered untill it compresses enough to allow the batteries to slap into the bulb assembly breaking it.  I dont see how one shot could send the batteries into the bulb or else you would destroy the bulb almost automatically in the first few rounds.  Who can we ask who would know for sure and used to work for surefire? hmmm...

I have three Streamlight M3's.  One on my Glock 23, Bennelli M1 and one for my Bushy.

They are made by Insight Technology Inc. and disturbitied by Streamlight.  Nice and compact, puts out enough light to temporally blind your adversary.


Rambosky

Dev, we coukld ask Ken, and he would know, and unless I am mistaken, he is going to say the same thing he told folks the last time this discussion came up. The same thing I have seen him say every time this discussion comes up. When you need it for real, you get a real weapons light. There's just not a shortcut to be had.

I think when it comes to weapon mounted lights it's an issue of utter reliability.  I don't think target shooting at night with a weapon light is particularly mission critical.  But when it's a matter of life and death and you're not sure whether your mounted G2 has seen 300 rounds or 500 rounds or even 100 rounds, are you confident that the light will function when you absolutely need it to for a task that it's not intended for?

Mount it on the hand guards to where your support hand can easily activate it.


Rambosky