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Posted: 6/17/2009 6:10:12 PM EDT
| I have never owned a tactical light for a weopon of any kind so this is new water for me. I have an 870 that I would like to put a light on. My two questions are this. Do you mount the light so it acts as a sight in the dark. (meaning, where it shines you hit) Is it better to go with an on/off switch or a pressure switch? I would like it for my home and the occasional tracking of bear blood trails at night. What would you recommed as a good system that will not kill the bank account. Thanks. |
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Quoted:
I have never owned a tactical light for a weopon of any kind so this is new water for me. I have an 870 that I would like to put a light on. My two questions are this. Do you mount the light so it acts as a sight in the dark. (meaning, where it shines you hit) Is it better to go with an on/off switch or a pressure switch? I would like it for my home and the occasional tracking of bear blood trails at night. What would you recommed as a good system that will not kill the bank account. Thanks. the surefire forearm, but as far as breaking the bank account, that depends on how stong your account is, its around 250 +/- |
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I mount mine on the left side of the gun so I can turn it on or off with my thumb. I have a pressure switch for it, but I haven't attached it yet (still working on an attachment that wont mar the finish. I have heard sticky tac works great). I would use a standard flashlight for hunting. The C123 batteries cost a lot and don't last long in tactical flashlights (the downside with them).
Sportsmansguide.com has one for $30 + shipping Link That one will probably work for you. With tactical flashlights, you can go expensive or cheap. Depends on how much you are going to use the light and if you are going to be jumping in and out of trenches with it. 
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The BEST tac light source. Plain and simple. They have everything from xenon to LED lights all kinds of power sources. It takes about two weeks to recieve a light from the time the order is placed.
I use a 250 lumen LED light that runs off of 2 CR123's that has a SUPER bright output. And costs less than $20 shipped. You can mount them in a 1" diameter scope ring and attach tem to a rail or they will also fit in a mag tube clamp. |
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If your 870 has the two shot extension, then the best light/laser combo is the LaserMax LMS 1202. You can get the pressure pad, but for my 870, I use the on off switch on the back.
It gives you a nice bright light and a laser as well all in one. You can get them for $150 now from www.opticsplanet.com It has been drop tested, beat on, and is practically indestructable. The only catch is that you need to have the two shot extension on your shotgun for it to mount correctly. Check it out. I own three of them. |
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Quoted:
The BEST tac light source. Plain and simple. They have everything from xenon to LED lights all kinds of power sources. It takes about two weeks to recieve a light from the time the order is placed. I use a 250 lumen LED light that runs off of 2 CR123's that has a SUPER bright output. And costs less than $20 shipped. You can mount them in a 1" diameter scope ring and attach tem to a rail or they will also fit in a mag tube clamp. These are excellent for Airsoft! |
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Quoted:
If your 870 has the two shot extension, then the best light/laser combo is the LaserMax LMS 1202. You can get the pressure pad, but for my 870, I use the on off switch on the back. It gives you a nice bright light and a laser as well all in one. You can get them for $150 now from www.opticsplanet.com It has been drop tested, beat on, and is practically indestructable. The only catch is that you need to have the two shot extension on your shotgun for it to mount correctly. Check it out. I own three of them. My opinion of the LMS1202 is quite different. I found that mine made my 870 overly front heavy because it mounts as far forward as possible. Also, IMHO, the egros suck. When you install the momentary tape switch, it is your only switch for the LMS1202 until you disconnect it. Without the tape switch, you have a little red button on the back of the unit to turn it on and off. Both the laser and the white light are controlled by this switch and cannot be activated independently. I much prefer Surefire forends, especially the 618LFG. YMMV |
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Quoted:
I will not be jumping out of trenches with it. It will be on the gun as a tool to help shoot in the dark. while you won't be jumping out of trenches the light still needs to hold up to recoil. I wouldn't count on a discount light having a very long life expectancy. |
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Ditto on the last comment. Not crazy about cheap ANYTHING when it comes to guns. I've spent a fortune on shit over the years but it's specific purpose is to defend your life and your loved ones and home. If you plan on using this for a purpose spend a few bucks. Don't take the $20 light option as I just question how that will work. I remember 15 years ago putting a mini-Maglite on my Mossberg 500. Bad idea. It worked fine until the first round was discharged. It was done after that. I eventually put a second mini-Mag on there. Same thing. It's still on that shotgun but that shotgun hasn't been fired in a lotta years. In fact, I wonder if the shells in the sling are even any good. I doubt it.
On the other hand, I have a Surefire G2 Nitrolon LED flashlight on my M-4 and it works GREAT. The thing is brighter than shit and the cap works as a momentary or on/off. You can use the 1" scope mount (which are dirt cheap) and clamp it to the magazine tube. They run around $65 plus shipping but it's the most powerful light I've ever seen that size. As far as lining it with point-of-impact, it will more or less line up that way. However, you don't want to use the light for that purpose. That's what your sights are for. A decent ghost ring or even a red-dot. If you're using the light as a laser it means you plan on shooting from hip-level and, while that shit looks cool in the movies, it's not practical and doesn't work in the real world. You aim a shotgun, just like anything else. But it's one of the smartest things you could ever put on a shotgun. Even moreso than lasers, red-dots, sidesaddles, any of that tacticool stuff. |
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