SBR Weaponlight configuration

The Best online firearms community in Louisiana.

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • MOTOR51

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    72   0   0
    Dec 23, 2008
    6,342
    113
    here
    I am curious how you guys setup you lights on your SBRs. Do you prefer it even with muzzle or sitting farther back? Pictures of the setup would be great. Thanks


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,712
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    I have it set up at the 1 to 2 o'clock position right behind the openings of the flash hider. With just the flash hider, the barrel shadow is down to the left. With the Dear Air Pyro, the shadow gets a little longer. And if I put on a suppressor, the shadow grows quite a bit. I don't know Streamlight's official rating as far as concussion resistance but I've not have any issues with them so far. The top is a 12.5* barrel and the bottom is a 16* barrel. I know you said SBR but I have a similar setup and placement for both.

    2vqtpudqbri8xfmccr96.jpg


    upr4leny1mj5llaj8p2.jpg
     

    MOTOR51

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    72   0   0
    Dec 23, 2008
    6,342
    113
    here
    I have it set up at the 1 to 2 o'clock position right behind the openings of the flash hider. With just the flash hider, the barrel shadow is down to the left. With the Dear Air Pyro, the shadow gets a little longer. And if I put on a suppressor, the shadow grows quite a bit. I don't know Streamlight's official rating as far as concussion resistance but I've not have any issues with them so far. The top is a 12.5* barrel and the bottom is a 16* barrel. I know you said SBR but I have a similar setup and placement for both.

    2vqtpudqbri8xfmccr96.jpg


    upr4leny1mj5llaj8p2.jpg

    My most fired rifle is my duty rifle that is an M4 style so the light is no where near the muzzle. With the light set up like you have, is the light covered in carbon after a magazine or is it useable for a good while?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     

    DAVE_M

    _________
    Rating - 100%
    32   0   0
    Apr 17, 2009
    8,288
    36
    ________
    Mine is the same. I don’t run the bezel any further than the first opening in the muzzle device, suppressed or unsuppressed. I’ll live with the shadow if it means my light isn’t hanging way off the handguard.
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,712
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    My most fired rifle is my duty rifle that is an M4 style so the light is no where near the muzzle. With the light set up like you have, is the light covered in carbon after a magazine or is it useable for a good while?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

    It's usable for a good while. I'll clean the lens as I see carbon on it so I don't know how many mags before it's no longer usable. I'd say the TLR1-HL on my Glock 17 get carbon on it a bit quicker than the rifle.

    I don't know if you can modify your duty rifle but you can always get an extended drop in rail. I used to have the Delta rail. It was nice but I sold it when I didn't have a use for it any more. Troy makes rail attachments for it as well. I'm surprised more companies don't make extended drop in rails but I guess the trend is to go more toward free float instead of a front sight post. I did see the UTG mlok extended rail. I've never had issues with UTG but I've never subjected them to long term abuse either.

    1788.jpg


    https://troyind.com/products/charlie-blk

    1236.jpg


    https://troyind.com/products/delta-carbine-blk

    MTU015SSM_APP.jpg


    https://leapers.com/index.php?act=prod_detail&status=utg&itemno=MTU015SSM
     

    rcm192

    Sic semper tyrannis
    Staff member
    Rating - 100%
    111   0   0
    May 31, 2010
    6,207
    63
    New Orleans area
    Subscribed for info. I'm looking at the IWC mlok mounts. Just trying to figure out if I need the SBR or the standard version. Ill be putting this on a 11.5 upper with a FSP and a Centurion carbine cut-out rail....light tucked somewhere around/under a Steiner DBALa3....then I get to figure out where the buttons go. (Modbutton lite, hot button, or Taps? Hmmm)
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,712
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Subscribed for info. I'm looking at the IWC mlok mounts. Just trying to figure out if I need the SBR or the standard version. Ill be putting this on a 11.5 upper with a FSP and a Centurion carbine cut-out rail....light tucked somewhere around/under a Steiner DBALa3....then I get to figure out where the buttons go. (Modbutton lite, hot button, or Taps? Hmmm)

    Are you going with the mlok rail or the pic rail? I looked at the modbutton lite and the hot button. I went with the hot button because the modbutton lite is momentary on only. Is it safe to assume you're going with Surefire or Modlite for your light? I already had a couple of Streamlight HLX's and the hot button is Surefire only but I grabbed a tailcap adaptor from Arisaka and I can now put a Surefire tailcap on a Streamlight.
     

    swampfoxx

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 15, 2014
    726
    43
    Ponchatoula, LA
    I never got around to getting a pressure switch, so I mounted mine at 9:00 so I can hit the lever with my thumb. Up for ON and down for STROBE. 10.5 barrel with QD muzzle break for can.

    58i0pqyf93ixp99d7bn.png
     

    Bigchillin83

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,188
    113
    Livingston
    Sbr, pistol, or rifle... I don’t go past the blast radius of muzzle device blast... don’t need to and deff doesn’t help Life of flashlight ... I much rather thumb activation vs pressure pad.. I found with pressure pad I was activating light during normal daylight shooting/drills... grip was the exact same... just makes it a lot easier for me to adjust my hand and use the thump a little bit ... plus I find with light on left of gun when it’s slung it keeps the hot muzzle off of my leg, especially my suppressor... I have found it keeps it off my leg and from getting burnt way more than it gets hung up on somthing...
     
    Last edited:

    rcm192

    Sic semper tyrannis
    Staff member
    Rating - 100%
    111   0   0
    May 31, 2010
    6,207
    63
    New Orleans area
    Are you going with the mlok rail or the pic rail? I looked at the modbutton lite and the hot button. I went with the hot button because the modbutton lite is momentary on only. Is it safe to assume you're going with Surefire or Modlite for your light? I already had a couple of Streamlight HLX's and the hot button is Surefire only but I grabbed a tailcap adaptor from Arisaka and I can now put a Surefire tailcap on a Streamlight.

    I have the mlok centurion rail in route. I currently have a hlx but my new upper will have a modlite. The taps switch may be the best option for me since im running a laser.

    American defense sent us a preproduction Dbal I2 combo mount. It tucks a SF or modlite nicely and is QD. They are also coming out with this for the Dbal a3 so that has my attention considering I have one.
     
    Last edited:

    SpeedRacer

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    92   0   0
    Feb 23, 2007
    14,347
    38
    Mandeville, LA
    Mine is the same. I don’t run the bezel any further than the first opening in the muzzle device, suppressed or unsuppressed. I’ll live with the shadow if it means my light isn’t hanging way off the handguard.

    This is about the jist of it. There's no "right" answer, just individual user preference. Some guys prefer to hang their light way off the handguard to reduce shadow, but that creates its own challenges (increased chance of damaging light, muzzle blast if not running supressed). Another consideration is how far outboard the light sits. The super streamlined mounts that really tuck the light into the rail are nice, but they really exacerbate the shadow issue.

    If you give us some more details on your exact rifle set up I'm sure we could make some specific suggestions.
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,712
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    My grippy grip grip

    I think you might like the hot button. It's more of a tail cap than a pressure pad. I'm not trying to change what works for you but an idea would be to move the light to the right and put the hot button on the top left 45 degree mlok. The hot button puts the button at 45 degrees. You'd still have a deliberate movement to activate the light but your thumb would have less travel, resulting in a smaller change in your grip.
     

    MOTOR51

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    72   0   0
    Dec 23, 2008
    6,342
    113
    here
    This is about the jist of it. There's no "right" answer, just individual user preference. Some guys prefer to hang their light way off the handguard to reduce shadow, but that creates its own challenges (increased chance of damaging light, muzzle blast if not running supressed). Another consideration is how far outboard the light sits. The super streamlined mounts that really tuck the light into the rail are nice, but they really exacerbate the shadow issue.

    If you give us some more details on your exact rifle set up I'm sure we could make some specific suggestions.

    It’s a 10.5” with Mlok rails. I currently have it on an arisaka inline mount. I was mainly curious if anyone has placed the light even with the muzzle device and what the results were. I also was just checking out how the masses mount their lights to see if I liked any other way.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     

    MOTOR51

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    72   0   0
    Dec 23, 2008
    6,342
    113
    here
    I have the mlok centurion rail in route. I currently have a hlx but my new upper will have a modlite. The taps switch may be the best option for me since im running a laser.

    American defense sent us a preproduction Dbal I2 combo mount. It tucks a SF or modlite nicely and is QD. They are also coming out with this for the Dbal a3 so that has my attention considering I have one.

    Centurion isn’t talked about as much as BCM,DD or SOLGW on most forums but apparently they are top notch. I had read they were on track to win the military contract but the owner couldn’t produce the amount in the time limit. I believe he was still deploying at the time.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,712
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    It’s a 10.5* with Mlok rails. I currently have it on an arisaka inline mount. I was mainly curious if anyone has placed the light even with the muzzle device and what the results were. I also was just checking out how the masses mount their lights to see if I liked any other way.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

    Even though my muzzle devices are flash hiders, they are both timed so the mark on the Dead Air suppressor indexes at the top like it does on their muzzle brake. It happens that one of the prongs of the flash hider is between the light and the barrel. I don't know if it makes as much of a difference in real life as it does in my head but the concussion and carbon have to travel around the prong to get to the light head.
     

    MOTOR51

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    72   0   0
    Dec 23, 2008
    6,342
    113
    here
    Even though my muzzle devices are flash hiders, they are both timed so the mark on the Dead Air suppressor indexes at the top like it does on their muzzle brake. It happens that one of the prongs of the flash hider is between the light and the barrel. I don't know if it makes as much of a difference in real life as it does in my head but the concussion and carbon have to travel around the prong to get to the light head.

    I think mine is the same way by accident. I have a SF flash hider though. While we are talking SBRs, is this what is considered a Govt profile due to it being thicker up front?
    828e98397a27e35d84346fa317cb57f1.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,712
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    I think mine is the same way by accident. I have a SF flash hider though. While we are talking SBRs, is this what is considered a Govt profile due to it being thicker up front?
    828e98397a27e35d84346fa317cb57f1.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

    Yes. Back in the day, the marines used to test their barrels to make sure they were straight but the rod wouldn't always make it through the barrel. They figured the barrels must have gotten bent. Since the rod stopped around the bayonet lug, they assumed the barrel was weak in that area and the marines were bending the barrels during bayonet training. So they stiffened up the front part of the barrels by making them thicker. They later realized it was a burr from when the gas port was drilled that was causing to tool to hang up in the original barrels.
     
    Last edited:

    MOTOR51

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    72   0   0
    Dec 23, 2008
    6,342
    113
    here
    Yes. Back in the day, the marines used to test their barrels to make sure they were straight but the rod wouldn't always make it through the barrel. They figured the barrels must have gotten bent. Since the rod stopped around the bayonet lug, they assumed the barrel was weak in that area and the marines were bending the barrels during bayonet training. So they stiffened up the front part of the barrels by making them thicker. They later realized it was a burr from when the gas port was drilled that was causing to tool to hang up in the original barrels.

    LOL. Makes perfect sense


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     
    Top Bottom