Light for HD shotgun : current recommendations

[boltstop]

Hi all,

I need a recommendation for a light for my HD shotgun (Rem 870 12 gauge) in the $125 to $150 range.

I know this gets asked regularly and I did search but weapon light technology seems to change by the hour.

My searches led me to the Inforce WMLx Gen2 (800 lumens). Anything else I should be considering in this price range?

Many thanks.

[L84CABO]

Surefire does have a few lights in the $100 range that you could pair up with an appropriate mount for thumb activation. For example I think their G2 is about $80 and has 600 lumens...and they tend to be very conservative with their lumen ratings.

Alternatively you could go with a Fenix light instead...or Streamlight. I wouldn't hesitate to go with either of those Mfgs. I've heard several complaints about Inforce lights on various forums but I don't have any direct experience with them.

[Maulerrr]

Check out the Stream light TL Racker. It's a forend with a light mounted at the end. It comes in your price range all day long. A benefit of using this option as opposed to mounting a light to your gun is that the shotgun will keep the same thin profile.

[Mtndewking]

Stream light racker

[tomrkba]

Originally Posted by boltstop

Hi all,

I need a recommendation for a light for my HD shotgun (Rem 870 12 gauge) in the $125 to $150 range.

I know this gets asked regularly and I did search but weapon light technology seems to change by the hour.

My searches led me to the Inforce WMLx Gen2 (800 lumens). Anything else I should be considering in this price range?

Many thanks.

Buy about five lights with different switches, lumens and patterns. You're probably going to want something that throws a good pattern at 25 to 35 yards that offers enough lumens to be useful, but not self-blinding, and has a switch you can live with. I've run everything from a Streamlight TLR-1 and 7 to Olight PL Mini on my shotgun's rails. I find it doesn't matter too much, but the rechargeable batter on the Olight is a pretty nice feature.

After that, it's all about the battery and run time.

If you have no idea what to get, then try a Streamlight TLR-1 or Surefire X300 (whatever version is most recent). I use a variety of lights on my shotgun and just stick whatever's not on my pistols onto its rail. It only has to go the length of my hall since the rifle handles anything outside my home's walls.

[boltstop]

Thanks guys,

All good ideas.

[deadcoyote]

I just put a stream light 1000 lumen on my AR. I actually bought it to put on a stoeger m3k but I got pissed after a mounting attempt and just went AR. The light is awesome and $109 on Amazon.

[SharedShots]

Most all the recommendations made will work but try them out. Check for wide area coverage, distance not so much.

Does your home defense plans include defending outside property? Some people confuse home defense with property defense. If you're an apartment/condo dweller the last thing you need is a light that throws some pattern at 25-35 yards unless you're living in some huge house. A lot of city lots don't have more than a few yards of space around the house.

Pick your light for the purpose. 35 yards is 105 feet. I have yet to see typical homes with 105' hallways or any space inside that distance.

For inside the home, think wider pattern instead of distance. Make sure the pattern is even too, plenty of lights have shadows or inconsistent throws of light. You want a light that when you have it on there is enough light to cover an area so you can tell if anyone is to the side etc.

For inside HD, take a tape measure, you'll be surprised at the typical distances you have to cover. Once you step out of your house in any city or even many burbs better think 2x and 3x because you are leaving the protection of your home to defend property and are you going to shoot someone stealing your car or bicycle? Think about it, you light them up outside and yell stop and they yell back F-You. Gonna shoot?

Point is, pick your light for inside the home unless you really have outside distance and are living quite a bit out where getting rambo is appropriate.

[Munny$hot]

IMHO DO NOT use a flashlight with a push button or toggle switch Under recoil your finger will hurt like hell with bird shot and will be even worse with 00 or buck. A Inforce WML will not a great option either. You want to use a pressure pad activated light such as the Racker, SureFire fore end lights, or another light you can attach a pressure pad to.

[rhodesengr]

maybe this thread is a little old but I did some work with my HS shotguns and lights. If your gun doesn't have a mount for a light, that is the first step. The Streamlight racker is a cool idea if it fits your gun. I wouldn't not have fit my Bennelli M2.

I wanted a laser too so I got a rail that attaches in front of the forend and am using the TLR 4. I use a laser bore sight (pretty cheap on Amazon) and adjust the TLR4 laser to be parallel to the bore sight beam.

[Full Clip]

Just use a TRL-1 with a tape switch