Anyone put a flashlight on an M1A?

[billnet]

Just aquired a walnut M1A "loaded". Would like to put a flashlight on it for my night travels through the woods of E. TX. Searched the forum to no avail. I have seen a barrel mount for $70, but would like to keep it as cheap and simple as possible. I also do not want to modify the rifle with any more rails than necessary. Has anyone mounted a flashlight on an M1A that can give suggestions that I may have overlooked. Thanks, Bill

[nathaniel]

A heavy duty rubberband always works.

[Fat White Boy]

Get yourself a roll of camo 100 mile an hour tape...

[Drummer101]

A head lamp might work, but I have not tried shooting with one...

[nathaniel]

Fat White Boy Get yourself a roll of camo 100 mile an hour tape...

I thought of that too but that leaves a gunk behind.

[madcratebuilder]

You can replace the front swivel with a short rail and then use a rail mount. Have you checked out the Tac-Star WLS2000? It has a clamp on mount that could be adapted to the M14. Not the best flash light on the market, I think you can get just the mount.

[JiminTexas]

Why would you mount a flashlight on an M1A? You have a rifle that can make hits on a mansized target at 400 yards and you put a flashlight on it with a range of 100 feet? You end up with a flashlight that weighs 8 1/2 punds and is four feet long. Isn't that handy. What's going to be next, side scanning sonar?

[SR420]

No matter how far your rifle can reach out, a weapon light is a good idea
to temporarily illuminate what is directly in your vicinity or blind a bad guy.

SEI and others have small rails that can be installed @ 3, 6 and/or 9.

[Double Naught Spy]

Why would you mount a flashlight on an M1A? You have a rifle that can make hits on a mansized target at 400 yards and you put a flashlight on it with a range of 100 feet?

Well JiminTexas, I don't know if you know it or know, but flashlights have changed in the last 30 years. Flashlights I use for hunting (2 CR123 battery LED lights mounted on an accessory rail) easily reach out to 125 yards.

The M1A hasn't changed all that much (though accessories rails now can be had) and should be able to reach out to well beyond 400 yards.

Funny thing, I have lights on some of my AR15s and I can hit man-sized targets out to 600-700 yards with them, but the lights are still very handy.

[LukeA]

A handheld flashlight will be a lot more useful than a weapon light, at least as a primary light. A very throwy weapon light will be unhandy for illuminating the ground, especially when attached to a 3 and a half foot rifle. Plus you don't have to cover things you may mind destroying with your muzzle, the way you would have to with a weapon light.

[44 AMP]

No matter how far your rifle can reach out, a weapon light is a good idea
to temporarily illuminate what is directly in your vicinity or blind a bad guy.

Not being a tactical operator, I find the idea of a weapon light to be very bad. Especially

for my night travels through the woods of E. TX.

Using the mounted light to see where you are going means pointing your rifle at whatever you are looking at. Not very smart, and always considered an unfriendly act.

Use a mounted light for shooting (where legal), fine. But use a handheld one for navigating. Safer all around.

[kraigwy]

You run around here with a flash light on a high power rifle, the game wardens would be on you like white on rice.

That's if the rancher dosnt find you first.

[Double Naught Spy]

A very throwy weapon light will be unhandy for illuminating the ground, especially when attached to a 3 and a half foot rifle.

Using the mounted light to see where you are going means pointing your rifle at whatever you are looking at. Not very smart, and always considered an unfriendly act.

Yes and no. I find it very easy to use a rifle weapon light for navigation purposes when I leave the stand well after dark (when waiting on hogs to show). It is very easy to illuminate the ground 10-20 feet in front of me so as to see where I am going and have enough splash to illuminate the ground immediately in front of me such that I don't trip over obstacles.

You run around here with a flash light on a high power rifle, the game wardens would be on you like white on rice.

That's if the rancher dosnt find you first.

Funny thing about Wyoming law...the rancher can give you permission to hunt predators on his land for the protection of property.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. It is illegal to take any wildlife with the aid of or by using an artificial light or lighting device except that predators may be taken with the aid of an artificial light or lighting device by:

- a public officer authorized to control predators;

- a landowner, resident manager or person with the landowner's or a resident manager's written permission, on land under the landowner's control for the protection of his/her property;

- it is prima facie evidence of a violation if a person uses artificial light in any area which may be inhabited by wildlife while having in his/her possession and control any device for taking wildlife.

- Hunting of raccoon is permitted with the aid of a hand light providing the hunter is accompanied by a raccoon hunting dog. If hunting on private lands, written permission of the landowner or his/her agent is required.

[SR420]

I assumed that a hand held flashlight was carried by everyone, the weapon light is a secondary source of illumination.

44 AMP

Using the mounted light to see where you are going means pointing your rifle at whatever you are looking at.

The ground, you are looking at the ground.

[Flatbush Harry]

You'll want to also add a Cuisinart, either a Leatherman or a 15 function Swiss Army knife, a mount for your smart phone, and a good Shimano fishing reel.


FH

[SR420]

FH is referring to the M110 KAC mod... lipstick on a pig.

[nathaniel]

^ haha it looks like the heartbeat sensor on call of duty! But I could see where it would come in handy at the range for ballistics charts and what not.

[Kmar40]

I'm not going to get into the propriety or need. That's your choice.

Back in the day, before rails and such, we used either 100mph tape or ranger bands. Ranger bands are heavy duty rubber bands that you can buy commercially or can be made by cutting a tire innertube.

[Kmar40]

FH is referring to the M110 KAC mod...

Poor 420 is so upset by the mlitary than his sacred 12lb cow.

[amprecon]

I was considering this for my M1A.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/kengs-fi...er-150807.html

[SR420]

Poor Kmar is emotional and confused.

[LukeA]

Yes and no. I find it very easy to use a rifle weapon light for navigation purposes when I leave the stand well after dark (when waiting on hogs to show). It is very easy to illuminate the ground 10-20 feet in front of me so as to see where I am going and have enough splash to illuminate the ground immediately in front of me such that I don't trip over obstacles.

In my opinion, a setup like that (with a weapon light as primary navigation light), makes it far too easy to violate Rule 2. Some might even call it inevitable.