Homemade shotgun forend light

LSU12ga · January 2, 2007, 03:10 AM

It's 2am, and i can't sleep.

So here is my idea for a cheap and easy forend light, keep in mind my electrical skills are limited and this will be my first soldering project, and i would liek some suggestions.

my idea is to get a small led key chain, or osme sort of small plastic housing, and place 2 or 3 bright leds in it. then, run the 2 wires from the leds, to a battery, attach one to the + terminal, and the - terminal have on a benty peice of metal, so when you depress the metal it brings the wire in contact with the battery, and voila, you have your flashlight, i just saved you 300 dollars.

any suggestions? i was thinking maybe you can forget the platic housing all to gether and just electical tape the whole thing to the forend, it wont be more then 1.5 inches long.

raggededge · January 2, 2007, 12:21 PM

It sounds like it's not going to be very bright (I mess around with LEDs a lot), and I don't like the idea of tape on my gun... anywhere. I made a home made light not too long ago for craps and giggles out of the parts of three different broken flashlights. It worked pretty well. Neither that nor what you're talking about will even be anywhere near the same league as a $300 light system.

smooks75 · January 2, 2007, 02:33 PM

Then please suggest a $30.00 light system. Any ideas?

LSU12ga · January 2, 2007, 02:50 PM

It obviously will not be as bright as a surefire LED array, but super bright LED are pretty cheap, and with a small battery can make quite a good lamp. a little peice of black tap wont bother me too much i dont think.

raggededge · January 2, 2007, 03:00 PM

You might want to just check out one of those new AA LED MagLites. They're impressively bright for what they are, and only cost around $25 (give or take $5 depending on where and when you buy). Add to that an endcap switch ($5-$10) and a cheap ATI clamp (another $5-$10) and you have yourself a decent little light on the cheap. Or you can start gathering broken lights and try to piece something together. The one I put together wasn't bad (barrel of a 2 AA MagLite knockoff, 3 LED NiteIze conversion head, modified endcap to pass coiled wire to switch on fore arm), but the LED Maglite is easily twice as bright and probably less prone to getting shaken apart.

shappy0869 · January 2, 2007, 03:10 PM

I don't have a $30 light system for you, but I can come very close.
http://www.hobbytron.com/AirsoftGunA...tNCSATFLB.html

I have this on my shotgun. It is by NCStar, and yes, it is a cheap Chinese flashlight. However, it gives off 65 lumens in a very nice pattern that is bright enough to light up my entire hallway and to temporarily blind someone looking right at it (I tried it out in a mirror). It comes complete with batteries, a mounting rail and a lifetime warranty. It has a constant on twist knob or a momentary on button at the end. There is even a remote switch available for about $4.

Now, I have not and will not shoot my shotgun with this attached. Even though it has a lifetime warranty, I recognize that it may not hold up under repeated firing. Since I want to make sure it works 100% in the event of a "bump in the night", I take it off when I shoot. If I were in LE or the military, no way would this suffice, but for HD, I am sure it is more than adequate.

Of course, you still have to mount it, and you can use this mount:

Will cost about $15.

smooks75 · January 2, 2007, 05:15 PM

Thank you very much! I have the same opinion about shooting with it on....I will not. But, for the "bump in the night" it will ride on my shotty. Thanks again!

Trapp · January 2, 2007, 05:44 PM

Why not mount the leds in the stock itself?I imagine you could get three of them next to each other. I wonder how much those 3watt ultra bright leds are?

LSU12ga · January 4, 2007, 10:55 PM

but then the light wouldnt work. into the forend, with a battery, if somone has a forend they wanna give me, ill do it.

LSU12ga · January 4, 2007, 11:21 PM

i think im going to get a protector forend with the handle, and drill into the handle, put some LEDs and a battery in there, volia.

raggededge · January 5, 2007, 12:35 AM

More power to you. Let us know how it works out.

oletymer · January 5, 2007, 10:01 AM

Just remember, when you turn on the light the bad guy knows exactly where you are.

BamaXD · January 5, 2007, 10:42 AM

30 dollar fore-end light? I've got that. $20.00 Flashlight from Academy Sports and Outdoors, as well as a magazine clamp for a Rem 870 from cheaperthandirt for $8.00 + shipping. They're mounted on my Mossberg 500. I'll have pics of it later. -BamaXD

lil_bro · January 6, 2007, 03:41 AM

[QUOTE=Trapp]I wonder how much those 3watt ultra bright leds are?[QUOTE]

Here is a site that sells them.

http://www.lck-led.com/index.php

Michael.

ReddogRacing · July 1, 2011, 01:49 PM

i know this is an old thread, but i have the same idea. wondering if anyone is making anything like this. A forend foregrip with built in leds and maybe even a lazer. Batteries and switches could all be includeed in grip.

foreend.jpg

January 2, 2007, 03:10 AM	#1
LSU12ga Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Posts: 407	Homemade shotgun forend light It's 2am, and i can't sleep. So here is my idea for a cheap and easy forend light, keep in mind my electrical skills are limited and this will be my first soldering project, and i would liek some suggestions. my idea is to get a small led key chain, or osme sort of small plastic housing, and place 2 or 3 bright leds in it. then, run the 2 wires from the leds, to a battery, attach one to the + terminal, and the - terminal have on a benty peice of metal, so when you depress the metal it brings the wire in contact with the battery, and voila, you have your flashlight, i just saved you 300 dollars. any suggestions? i was thinking maybe you can forget the platic housing all to gether and just electical tape the whole thing to the forend, it wont be more then 1.5 inches long.

January 2, 2007, 02:50 PM	#4
LSU12ga Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Posts: 407	brightness It obviously will not be as bright as a surefire LED array, but super bright LED are pretty cheap, and with a small battery can make quite a good lamp. a little peice of black tap wont bother me too much i dont think.

January 2, 2007, 03:10 PM	#6
shappy0869 Member Join Date: September 19, 2006 Location: Deerfield Beach, FL Posts: 58	$30 Light System I don't have a $30 light system for you, but I can come very close. http://www.hobbytron.com/AirsoftGunA...tNCSATFLB.html I have this on my shotgun. It is by NCStar, and yes, it is a cheap Chinese flashlight. However, it gives off 65 lumens in a very nice pattern that is bright enough to light up my entire hallway and to temporarily blind someone looking right at it (I tried it out in a mirror). It comes complete with batteries, a mounting rail and a lifetime warranty. It has a constant on twist knob or a momentary on button at the end. There is even a remote switch available for about $4. Now, I have not and will not shoot my shotgun with this attached. Even though it has a lifetime warranty, I recognize that it may not hold up under repeated firing. Since I want to make sure it works 100% in the event of a "bump in the night", I take it off when I shoot. If I were in LE or the military, no way would this suffice, but for HD, I am sure it is more than adequate. Of course, you still have to mount it, and you can use this mount: Will cost about $15.

January 2, 2007, 05:15 PM	#7
smooks75 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2006 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 161	shappy0869 Thank you very much! I have the same opinion about shooting with it on....I will not. But, for the "bump in the night" it will ride on my shotty. Thanks again!

January 2, 2007, 05:44 PM	#8
Trapp Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: KTN Posts: 1,221	Why not mount the leds in the stock itself?I imagine you could get three of them next to each other. I wonder how much those 3watt ultra bright leds are? __________________ HDR Ban!? It's a shame all of my guns sank with my boat last week... Time to catch up.....like mayonnaise

January 2, 2007, 12:21 PM	#2
raggededge Member Join Date: December 5, 2006 Location: So. Holland, IL Posts: 88	It sounds like it's not going to be very bright (I mess around with LEDs a lot), and I don't like the idea of tape on my gun... anywhere. I made a home made light not too long ago for craps and giggles out of the parts of three different broken flashlights. It worked pretty well. Neither that nor what you're talking about will even be anywhere near the same league as a $300 light system.

January 2, 2007, 02:33 PM	#3
smooks75 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2006 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 161	Then please suggest a $30.00 light system. Any ideas?

January 2, 2007, 03:00 PM	#5
raggededge Member Join Date: December 5, 2006 Location: So. Holland, IL Posts: 88	You might want to just check out one of those new AA LED MagLites. They're impressively bright for what they are, and only cost around $25 (give or take $5 depending on where and when you buy). Add to that an endcap switch ($5-$10) and a cheap ATI clamp (another $5-$10) and you have yourself a decent little light on the cheap. Or you can start gathering broken lights and try to piece something together. The one I put together wasn't bad (barrel of a 2 AA MagLite knockoff, 3 LED NiteIze conversion head, modified endcap to pass coiled wire to switch on fore arm), but the LED Maglite is easily twice as bright and probably less prone to getting shaken apart.

January 4, 2007, 10:55 PM	#9
LSU12ga Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Posts: 407	into the stock? but then the light wouldnt work. into the forend, with a battery, if somone has a forend they wanna give me, ill do it.

January 4, 2007, 11:21 PM	#10
LSU12ga Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Posts: 407	protector forend i think im going to get a protector forend with the handle, and drill into the handle, put some LEDs and a battery in there, volia.

January 5, 2007, 12:35 AM	#11
raggededge Member Join Date: December 5, 2006 Location: So. Holland, IL Posts: 88	More power to you. Let us know how it works out.

January 5, 2007, 10:01 AM	#12
oletymer Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 338	Just remember, when you turn on the light the bad guy knows exactly where you are.

January 5, 2007, 10:42 AM	#13
BamaXD Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2006 Location: The 'Ham, AL. Posts: 104	30 dollar fore-end light? I've got that. $20.00 Flashlight from Academy Sports and Outdoors, as well as a magazine clamp for a Rem 870 from cheaperthandirt for $8.00 + shipping. They're mounted on my Mossberg 500. I'll have pics of it later. -BamaXD __________________ 1911 Mag, Twinkie, Twinkie, Cupcake, Primary Weapon Magazine?! There it is!

January 6, 2007, 03:41 AM	#14
lil_bro Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Oklahoma. Posts: 396	[QUOTE=Trapp]I wonder how much those 3watt ultra bright leds are?[QUOTE] Here is a site that sells them. http://www.lck-led.com/index.php Michael. __________________ "I reject your reality and substitute my own." -Adam Savage- "Mythbusters."

July 1, 2011, 01:49 PM	#15
ReddogRacing Junior Member Join Date: July 1, 2011 Posts: 1	revist i know this is an old thread, but i have the same idea. wondering if anyone is making anything like this. A forend foregrip with built in leds and maybe even a lazer. Batteries and switches could all be includeed in grip. foreend.jpg

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