Garys4598 1,065 Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 (edited) I'm in the process of figuring out precisely where to best mount my tactical light to my Saiga shotgun. Originally I was planning to mount it on an integrated picatinny rail that's located on the forend's bottom... but now find the "ergonomics" of mounting the tactical light directly onto my shottie's barrel to be much better. I'm in the middle of doing this friggen juggling, balancing act of mounting both a long gun laser as well as a tactical flashlight onto my gun's forend. I've decided that the laser will definitely be mounted to the forward, bottom picatinny rail... but now I'm struggling over the best options/placement for my tactical light. So my question(s) is/are: Should I try to stay away from mounting the light to the barrel pretty much at all costs? I'm guessing that the negative side to barrel mounting are: potential heat coming off the barrel -- down into the mount -- onto the light housing; due to the inevitable vibration damage the light will sustain after years of range firings; and lastly, the likelihood of scratching the shottie's barrel when emplacing and removing the light mount. Opinions, experiences, and comments are welcomed! Please provide me your thoughts about this. Additionally, were I to go with a barrel mount set-up, does anyone know the name of that fabric-type stuff that's extremely heat resistant (if not "heat proof") and can be wrapped around a motorcycle muffler? Wouldn't performing a single wrap around the shottie's barrel where the mount will be clamped on be a good idea? (i.e., it would help reduce likely markings, scratches and damage to the exterior of the barrel). ~Gary Edited April 5, 2007 by Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyRumore 1,332 Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 I have a light mounted directly to the barrel on my personal 12" gun. It's run a thousand or so shots so far with no problems. However, when I first mounted it, the mount wanted to slide forward during recoil and the light also wanted to slide forward in the mount itself. I had to install a bayonet lug in front of the light mount in order to keep it in place. I also ran a set screw through the mount and into the body of the flashlight. No troubles after those mods. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bugeye 2 Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 OK I am counting this as the 38th E mail to Tromix about Garys Saiga! 38 E mails and still no photo. Come on Gary, Johnny Gun is still waiting! Whats the BIG secrete? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Garys4598 1,065 Posted April 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 OK I am counting this as the 38th E mail to Tromix about Garys Saiga! 38 E mails and still no photo. Come on Gary, Johnny Gun is still waiting! Whats the BIG secrete? Dude, you're significantly off on the number of emails that I ultimately sent to Tony, prior to receiving my S-20 this past Monday. ... ... . The final count was 52+ emails sent. You know the deal about "pics or lies"??? Well... not desiring to be perceived as a liar, I've been holding off on the pics of my new TROMIX S-20, because I want to fix the hole in the bottom portion of the forend handguard (which will require epoxy paste, sanding and then painting). BUT, having conveyed that... my thoughts more are that I will take photos of the gun prior to completing the aforementioned mini-project.... just so that a guy like you may enjoy the pics. I FRIGGEN LOVE what Tony did with my S-20. Anyway, that's the deal. Sorry for the delay on the pics!!!! ~Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bugeye 2 Posted April 6, 2007 Report Share Posted April 6, 2007 And here I was wondering, Gary, if I was busting your chops too hard! And then you come and tell me its 52 E mails now. Like one a week for a year. 52 E mails is a labor of love! I was just in the 410 section telling southerncross not to wait till he is finished his shotgun before he posts a pic. I like to see the progression. You can be sure I am keeping my eye to see yours 20! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whatmanual 44 Posted April 6, 2007 Report Share Posted April 6, 2007 (edited) I have a couple of those picatinny rail forends. If you compare that to the original, you will notice that the plastic does NOT have the "blocks" built into the plastic to go around the mounting block on the barrel (where the screw goes in). What happend on one of mine (after tons of slugs and buck) using a pistol grip on it, the recoil will cause the screw to chew right through that wall of plastic~! Essentially, the "gully" on that picatinny rail forend doesn't have the mass or whatever to support it. How I resolved the issue of the forend from "flying" off going forward? Well. I took off the picatinny rail and I used the dremmel to make a cross-section "slot" behind the screw. I placed a small piece of metal in there to give the screw something solid to bump into. This "reinforcement" eliminated the issue completely. You dont want to use a wide piece of metal (or you'll punch through the sides when you get to the bottom of the gully in the forend. Probably 1/2 inch maybe? Sorry no pic at the moment to show what I mean.... this represents looking DOWN at the picatinny rail trench and approximate size of the reinforcement, and screw location. _______________________________________ ____________________|| ____________________|| [O] ````````````````````|| ________________________________________ Edited April 6, 2007 by whatmanual Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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