Combo tac light and laser

[StarPD 6]

My S-12 has H&K sights. Accordingly, with the dust cover that has an H&K rear sight in place, a side mount for a dot type sight will not slide in (it slides on from the rear, and will not clear the H&K rear sight). I ordered a plain dust cover from CGW to use as an alternative, since it's a quick change. It took a while, as I had to wait for CGW to break down an S-12 for parts. I also ordered from CSS a K-VAR slide-on sight bracket, and I bought a Burris Fastfire dot sight from another vendor to go on it. In the meantime, I bought a Command Arms combo tac light/laser for $85 from Carolina Shooter's Supply in October. When the plain dust cover finally came in, I installed it along with the K-VAR slide on bracket and Fastfire, as well as the Command Arms combo light/laser. When I went to zero the sight, using slugs, the battery compartment door on the tac light/laser kept popping open on every 2nd or 3rd shot. After less than 30 rounds, the battery door hinge finally broke, being a cheap little plastic hinge.

 

Replacing it is not an option, as it is the desigh and construction that is faulty, so I asked Carolina to refund my money. Since it is beyond their 30 day refund period, they would only replace it with something from their stock or send it back to Command Arms for a replacement. They have nothing I need or want, and replacement is pointless. I sent it back to Carolina telling them to keep it. I am out the $85 and have no way to recover it. Please, no flames from anyone who thinks I'm badmouthing CSS. I'm not at all. I have done business with them on other things, and before this, have always been completely satisfied. It's the light I'm so completely dissatisfied with, nothing more.

 

This is NOT a slam of Carolina Shooter's Supply. They have an excellent reputation, and it is not my intent to make them look bad. I can understand their 30 day refund policy. It prevents customers from returning merchandise after they have used it for a while. Such is no more than good business, and I hold no grudges against them. The reason for this post is to warn anyone who wants to put a combo light/laser on their S-12 and shoot slugs with it. The light Command Arms sells is otherwise excellent, except for the cheap, flimsy battery compartment door, which naturally makes it useless.

 

If you want a GOOD tac light and a laser, I suggest finding an alternative, like I will now. The Command Arms combo light is not the answer I wanted, and I doubt that anyone else here would want a light that fails after less then 30 rounds of slugs. FWIW, the slugs were plain old Federal 2-3/4" slugs, not special magnums or 3".

 

Caveat emptor.

[tonster67 0]

I have Sig Stop Light on mine. No problems except for it's huge.

[swells08 128]

I understand the feeling of buying an inferior product, but is that particular unit really made for larger bore applications such as a shotgun slug, where the shockwave could be causing the issue. I am sure you tried to simply add a piece of tactical duct tape after a few flip opens...it sounds odd but might have solved the dilhema. Did you contact the arms company that manufactured it to notify them of the flaw?...I am sure you have, but did they give any advice? Hope your search turns up better results so you can enjoy your firearm again..

[Nailbomb 10,221]

they make higher mounting side optic rails. User Jase has one on his personal S-12 to get around the same problem i believe.

[gpqueen 545]

My S-12 has H&K sights. Accordingly, with the dust cover that has an H&K rear sight in place, a side mount for a dot type sight will not slide in (it slides on from the rear, and will not clear the H&K rear sight). I ordered a plain dust cover from CGW to use as an alternative, since it's a quick change. It took a while, as I had to wait for CGW to break down an S-12 for parts. I also ordered from CSS a K-VAR slide-on sight bracket, and I bought a Burris Fastfire dot sight from another vendor to go on it. In the meantime, I bought a Command Arms combo tac light/laser for $85 from Carolina Shooter's Supply in October. When the plain dust cover finally came in, I installed it along with the K-VAR slide on bracket and Fastfire, as well as the Command Arms combo light/laser. When I went to zero the sight, using slugs, the battery compartment door on the tac light/laser kept popping open on every 2nd or 3rd shot. After less than 30 rounds, the battery door hinge finally broke, being a cheap little plastic hinge.

 

Replacing it is not an option, as it is the desigh and construction that is faulty, so I asked Carolina to refund my money. Since it is beyond their 30 day refund period, they would only replace it with something from their stock or send it back to Command Arms for a replacement. They have nothing I need or want, and replacement is pointless. I sent it back to Carolina telling them to keep it. I am out the $85 and have no way to recover it. Please, no flames from anyone who thinks I'm badmouthing CSS. I'm not at all. I have done business with them on other things, and before this, have always been completely satisfied. It's the light I'm so completely dissatisfied with, nothing more.

 

This is NOT a slam of Carolina Shooter's Supply. They have an excellent reputation, and it is not my intent to make them look bad. I can understand their 30 day refund policy. It prevents customers from returning merchandise after they have used it for a while. Such is no more than good business, and I hold no grudges against them. The reason for this post is to warn anyone who wants to put a combo light/laser on their S-12 and shoot slugs with it. The light Command Arms sells is otherwise excellent, except for the cheap, flimsy battery compartment door, which naturally makes it useless.

 

If you want a GOOD tac light and a laser, I suggest finding an alternative, like I will now. The Command Arms combo light is not the answer I wanted, and I doubt that anyone else here would want a light that fails after less then 30 rounds of slugs. FWIW, the slugs were plain old Federal 2-3/4" slugs, not special magnums or 3".

 

Caveat emptor.

Since you have brought this forward to not say anything bad, I will return the favor.

First off the light was purchased August 11 2009. The KVAR mount was not purchased until October. You called me in mid January to tell me the item broke and it was not a month old. We have a 30 day return policy as listed on the website, the manufacture has a 1 yr warranty. You did not want another light so you did not want to send it to the manufacture for an exchange. I offered to give you full credit on the other items we carry and you agreed. You then sent me a letter saying how upset you were with me and I had nothing you wanted. The light is damaged beyond a simple break of the battery door. Part of the rail is broke off where it may have been thrown against something.

I have sold several hundred of these with only 2 issues.

Here is you invoice from August. I am sorry I could not make you happy.

Packing List No. 5746

 

BILL TO:

George HXXXX

Customer E-mail: gpHXXXXXXX

Customer Phone: XXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Phoenix AZ XXXXXXX

 

 

 

 

Order Date Status Shipping Via Shipment Tracking Total Weight

08/11/09 Shipped Priority USPS 0.0

 

Qty Item No Description

1 CAA-TLL FLASHLIGHT/LASER COMBO COMPACT TACTICAL

[StarPD 6]

As I stated in my original post, I have no beef with CSS or it's policy.

I can assure you that it was NOT "thrown against" anything. I don't lie. The rail would have had to had quite an impact to break it, and I suspect if it had such impact, the light housing itelf would show damage. The rail it was attached to is in prefect condition, with no sign of impact, despite being fastened to the rail mounted on the bottom of the plastic forend.

 

Not sure how the rail was broken, but it didn't happen when I had it. The gun sits stood up on the butt with the light facing out alongside my bed before I shot it, and was carried in a soft case to the range. The battery cover door is plastic, and the hinge is not very big at all, both of which I think contribute to the failure, and the latch and spring are nothing less than flimsy too.

 

As for our conversation, you did indeed offer something else from your catalog, and not having your catalog in front of me at the time, I thought that was a fair offer. Unfortunately, after looking through your catalog, I couldn't find anything I wanted or needed. When we spoke, I stated that I thought it might be less than 30 days old, but I wasn't sure. I have purchased many things off the Internet, and didn't recall when I bought it. I am sorry you took offense at my comments, as I tried to make it plain that my disappointment was not with you.

 

I still maintain the product is cheaply made, and not satisfactory for an S-12. It may well work fine with lower powered loads than the standard slugs I used to zero my sight, but it will not stand up to slugs, at least not for me. Three other men fired my shotgun with the light installed and with slugs. The battery door popped open for all of them, and we had to chase the batteries each time, until finally the door itself fell off due to the broken hinge.

 

Again, I'm sorry you took offense at my post. I made an effort to not belittle you or your company. I posted my experience and opinion of what and why it happened, and nothing else was intended. At any rate, I am still out the $85 I spent on it and will have to find some alternative to having a tactical light and laser for my S-12.

[gpqueen 545]

The last order of lights have a locking set screw on the latch to prevent them from opening. There is no way to open the cover without an allen wrench.

I have this same light on my HD shotgun and the cover has never come open. It is one of the best brightest lights/lasers available for the money.

If you would have called CAA from the start you would have known this.

[StarPD 6]

Since I no longer have the light to examine it, I'll have to take your word for it. I didn't see any locking set screw on mine, and the latch lever in the photo you provided looks substantially thicker than the one on mine, which was so thin it flexed when trying to open the cover. Perhaps I got an earlier version, I don't know.

 

I'm willing to try again if you are willing to send me another. I really did like the light except for the problem I had with it.

 

Thanks.

Edited January 28, 2010 by StarPD

[gpqueen 545]

Since I no longer have the light to examine it, I'll have to take your word for it. I didn't see any locking set screw on mine, and the latch lever in the photo you provided looks substantially thicker than the one on mine, which was so thin it flexed when trying to open the cover. Perhaps I got an earlier version, I don't know.

 

I'm willing to try again if you are willing to send me another. I really did like the light except for the problem I had with it.

 

Thanks.

The new style does have a set screw. Yours did not. I did not even know they changed that until a customer told me today he could not open it. I will send you out a new one in the morning.

Thanks,

Greg

[StarPD 6]

Good enough.

Thanks Greg.

[TO THE FLOOR IN A 63 121]

Sorry about your disappointment on the light/laser combo as I was looking at those. Please let us know how the new one works....Can't say I'm surprised at the outcome of this thread as Greg seems to be a stand up guy and pretty easy to deal with.