Mounting a Light on a Mossberg 590 - Updated first post with pics!

[pattywak]

EDIT: Narrowed done some of the choices to three, decided the heat shield is not necessary anymore so I can remove that if need be. 

 

I recently acquired a 9-shot Mossberg 590 with a heatshield, and the last thing I have left to figure out is the best way I can mount a light to the gun. There are a few options I have found online after seeing some threads related to light mounting on HD shotguns. 

 

1. Surefire forend: This is what I would get in a heartbeat if I had money to burn. Looks great, and lots of great recommendations for it. But the price is a little higher than I am willing to pay. There is a reason this is so highly recommended, I have no problem trusting it is a well-made product.  (Pic from m24shooter on the mossberg owners forum)

 

I found the Surefire Forend, 323LMG for around $300 online. 

 

2. Remove the heat shield, and run a standard clamp + light with a pressure switch on the tail cap. As of right now, I'm considering 2 mounts: 

 

a. The CDM Gear Mod-C 

 

b. The Elzetta ZSM Mount

 

If I go this route, I would probably go with the CDM Gear mount because I like the way it looks compared to the Elzetta. 

 

The second part of this equation is the flashlight. I want to be able to temporarily activate the light with my thumb. This brings up two problems:

2a. I have heard people say that using your thumb is not the best idea because recoil will cause the light to jam back onto your thumb = NO BUENO. 

 

2b. I have a short reach and short thumbs, so I am worried I would not be able to reach the flashlight without reaching out more than is comfortable to do. Here's a pic:

 

Do weapon mounted lights come in different lengths? I'm sure they do, but I have no idea where to begin looking. Surefire seems to be the most vouched for brands, so I was going to start there. 

 

2c. Also, there are many stories of lights not holding up to the recoil of the 12g. People who run the lights on lighter-recoiling platforms, like a .223 AR-15 don't have problems, but I've read many threads about various lights failing when mounted on a shotgun.

 

Edit:

 

3. Also forgot to put this down on the list, but the third option would be the Magpul MOE Forend and a TLR-1. I also really like this setup because of price, and a lot of people are running TLR-1 lights on their shotguns with no problems with recoil battering the light. ONLY downside -> I have no idea when Magpul is going to release the MOE forend, their site just says "Coming 2013." I've already e-mailed them and I am waiting on a response. 

 

Thanks a lot for everyones help and patience with me. 

Edited January 31, 2013 by pattywak

[Parrothead]

Home defense gun = spend the money. If it were training or lights--i would go with the training. You can train to use the lights in your home to your advantage. If you can swing both, get the best you can afford.

 

If your like me, i hate spending $300-1,000 on lights, scopes, red dots and night sights. I could pack the safe full of range guns (lower end pistols, .22 rifles, revolvers, hunting rifles etc) for the same money. However, i think getting home defense set up properly is more important than range toys. Spend the cash on the boring stuff and keep it. Buy the other guns later. Just my .02 cents.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Parrothead

[Guest carter]

my buddy has a mossberg 500 20" with a streamlight polytac mounted on the tube... he seems to like it... good quality lights can be had on amazon with free shipping... 

Edited January 10, 2013 by carter

[pattywak]

Carter, how does your friend mount the light? Does he use a pressure switch?

[jimmydeuce]

I use a LaserLyte Tri-Rail on mine. My light is mounted in a cantilever scope mount. I'm just using the push button switch for momentary on/off, I've been meaning to pick up a pressure switch to try but haven't got around to it.

[Trekbike]

Not exactly what you are looking for but it works for me.  See my post a while back regarding the Elzetta mount.   While it doesn't have a pressure switch, you can mount the end cap of the flashlight so you can reach it while your hand is on the fore end.  Much more natural activation than my pictures might show.  

 

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/36818-870-hd-shotgun-elzetta-light-mount/?hl=elzetta 

[pattywak]

Very nice setup, I had seen the elzetta mounts but never seen someone demo how to use it. The only thing I think may be in the way is the fact that I have a heat shield on my shotgun. I know some people will say just ditch the shield but I'd rather not if I had the choice.

 

Edit: Just checked where my hand falls on the fore end to see if a setup like that Elzetta mount is possible for me, and I do not believe my thumb would be able to reach the rear button of the flashlight. Also, it looks like the heat shield mounting would interfere with the elzetta mount. 

 

Edit edit: Looking at it again, it seems that if I got a flashlight long enough I might be able to actuate it with my thumb. Keeping this option on the table as I just read somewhere that the Laserlyte tri-rail works with Mossbergs with heat shields. Doing more research into it now. Anyone know of any other mounts that work with the factory heat shield? 

 

Edited January 11, 2013 by pattywak

[pattywak]

Interesting update, found this sale on the GG&G fore end PLUs a Surefire Polytac: 

 

 

http://www.gggaz.com/remington-870-and-mossberg-590-forearm-flashlight-mount-package-sale.html

 

For $105 dollars. Anyone have experience with this setup? Only thing I would need is a pressure pad, and some preliminary searching yielded results that said a Surefire pressure switch would work with the Streamlight Polytac. Only downside is that at first glance Surefire pressure switches are really expensive, some results showing around 100$?!? Looks like I need to some more research...all the options are still up in the air. 

 

Here's a quick video review: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lgyng6SWto

Edited January 11, 2013 by pattywak

[Guest carter]

Carter, how does your friend mount the light? Does he use a pressure switch?

 

 

CDM Gear mount...its mounted on the tube...and to turn on the polytac just turn the back cap... its not a momentary on off but its a light and it works well

[pattywak]

Does the cdm mount work with the heatshield? I've seen forum posts online that say it does, but I can't find any comment that states which model specifically works with it. I e-mailed CDM, but he said it may be a while before he gets a chance to respond to e-mails. 

 

So far, I'm liking the GG&G fore end. From what I see online, people say it's a quality piece, but not many use it, I assume because of the price. The sale for both the forend and the Streamlight Polytac at $105 brings the price down a little bit. 

 

I do realize I could get any other forend with rails and mount a light there, but I want it simple and don't want a rail on the unused side of bottom of the foreend. That's wasted rail space to me, and so far the GG&G fore end is the only one that has a single rail on it. 

[pattywak]

Does anyone know if there are lights that have a little bit of a longer tube? I just thought that might help my short thumb hit the tail button in case I wanted to mount one on the left side of my gun using a laserlyte tri-rail mount. 

[willis68]

I would get the eotech, they are awesome for the money,

[Guest carter]

Does the cdm mount work with the heatshield? I've seen forum posts online that say it does, but I can't find any comment that states which model specifically works with it. I e-mailed CDM, but he said it may be a while before he gets a chance to respond to e-mails. 

 

So far, I'm liking the GG&G fore end. From what I see online, people say it's a quality piece, but not many use it, I assume because of the price. The sale for both the forend and the Streamlight Polytac at $105 brings the price down a little bit. 

 

I do realize I could get any other forend with rails and mount a light there, but I want it simple and don't want a rail on the unused side of bottom of the foreend. That's wasted rail space to me, and so far the GG&G fore end is the only one that has a single rail on it. 

 

yes it does...he has a heat shield on his... and the CDM mount

[pattywak]

Thanks for the reply Carter. Do you know specifically which cdm mount? There's a few different options on their website and no mention of heat shields.

[Guest carter]

he has a mossberg 500...i think they make one specifically for the 580 because the barrel is thicker than a 500... i like it because the light is stationary unlike the rails on the forearm that would move when you cycle the action... MOD-C and a stream light polytac

[orientalexpress]

Magpul just released a moe fore end for the mossbergs.

[npgunner]

mine is set up with ergo grip tri-rail, a vertical forgrip, and TLR-1 with back door switch that allows for remote pressure plate. i have the wire for the plate running between the railing and the plate mounted to the foregrip. pic below. this set-up works fairly well to me. i go back and forth on the vertical grip ... but if i take it off the wire for the pressure plate runs pretty easily through the railing and can mount wherever i want onto it pretty easily. i know the tlr-1 isn't the brightest or flashiest light out there, but gives me good lighting for the distances i'm realistically going to need in the house. also, doesn't weigh a whole compared to other lights that are available. got mine sometime last year when midway ran a sale on them and it was pretty cheap too!

 

http://ergogrips.net/products/shotgun-accessories/ergo-trirail-forend-mossberg-500-590-short.html

 

Edited January 16, 2013 by npgunner

[pattywak]

Thank you both for the replies., and that pic helped out a lot. I didn't know you could get a pressure plate for the tlr. Something I need to look into now.

[pattywak]

Just checked the magpul forend, it was just announced with no date set on release. And nprgunner, how hard is it to install another forend? That ergo was one that I was considering. Are the rains uncomfortable when holding the gun? I feel like they would be a little bit considering all the edges and corners compared to the factory forend.

[npgunner]

pattywak, sorry I missed your additional questions. easy to install the ergo grip forend. the whole project (mounting light and a few test shots) took less than 45ish minutes. I wanted a rail that would allow me to mount the light on the under side, not off to the side. I have the ghost ring sights and the light under allows for great illumination of the front orange post at night without casting a shadow to one side. I don't find it uncomfortable with or without the vertical grip. It comes with some rubber fillers that line the edges, these "snap" into place. I'm happy with this purchase and my set up. Let me know what you decide to go with.

[npgunner]

oh, it's obviously not direct illumination of the front site post, but the way the light throws out from under it lets you see it really well. I tried the light on both sides and settled on the under as my favorite.

[pattywak]

Does it cast a shadow being under the barrel? I've heard people saying that having a light under the barrel will put a shadow right over the top part of your target, which is bad because this would be the face of the person you are trying to identify. Do you have any pictures of the shadow cast by your light?

[dcloudy777]

If you're going the forend rail route, take a look at the Inforce WML.  http://www.inforce-mil.com/rifle-carbine-lights.php

[npgunner]

Already at work for the evening. Will snap some pics tomorrow and post for ya!

[pattywak]

If you're going the forend rail route, take a look at the Inforce WML.  http://www.inforce-mil.com/rifle-carbine-lights.php

You know, I've seen those lights and always wondered what make and model they were. Thanks for the link! 

 

 

 

Already at work for the evening. Will snap some pics tomorrow and post for ya!

Thank you! I just wanted to get an idea of what the shadow cast by the mag tube and barrel looked like with the light under it. I'm leaning more towards just saving some for the complete surefire fore end....but it's impossible to find pictures of the light pattern!