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Illuminate Me

Do you have a light on your 590? If so, what is your setup? What is your philosophy of use? Post pics and tell us about it.
 
I've been working on getting the right lighting solution.

My first setup was an InForce WML mounted on the left (support hand) side of my Magpul MOE forend.
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InForce lights are really bright and tough. The activation button fell really easily under my thumb, so this setup felt great when I first installed it. Then, I took it to the range... It turns out that the light battered my thumb with every shot. After a few magazines of assorted rounds, I had to take the light off.

Next, I tried the WML at the 6 o'clock location.
49467314557_f0d1566bcd_4k.jpg

I actually like this location for the light. Any shadow thrown by the barrel (very little, since the Shockwave's barrel is so short) is thrown straight up, so it's effect is negligible. I like that much better than having a shadow thrown to one side of the room. I can activate the light from this position, but not as easily as it was in the 9 o'clock position. I have to either move my hand to press the button with my thumb, or use the knuckle of my index finger. Either way is do-able, but not ideal. Also, it's hard to use the light momentarily in this position, and that's a requirement, imo. It's not bad, but still not what I'm looking for.

My next trial will be the Streamlight TL-Racker. I was interested when Streamlight put this out, but they only had versions for the Rem 870 and regular Mossberg 500/590. Well, they heard the demand and just released a version to fit the Shockwave, so I ordered one last night. This solution seems almost ideal. (Other than being kind of ugly, imo.)
  • Bright - 1000 lumens with a 1.5 hour run time
  • Easy activation - long activation strips on both sides can be pressed with thumb or fingers
  • Momentary - it's important to be able to only have the light on for a moment and be able to go dark quickly
  • Comfortable - It's been described as providing a grip angle much like that of a Magpul AFG
  • Price - at only $125 it's much more affordable than the similar $325 Surefire forend
I'll post pics after I get it installed and an impression after a range trip.
 
I only have 1 shotgun set up with a light. It's my Winchester 1300. The light is attached with an Elzetta mount that actually holds and doesn't move around under recoil. It's holding a 120 lumen Ray-o-vac "indestructible" model AA flash light. I like that combination really well because it holds a tight beam at the distances that one would usually shoot a shotgun and doesn't blind on both ends of it.

Truth is, I prefer most all of my accessories be AA powered so I can recharge them with a little solar panel if necessary and/or takes common batteries.
 
For my AR and AK platforms I have a home brew quick attach. The mounts themselves stay fixed to the pic rail, and I can easily swap a streamlight Polytac between them, which is also a good EDC light. And I keep several of them around . On my Mossberg 500 I have a fixed Streamlight TLR 1 I think, with a pressure switch on the slide. And on the Tavor I have a TLR3 I think. It's the light/laser. Not really the ideal setup for that firearm, but i didnt have it mounted on anything else at the time. I try to stay consistent using CR 123 batteries. Although not as common as AA, at least they all use the same, and I can keep extras on hand.

Sent from my SM-J727V using Tapatalk
 
Using the various lights that all use the same battery is one less thing to have to worry about. Well thought out.
 
I received the TL-Racker today. I haven't gotten to shoot with it yet (hopefully tomorrow) but I really like it. It's really well thought out.
49554206073_3c692d4b3a_4k.jpg


The grip feels similar to the AFG I had before, but the angle is more natural and the way it fills my palm feels just right. For the Shockwave version of the TL-Racker, Streamlight adde more of a hook to the area just behind the light, giving a very positive hand stop. They also added swivels and a hand strap for those who are worried about their hand slipping off. The combination of ribs and texture give a really good grip without being overly aggressive.

49554904452_d52598fd27_4k.jpg


The activation strips fall very easily to hand; a quick press turns the light on and another turns it off. Holding the switch a little longer activates momentary mode and releasing it turns the light off again. Streamlight increased the light output from it's original 850 to 1000 lumens for this second generation TL-Racker. The beam is a good medium spread between spot and flood.

49554170378_4f4728300d_4k.jpg


The battery compartment is sealed with an o-ring and holds 2 CR123 batteries. The cap is plastic and has a notch that is VERY OBVIOUSLY sized to allow you to use a quarter to turn it if the cap gets stuck. I can't tell you have many idiots I've seen on Youtube who have buggered up the cap trying to turn it with a flathead screwdriver (facepalm).

49554170313_a56762770b_4k.jpg


The provisions for the hand strap are pretty well thought out, even if the strap itself looks and feels cheap. If I was planning to leave a strap on my gun on, I would replace it with a woven paracord strap. Since my Shockwave has a pistol brace and a front sling mount, and the TL-Racker has a built in hand stop, I'd really have to try to get my hand out in front of a live round. I don't like how the strap catches my hand and require extra movement for me to get my support hand back to the breach area to load a round. I'll be taking it off post haste.

I still don't think the TL-Racker looks as good as the Magpul MOE, but it's not as ugly in person as I thought it looked from the pics I saw before I bought it. Or maybe the great fit, feel and function is making it look better to me that it would otherwise. I guess the ultimate beauty is utility when it come to an HD/SD tool.
 
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I'm a Streamlight TL-Racker fan. Yes, I could improve the feel and design, and on the full-length 590, it does throw a shadow (I moved the OEM sliing stud to the side). But for what it is, it's very bright and relatively compact. I hate stuff hanging off the side. Affordable, too, at $117.
 
I received the TL-Racker today. I haven't gotten to shoot with it yet (hopefully tomorrow) but I really like it. It's really well thought out.
49554206073_3c692d4b3a_4k.jpg


The grip feels similar to the AFG I had before, but the angle is more natural and the way it fills my palm feels just right. For the Shockwave version of the TL-Racker, Streamlight adde more of a hook to the area just behind the light, giving a very positive hand stop. They also added swivels and a hand strap for those who are worried about their hand slipping off. The combination of ribs and texture give a really good grip without being overly aggressive.

49554904452_d52598fd27_4k.jpg


The activation strips fall very easily to hand; a quick press turns the light on and another turns it off. Holding the switch a little longer activates momentary mode and releasing it turns the light off again. Streamlight increased the light output from it's original 850 to 1000 lumens for this second generation TL-Racker. The beam is a good medium spread between spot and flood.

49554170378_4f4728300d_4k.jpg


The battery compartment is sealed with an o-ring and holds 2 CR123 batteries. The cap is plastic and has a notch that is VERY OBVIOUSLY sized to allow you to use a quarter to turn it if the cap gets stuck. I can't tell you have many idiots I've seen on Youtube who have buggered up the cap trying to turn it with a flathead screwdriver (facepalm).

49554170313_a56762770b_4k.jpg


The provisions for the hand strap are pretty well thought out, even if the strap itself looks and feels cheap. If I was planning to leave a strap on my gun on, I would replace it with a woven paracord strap. Since my Shockwave has a pistol brace and a front sling mount, and the TL-Racker has a built in hand stop, I'd really have to try to get my hand out in front of a live round. I don't like how the strap catches my hand and require extra movement for me to get my support hand back to the breach area to load a round. I'll be taking it off post haste.

I still don't think the TL-Racker looks as good as the Magpul MOE, but it's not as ugly in person as I thought it looked from the pics I saw before I bought it. Or maybe the great fit, feel and function is making it look better to me that it would otherwise. I guess the ultimate beauty is utility when it come to an HD/SD tool.

The strap is good insurance against Kel-Tek hand.
 
The strap is good insurance against Kel-Tek hand.

If I didn't have a brace on my Shockwave, I might keep the strap. But with the built-in hand stop on the Streamlight forend, and the brace to keep the muzzle farther from my support hand (the KSG is 26.1" from shoulder to muzzle, my Shockwave is 31"), I don't feel the strap is necessary.
 
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