Wind Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Hi all! Let me start by saying that I'm NO kind of expert, especially on shotguns. My first experience was shooting a pistol grip with 3 inch 000, after which I swore that I'd never try another! Enter a friend with an M4 and it completely changed my perspective. However, at 5'4.5" tall and not particularly strong, the M4 was very long for me, and particularly nose heavy. I changed the stock to a shorter Mesa and that helped a lot, I still would love to place a LIGHTWEIGHT laser on it for close range defense. I have lasers on 3 of my guns and they work great, they are all Crimson Trace but they are all for handguns. I find the tritium night sites for the Benelli completely useless, they are simply too far forward to be of any good. I have these on my handguns and I love them, but the Benelli would need something much brighter. In my experience the laser is wonderful for acquiring a target quickly with a full field of view and even firing from less than optimal position. I'm seeking a lightweight fairly short range laser that could be accommodated on the M4, without adding pounds of weight in adaptors, rails or the laser itself. I can't for the life of me imagine using this gun at night for over 50 meters distance, its for home defense, not for a war. If anyone has any idea on such a laser as well as any way to further reduce this guns weight, it would be very appreciated. Perhaps there is a lighter or even shorter stock, it can be imported and any configuration, this M4 is absurdly 922R compliant, I suffer for "Just In Case Syndrome"! Thank you for your time and attention. Wind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CobraBG Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 You might consider replacing the front sling attachment ring with a piece that allows a short section of rail. I think that GG&G and Impact Weapons Components (IWC) offer something like this. There are probably others too. Then you could add a rail mounted laser on either the left or right side that could be actuated with your support hand. I have an IWC mount on my M4 for a Surefire light and QD sling. They are good quality. I do like the Surefire lasers and have 2, one on a J Frame and one on a 1911. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 The IWC mount would likely be the most stable platform to mount to. It would be mounted to the barrel assembly so a zero should be retained. I would use a Surefire X400 weapon Light/laser combo. https://www.impactweaponscomponents.com/product/multi-light-benelli-m4-mount-1913-picatinny-rail/ Here is the mount. As you can see the picatinny rail is at an angle. This will complicate zeroing of the laser since you won’t be adjusting on the up/down left/right for each screw. While not ideal, it isn’t super hard to work around this. https://www.surefire.com/illumination/weaponlights/handgun/x400u-a-ultra-green-led-weaponlight.html Surefire X400 Ultra with a 1000 lumens and a green laser. The x400 still has that retarded oversized toggle switch on the bottom that selects if you want just laser, just light, both light and laser, or toggled off. Trouble is the switch is easy to bump. I’d the length of the toggle down so that it takes more effort to switch modes. I’d then put the Surefire XT 07 tape switch block on the back of the X400. Which isn’t cheap. https://www.surefire.com/catalog/product/view/id/309/s/remote-switch-assembly-for-x300/category/72/ The picatinny Railed tape switch won’t work with this application with the OEM handguards. I’d buy a Surefire ST07 then maybe modify the handguard so there is a slight pocket for the tape switch to sit in. Maybe put a hole thru the handguard for a zip tie to retain the wire at the front of the pad. I’d probably use a set of FFT reproduction handguards so that you aren’t modifying your OEM set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NineInchNails Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 (edited) Wow those prices are high! SureFire sure ain't cheap. You could get that IWC mount, attach any light you want as well as any laser you want for a LOT less. Another option would be to install a Mesa Tactical Trukee forend/handguard, attach any light and laser you want. Edited April 27, 2020 by NineInchNails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdog19 Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 (edited) Windy - Everything Stranger said above, plus you can also checkout Streamlights tactical light and laser combos. They basically replicate everything Surefire offers and they appear to be cheaper looking at their website and on Amazon/Ebay. They also weigh just under 5 ounces. Now having said that, I'm not sure of everyone's opinions on quality and performance between the 2 brands. I do run a Streamlight TLR-2 HL with a red laser on my Springfield XD-40 hd pistol. Edited April 27, 2020 by Birdog19 And everything Nails said too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigfla Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Streamlight is amazing with pistol mounted lights. I have the ProTac HL on my PCC and its not great. The laser was a pitch to zero and it isn't really solid in how its mounted in the housing. I wasn't super impressed. Its on a 9mm AR platform so it served a purpose but I wouldn't go that route again. Plus the ProTac models are all a little bulky in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobtanium Posted May 7, 2022 Share Posted May 7, 2022 (edited) As an update to this, I've purchased a Surefire XVL2-IRC to fill this role. It looks to fit the IWC mount perfectly, and I will see if it works for this application. By the end of next week my short term eval of it will be done. Here is the X300U placeholder. The toggle switches are NOT to be ridden during recoil. Toggle the light on, engage the target, toggle it off. If you want to use them to flash-bulb, then run your thumb off to the side of it and apply pressure toward the head of the light with the pad of your thumb. This way recoil will bypass your thumb. Do NOT press with the tip of the thumb trapping it behind the light. This will "get you" with anything on a gauge.: *How horrible...my circa @2015? X300U head is brown/purple. Just noticed. #PurpleHeadedLumenSlinger Edited May 7, 2022 by Unobtanium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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