[tom344]

Hello,

Here is an idea for a flashlight mount on my 1894, and thought I might run it past you folks first. Skinner sights are going on soon and I intend to remove the factory buckhorn and was going to fill the dovetail with a blank. Trouble is, I bought this rifle not just for hunting and targets, but for varmint and zombie troubles too. A flashlight might be real handy.

I like the look of my rifle and I don't want to change her up all that much, so I was thinking instead of a rail, maybe some sort of small armature that fits in the existing dovetail and holds a light slung under it. A really small light would be best for me, maybe even a Maglite Solitaire. Something small would rest right where the barrel and stock meet, and blend into the lines of the gun better.

Well, if anyone here has a couple cents they would like to throw in, or even better, if there is anyone who would like to work on something like this please let me know.

Good shooting,
Tom.

 

[MULEMAN]

Such a mount could be made, no problem. Here is the problem I see. This is a small mounting surface and by extending a mount out from it you would be adding quite a bit of leverage should accidentally drop or hit it. The second thing would be that these dovetails are not made to have things inserted and removed on a regular basis. They create a tight fit by the friction created by placeing a slightly oversize dovetail in the slot.I would be afraid of wearing pretty quickly by removing the mount repeatedly to the point it would not fit securely in short order. So my idea is this. Could it be done, absolutely. For a permanent fixture it may work? I do not believe from an engineering standpoint that it would be a good design.

 

[tom344]

Bummer.

Any ideas on how to do something like that? Mount a very small flashlight without a rail, in a very unobtrusive way?

Love those lever loops, btw. You and I are going to have to talk about those!

T.

 

[papajohn]

I think a better idea would be the figure-eight mounts I see in various catalogs that clamp onto the mag tube ahead of the forend. Under ten bucks, if memory serves.

 

[Combat Leverguns]

I've been working on a solution, however, the installation would be semi permanent, but not look terrible IMHO...

 

[rooikat]

Here is my solution:

Works pretty well.

 

[papajohn]

Rooikat, can you get us a close-up of that mounting system? I'm curious as to how it works. And is it specific to that particular light? Thanks!

Nice looking gun, by the way.

 

[rooikat]

Here you go....

So far, I have only installed these on Marlins, of all calibers. It mounts on the front sling swivel.
Any light with a rail mont will work. Best part (to me) is it can be removed, with no harm done to the gun finish or wood.

 

[tom344]

Perfect!

 

[colorado.warhorse]

If you could mold a clamp between the barrel and feed tube with a rail mount on both sides and bottom. Would be outstanding

 

[scarville]

Here is my current solution to that problem.

The flashlight is a Maglite SL-50. Nothing fancy -- just a good bright light. I use one of these as a clamp:


It is intended for shotguns so I cut a short piece of garden hose, split is lengthwise and wrapped it around the magazine as a buffer.