Tactical? flash light

[handirifle]

We frequently have issues out here with wandering skunks and sometimes they come close enough to the house that the stench gives you major headaches.

My solution so far is a 22 rifle and flashlight, but I want something that can be gun mounted (snap in?) so I can hold the rifle solidly. I want something that is bright enough to see 40-50yds and easily identify the skunk.

I currently use one of those hand held lights that is not unlike the ones for a car, with a 12v plug. The lens is about 4" in dia and it shines a super bright light and you could see a skunk 100yds off, no prob. But it has about 20 min of burn time before it needs recharging (110v). Ideally it would be an LED for long batt life, and/or rechargeable, with very bright light, and narrow beam. Oh yes, I want to be able to still have 2 arms and 2 legs after purchase (meant CHEAP) or reasonable.

An example was a 3 C cell light, that was LED and said (I think) 3 W, 200 lumens, and distance of 350yd +. But it was $40. A bit high to me, for an occasional peek outside.

[M.O.A.]

try this

Laser Genetics ND3 Long Distance Laser Designator$199.99
Laser Genetics ND3 Subzero Laser Designator$269.99
Laser Genetics ND3x40 Subzero Laser Designator$389.9

from natchez shooters supplies

[thomae]

Good flashlights are not cheap. You stated that $40.00 was a bit much for you, and the next post suggested a number of possibilities in the $200-400 range.
Even good small handheld lights like the Surefire are reasonably expensive.

If your spotlight can run off of house current, how about an extention cord? No, I'm not trying to be a smart alek, just thinking "least money."

The other thing is that if you already have a mag light, there are kits available (Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc...) to convert them to LEDs instead of bulbs. That might be an option.

For inexpensive, a plug-in spotlight running on house current will be the least expensive to purchase.

I realize it won't meet your criterion of attaching to your gun, but maybe you can employ a helper?

[handirifle]

Well, I may have been unclear. The charger plugs into the A/C current, not the light. In fact the light will not even turn on while charging, so that is out. Plus I live on acreage and I could easily need to move 100yds from the door I go out so that isn't an option either.

No way in God's green earth would I EVER spend $200-400 for a flashlight, sorry. As I said $40 is high. I do not need something the Special Forces uses, it's just to shoot invading skunks with.

I'll keep looking.

[wch]

I had a similar problem; I fastened a piece of Picatinny rail to the rifle stock and mounted a flaslight in a 1 " scope ring fastened to the rail.
Then I "custom-sized" the light with a piece of bicycle innertube so that it remained tight.
Seems to work just fine.

[squawsach]

Try this
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aim-Sports-Inc-Flashlight-150-Lumens-With-Quick-Release-Mount-Color-Filtered-Lenses-Compact/21066363?findingMethod=rr

It should be plenty bright enough to shoot a skunk at 40 yards. It's 150 lumens. The high dollar surefires I looked at were 170 lumen. A little less light, alot less money.

[kkeene]

About 400 lumens in a cheap (15 bucks), small aluminum LED flashlight. Uses one oddball rechargable lithium battery or two CR123A batteries. I have a couple of these and they are great. You can get a cheap mount to attach to the barrel or scope body.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultrafire-Wf-502b-Focus-Flashlight-Black/dp/B006X7LV0W

[handirifle]

Well I got one at Wal mart, I don't even remember the brand but it was $29 and put out 130 lumens, good for 135 meters, and is small enough to fit under my barrel.

I wrapped it in plastic to keep from scratching the light or barrel, and taped it to my rifle barrel, aimed where I see through the scope. Works perfectly. Now to catch the skunk!!!!

Oh yes, uses 3 AA batteries, cheap to keep.

[cbul]

Handirifle- I had simular troubles with skunks, raccoons and fox with chickens. Skunks I learned require carful handling. A box trap is what i found works best. I tried to "release" a trapped skunk before and he spray immediately after they clear the trap. It can be nothing short of horrible. Same goes when you shoot one sometimes they spray sometimes not. Its a crap shoot. (pardon the pun) So now skunks that get trapped get dunked into a stock tank until drowned. Sounds kinda harsh but it seems humane and no god awful spray. Raccoons get shot if they find the box trap. Now your thread is of interest because I have coyotes in my back yard that stay 60-70yards out. To far for shotgun same with a 22LR. So I am looking at a 22 wmr. 93 fss. I also need a light. When I see Coyotes behind the house they give me only 2-4 seconds before they bolt when I shine them with a flashlight. So recently I have been bowhunting deer out of a blind in my back yard and saw a nice gray fox....I missed him with an arrow. Now a 22 pistol gets packed. I popped a super nice coyote last friday. He dropped ...lucky shot I think. I am now obsessive about hunting coyotes. Well your recipe of a 93 and flashlight certainly caught my eye. Careful with the skunks!

Cheers! and good hunting!

Cbul

[cbul]

I just got back from the gun store ordered a Savage 93 FSS 22 wmr. Sort of expensive for a 22 but the quality will remain long after the price has been forgotten. True for most things.

[TOP PREDATOR]

i use a walmart special also, made by duracell. i think it was 20.00 bucks. has a focusable beam on it.

i actually use it for coyotes, when i see the shadow approaching, i push the end cap, gives me enough light to identify that it actually is a coyote out to 70ish yards.

brinkman also made one that worked well for "cheap illumination".

another tip is to use a picatinny or even an old weaver scope base with a few small wood screws attached to the side / bottom of the stock. clamp the light in an old scope ring, attached to the pic / weaver base.

i have pictures of what i've done to give you an idea, however the firewall here at work will not let me retrieve stuff from photobucket.

generally, even with a rimfire, i don't like to attach stuff to the optic. even the lights and trinkets that say "scope mounted".

[TOP PREDATOR]

got home:
http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/MKII%20F/MKIIF049.jpg
http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/MKII%20F/MKIIF047.jpg
http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/MKII%20F/MKIIF041.jpg

[cbul]

Top Predator- Thats clever! Well done!

[handirifle]

I just got back from the gun store ordered a Savage 93 FSS 22 wmr. Sort of expensive for a 22 but the quality will remain long after the price has been forgotten. True for most things.

I already have a 93GL, and it is amazingly powerful out to 150yds. At 125yds, I pop ground squirrels and I have had them facing me on all fours, and when the bullet hits, it flips them over on their backs. that's with the 30gr "green" bullets. but it is pretty darn loud, and that's why I'm using the LR. I am aware of the die and spray issue, and don't plan on being down wind or in range when I shoot.

As for drowning, my neighbor just leaves them in the sun a few days. He claims they are thirsty critters, and the sun takes care of them in short order. To each their own I say.

I used to trap for furs when I was a kid in Ohio, and have had more than one run in with these foul smelling creatures.

TopPredator
I thought of doing exactly that, but even though it's a $75 J C Higgins that I refinished, i couldn't make myself drill into the stock. Kinda crazy I know, but this works well too. Not as solid as your mount, but ok. What's the mounting bracket (rings) from?

[TOP PREDATOR]

some cheap POS set a rings i had laying around that i know i'd never use for mounting a scope, so used them for mounting flashlights. they are 1", make sure the if you go that way that the scope will fit. also 30mm POS rings work well too on larger flashlights.
if you don't want to fuzz up the stock, try some velcro, you can get a long strip for a couple of bucks at the hardware store. either wrap it around the whole thing, or get the two sided glue type. this'll allow you ot position it at any agle, but you may have to "shim" it a little in the grip area of the flashlight with some wood or something. that'll be a complete "redneck rig", but it'll work. though i also don't like hanging stuff on the barrel, the velcro / wood shim method could work that way too. it'll be removable without boogering up anything.

[handirifle]

Yea I already have the redneck rig, and normally I wouldn't use the barrel either, but this one has a 21.5" barrel, and the shots won't be long, so I wasn't worried about affecting accuracy. It's not permanent and that was my first concern.

Seems like the handle part of my light was bigger than 1" but not sure. I didn't think that far ahead when buying it.

[kcsteve]

Get yourself a havahart trap...then shoot it in the daylight!

[shaman]

I bought a super tactical special battery barrier breaker bezel flashlight like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Bright-TrustFire-CREE-XM-L-3800lumen-5Mode-3-T6-LED-Flashlight-Torch-Lamp-/230873855252?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item35c1277514

, and haven't really used it because of the price of batteries. My father bought me 5 of these, or similar

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-CREE-Q5-LED-Flashlight-240-Lumens-Light-Zoom-Adjustable-Focus-Torch-3-Modes-/160823676426?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item2571d68e0a

For the same price after the earthquake. C batteries were everywhere, AAA were available some places, AA and D were rarer than a "insert rare joke here". The one above takes 3 AAA batteries, has high low, and strobe, adjustable focus? angle?. For looks, I would mount the tactical one, as it might be better, and would make me look more like a real "operator", or mall ninja, but the cheaper Chinese generalight in the second link stays in the car, at the front door, on the computer desk, in the wife's car, and at the in-laws house. If I take one with me back to the states, I will probably try to put it in a scope ring and see what I can do with it. It would have to be close to the front or the beam would be obstructed by the barrel. It probably wouldn't get out as far as the supertac one, but it has a very good useable beam.

[handirifle]

Just for the record, the other day I looked, and if I balked at spending $40 on a flashlight, I would choke before spending twice that on a trap.


Get yourself a havahart trap...then shoot it in the daylight!

[thomae]

Traps like that are much less expensive at Harbor Freight.