WML placement - stop making life hard

[London]

PSA: I see a lot of people unneccessarily worrying and screwing around because they're afraid leaving their WML level with their flash hiders will damage the light. They are worrying about nothing.

Here we have a 16" 5.56 AR-15 that has about 150 rounds through it. The light not only works, but the pressure and flames weren't even enough to damage the Alumahyde sprayed on the WML. I have even had much weaker Krylon survive being mounted next to 11.5" barrels, and the WMLs still work.

I've seen too much effort go into trying to solve a non-issue, such as mounting the head an inch or so behind the muzzle. The users who do this then often put oil, chap-stick, or clear tape over the lens so they can clean the fouling off later. This is not only unneccessary compared to my method, it causes your lumens to drop the more the weapon is used. As you can see here, 150 rounds did absolutely nothing to dirty my lens. NOTHING!

Moving a WML any further back, as some others do, introduces unneccessary barrel shadow. Avoid all the downsides and just run your WML all the way forward.

 

[zackmars]

An a2 isn't directing enough blast to do much to a light. Some brakes will absolutely destroy some cheaper WML's. For example, a olight vs a Tranquilo muzzle brake? The olight lost.


I prefer to have the bezel between the end of the rail, and the muzzle device. Shadow isn't that big of a deal (unless you have a very weak light) and if the mounts available allow it, makes the gun much more svelte. It pays off when working around barriers, or walking through brush

 

[Maverick44]

I've found that getting the light at least partially above your barrel can help with the shadows. I like mine at around the 1:00 -1:30 position, tucked in tight. The shadow is pretty well out of the way. The light doesn't have to be right up on the muzzle device, though I do like it fairly close to the end of the barrel.

 

[toddnjoyce]

Need moar lumens if barrel shadow is really what’s preventing you from valid target ID. Weapon mounted lights have their place, but it ain’t at mid- to terminal end rifle cartridge distances.