Someone asked and I honestly don’t have a lot of answers. The light I use my on Mossberg 590 is an Insight Technologies / L3 fore-end. I do not believe they are made any longer, so that is a negative. The positive of that could be you might find one on the cheap. If that happens, I can’t find any reason to NOT buy it.
Begs the question. Where did I get it and how much did I pay for this light? I paid zero for the light. And Mossberg sent it to me directly while working at a previous employer. The hope was I would run it, love it, and tell everyone about it. Because I was the ONLY Mossberg guy in a gaggle of Remington 870 shooters.
How did that workout for Mossberg? Truthfully not well. We live in a handgun / rifle world and it was left in a box unopened for multiple years. Sorry, Mossberg. Actually very sorry. I feel like a heel about the whole situation.
So what lead me to this fore-end? The Surefire version of the shotgun weapon light extends out so far, on a 590 the user has to cut off the factory bayonet lug. Do I need a bayonet on a shotgun? No. But I wasn’t about to remove one simple because…AMERICA! So the search was on.
The Pros:
- 3 modes of operation: momentary, constant, and strobe.
- Has a physical lock / safety to prevent light-ND’s.
- Doesn’t interfere with 590 bayonet lug.
- Has integrated switch pads for easy use.
- Used CR123 Batteries
The Cons:
- It’s big. Significantly bigger than the Surefire product.
- Frankly, it doesn’t feel as “solid” as it could.
- By today’s standards, it’s on the lower end of the light-throwing scale. But adequate.
So what’s the takeaway? In today’s shorty AR universe, the shotgun is passé. But I still like them for home defense. If you are someone who still rocks the scattergun? And are looking for a bayonet friendly lighted fore-end for your 590, I’d give these a look-see. But I’d still press hard for a price break.
I’ll keep the reader updated over the next few years on how this one holds up. At the very least I owe Mossberg that. And I don’t like to owe anyone.
Marky
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
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