Can a 915 fit a pistol light?

[MiamiMan]

It's my only gun, aside from a ridiculous FMJ 45/410 that is mostly just a conversation piece I take to the range occasionally when I want to have a laugh.

So as my only "real gun" the S&W 915 serves double duty as my fun range gun and my home protection gun.

I want to add an additional layer of safety if I ever find myself in my house at night with an intruder and a nice bright light would both be good for blinding someone who's not supposed to be there and revealing anyone that IS supposed to be there to me.

But the 915 is from 1995 or 1994, I can't remember exactly when I bought it, and I can't seem to find anything online that's a direct fit.

Let me be clear that while I have my CCL and I've taken lessons and shoot as often as I can at the range, I'm not a gun hobbyist and I had to search the web for a while to even learn that "pistol light" was the correct term LOL!

So any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! Without a mounting rail on the lower frame, it would take some effort to put a light on a 915. There are many 9 mm polymer pistols with the rail at very low prices that would be easy for a light attachment.

 

[VASCAR2]

I’m an old retired cop and personally I prefer a hand held flashlight. When I began my police career the aluminum Kel-Light (out before the Mag Light) was just being released. The four, five or six D or C cell flashlight with a standard bulb was a candle compared to the current LED tactical lights but close to the size of a baseball bat.

My issue with a weapon mounted light is your likely pointing a loaded weapon at whatever you’re trying to illuminate. For home defense I have electronic ear muffs plus a Streamlight LED light in close proximity to my handgun.

On long guns like rifles and shotguns I like and use weapon mounted lights.

Learn to use your flashlight in your non dominate hand. A Streamlight Poly Tac is small enough to be held next to your handgun for additional support while shooting but also helps index the weapon & light on the target.

Another disadvantage to using a weapon mounted light is it is obvious that the handgun is silhouetted by the light mounted on the handgun when investigating the bump in the night.

It is not uncommon to push out into a doorway or corner to illuminate the area making it easier for someone to grab a weapon. If they grab my weak hand holding my light I still have control over my handgun.

Whether you use a weapon mounted light or not it is wise to practice the use of a weapon with a light and if possible get training.


Just an old guy that can’t keep his opinions to himself, please carry on with regular scheduled programming.

 

[BigBoss3006]

Not without permanent modification. A competent gunsmith can absolutely make a rail for a 915, and tap the frame for mounting. This is not a new phenomenon, Novak, Dawson, etc used to make bolt on rail for GI frame 1911s. People have mounted Novak rails to 3rd Gens.

I had a smith put a rail on my project 459 for use with an X300T. Whether or not it will hold up in the long run, being an alloy frame, remains to be seen. The Dawson rail was intended to be epoxied onto the dust cover in addition to the screws. I would probably recommend that if you have a rail installed.

You could try to source the clamp on rail made for the Daewoo K5, which is very similar in size/shape to S&W autos, but it would almost certainly need to be modified to work

The only practical light made for S&W autos are the Surefire 301/601, however they are extremely difficult to source, and may not work with a 915 due to the geometry differences around the slide stop and dust cover

 

[Miami_JBT]

Old school Surefires would work.

Good luck finding 'em for cheap prices though.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

The Model 915 is a nice pistol. I would not clutter it with add ons that it was not designed for.

 

[jsbethel]

Keep the light in your weak hand and install night sights - that's the best overall improvement you can make to the 915.

403 Forbidden

 

[WR Moore]

It's your house, turn the cotton picking lights on.