What to put on the R8 Rails?

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FloridaGun

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I am purchasing a SW R8 and I am planning on using it as a nightstand gun. Something about a loaded revolver is comforting, even though many semi-autos are 99% reliable. I have found some old posts on the forum but I'm thinking that since it is near the end of 2022 some new technology may have emerged. Specifically, what do you think would be the best red dot for the top rail, and what would be the best flashlight for the bottom rail.

The weapon light seems to be the biggest deal since the rail is small and is so far forward of the trigger guard. I'm obviously familiar with the Harries technique, Chapman, neck index, etc.. but it would be nice to have a light and or laser on there anyway since I won't be holstering it. I reached out to SureFire and their tech support actually recommended no light from them because their systems are designed to interact with the trigger guard. Streamlight recommended the TLR 4. Wondering what other folks are using for their bottom rail.

Secondly, how are you attaching the red dot to the upper rail. Is there a preferred attachment that works best, and are they are any new red dot options you recommend. Thanks and looking forward to rejoining the SW club (had a 340pd j frame 15 years ago that I still miss.)
 
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I'm gonna answer the second part. It might answer the first.

I recommend moving the point of attachment for the red dot as rearward as possible. Removing the rear sight assembly. And mounting any red dot you can.

Moving the optic farther back gives you better view and eliminates the possibility of adding all the weight on that rail/shroud and loosening the barrel.

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Definately +1 on that Allchin mount, love how that gets the red dot low and to the rear of the gun. That's why I come here, you guys know your stuff! Now I need to figure out what to do with that bottom rail. I guess I could leave it alone and just use a flashlight, but it seems a waste to leave that rail lonely! I think I would put something on there just for the "cool" factor. It's my nightstand gun but life is too short not to make your gun as awesome as possible.
 
StrawHat said:
A flashlight on the handgun serves to pinpoint YOUR location. Dumb idea that is perpetuated by armchair commandos trying to the money in you pocket into theirs.

Kevin
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Seems like there is a lot of debate on weapon lights, but for the half of the gun population that believes in them, what would you put on that bottom rail?
 
Does anyone know if the Raptor mounts are still in business? I have one on my 617-6, and it is very similar to the Allchin, but just a little lower and streamlined. Both great mounts.
 
FloridaGun said:
Seems like there is a lot of debate on weapon lights, but for the half of the gun population that believes in them, what would you put on that bottom rail?
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This is a "house gun" so I am guessing it is in your house (read that as the OP or whoever is asking this question). I would not put anything on the rail. It is my house! I should know every inch of it intimately. Last year my wife and I moved to a very rural community. The "town" consists of one church, one bar, a filling station, and a quilt shop, all on the circle at the intersection of two roads. Minnie Pearl once quipped "…we put up a new sign in town. It says WELCOME TO HARTSGROVE and GOODBYE…". There isn't enough room for two signs. That describes our town. No street lights, no traffic lights. There is a light on one of my outbuildings. It provides enough illumination that I can see whatever I need to see in the main portion of the house. I know how many steps it takes me to reach the door to our bedroom from the bed, how many steps to the dining room, the living room, the laundry room, the family room, the office, etc. We have only lived there a year. I also know when the is cover and concealment. Where the light switches are. We also have a plan, what each of us will do and where we will be. If someone comes into our home, they will not be familiar with the layout, they will be the ones illuminating themselves and drawing the aim of at least two trained shooters.

As mentioned, having something hanging off the end of your handgun disturbs the balance. If you cannot accurately aim your handgun in semidarkness and hit the trading target, you don't need more gimmicks, you need more training and practice.

Kevin
 
I like Holosun red dot sights. They are instant on when you pick them up and are 'solar rechargable'.

Personally I would not put a light on a revolver. IMO a light on a pistol is best used in the momentary mode. Meaning it is on when use push the buttom and is off as soon as you release, to identify a target, not as being used as a flash light. When mounted on a revolver, you lose the ability of the momentary mode because of the cylinder flash. You can only use it as a flash light.
 
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I put a Trijicon RMR 2 on my 629 a couple of years ago using a mount from Raptor Engineering: https://www.raptor-eng.com/ . The Raptor Engineering mount was suggested by red dot users in the S&W forum because it put the red dot as close as possible to the top of the 629. The huge California fires caused some major issues for them.
Next up, a reflex red dot such as the Trijicon RMR 2 has a learning curve. The red dot most likely not be centered or even visible when you go to aim the gun. I started out by holding the 629 pointing down in front of me until I got the red dot centered in the screen then I brought the 629 to shooting position.
I highly recommend against using an attached light, the bad guy will have an aiming point.
 
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You might consider a short shotgun such as the Mossberg Shockwave. Five rounds in the tube, you can have a sixth round in the chamber if you want to have a weapon lying around ready to fire. The sound of a shotgun racking in a shell is universally well known. I would much rather chase the bad guy off than have a mess (in more ways than one) to clean up.
 
I have a Viridian light and green laser combo on my on my home defence bedside gun. And am happy with it. Holosun is my favorite green dot to put on my handguns. I prefer green to red as I find green shows up better in all light situations. I have had an R8 for sometime but it has only been used at the so far.
 
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I've done plenty of dark building searches, many alone. I'd consider a weapon light an asset. I ran one for a short time when I was using my 1911 that had a rail on the dust cover. Quite a few officers were running weapon lights at the time. Yeah, I've been through the various fads of police training and the different theories on flash lights and how to use them during searches, off to the side, crossed wrists, whatever. Having a free hand is pretty valuable. I don't know if they even teach the light held out to the side in the academy anymore. I'd rather be able to see my sights or have a light that itself provides a pretty good aiming point, and a free hand.

I don't have a recommendation for a light. I'm sure the technology has improved a lot since the one I used on my 1911. I Mine is an Insite brand and I don't even know if they're still around. Currently in my house we have a 9mm pistol that's more a PCC, with a laser and light and a bull pup 12G with a light.
 
The Surefire XC1-(B/C) seems to fit well on a TRR8. However I could not find a holster company willing to build one for this combo.

(Not my pic but one I found in the internet.)

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I see no problem with having a light on the bottom rail, it just gives you an option and you don't have to use it.

One aspect no one mentioned is with a rail-equipped semi-auto pistol you can control the light with your dominant hand because the switch is close to the trigger guard, but (I think) an R8 light would take your other hand to turn it on and off. It will take practice to use it if so.
 
I don't like anything on my SD guns at all. No light, no laser, nada. IMHO they are just additional things to malfunction when you need it the most. Once your mind gets used to relying on them, it will watch, wait or look for them during a stressful time because it has been trained to do so - if it malfunctions, your response could be delayed. Lasers can and do move, go out of alignment, buttons fail, etc. If you feel the need for a light source then have a small and light weight flashlight near your SD gun that you can hold or set up not next to your body. Remember, if aiming a pistol, the light or laser is usually right between your eyes!

The other detriment could be:

If you are an armed bad guy and the house is dark, then the homeowner has a pistol or revolver with a light, laser etc, where do you aim? AT THE SOURCE of the light of course - making yourself a great target & no longer "hidden".

Last but not least let's remember what times we now live in......

You shoot or kill a bad guy - next thing is you wind up being arrested and in court. How do you think the prosecuting attorney (DA)is going to use the laser or light attached? He's gonna make it sound like you are a crazed killer and out to have all available advantages to kill someone. I see these items as a detriment on SD guns, but that's just me. Nope - I don't care for them.

My personal practice is to have very dim night lights placed in strategic areas of your home. I have 4 of them and at night we can navigate very well and since it's our home and we are familiar with it, we have no issues seeing with the very dim light. Someone not familiar with your home will not have the same advantage as you. IMHO much better than attachments!

Last but not least, if your EDC is the same as your HD gun, you need special holsters for a gun that has appendages. More weight, more bulk, more things to catch and go wrong. My feeling is to keep things simple, straight forward and just train to make them work for you. YMMV.
 
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Appreciate all of the feedback, didn't realize I was opening pandora's box with the weaponlight question! I wonder why SW included a bottom rail if it is so universal that weapon lights on this type of gun are not warranted. My thought had been that if something wakes me up in the middle of the night, I'd rather have a weaponlight on my gun and not use it. The way I see it, I would prefer that the intruder know I am there and run, rather than sneak up on them and shoot them. If I turn on my light and an intruder opens fire, then I don't know if it matters if it is my flashlight or my weaponlight, stuff is about to get real. I'm not trying to win a navy seal gun battle, I'm just trying to protect myself and family.
 
FloridaGun said:
I wonder why SW included a bottom rail if it is so universal that weapon lights on this type of gun are not warranted.
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The railed revolver was specifically designed for the lead person of a police entry team, the person holding the bullet proof shield, so they could brace the firearm against the shield edge and shoot. That technique may interrupt the action of a semiautomatic slide.




Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk
 
Last but not least let's remember what times we now live in......

You shoot or kill a bad guy - next thing is you wind up being arrested and in court. How do you think the prosecuting attorney (DA)is going to use the laser or light attached? He's gonna make it sound like you are a crazed killer and out to have all available advantages to kill someone. I see these items as a detriment on SD guns, but that's just me. Nope - I don't care for them.
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An urban legend. If a bad guy breaks into your home it doesn't matter what weapon you use to take him out. Knife. Revolver. Rifle. Brick. If you are justified nobody is going to arrest you or prosecute you or sue you. Justification is required. If the doper is sleeping on your sofa you cannot shoot him, bludgeon him, stab him, or even punch him out. But if he is threatening you or your family then putting the perp's lights out is justified and will not be prosecuted - and I think that includes LA, NYC, Chi-town, Seattle, Portland, or similar venues. These types of events go on everywhere, daily, actually, and the law enforcers understand the concept of self defense, especially in stand your ground jurisdictions.

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I wouldn't put any light or red dot type sight on my home defense handgun. Not ever.
 
Flash lights on handguns, Dick Tracy spelled it out in the 1950's in his Crime Stoppers Notebook saying you never wanted to hold the flashlight in front of your body as you give the bad guy a center mass light to shoot at. Olde Dick Tracy said to hold the flashlight as far away from your body as you can.

Stu
 
stu1ritter said:
Flash lights on handguns, Dick Tracy spelled it out in the 1950's in his Crime Stoppers Notebook saying you never wanted to hold the flashlight in front of your body as you give the bad guy a center mass light to shoot at. Olde Dick Tracy said to hold the flashlight as far away from your body as you can.

Stu
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Preferably in someone else's hand!!

Kevin
 
FloridaGun said:
…Appreciate all of the feedback, didn't realize I was opening pandora's box with the weaponlight question!…
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Your welcome! It is always nice to partake in a spirited discussion,

FloridaGun said:
…I wonder why SW included a bottom rail if it is so universal that weapon lights on this type of gun…
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Easy! To transfer the money in your pocket into their bank, plain and simple.


FloridaGun said:
…The way I see it, I would prefer that the intruder know I am there and run, rather than sneak up on them and shoot them…
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He already knows you are there. They are not stupid.

FloridaGun said:
…If I turn on my light and an intruder opens fire, then I don't know if it matters if it is my flashlight or my weaponlight, stuff is about to get real…
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Sorry, if he is firing, it has already gotten real and now you are trying to catch up. It is your house. Put night lights in other rooms to make it easy for you to see intruders. They do not have to be bright, just enough to allow you to know where he/they are. Take advantage of ambient light to give you the advantage.


FloridaGun said:
…I'm just trying to protect myself and family...
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If you mean this, put aside any ideas of fighting fair. If you want a fair fight, take up boxing. If you want to retire or see the kids get married and have grandkids, prepare to make sure you are the one standing at the end of the fight.

Yes, it sucks to have to think that way but they came to you and asked for this.

Kevin
 
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