In 2019 what is the current state of lights on pump shotguns? In reviewing old threads, here is what I found:
Option 1: Get a new era Surefire Dedicated Foreend DSF series. They run 600 lumens so not too bright, but probably bright enough. Very heavy and makes the shotgun feel unbalanced. The switchology is not great. But probably most durable because it's a one piece fit with no exposed wires. I have one of these and I don't like the balance of it. However, since the shotgun is primarily an indoors self-defense tool, it probably doesn't matter too much if it balances poorly.
Option 2: Get an old era Surefire Dedicated Foreend and replace the assembly with a Malkoff. Not sure exactly which Malkoff assembly works, I haven't tried this, just saw references to it in old PF threads. The switchology and balance of the older SF forends is better than the newer DSF models. This feels bad because now I have to source an old, used forend and cobble a new thing together with parts from Malkoff that will no longer be covered under warranty (as a whole at least). Why did SF have to make their new forends worse than the old ones? Also, I am not sure if the older forends work with the shorter action assembly on 14" barreled Mossbergs.
Option 3: Run a 1000 lumen SF scout light on a Magpul foreend. Seems like an interesting idea. Probably lighter than the DSF dedicated SF foreend and almost double the lumen output. Downside is that unless you run a switch, which adds an external wire as a failure point, then you're going to be limited to constant-on only because you won't be able to manipulate momentary on while running the pump. Another downside is you lose ability to run it with your weak hand in an easy way, except you can probably finagle turning it constant on with your weak hand at a weird angle and then going to run the gun weak side. My questions with this are: how do you set it up so that the light switch is accessible but not in the way so it doesn't mash against your knuckles from recoil?
Option 4: Run a 1000 lumen SF scout light on a mag tube mount. Also seems interesting but I don't think it will work with a 14" short barrel shotgun, which is what I'm most interested in. Similar pros/cons to the scout light mounted on the foreend.
Option 5: No light at all. Tom Givens has in the recent past said he doesn't advocate putting a light on a home defense shotgun. I don't remember his exact reasoning but I think it was that if you're in your own house, there's always some ambient lighting enough to at least see silhouettes. Most trainers advice on putting lights on every longgun because of positive target identification. I think Tom's point is that if you there's no ambiguity in the situation then you don't need that positive target ID, not really sure. He does mention that the light makes the gun unbalanced.
There might be other options that I'm not aware of. All of the 5 options I I posted above kind of suck in one way or another. I'm leaning most to 1000 lumen scout light on a magpul foreend, but unsure exactly where to mount it. If I'm right handed do I mount it on left side or right side? Is there any angular mounts that might shift the angle of the light such that it's closer to the gun and doesn't stick out too far along the side?
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