The Surefire Millennium M951 / 952(with ARMS mount) on a KAC RAS is a familiar combination to thousands of OEF/OIF vets, ebay surfers, forum lurkers – everyone who has been around the M4 platform in the last decade. While the move first to mid-length, then 12″ + minimal forends and lightweight lights has been a good one, it has left an amazing amount of deals on the internet for the RAS and 951.
The RAS is short, it’s fairly heavy, it’s not free floating – what it is though, is extremely rugged and well built, and better yet, widely available at low cost. The 951/952 is long, heavy, and built like a tank, and while it’s been eclipsed by newer and brighter lights, there are upgrades available that I’ll cover in another post. It too can be found at once unheard of price points.
The problem with this combination is the integrated SF mount, and the carbine length of the RAS – leaving the assembly non-ergonomic, bulky, and almost forcing the use of a VFG while limiting the use of handstops or AFGs.
I recently had a customer bring me this combo and a desire to use a Magpul AFG2. My immediate thought and order was the excellent Haley Strategic Partners / Impact Weapons Components MIL620. This mount is very effective at bringing the light up and in, somewhat forward and is extremely lightweight. On a midlength this could be perfect for many users, on a carbine though it still wasn’t forward enough.
Enter the Big Johnson Extreme Tactical (yep) Chub (yep again) Mod1 – this is one of those parts that does not get the credit and exposure it deserves. Simple, sturdy, unobtrusive, and it brought the previous combo right out to where it is useful and comfortable with the AFG, narrowed the silhouette, and actually feels lighter in the hand (though all in it isn’t by a fraction) than the ARMS mount alone.
I rounded the combo out with some LaRue Tactical index clips to cover the rails and route the wires/hold the factory tapeswitch.
Check out the images below for more details
-Kris Morris
