RAIL MOUNTABLE GUN LIGHT WITH AIMING LIGHT AND ROTATIONALLY KEYED MOUNT ASSEMBLY

Abstract

Rail mountable gun light having an aiming light with a rotationally keyed mount assembly for maintaining the light in a desired rotational orientation at a variety of locations on the gun.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to rail mountable gun lights having an aiming light, such as a laser, and more particularly, but not exclusively to a rotationally keyed mount assembly for maintaining the light in a desired orientation irrespective of mounting location on the gun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gun mountable lights are used for aiming and/or illumination and may be mounted to a gun, such as a long gun or rifle, using a mounting rail attached to the gun by the manufacturer, seller, or user. The mounting rail is typically provided in a convenient location that provides a forward-looking view for a light mounted thereon. For example, the mounting arrangement for a light can be similar to that for mounting a telescopic sight. Because the sight is typically mounted on the top or upper surface of the gun barrel, a mounting rail is often provided on other locations around the gun barrel for attachment of other accessories, such as tactical lights, night vision devices, reflex sights, foregrips, bipods, and so forth.

To be effective for aiming, gun mountable lights need to be calibrated so the location of the emitted aiming light on an object/target coincides with the location of bullet impact thereon. Once this calibration is made, any change to the mounting location of the gun mountable light on the gun can necessitate re-calibration of the aiming light, such as when the user moves the light from one rail to another rail, which can be inconvenient to the user. Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art to provide a gun mountable light with mounting assembly which would allow a user to position the light at different angular locations around the barrel of a gun, such as a long gun or rifle, while maintaining as best possible the previously set aiming light alignment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in one of its aspects the present invention may provide a gun light assembly for mounting a light on a gun mounting rail. The assembly may include a gun light, such as a flashlight, having a light body with a head end and an opposing tail end with a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The head end may include an illumination light source for providing illumination in a direction extending away from the head end. The assembly may also include an aiming light source, such as a laser, disposed at the head end, with the aiming light source configured to generate a beam of light along an aiming source axis to illuminate a point on a selected target. First and second aiming light source adjustment members may be provided on the light body and operably connected to the aiming light source, with the adjustment members operable to move the aiming light source within the light body to adjust the orientation of the aiming light source relative to the light body. The first aiming light source adjustment member may include a set screw extending through the light body with a screw head accessible externally to the light body. The first and second aiming light source adjustment members may be offset from one another by 90 degrees in an arc about the longitudinal axis. Thus, the first and second aiming light source adjustment members may be configured to adjust windage and elevation orientations of the aiming light source. At least two light body registration surfaces may be provided on the light body, each disposed at a different angular location about the longitudinal axis on the light body.

The gun light assembly may also include a mount assembly operably connected to the gun light, the mount assembly including a mounting clamp for attachment to the gun mounting rail and including a clamp sleeve operably attached to the light body to retain the light body therein. The clamp sleeve may include at least two sleeve registration surfaces each disposed at a different angular location about the longitudinal axis on the clamp sleeve, each clamp sleeve registration surface configured to slidingly receive therein a corresponding one of either one of the at least two light body registration surfaces. The at least two light body registration surfaces may include eight surfaces, the eight surfaces adjoined to one another and having the shape of a regular octagon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the at least two clamp sleeve registration surfaces may provide a cavity therebetween for receiving the at least two light body registration surfaces therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary and the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be further understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary configuration of a rail mountable gun light with mount assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an exploded view of the gun light of FIG. 1 with the tailcap and mount assembly removed;

FIG. 3A schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the rail mountable gun light of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B schematically illustrates a detailed view of the aiming light region of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A schematically illustrates an isometric view of the light body mount portion of the gun light of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4B schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the light body of FIG. 4A along the sectioning lines 4B-4B;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an isometric view of a clamp sleeve of the mount assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a side elevational view of the rail mountable gun light of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a top view of the rail mountable gun light of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 8A, 8B schematically illustrate front and rear end views, respectively of the rail mountable gun light of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an isometric view of a gun mounting rail for attachment to the barrel of a gun, such as a rifle or long gun;

FIGS. 10A, 10B schematically illustrate end views of the rail mountable gun light of FIG. 1 mounted on the mounting rail of FIG. 9 at the 12:00 and 3:00 positions, respectively, as viewed when looking at the head end of the light; and

FIG. 10C schematically illustrates an end view of the rail mountable gun light of FIG. 1 mounted on the mounting rail of FIG. 9 at a 45° position intermediate the 12:00 and 3:00 positions (i.e. at the “1:30” position).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Inventors of the present disclosure recognize that gun mounted aiming lights, such as a laser, need to be aligned or bore-sighted, typically through adjustment of the aiming light in the elevation and/or windage directions, and recognize that gun users may wish to position the light at different angular locations around the barrel of a gun, such as a long gun or rifle, while maintaining as best possible the previously set aiming light alignment. Thus, in one of its aspects the present invention may provide a gun mounted aiming light 110 in combination with a mount assembly 380 which allows the light 110 to be mounted at various angular locations around a mounting rail 500 disposed on the barrel of a gun while maintaining a selected rotational orientation of the light 110, FIGS. 1,9,10A. For example, if the light 110 is originally calibrated with an elevation adjustment mechanism, e.g. an elevation set screw 417, located in the elevation direction at a first position on the gun, FIG. 10A, as the light 110 is relocated to a rotationally different location on the gun, the mount assembly 380 may be configured to permit the gun to be reoriented therein so that the elevation set screw 417 remains in the elevation direction, FIG. 10B. (As used herein the term “elevation direction” refers to the direction along the vector associated with the force due to gravity.) More specifically, the mount assembly 380 in accordance with the present invention may provide a plurality of keying surfaces 311-318 which cooperate with corresponding registration surfaces 151-158 on the aiming light 110 to define preselected rotational orientations at which the aiming light 110 may be oriented relative to the mount assembly 380, and these preselected rotational orientations may be selected to correspond to the angular location of mounting rails 510, 520 disposed around the mounting rail 500 to which the mount assembly 380 may be attached, FIGS. 2, 10A-10C.

More specifically, in one of its aspects the present invention may provide a gun light system 100 comprising a gun light 110 having a forward or head end 112 from which aiming light and optionally, but preferably, illumination light may be emitted when the gun light 110 is activated in one or more of aiming and illumination modes, FIG. 1. The gun light 110 may also include a rear or tail end 114 opposite the head end 112. The tail end 114 may include switches 132, 133, for controlling operation of the aiming and illumination light of the gun light 110, FIG. 3. The gun light 110 may extend in a longitudinal direction from the tail end 114 to the head end 112 defining a longitudinal axis therebetween. Thus, both illumination and/or aiming light may be emitted from head end 112 of the gun light 110 along the longitudinal direction or axis.

The gun light 110 may also include a body mount portion 150 including a plurality of longitudinally extending, adjacent registration surfaces 151-158 which may be equally spaced circumferentially around the body mount portion 150, FIGS. 1, 4A, 4B. For example, in the particular exemplary configuration shown in FIGS. 1-4B, eight registration surfaces 151-158 are provided in the form of a regular octagon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, FIG. 4B. Thus, each pair of adjacent surfaces of the eight equally spaced registration surfaces 151-158 are angularly arranged around the circumference of the body mount portion 150 at an exterior angle of 45° between each pair. The body mount portion 150 may provide registration surfaces 151-158 for sliding engagement with corresponding keying surfaces 311-318 of a clamp sleeve 310 of a mount assembly 380, FIG. 2.

The clamp sleeve 310 and keying surfaces 311-318 may provide a cavity body 319 dimensioned to receive the body mount portion 150. The keying surfaces 311-318 may be configured so each surface slidingly engages a respective registration surface 151-158 of the body mount portion 150. For example, keying surface 311 may be disposed in contact with registration surface 151, keying surface 312 with registration surface 152, up to and including keying surface 318 in contact with registration surface 158, with the result that the body mount portion 150 is secured in the clamp sleeve 310 preventing rotation of the body mount portion 150 within the clamp sleeve 310.

To effect clamping of the mount assembly 380 onto a gun rail, a mounting clamp 300 may be provided on the mount assembly 380. The mounting clamp 300 may include a longitudinally extending fixed clamp member 322 on the clamp sleeve 310. A mounting ridge 324b may also be provided on the clamp sleeve 310 at an opposing location to the fixed clamp member 322. The clamp sleeve 310, fixed clamp member 322, and mounting ridge 324b may be formed as a single, one-piece structure. A movable clamp member 324 may be provided on the clamp sleeve 310 at a location in opposition to the fixed clamp member 322, and may include a mounting slot 324a for receiving the mounting ridge 324b. The fixed clamp member 322 and movable clamp member 324 may define a cavity or space 326 therebetween for receiving a mounting rail, such as mounting rail 500 shown in FIG. 9, to allow clamp members 322, 324 to clamp onto the mounting rail 500 to secure the mounting rail 500 therebetween. The movable clamp member 324 may be movable relative to the fixed clamp member 322 in a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

Specifically, movable clamp member 324 may move transversely towards the fixed clamp member 322 in response to rotation of a clamp screw 321, FIG. 2. The clamp screw 321 may be disposed through holes 323, 327 extending through the fixed and movable clamp members 322, 324, respectively, and may extend through a screw slot 324c in the mounting clamp 300. A threaded fastener 323a may be provided in the hole 323 into which the clamp screw 321 may be screwed, FIG. 6. Turning the clamp screw 321 clockwise may cause the movable clamp member 324 to move transversely towards the fixed clamp member 322 by biasing the mounting slot 324a towards the mounting ridge 324b, whereby the mounting rail 500 may be clamped between the clamp members 322, 324. Conversely, turning the clamp screw 321 counterclockwise may cause the movable clamp member 324 to move away from the fixed clamp member 322 to release the mounting rail 500. The head of the screw 321 may include a slot suitable for receiving a tool for tightening and loosening the clamp screw 321, as well as a roughened or patterned surface to facilitate finger tightening and loosening.

To promote relative movement between the fixed and movable clamp members 322, 324 the clamp sleeve 310 may include clamp sleeve wall openings 310a with ribs 310b disposed therebetween, enhancing the spring-like resiliency of the clamp sleeve 310 to allow the movable clamp member 324 to more readily move towards the fixed clamp member 322 in response to tightening by the screw 321 and to move away from the fixed clamp member 322 as the screw 321 is loosened.

Optionally, the fixed clamp member 322 may have one or more screws 328 extending through screw holes 329 in the fixed clamp member 322 and extending into one or more corresponding screw holes proximate the mounting ridge 324b for maintaining a desired alignment between the fixed clamp member 322 and the mounting ridge 324b. The screws 328 may help maintain alignment of the movable clamp member 324, for example, when the movable clamp member 324 moves transversely toward or away from the fixed clamp member 322 when the clamp screw 321 is rotated.

The rail mount assembly 380 may allow the gun light 110 to be mounted and demounted from a weapon and may be effective for securing the gun light 110 with respect to both transverse and longitudinal movement. As a result, the gun light 110 may be tightly and accurately mounted to a mounting rail 500 in a known, fixed and repeatable position, both longitudinally and transversely, as is important when the gun light 110 is, or includes, an aiming light, such as a laser 400.

Turning to other components of the gun light 110, the light head 120 may include components for providing the illumination light and/or aiming light, FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3A, for example, the head 120 may include a head body 122 and a face cap 124 threaded thereon. A transparent plate 126 (e.g., a plastic, such as polycarbonate, or a glass) may be held in the face cap 124 and may be cushioned by a resilient gasket 127 that absorbs shock, e.g., shock generated when a gun to which the gun light 110 is mounted is fired. The resilient gasket 127 they also created seal to deter entry of moisture or other undesirable material. A reflector 128 may be slideably inserted in the head body 122 to provide shaping and focusing of the light produced by a visible illumination light source 160 mounted on a light source mounting board 164. The mounting board 164 may be disposed on a mounting surface 148 of the head body 122 and positioned so the light source 160 is disposed at the rear of the reflector 128. While the LED 160 and reflector 128 are generally centrally located in the example illustrated, other locations and other predetermined peripheral shapes may be employed. The threaded interface between the face cap 124 and head body 122 may be sealed, e.g., by a seal or gasket, such as an O-ring 124a to further deter entry of moisture or other undesirable material. The light source 160 may include an XLamp® XP-L LED light-emitting diode available from Cree, located in Durham, N.C., for example.

The aiming light 400 may be provided in the form of a laser cartridge 410 proximate an opening 129 proximate the rear end of the reflector 128, so a beam of laser light may be directed from the light head 120 in the same direction as the illumination light from the light source 160. However, the laser beam may pass directly out of the head 120 without encountering the reflective surfaces of the reflector 128, so the laser beam is not deflected or otherwise altered by the reflector 128. A laser lens 416 may be provided in the laser cartridge 410 proximate the opening 129 to assist in creating the laser beam. The laser cartridge 410 may be held in the head 120 by a collar or gasket 408. The laser cartridge 410 may be a visible or infrared laser, such as one available from Sanyo Semiconductor Corporation, located in Allendale, N.J.

Because the laser 400 is utilized as an aid to aiming of the firearm on which the gun light 110 is mounted, alignment or bore-sighting of the laser cartridge 410 relative to the line of fire of the firearm is desirable. To this end, aiming set screws 417, 418 may be provided in the light head 120 for respectively adjusting elevation and windage. The position of the laser cartridge 410 in the head 120 may be adjusted using the set screws 417, 418 for bore-sighting a firearm having the gun light 110 mounted thereon by rail mount assembly 380. Specifically, the laser cartridge 410 may be urged toward the collar or gasket 408 by a spring 420 in generally upward and rearward (into the plane of the paper) directions for the orientation shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and the bias provided by the spring 420 may be counteracted by adjusting the set screws 417, 418. The spring 420 may be a coil spring 420 as illustrated or other suitable type of spring, such as a leaf or conical spring. Thus, the laser cartridge 410 is able to be moved by elevation adjustment screw 417 and by windage adjustment screw 418 which are oriented 90 degrees apart from one another, FIGS. 3A, 3B, 7, 10A. The collar or gasket 408 may be resilient to permit the laser cartridge 410 to be moved relative to the longitudinal axis in response to advancing and withdrawing the elevation and windage adjustment screws 417, 418.

A tailcap 130 may be provided at the rear end 114 of the gun light 110 and may cover the open end of a battery compartment 149 of the light body 150 to provide access to one or more batteries 49, such as lithium batteries, that provide electrical energy for operating the light source 160 and/or the laser 400, FIGS. 3A, 6. The batteries 49 may be disposed in electrical communication with a laser circuit board 430 configured to control the laser 400, and electrical energy may be provided to the laser 400 from the circuit board 430 via leads 416, FIGS. 3A, 3B. The tailcap 130 may be threaded onto the light body 150 via respective threads 130a, 150a thereon, and may be sealed by an O-ring 131 between the tailcap 130 and light body 150 to resist entry of moisture into the interior of the light body 150. The tailcap 130 may include an ON/OFF switch 132 for the illumination light source 160, and an ON/OFF switch 133 for the laser 400.

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary mounting rail 500 to which a gun light in accordance with the present invention, such as light 110, may be mounted. (Other mounting rails of different configuration may be provided and may be of different size and/or shape and/or mounting arrangement, such as the Piccatinny rail configuration, for example.) The mounting rail 500 may include a plurality of mounting strips 510, 520, 530, 540 located at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, respectively, when viewed from an end thereof, FIGS. 9-10B. A 45° angle adapter 515 may be provided between two adjacent mounting strips, such as between mounting strips 510, 520, FIGS. 9, 10C. Each strip 510, 515, 520, 530, 540 may include a plurality of transverse ribs 511 that provide keying surfaces 510a, 510b at the lateral edges thereof that are complementary in shape to the rail cavity 326 of the mounting clamp 300, FIG. 10A. Thus, the rail mount assembly 380 may clamp and secure the light 110 on the mounting rail 500 by the action of the movable clamp member 324 being biased toward the fixed clamp member 322 by rotation of the clamping screw 321 to clamp the mounting rail 500 between the clamp members 322, 324.

A plurality of keying features, such as rail slots 512, may be provided between the ribs 511 which may be dimensioned to receive a key of the mounting clamp, such as the shaft of the clamp screw 321. By keying the shaft of the clamp screw 321 into a selected slot 512, interference between the shaft of the clamp screw 321 and the slot 512 may assist in retaining the light 110 in fixed location longitudinally on the rail 500, especially when the gun is fired and recoil force is generated. As a result of this arrangement, the gun light 110 may be tightly and accurately mounted to a mounting rail 500 in a known, fixed and repeatable position, as is important where the gun light 110 is, or includes, an aiming light, such as a laser 400. Especially important may be the ability to maintain the absolute orientation of the laser 400 relative to a selected reference frame, such as the elevation direction, as the gun light 110 is positioned at different angular locations around the barrel of a gun, i.e., on different strips 510, 515, 520, 530, 540 of the mounting rail 500.

For example, when mounted on the upper strip 510 as shown in the orientation illustrated in FIG. 10A, the laser 400 and elevation set screw 417 may be located in the 12:00 position, i.e., uppermost elevation position. Alternatively, the user may wish to mount the gun light assembly 100 on the side of the mounting rail 500 on strip 520 while still maintaining the laser 400 and elevation set screw 417 in the 12:00 position, FIG. 10B, or at an intermediate position such as mounted on the 45° adapter 515, while also maintaining the laser 400 in the 12:00 position, FIG. 10C. When moving the gun light 110 among different strips 510, 515, 520 on the mounting rail 500 while maintaining the absolute orientation of the laser 400 and elevation set screw 417, the user may adjust the angular orientation of the gun light 110 within the clamp sleeve 310 of the mounting clamp 300. Specifically, the user may loosen the clamp screw 321 and slide the mounting clamp 300 off the light body mount portion 150. The user may then rotate the light body mount portion 150 relative to the clamp sleeve 310 before reinserting the light body mount portion 150 into the clamp sleeve 310. For example, to change the location of the gun light 110 from the position depicted in FIG. 10A to that depicted in FIG. 10B, the user may remove the gun light 110 and rotate it 90° relative to the clamp sleeve 310 and then reinsert the light 110 in the sleeve 310. To change the location of the gun light 110 from the position depicted in FIG. 10A to that depicted in FIG. 10C, the user may remove the gun light 110 and rotate it 45° relative to the clamp sleeve 310 and then reinsert the light 110 in the sleeve 310.

In addition, to allow the laser 400 and/or elevation setscrew 417 to be oriented at a desired location, such as at 12:00, the relative location of the laser 400 in the gun light 110 may be specifically oriented in fixed relation to the registration surfaces 151-158 of the body mount portion 150, which in turn may be specifically oriented relative to the clamp mount 300 by keying of the body registration surfaces 151-158 to the sleeve keying surfaces 311-318 to provide a mount assembly 380 rotationally keyed to the location of the laser 400 and elevation setscrew 417. For example, the elevation setscrew 417 and laser 400 may be disposed in an elevation plane extending therethrough containing the longitudinal axis of the gun light 110, and a selected one of the body registration surfaces, such as registration surface 151, may be disposed in a plane perpendicular to the elevation plane, so the relative location of the registration surface 151 to that of the elevation setscrew 417 and laser 400 are in fixed relationship to one another.

In one desirable configuration, to assist in retaining the mounting clamp 300 on the light body mount portion 150, the head 120 and tailcap 130 may have a diameter at the mount portion 150 which is larger than the diameter of the clamp sleeve 310, so the clamp 300 cannot be removed from the body mount portion 150 while the head 120 and tailcap 130 are attached thereto. Accordingly, the user may unscrew and remove the tailcap 130 in order to slide the mounting clamp 300 off the body mount portion 150. Such a configuration can provide additional assurance that the gun light 110 will not be separated from the body mount portion 150 even by the forces experienced during firing of the gun.

The head 120, tailcap 130, and light body 150 may be of the same or of different materials, such as nylon, plastic, or metal, such as an aircraft-grade aluminum, and the various screws, e.g., screws 321, 328, 417, 418, may be of steel or other suitable material. Where the body 150 is of nylon or plastic, metal inserts may be utilized in the holes therein to increase the resistance of the various holes to stripping by the screws that are threaded therein.

While the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing example embodiments, variations within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims following will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, while the clamping device is described in the examples herein as the clamp screw 321, other clamping devices may be employed. One example is a lever having an offset lobe that pulls a rod attached to movable clamp member 324 through hole 323 tight as the lobed lever is engaged, and such lever may or may not threadingly engage a hole in movable member 324.

The term “light” is contemplated to encompass any device that produces or otherwise provides illumination of any type and from any source, whether a conventional incandescent or other lamp, a specialized lamp, a laser source, or a solid state light source such as an LED or a laser diode, irrespective of whether the power source includes one or more batteries within or without the light or a wire or cable connection to a fixed or portable power source wherever located.

Various screws herein, such as aiming setscrews 417, 418, are typically Allen head or Torx head screws, but may be Phillips head, flat-blade head or other types of screws, as desired. However, clamping the clamp screw 321 is preferably of a type that can be turned using one's fingers or a coin or some other readily available item without the need for a tool, although a tool may be used if desired.

Further, tailcap 130 including switch 132 may be replaced by a cover and a remotely operable switch connected by wire or cable, as may be desirable for utilizing the gun light 110 on a long gun or rifle with the gun light 110 mounted to the mounting rail 500 proximal the muzzle end thereof and with the switch is disposed proximal the trigger or other operator hand position. Further, mounting rail 500 may be of any suitable arrangement, and may be provided by a weapon provider or by a third party for attachment to a weapon or implement and/or those provided as part of a weapon or implement, either as an integral part thereof or as an attachment thereto, as the case may be.

These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It should therefore be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A gun light assembly for mounting a light on a gun mounting rail, comprising:

a gun light including: a light body having a head end and an opposing tail end with a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; an aiming light source disposed at the head end, the aiming light source configured to generate a beam of light along an aiming source axis to illuminate a point on a selected target; first and second aiming light source adjustment members disposed on the light body and operably connected to the aiming light source, the adjustment members operable to move the aiming light source within the light body to adjust the orientation of the aiming light source relative to the light body; and at least two light body registration surfaces disposed on the light body, each disposed at a different angular location about the longitudinal axis on the light body; and

a mount assembly operably connected to the gun light, the mount assembly including a mounting clamp for attachment to the gun mounting rail and a including clamp sleeve operably attached to the light body to retain the light body therein, the clamp sleeve having at least two sleeve registration surfaces each disposed at a different angular location about the longitudinal axis on the clamp sleeve, each clamp sleeve registration surface configured to slidingly receive therein a corresponding one of either one of the at least two light body registration surfaces.

2. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the aiming light source comprises a laser.

3. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the aiming source axis is parallel to the longitudinal axis.

4. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the first aiming light source adjustment member comprises a set screw extending through the light body and having a screw head accessible externally to the light body.

5. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second aiming light source adjustment members are offset from one another by 90 degrees in an arc about the longitudinal axis.

6. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second aiming light source adjustment members are configured to adjust windage and elevation orientations of the aiming light source.

7. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two light body registration surfaces comprises eight surfaces, the eight surfaces adjoined to one another and having the shape of a regular octagon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

8. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two clamp sleeve registration surfaces provide a cavity therebetween for receiving the at least two light body registration surfaces therein.

9. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the head end, tail end, and clamp sleeve each have a respective dimension orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the clamp dimension less than that of the head and tail ends.

10. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the tail end includes a tailcap threaded onto the light, the tailcap having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the clamp sleeve to prevent the clamp sleeve from sliding off the tail end of the light body when the tailcap is threaded onto the light.

11. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two sleeve registration surfaces each include a plurality of openings extending therethrough.

12. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting clamp includes a cavity disposed therein for receiving the gun mounting rail, the cavity having a generally planar surface extending along the longitudinal axis and disposed proximate the light body, the generally planar surface disposed parallel to a selected one of the light body registration surfaces.

13. The gun light assembly of claim 1, comprising a cavity disposed in the light body for receiving a power source therein for energizing the aiming light source, and a switch at the tail end disposed in electrical communication with the aiming light source and power source to selectively provide power from the power source to the aiming light source.

14. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the head end includes an illumination light source for providing illumination in a direction extending away from the head end.

15. The gun light assembly of claim 14, comprising one or more switches at the tail end respectively disposed in electrical communication with the aiming light source and the illumination light source to selectively provide electrical power to one or both of the aiming light source and illumination light source.

16. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the gun light comprises a flashlight.

17. The gun light assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting clamp includes a fixed clamp member and a movable clamp member each operably connected with the clamp sleeve, the fixed and movable clamp members being disposed in opposition to one another and movable relative to one another in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to clamp the mounting rail therebetween.

18. The gun light assembly of claim 17, wherein the fixed clamp member and clamp sleeve comprise a one-piece, unitary part.

19. The gun light assembly of claim 17, comprising a biasing device disposed between and operably connected to the fixed and movable clamp members, the biasing device operable to move the fixed and movable clamp members relative to one another.

20. The gun light assembly of claim 19, wherein the biasing device comprises a screw.

21. The gun light assembly of claim 19, wherein the movable clamp member has a hole therethrough, and wherein the fixed clamp member has a hole therein aligned with the hole through the movable clamp member, the biasing device comprising a shaft disposed in the hole through the movable clamp member and having a threaded end disposed in the hole of the fixed clamp member.

22. The gun light assembly of claim 17, wherein the fixed clamp member has one or more posts extending therefrom in a direction toward the movable clamp member, wherein the movable clamp member has one or more holes aligned for receiving the posts of the movable clamp member.

23. The gun light assembly of claim 22, wherein the posts comprise screws.