Mounting the GoPro HD Hero2 on Your Rifle

I recently purchased the GoPro HD Hero 2 and my first thought was “How can I mount this on my rifle?” This was one of those wazoo ideas that popped into my head and I became dedicated to the idea. After doing a little research, I found a set up that would allow me to bring this idea to fruitation. Keep in mind that this set up is based on how I personally have my weapon set up.

For those who are not familiar with the GoPro Hero cameras, they are durable water proof cameras that can be mounted to almost anything you can imagine. They feature a wide angle lens that allows you to capture everything about your experience. If you choose to buy the HD Hero, you are limited to HD in a narrow angle and standard definition in wide angle, but if you get the HD Hero 2 you can capture both in HD.You can find numerous videos on YouTube of how people have used them to capture their extreme stunts. So how would one mount it to a rifle?

First and foremost I needed to find a mount. The first few searches I did only resulted in mounts for .22 rifles and they certainly would not hold up to the recoil of a higher caliber weapon. Then I came across StrikeMark, and found that they offer multiple forms of rails for the GoPro, even a pistol mount! I thought about it for a while before purchasing their standard picatinny mount. It was only $30, but I wanted to be sure that it would compliment the configuration I was imagining.

Next, I purchased an angled rail to offset the camera a little more. This way the camera wouldn't be in the way of transition drills and I would be able to capture more of the rifle. This is not a common part to come by and often it has to be found online. Just for kicks, I went to my local tac store to see if they had any, and to my surprise they did!

I went home, quickly mounted the camera to my AR and it gave a whole new look and feel to my rifle that was perfect for the CDI factor. Here is what it looked like...

The next day we hit the range and I was able to put it to the test. It worked EXCELLENTLY! I did notice that while the extra weight was only a little, it was still enough to cause me some adjustment. No biggie, because I intended this project to be for TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY! This was especially true because should you have to switch sides to shoot, the camera would be in the way of your vision if you keep both eyes open.

 

I definitely would not carry this set up into the field because it would be in the way more than anything. I would much rather have the NVG mount for the GoPro which attaches to most helmet shrouds (stay tuned for that post.) Also, and this is a personal opinion, if I get into a shootout I don't want it to be on video. For training purposes, however, it can serve a purpose to see where your barrel is pointing at which would be great for CQC training. If you are interested in a similar set up and have any questions, feel free to ask.