Patent ID: 8915009

Claim:
A modular illumination system and a handgun, comprising: a handgun having a handgun body, wherein the handgun body comprises: a barrel having a longitudinal axis, an upper surface, and a lower surface, and having a recess disposed in the lower surface; a trigger guard extending from the lower surface of the barrel; and a mounting rail positioned below the barrel and extending from a front surface of the trigger guard, the mounting rail being oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the barrel; and a modular illumination device comprising: a mounting element configured to removably couple the modular illumination device to the mounting rail; a light source disposed within the modular illumination device; and a power source disposed with the modular illumination device and configured to power the modular illumination device; wherein coupling the mounting element to the mounting rail causes a portion of the illumination device to be inserted into the recess in the lower surface of the barrel and positions the light source below the barrel and in front of the trigger guard on the handgun.