Gun mounted lights for Home Defense

[nahfuten]

I'm guessing better searching skills will find something on this, but.....

I've tried to fire a pistol one handed while holding a flashlight in the other.... I cannot shoot accurately. Having my light and gun point in the same direction at all times will minimize target identification errors in high stress.

What are everyone's thoughts? Am I just making a better target out of myself?

 

[Eddie]

My thoughts

If you use a light have an easy way to turn it on and off. Lights, like lazers, work both ways, they point at things and they point back to you. When I am walking into the woods during hunting season or when I am checking the property for some reason I try to use the light as little as possible, instead letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. If I do use a light, I try to use short pulses, clicking it on and then right back off again.

I think that the surefire system is best for shotguns, but I am no expert on pistol lights. Like most aftermarket accessories, I would suggest trying out a cheap brand to make sure you like it and then upgrading. You can always sell a cheap mod to fund the purchase of a better one.

 

[offroadking208]

i have a Streamlight TLR-1 on my Sigma and ive never had any problems with accuracy and the like. I'd recommend getting a light that you can mount on your firearm. I also think it reduces my time off target due to recoil because it makes the gun slightly more barrel heavy. As for making a better target out of yourself, you need to practice light discipline. Dont keep the flashlight on the entire time because it points right back to where you are, use it in short bursts until you find who you are looking for in a tactical situation

 

[xamsx]

Am I just making a better target out of myself?

No, not necessarily. If you decide to get one, be sure it has a 'strobe' feature.
My light comes with one.. it's an iTac Defense laser/light combo. and is very bright and would work well on a handgun.

Come up to where you believe your BG is, then point and hit him with a bright strobe feature on your light and he'll be dazed, disoriented, and possibly blinded for a couple seconds, giving you time to react. The strobe is very temporarily disabling to whoever you point it at, but it doesn't have the same effect on you.. you can see just fine with it flashing. Everything behind you will appear pitch black to him while it's flashing on him too (maybe for a few seconds after it's off too).

But yeah, like others have already said, don't have it on the whole time you're looking for whoever you're looking for.

 

[jblomenberg16]

I have weapon mounted lights on my two home defense guns, one a pistol and one my AR.

I weighed a lot of the options and decided that the benefits of a weapon mounted light outweighed some of the negatives. As a few other posters mentioned, it is good practice to use the light sparingly, rather than on all the time.


There was a very good thread posted a few months ago that cross linked to a training sight that had a lot of good info on lights.


There are pros and con's to weapon mounted lights.

As others have said, they point both ways, and any target that you light up will at least know the approximate position you are in. Albeit that with a bright enough light they may be temporarily blinded, they still could fire in the direction of the light.

With a weapon mounted light, you must point the weapon to point the light. So, you may end up pointing your weapon at a target you do not wish to kill, such as a child or family member. (remember the basic rules of gun safety?) A non mounted light, or secondary light would allow you to illuminate areas without pointing a gun at them.

The benefits of course are that you don't have to try to hold a light and gun at the same time, and then try to take good aim and fire. You also know that the light is with the gun, and don't have to try to attach it at some point during the situation.


I'll see if I can find that thread and link into this post.

 

[R3ydium]

i have a Streamlight TLR-1 on my Sigma and ive never had any problems with accuracy and the like. I'd recommend getting a light that you can mount on your firearm. I also think it reduces my time off target due to recoil because it makes the gun slightly more barrel heavy. As for making a better target out of yourself, you need to practice light discipline. Dont keep the flashlight on the entire time because it points right back to where you are, use it in short bursts until you find who you are looking for in a tactical situation

How is the TLR1 activated and de-activated? Ive heard good things about it, but I havent looked them up yet. Is it a pressure switch?

 

[alwalker84]

How is the TLR1 activated and de-activated? Ive heard good things about it, but I havent looked them up yet. Is it a pressure switch?

theres an anbidextious toggle swith that you activate with your trigger finger.

 

[Eddie]

Hat Lights

With a weapon mounted light, you must point the weapon to point the light. So, you may end up pointing your weapon at a target you do not wish to kill, such as a child or family member. (remember the basic rules of gun safety?) A non mounted light, or secondary light would allow you to illuminate areas without pointing a gun at them.

Along these lines, I hate those hat lights, the ones that attach to the bill of a cap. A couple of my buddies use them when hunting and whenever they look at me they blind me and ruin my night vision.

 

[rhino]

This is a pretty big topic. In case anyone is interested, we're doing a low light class on Saturday near Terre Haute.

Anyway, if you do choose to use a weapon-mounted light, the marksmanship and most gunhandling issues are no different than without a light (assuming your gun functions properly with the light attached, which is not always the case). That's the good part. The downside is that your light is always pointed in the same general direction as your muzzle. That's not always a good thing and can be a very bad thing. For that reason, it's my opinion that anyone who uses a light mounted on their handgun also needs a handheld light as well.

Shooting with a handheld light is usually either a hybrid of some kind of two-handed hold, or shooting one-handed with the light in the other. For some, the two-handed holds work really well. Others find using the light in one hand and the gun in the other to work better for them. No technique will work for everyone, nor will any one technique work for all situations.

Shooting one-handed isn't as efficient as a proper two-handed grip, but it's not rocket science either. Anyone can learn to do. In fact, some people who think they're using both hands for a grip are pretty much shooting one-handed already (they just don't realize it).

As far as making yourself a target goes, you already are a target. A bad guy doesn't need to see you clearly to cap rounds in your direction. A light (especially handheld) can make it impossible for him to direct accurately aimed fire at you, though. In any case, a light will always advertise your presence and approximate location to anyone who is looking. That's why you have to be careful about when and how you use it, incorporating movement, etc.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

TLR-1 is the best.

I have two TLR-1 lights for my HD weapons. I strongly believe in proper target identification, shooting at a shadow or shape can resulted in tragedy. The blinding effect of the TLR-1 is very effective, giving you the edge. As other have said use is as needed to verify and blind before you shoot. I don't think many people could shoot accurately at someone pointing a weapon light in their eyes.

 

[TFin04]

I don't think many people could shoot accurately at someone pointing a weapon light in their eyes.

Common myth and completely false.

The light on the top of the target is a 60 lumen Surefire pointed right in my eyes.

This was just a quick demo we put on at an indoor lowlight class earlier this year.

Video:
Training :: tom.flv video by Landor40 - Photobucket

 

[rhino]

"Completely false"? I don't think so. The fact that you seem to be able to see your sights and fire accurately with a light pointed "right in" your eyes doesn't mean that most people can. I know I can't, especially when my eyes have adjusted to darkness.

Another factor is that 60 lumens is a penlight compared to what is available.

Whether or not putting the light in any attacker's eyes will always prevent them delivering aimed fire is moot. It definitely will sometimes, maybe not others. The important thing is that it will cause a significant distraction, which can get you more time to do what you need to do.

Common myth and completely false.

The light on the top of the target is a 60 lumen Surefire pointed right in my eyes.

This was just a quick demo we put on at an indoor lowlight class earlier this year.

Video:
Training :: tom.flv video by Landor40 - Photobucket

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I'm guessing better searching skills will find something on this, but.....

I've tried to fire a pistol one handed while holding a flashlight in the other.... I cannot shoot accurately. Having my light and gun point in the same direction at all times will minimize target identification errors in high stress.

What are everyone's thoughts? Am I just making a better target out of myself?

May I ask how you hold your flashlight? The way I prefer is to rest my weapons hand on top of my weakside rist. That way the weapon and light move in the same direction. By doing so it does not obscure my line of site.

 

[Eddie]

"Completely false"? I don't think so. The fact that you seem to be able to see your sights and fire accurately with a light pointed "right in" your eyes doesn't mean that most people can. I know I can't, especially when my eyes have adjusted to darkness.

Another factor is that 60 lumens is a penlight compared to what is available.

Whether or not putting the light in any attacker's eyes will always prevent them delivering aimed fire is moot. It definitely will sometimes, maybe not others. The important thing is that it will cause a significant distraction, which can get you more time to do what you need to do.

S**t happens. If you have your light on, a bg might shoot back. That bullet is going to go somewhere. Murphy's Law is lurking out there and its waiting to bite you in the a**.

We train for the odds. Odds are that blinding someone will interfere with their ability to shoot back. Odds are that keeping the light off as much as possible will help conceal your location. If you can shoot back, more power to you, but blinding your opponent is pretty much always a good tactic.

 

[GIJEW]

Regarding "light discipline" what about being unable to see in the dark AFTER you turn your light off?

 

[offroadking208]

"Completely false"? I don't think so. The fact that you seem to be able to see your sights and fire accurately with a light pointed "right in" your eyes doesn't mean that most people can. I know I can't, especially when my eyes have adjusted to darkness.

Another factor is that 60 lumens is a penlight compared to what is available.

Whether or not putting the light in any attacker's eyes will always prevent them delivering aimed fire is moot. It definitely will sometimes, maybe not others. The important thing is that it will cause a significant distraction, which can get you more time to do what you need to do.

+1 That light seems nowhere near as bright or concentrated as the TLR-1 on my Sigma. my TLR-1 has 135 lumens of output i believe. Causes physical pain when you get people in the eyes with it, trust me lol

 

[Eddie]

pitch black

In pitch black, you are gonna need your light. Outdoors at night, especially in urban areas, it is rarely pitch black. Pause, give your eyes a chance to adjust and you will be shocked at what you can see.

 

[Steve MI]

understanding lights there use and ablities is very important, while that light is actually a incadesnt 9z 120 lumens led will be brighter and better through but often lack the dark shadow reaching capablities at times dependant on there reflectors i gave tom wrong info on light and video isnt was from cell phone
the rods and cones and light postions have very different effects i have had 150 lumens in my eyes after being dark adapted and made hits i have used white light against white light as well they kind of neatualize each other neat trick in class

now too much light can be bad thing as well.. neck index is a more perfeable and used postion by many it translates well during searches and room clearing much better for working angles and corners and intersections and so on

in fof guys running harries and the like ihave been able to trap both there hands and gain control of them and there weapons and light there isno one perfect but neck index is pretty close

 

[SMiller]

I am not a fan of weapon mounted lights, that is what your free hand is for, also gives you a chance to turn the light on and off as needed with your thumb like with a surefire light.

 

[Steve MI]

I am not a fan of weapon mounted lights, that is what your free hand is for, also gives you a chance to turn the light on and off as needed with your thumb like with a surefire light.

ahhh, Weapons light have the same capability as hand held as far as operation goes
and often easier do to there switching systems, also what about opening doors,securing loved ones carrying a child reloading malf function clearances
and more i just spent a nice week training with SDH and a few of the MAS guys from surefire on low no light weapons techniques there is a lot to be relearned and re explored enough that im taking the complete surefire course all over again