Laser / light on HD gun

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

Looking for a little advice on a laser light combo ok I'm thinking about adding a light to my
H/D pistol would it be a good idea to add a Laser / light combo or just run with a light or are they
just a wast of money I have never used one right now i just keep a flashlight with my pistol
my H/D pistol is a XDm in 9mm if it matters All suggestions welcome any links too
thank you

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All of my HD guns have a light, most have a laser and a light. I have about 75% Streamlight (TLR-1, TLR2, TLR4) and 25% surefire (A300X). None of the lasers hold sighting in worth a damn. The only lasers that hold true are the ones on my Sig p290RS's (which were specifically made for that gun). I still tend to get the lasers but, really, if you can save money and just get the lights you should do that.

That said, they're all fairly equal light-wise.

I generally decide based on available holsters.

Note that the TLR-4 is much smaller than the rest. There's also some funky battery changing with the Streamlights but it seems very well engineered to be waterproof. The TLR-1's and TLR-2's are mainstays of police departments. My TLR-1's are on my AR's (see below).

Also, I would just like to say for any of you laser mfgs. reading this if you could add another attachment point (trigger guard) or two (another pic slot) that would probably help a bunch in maintaining alignment (my patent advice only costs 10%)

Can't speak on lasers but my HD gun has had a TLR-1 mounted for about 3 years now. I really like it. It's easy to use. It puts out a LOT of light, maybe more than needed, but definitely not blinding and has a nice floody output with no hotspot.

I'm sure there are many options but this one has been fine. Batteries have an outstanding shelf life and I'm still on the origional pair. This light has been mounted on a 45 and 9mm with zero problems to report.

An added benefit is reduced recoil. The gun is still a handy size too though I don't worry so much about holsters for it. I tend to keep flashlights handy as well but having a light on the gun itself eliminates a lot of variables.

I've got the Crimson Trace laser grips on both my M9 Beretta and my S&W Airweight, both have been shot often and lasers still put bullets into a 6" circle at 7 yds. The laser advantage is you don't have to actually aim, quicker target acquisition time, see the dot pull the trigger, done. I had practiced enough with my M9 that I could point shoot on to a man size target with lethal results, shoot a few rounds with the laser then repeat without, it'll improve your muscle memory.

I have a TLR-1HL on my glock17 and 17L and have had it on for a couple years so far, carried daily, and have fired more than a few thousand rounds through both guns. No problems so far, and I don’t expect any.

I dont have any lasers, but all my ARs, and my 9mm HD have lights. I think theyre a must.
Some are cheapos that i bought online. No problems with any yet.

I use a TLR-2. It has served me well other places.

Here is my HD pistol, H&K USP 45 with an Osprey Suppressor. I will be adding a Venom Red Dot, next week (it's on its way).

I am not a big fan of lasers but if you want one OK. I prefer good night sights.

I would strongly recommend a weapon light. It is vital that you be able to identify your target at night . There is also the tactical advantage of being able to blind your attacker

IronHand

I just recently added a Streamlight TLR-7 to my HD gun. It makes seeing the sights pretty easy. I don't feel the need for a laser also.

My HD pistol wears a light/laser; SureFire X400.



Laser will come in handy in case I leave my glasses on the nightstand. A dedicated light is IMHO is mandatory for positive TGT ID. I've taken several low/No light classes and shot multiple low-light stages in matches, a mounted light is by far easier to hit with.

Like any tool, both the light and laser require some training/practice to get the most from them.

Tom Givens in the Feb 2017 "Rangemaster Newsletter" on "Functioning in Low Light"

http://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017-02_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf

LUCKYDAWG13

When I bought my SIG P229 it was primarily for home defense and so I really wanted to be capable of mounting a light/laser module. Found the SIG STL-900L to be a decent set-up, especially with the strobe light setting. It's easy to operate, relatively unobtrusive, and battery life is good.

I try to always have a flashlight on me. I don't like weapon mounted lights for the reasons presented in that Rangemaster article. There is a good flashlight next to my home defense gun at night.

I do, however, like lasers on my self-defense handguns. While some think that they mean that you don't need to aim, I still believe in decent sight alignment. Where the laser comes in handy is in the case where you cannot obtain a sight picture (such as when you have just been knocked on your backside, or it is impossible to get your shooting hand in front of your face). Then you can put the dot on the object that needs shot, and fire away.

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

Looking for a little advice on a laser light combo ok I'm thinking about adding a light to my
H/D pistol would it be a good idea to add a Laser / light combo or just run with a light or are they
just a wast of money I have never used one right now i just keep a flashlight with my pistol
my H/D pistol is a XDm in 9mm if it matters All suggestions welcome any links too
thank you

Click to expand...

If you look at the pic I posted, you will see I have a light/laser on my pistol AND a hand-held light. Why? For one thing, you may want to illuminate something that you DON'T want to point a pistol at. Also, its a back-up in case the light on the gun goes down. You may also notice that my CCW piece is also nearby as a back-up to the HD pistol. Pistol mounted lights are now commonplace on LE weapons, and not just for the guys in the ninja-suits. They have been in use in the military special ops community for much longer (which is the birthplace for many tactics, techniques, and procedures) On this planet, it is dark about 50% of the time most places, but bad things tend to happen disproportionately during these dark periods. Also, even during the day, there are still dark areas that may need to be cleared (crawl spaces, closets, etc.) To me, a light on a HD weapon makes much more sense than not having one. But like everything else, I strongly recommend the user train with it- ideally, with someone who has some experience using one.

I was thinking of adding a laser to one of my SD guns to see how I liked it.

I'm not comfortable with the idea of mounting a flashlight on a gun though. IMO the problem is in order it ID a target, I need to point the weapon at them. Not good if it turns out to be your spouse returning late from work, or child who got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I'd rather have a separate flashlight even if its not as easy to carry.

I have a Viridian C5L that has sat on my EDC/HD weapon for close to 5 years. Hasn't had any problems of note.

I tell you friends, the flashlight mounted on the gun suits me. You dont have to turn it on. In your home, you know where your light switches are. If you are away from your familiar settings.....you may not.
My light slides off and on my gun in a blink.

mdauben said:

I was thinking of adding a laser to one of my SD guns to see how I liked it.

I'm not comfortable with the idea of mounting a flashlight on a gun though. IMO the problem is in order it ID a target, I need to point the weapon at them. Not good if it turns out to be your spouse returning late from work, or child who got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I'd rather have a separate flashlight even if its not as easy to carry.

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This is where trigger discipline comes in. Also, training. Friendlies having weapons pointed at them is just the nature of the beast in these types of situations. If this is outside of your comfort level, and is at a level you don't see yourself getting to, then you have chosen wisely.

Armored farmer said:

I tell you friends, the flashlight mounted on the gun suits me. You dont have to turn it on. In your home, you know where your light switches are. If you are away from your familiar settings.....you may not.
My light slides off and on my gun in a blink.

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Good point. Some things to consider though- first, your house lights may not work. Many criminals will seize opportunities to engage in shenanigans during power outages- such as after a hurricane, or other weather event. Second- even if your lights DO work-if a criminal fully achieves the element of surprise (such as when you are sleeping) and successfully breaches into your house, do you want to illuminate YOUR position by turning on a light? He/she could be several rooms away, but still in the dark- this would be giving another advantage to the opponent. Even worse, depending upon the location of the switch, the light, you, and the bad guy- you could be back-lighting yourself. As in silhouette. As in silhouette target. In the defense, it is always best to not disclose your exact location until/unless absolutely necessary- as well as exploiting your knowledge of the "terrain", obstacles, and cover and concealment (by definition, in home defense, this fight is happening on YOUR ground- and no one is as familiar with this as YOU). Third, when a potentially lethal engagement is imminent, mounting and dismounting gun lights probably doesn't need to be anywhere in your "priorities of work". It also likely requires fine motor skills that just won't be there for a number of reasons, not to mention the potential safety issue of doing this with a hot weapon. I can think of a lot of better things to do with a free hand in such a situation (if you are lucky enough to even have a free hand).
I have worked a bunch in low light/no light tactics, and the BEST thing someone can do after getting the equipment is to TRAIN on the equipment with someone who is savvy on this. I can't over-emphasize this. He/she doesn't need to be a "former operator", and you don't need to go away to some expensive school- if you know a well-trained police officer, have him/her over for dinner and after show you some basic techniques in your own home. That is WAY better than just screwing a light on a gun and thinking you have "checked the block".

I don't yet have a light, but I should get one. My gun is a Ruger P95. There is no rule that says one cannot also use a separate handheld light, and I'll keep mine handy.

I'll skip the laser for now, though Sistema1927 above makes a good point about using them to acquire a target when you cannot bring your sidearm to your face level.

mdauben said:

I was thinking of adding a laser to one of my SD guns to see how I liked it.

I'm not comfortable with the idea of mounting a flashlight on a gun though. IMO the problem is in order it ID a target, I need to point the weapon at them. Not good if it turns out to be your spouse returning late from work, or child who got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I'd rather have a separate flashlight even if its not as easy to carry.

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Seriously, take a class. Most of the modern WMLs have a bright enough light with enough spill to illuminate a good portion of a room at the low ready.

I also agree with FL-NC to a large extent, when I was in the Army and back when I worked on a PD folks got muzzle swept quite a bit. Training & practice go a long ways to mitigate it.

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

Anyone know what size light would fit on a XDm sc. The TL1 looks a little bit big

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Just call the manufacturers of whatever lights you may be interested in and ask.