Light Or No Light On A Home Defense Pistol?

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1. I live in an area without streetlights and houses are on acre lots. Some neighbors use outside lights, some don’t. If cloudy or the moon isn’t out, it’s pretty dark at night.

2. My WML’s are all 500 lumens or more. They will blind a bad guy who’s eyes are really dilated.

3. If I had to go outside at night, I need a good light...even if I have outside lights on (and mine are auto on at dusk)

4. They don’t weigh much, and you don’t have to use them if you choose not to...
Those are all good reasons for having a good light.

I would hope that when you go out among those big lots at night you do not have gun in hand.

The myth that using a light on your gun is dangerous because you are flagging everything is overblown. A good WML will have a lot of spill light. I can hold my handgun at low ready, pointed at the ground 5-7 ft in front of me, and the spill will completely light up the entire room.
...making you both a potential target and possibly a perceived a threat.

I have reluctance to point my firearm at things or people I may not want to shoot.
Ah, good thinking.

While checking out a noise I'd rather have my gun pointed down.
Best to not do that. It's a good way to get shot. We use cameras.

Sounds like a guy trying really hard to justify not having/using tritium sights or a weapon mounted light.
Tom Givens? That's ridiculous. He is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, and he is trying to impart understanding to those who are not.

Tom is a member here.

Drive a few hundred miles and study under him when you can
 
I use a TLR-1 on my HD pistol and an TLR-7 on my CCW pistol. It's just the wife and I. I am not worried about pointing the pistol weapon light because I will be aiming toward them in the first place.
 
Kleanbore, yes. Like i said, its just my wife and i. in the middle of rural maine. If someone is in my house, they are not meant to be there. I lock my doors every night and no one else has a key. So if someone was inside the house, they would be a threat and treated as such.
 
If someone is in my house, they are not meant to be there.
That may be.

So if someone was inside the house, they would be a threat and treated as such.
We have had numerous threats on this subject, and many accounts of tragedies unforeseen.

One should never point a firearm at anyone or anything without first having identified the target.

One should refrain from creating potentially damning evidence by stating that one would do that.
 
Kleanbore, yes. Like i said, its just my wife and i. in the middle of rural maine. If someone is in my house, they are not meant to be there. I lock my doors every night and no one else has a key. So if someone was inside the house, they would be a threat and treated as such.

I locked my doors every night too until I didn't.

I was visiting my mom one night and we went to sleep and at 2 or 3 in the morning we heard somebody downstairs yelling.

It turned out to be the Douglas County Sheriff's Department in the front entry of my mom's home.

How do you suppose that would have turned out if I ran to the head of the stairs with a gun in my hand
 
Those are all good reasons for having a good light.

I would hope that when you go out among those big lots at night you do not have gun in hand.

? What does this mean? If I think I’ll need a gun, I’ll have one. But if you are asking if I use the light in a gun as my primary light, then the answer is “no”. I always have a flashlight on me, day or night.

...making you both a potential target and possibly a perceived a threat.

Folks like to say having a light makes you a target as if you are invisible to a threat unless you have a light. What is the difference between a hand held flashlight and a WML with regards to being a target? Not much...

My comments are bold to differentiate them, not for any other emphasis.

Ive received some training using a handheld light clearing structures. It isn’t easy to safely do, especially when opening doors or otherwise having to use a hand to do something.

Again, YMMV.
 
I locked my doors every night too until I didn't.

I was visiting my mom one night and we went to sleep and at 2 or 3 in the morning we heard somebody downstairs yelling.

It turned out to be the Douglas County Sheriff's Department in the front entry of my mom's home.

How do you suppose that would have turned out if I ran to the head of the stairs with a gun in my hand

If I was at my mothers house, or any house OTHER then mine, I would not do that, The fact I am saying that in MY house, they are a threat.
 
I mentioned cameras to identify the sources of bumps in the night without putting oneself in harm's way.

Here's another relevant suggestion. My wife has decorated with glass-enlcosed timed LED candles that are on at night. Makes it safer to walk around, and one can see anyone in the rooms.
 
I mentioned cameras to identify the sources of bumps in the night without putting oneself in harm's way.

Here's another relevant suggestion. My wife has decorated with glass-enlcosed timed LED candles that are on at night. Makes it safer to walk around, and one can see anyone in the rooms.

Are they on their own power source?
 
The fact I am saying that in MY house, they are a threat.
You may assume that, until you find out that they were not. Knock it off here and do some reading of old threads.

You have already posted some imprudent things.
 
I was trained to clear structures too

The first thing they trained me was to never do it alone

Agree. But I’m a 15-30 min response time at 0300 and if I hear a door get kicked in or some such bump in the night, I’ve got a couple folks I need to safeguard.

I’m not saying I’m necessarily clearing my home, but I am definitely going to secure my family.

Situational responses are dictated by current conditions...
 
The fact I am saying that in MY house, they are a threat.

I'm not sure I can communicate this correctly but there needs to be a step between you and pulling the trigger.

If you're all keyed up, clearing your home in the middle of the night with your gun in a ready to fire position it's very likely that you're going to make a tragic mistake and shoot someone who wasn't a threat.

I read about it on the news or on some trainer's blog far too frequently not to believe it is a VERY REAL possibility.
 
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I have an olight PL-mini on my HD pistol. Aside from the benefit of the light itself, I have found the weight helps my shooting considerably. Its not a heavy light, pretty small in fact ( nothing like the older streamlite models). Totally bright, easy to use. Quick disconnect rail mount. Magnetic charger cord.
 
.If I think I'll need a gun, I'll have one.
Good.

But it would be extremely unwise to have it in hand outside without justification. "I thought I would need it" will not serve as a defense against potential charges.

What is the difference between a hand held flashlight and a WML with regards tro being a target?
The former is less apt to get you shot by a police officer investigation a report or a person out fora walk...and carrying it outdoors won't get you charged.

Ive received some training using a handheld light clearing structures. It isn’t easy to safely do, especially when opening doors or otherwise having to use a hand to do something.
Almost everyone I know who has received any training on that will not do it.
 
I'm not sure I can communicate this correctly but there needs to be a step between you and pulling the trigger.

If you're all keyed up, clearing your home in the middle of the night with your gun in a ready to fire position it's very likely that you're going to make a tragic mistake and shoot someone who wasn't a threat.

I read about it on the news or on trailer's blogs far too frequently not to believe it is a VERY REAL possibility.

Im not just going to run and gun. I was trying to state that I have a weapon mounted light that I am going to use to ID the “bump in the night” because it will not be a friendly. The leo’s are about 30-45 mins out. Maybe less if they happen to be in the area. No kids and no family around. If it was anybody i knew or such, they would have knocked on the door or tried to call me. I also live on a dead end road with only a couple house on it.
 
None of my current firearms have lights mounted on them. Not because I chose not to, but the firearms I chose don't have accessory rails.
I do have multiple flashlights throughout my house.
If the need arises to check into something during the night, I'm not turning my inside lights on for 2 reasons:
1) If there is danger outside, lighting the inside of your house makes it far easier to see from the outside, through a window or door.
2) The few seconds (or more) it takes your eyes to adjust from darkness to light could make a big difference in your ability to react to a threat. Illuminating only the area in question with a flashlight reduces the time needed for your eyes to adjust.
 
because it will not be a friendly.

That's what people are trying to tell you. You can't assume that.

I'm not saying don't clear your house with a gun in your hand. I'm trying to say keep it at a low ready (which should still provide ample light to identify your target) not up and ready to fire where all you have to do is pull the trigger.

Assuming you run into an intruder, if they're close enough that you can't get the gun into a firing position you probably wouldn't have had time to pull the trigger anyway.

BUT if it's NOT an actual intruder you won't pull the trigger by a startle response and shoot someone you didn't want to shoot.

Do you understand what I'm trying to say?
 
Kleanbore post #26;

I said; I have reluctance to point my firearm at things or people I may not want to shoot.
Kleanbore said; Ah, good thinking.


I said; While checking out a noise I'd rather have my gun pointed down.
Kleanbore said; Best to not do that. It's a good way to get shot. We use cameras.

Please explain why one statement is "good thinking" but the other not. What does "we use cameras" mean?
 
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