Holding a flashlight correctly

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10/22plinker

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Ever since I have seen a person holding a tactical light in one hand and using the other hand to rest their handgun next to the flashlight I have wondered would this be a reliable hold or does the gun slide around your forearm. Silly question but please give your opinion.:uhoh:
 
there are at least 3 commonly taught ways to hold a flashlight and still support the pistol...you're going tohave to be more specific about which technique you're asking about
 
Read the article paul suggested, no study it, and make an informed choice.
Me, I am old school guy and was trained and always used the FBI hold. Try them all. and find which is comfortable for you. Then practice,and practice some more.
Good post my friend,
Doc
 
Wow, some good stuff in that article! It makes one realize the many different holds there are (who'd uh thunk it?).
:scrutiny:
 
Not turn this into a "what is the best flashlight ...", but it is worth mentioning that the SureFires with the collar style rings around the grip area lend themselves to being gripped securely between the index and middle finger almost as one would hold a syringe.

Lights with a rubber grip sleeve like the Streamlight Scorpion offer a more "sticky" hold.

So it also largely depends on your specific light(s), your hand size, any significant personal physical conditions etc.

--------------------------------

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Put you middle finger in the ring and hold the light in between your middle and pointer fingers while cupping your shooting hand.

CombatRings_large2jpg.jpg
 
I use the Harries technique (illustrated in the Surefire article), but I don't do it like the officer in the picture does. I was taught to make a "V", so the handgun and flashlight are both angled a little to the sides, rather than to try to keep the handgun level. The reason is that holding the handgun the way the officer holds it in the picture will cause a lot of fatigue on the wrist. I have also found that I can shoot faster and more accurately with the pistol slightly tilted to the side while using a flashlight.
 
I use the F.B.I. technique almost exclusively (side from the VERY ocassional Harries in close quarters). IMHO, most fire that you would draw from a suspect would be directly AT your flashlight because this will be one of, if not the, only reference that the bad guy will have to shoot at you in the dark. The F.B.I. technique is good because it gives the bad guy the perception that the shooter is much "further away" than where he actually is, essentially drawing fire away from your center mass. But, like anything (choosing the right sidearm, flashlight, etc.) it's a personal "comfort" choice more than anything.

Also, another consideration is steady on or intermittent use. Steady on is great for being able to consistently have a sight picture, see where you are going, etc. but it can really project your location prematurely. Used intermittently, the light can also be very hard to "keep track of" from a bad guy's standpoint. Don't forget that the light can also be used to blind the other party, and can be used as an impact/pressure weapon as well if needed. A light (or backup light, really) can also be used to throw or roll into a room to gain a leg up with lighting the scene from behind cover. This coupled with the "shock effect" (Bad guy saying "What the heck was that??" and peeking out or making noise thus giving away his location)All these things should be considered when choosing which light you want.
 
Neck index. Was taught several techniques but feel the neck index easiest & most intuitive. You can also use it without needing to point a gun.

Used to use the Harries, but never like a technique that has to "hurt to work". Since I wear a watch, I've finished low light training sessions with a bruise on the back of my shooting hand.
 
Used to use the Harries, but never like a technique that has to "hurt to work". Since I wear a watch, I've finished low light training sessions with a bruise on the back of my shooting hand.
hmmm... I wear a watch and I've never had that problem. Maybe I just don't shoot enough.
 
Comfort needs to be a consideration. It is no big deal to hold the gun and light together to shoot, but holding them together for an extended period of time for clearing a building or covering down a hallway necessitates that what you use be comfortable. For me this means the light and gun hand work independently of each other.
 
The hard thing is finding a time/place to practice using a light. Trying it at home and dry firing just does not do it! We need the recoil and getting back on target. Even at the farm...gun shots after dark will bring questions. :uhoh:

Maybe I can squeeze in a few shots here and there without getting too much grief from the neighbors this year. We'll see.

Mark.
 
I prefer the neck index. I don't end up trying to make sure my hands/wrists stay together & I like the inherent ability to move the gun & light independent of each other. I also have rather small booger hooks so that takes the Rogers/Surefire out for me.

Then again, my primary gun also has a light attached so it's not as much of a concern. I do still carry a hand held for everyday tasks & as a backup.
 
I default to the neck index, and flow into whatever I need from there. Flashlight skills, imo, are a seriously neglected aspect of many shooter's training regime.
 
Thanks for the article PaulBK.

The FBI hold with a gun-mounted laser seems ideal for me, although I'd like to practice all of them if I had the opportunity.

I might just do it dry the next time I'm home alone (so mall ninja it hurts to think about).
 
The hard thing is finding a time/place to practice using a light. Trying it at home and dry firing just does not do it! We need the recoil and getting back on target. Even at the farm...gun shots after dark will bring questions.

Move up North :)

We are semi-dark from 4pm on in Nov, Dec, and Jan. Range doesn't close until 8pm. Plenty of low light/no light practice.

-Paul
 
I had always used the Harries technique for lack of knowing anything else. This article was really helpful for me thank you. Just one more reason I need a good self defense class that is more than gun safety. (Not that I am saying safety should ever take a back seat, the only classes I have taken are more about legality and CCW issues than tactics).
 
There is an interesting article in Guns & Ammo "Combat Tactics" titled "Fire in the Sky" that covers different combat loops mentioned above.
 
If I am not misinterpretting the use of the word flow here, I agree that light handling should follow gun handling; in that motions should be fluid. Smooth transitions from one position to another using economy of motion.

Nice of SureFire to post the videos in the public domain as opposed to "buy here" or pay per view.
 
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