Attach light to gun or hold in hand?

[YaNi]

How do you reload/clear a jam/open door/etc with a light in one hand and your weapon in the other?

 

[easyg]

I hope those who only use a handheld light have practiced using a phones and reloading their weapon with the light in their hand.

If you're reloading, then that means you have already shot at something which you believed to be a deadly threat.

And if you are shooting at something which you believe to be a deadly threat, then you shouldn't be holding a telephone at all.

You can finish chatting with the 911 operator once your life is no longer in danger.

 

[Deanimator]

How do you reload/clear a jam/open door/etc with a light in one hand and your weapon in the other?

How do you do it with a cell phone in your hand?

Do you have a rail mounted cell phone?

 

[easyg]

How do you do it with a cell phone in your hand?

Do you have a rail mounted cell phone?

Again, if you're actually shooting, or clearing a jam which occurred while shooting, the time for chatting on the cell phone is over for the minute.

Hopefully, once all the shooting stops, you'll be alive and able to finish the conversation then.

 

[Doggy Daddy]

Bought one of these: from Amazon. Liked it a lot, and immediately ordered another for my wife. The light is not "tactically bright", but enough to illuminate. Easily fits the rails on my 5" XD45, Glock 19, and her 4" XD45. It lives on my XD, which in turn lives in a large holster that lives on my nightstand. The holster also holds a spare mag. It's all held in place with a small pad of velcro, so I can draw and go. If needed, the holster can be pulled off the velcro so that the mag comes with me. There is also a Surefire laying next to the holster that I can grab.

IOW, I'm voting "both". If I need to drop the Surefire, there's still the mounted light.

And, BTW, this light is only $33 delivered. Not a bad choice if you want to try out the weapon-mounted lifestyle.

DD

 

[Doggy Daddy]

Do you have a rail mounted cell phone?

Be careful. You know about all those "texting while clearing" incidents in the news lately...

DD

 

[dondavis3]

Oh that's easy you use your teeth

 

[KellyTTE]

From an article that I recently wrote about the TLR-3 during a low/no-light pistol match:

I was one of only 3 or so people with a dedicated weapons light and the ability to maintain light discipline and not fumble with a third item (gun, light, magazine) during reloads was a huge help.

If I'm in a critical incident, as stated above I might have to worry about tac-loading, calling 911, keeping the area under observation for additional threats, ect.

The statement:

I loathe firearms lights and the ugly rails they go on.

Has got to be one of the most misguided (I chose the nicest word I could think of) statements I've ever heard. Simply put, its a 'fuction follows form' mindset, that will get you killed. You can tell the people that have competed and trained in low/no-light situations in this thread. The rest are simply turning oxygen into noise.

 

[Deanimator]

You can tell the people that have competed and trained in low/no-light situations in this thread.

Does being "trained" to slam a drawer on your hand make slamming a drawer on your hand a good idea?

It was written doctrine in the pre-1945 Japanese Army to die with your tank if it was disabled. They were TRAINED to do it. Did that training make it a good idea?

 

[dondavis3]

KellyTTE while I'm sure your the best expert there is.

I've trained in low light & no light situations in both the Army and as a police officer.

Not everyone that doesn't agree with you is wrong.

Lighten up.

 

[NCPatrolAR]

Does being "trained" to slam a drawer on your hand make slamming a drawer on your hand a good idea?

It was written doctrine in the pre-1945 Japanese Army to die with your tank if it was disabled. They were TRAINED to do it. Did that training make it a good idea?

I've noticed that your posts on this topic are filled with a number of misconceptions and ignorance about how lights are employed. Have you ever been trained on their use or made use of them under tense situations?

 

[Beelzy]

Hand held light for pistol, screw reloading issues while holding a light. Homeowners never
have that problem. A light also serves as an additonal weapon and a distraction, say if
you decide to hurl it.

Rifle, OTOH, should have the light mounted on it. As one uses both hands for a rifle.

If folks worry about weapon clearing while holding a light, they need a more reliable gun.

YMMV.

 

[Deanimator]

Have you ever been trained on their use or made use of them under tense situations?

No, and there's no reason why I would be. If I fundamentally disagree with the premise of doing something, why would I seek training in doing something I don't want to do?

I NEVER carry with an unloaded chamber. Why would I spend money to be "trained" to carry that way? Are we talking training or religious indoctrination?

A firearm mounted light provides ME no benefit that could overcome the various downsides. Why would I want to spend a butt load of money to learn a way of doing things I don't want to employ?

 

[NCPatrolAR]

Have you been trained on any type of lowlight tactics?

A good reason to seek out the training is because people simply don't know what they don't know. Your posts so far as a good showing of this. If you choose to remain ignorant that's your choice; it's no skin off my back

 

[Deanimator]

Have you been trained on any type of lowlight tactics?

Yes, in the Army.

 

[possum]

Have you been trained on any type of lowlight tactics?

amen brother

This one always amazes me.

What kind of flashlight have you ever seen that has such a narrow beam you have to cover something with the muzzle to illuminate it?

That would be one SERIOUSLY crappy light......

+1

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

If you're reloading, then that means you have already shot at something which you believed to be a deadly threat.

And if you are shooting at something which you believe to be a deadly threat, then you shouldn't be holding a telephone at all.

You can finish chatting with the 911 operator once your life is no longer in danger.

Because you'll only be using the phone after you shoot?

Again, I hope those who use a handheld light have trained themselves to use the phone and/or reloading with the light in one hand.

 

[Deanimator]

Let's see, you're supposed to disarm yourself with an intruder still at large in your home to avoid being shot by the police who see you with a gun. But...

You're supposed to use a light on that same gun, in situations where you might end up pointing it at a cop.

I guess the conclusion is that it's ok to do things which might get you shot by a cop when you're using a light, but not when you aren't...

"So and so taught me X, so it must be right." They also taught Wildcat pilots to try to turn inside Zeros... for a while.

 

[NCPatrolAR]

Yes, in the Army.

Time frame and MOS if I might ask?

 

[Deanimator]

Time frame and MOS if I might ask?

1976-1986 (Including ROTC, active duty and Reserve duty)

11C00 - Mechanized Infantry Officer

 

[SSN Vet]

no expert here....

but then again, the experts will not be there with me when the moment of reckoning comes...

so I'll take all advise with the appropriate size grain of salt, use my head, and make my choices based on what makes sense to me....

Two things not mentioned that I think are pertinent to the discussion...

1. by putting a short lanyard on your light, you can easily free up you hand when you need it and keep the light available.

2. your light can be an effective weapon, and having some other effective weapon with you in addition to your firearm can be very useful when blowing holes in your kids bedroom walls is not an acceptable option.... or when you can't determine if the BG is wielding deadly force (especially important if your state has not codified the castle doctrine).

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Hand held light for pistol, screw reloading issues while holding a light. Homeowners never
have that problem.

Homeowners never have jams?

 

[dondavis3]

Good get Deanimator

I can't even remember my MOS (as if it has much to do with this whole subject) - if you say you've had training, kinda might let it go there.

It's turned into a mines bigger than yours thread ...

Too bad to because it has a lot of good information.

Good post SSN Vet

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I really can't see why some are dead set against one or the other. Why not use and train with both? Why not have as many tools in your toolbox as you can? You never know when you're gonna be in that one situation where you wish you could go outside the box you set up for yourself and deal with the situation in a different way. You can't predict everything. Your trainer can't predict everything. No one method or one tool is going to be perfect for everything. I used and train with both. I'm confident that I can use all the pros of a handheld and all of the pros of a weapon light if the situation calls for one or the other. I'm not gonna handicap myself because "well I just think ______ is stupid so I'm not gonna train for it".

 

[NCPatrolAR]

1976-1986 (Including ROTC, active duty and Reserve duty)

11C00 - Mechanized Infantry Officer

A lot has changed since 86. Tactics have made gigantic leaps since then and we are better off for it. You can see this in how weapons, accessories, and gear are designed and fielded.