Flashlight on home defense guns

[Averageman]

I dont think there is an easy one size fits all here.
In my house, I want a Master Switch. I want to access every light in the house and all of them on at once. I haven't acheived that yet.
I do like a light and a handgun, just not a light on my handgun. One of the neatest tricks I saw a cop do was roll a flashlight in to an area he was pretty sure a badguy was hiding. It worked pretty well.
I do like lights on long guns for out door use and I have two set up this way.
My thoughts are if I am using a handgun I would rather have a flashlight in hand. If I'm using a long gun I would rather have it mounted.
YMMV.

 

[Autolycus]

I think a flashlight is just a tool in the toolbox. You don't need to use it all the time. It can be turned off and used that way. I prefer to keep it there so I have options.

 

[allaroundhunter]

One of the neatest tricks I saw a cop do was roll a flashlight in to an area he was pretty sure a badguy was hiding. It worked pretty well.

And if you do this then you have just given up your flashlight as well as announced exactly where you are and where you will be coming from....there are no laws saying that you can only have one flashlight. I keep one on the gun, and one handheld. You never know when you will need your non-gun hand for something else.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

And if you do this then you have just given up your flashlight as well as announced exactly where you are and where you will be coming from....there are no laws saying that you can only have one flashlight. I keep one on the gun, and one handheld. You never know when you will need your non-gun hand for something else.

Hmmmmmmm.

 

[Averageman]

Actually in this case the burglar was hidden and the flashlight rolled under a bed and hit him in the chest.
The LEO was outside the room and rolled it in to the room and it stopped against the burglar/pervert, who moved and gave away his position.
The LEO called him to throw his gun out and first and come out with his hands raised. Gun out, light on and Perv out from under the bed.
Seemed like that Cop had his poop in one scoop to me.
As savvy as this dude was I'm sure he had another flashlight, if not as his brother I would have given him mine.

 

[basicblur]

One of the neatest tricks I saw a cop do was roll a flashlight in to an area he was pretty sure a badguy was hiding. It worked pretty well.

In one of my old DVDS (Night Master: Low Light Shooting & Flashlight Techniques), Ken Hackathorn specifically warns against this.
Murphy's Law being what it is, you'll have lost your flashlight, and when it gets through rolling around, chances are it will be pointed at you!

 

[Averageman]

As it were, and under a bed....it worked out well; but thatrs my kid brother.
He used to fallasleep in his dinner plate too, but I still dont hold that against him.

 

[1911 guy]

I see a bright white light as a necessary item on a HD gun. If I get a "bump in the hight" I want to know if it's my kids getting a drink of water at three a.m., the dog wandering around or my 84 year old diabetic neighbor acting all weird because his sugar has gone critically low and he's desperate for help. Or maybe it's a Bad Guy.

A quick flash with a white light gives me I.D. and a moment of disorientation on their part to do what needs to be done.

 

[Beaux Nehr]

Actually in this case the burglar was hidden and the flashlight rolled under a bed and hit him in the chest.
The LEO was outside the room and rolled it in to the room and it stopped against the burglar/pervert, who moved and gave away his position.
The LEO called him to throw his gun out and first and come out with his hands raised. Gun out, light on and Perv out from under the bed.
Seemed like that Cop had his poop in one scoop to me.
As savvy as this dude was I'm sure he had another flashlight, if not as his brother I would have given him mine.

The best all around answer (until surefire develops light grenades, that is):


Glowsticks!