Laser/light for HD pistol.

[Oldschool shooter]

Just curious, what do you all think about a mounted light or laser sight, or combination on home defense pistol. I have a combination setup that I was thinking about mounting on an SD40VE, just wondering if this is something many use or if it is something that just adds extra weight and/orsomething to fumble with should it be needed in an actual high stress situation.

 

[CraigC]

I really like the Streamlight TLR-1, with or without the integrated laser and I have several of them. Preferably with the laser. IMHO, the smaller TLR-3 or similar is nice because it's more compact and affordable but I prefer the bigger 2-cell TLR-1 and its greater light output.

Like anything else, you have to train with it. Used properly, it should eliminate light-related fumbling.

 

[BoBo522]

My home defense weapons all have lights. My nightstand pistol is a Sig M17 Bravo with a Crimson Trace Railmaster Pro light/laser combo attached. The weight is negligible on a full-sized handgun. All it takes is a tap on the activation paddle to turn it on and off.

 

[Hal]

My wife had all sorts of trouble when she started shooting figuring out how the sights on her Buckmark worked.
I stuck a cheap laser sight on it, diddles with it until it was dead on at 25 feet with the sights, then told to shoot it and see if that helped her figure out where the sites should all line up with the target.
It didn't take very long at all before it all clicked.

Over the years - this topic has come up a lot.

I'm inclined to go with the idea that a laser sight gives the bad guy something to shoot at as well.

 

[entropy]

Just curious, what do you all think about a mounted light or laser sight, or combination on home defense pistol. I have a combination setup that I was thinking about mounting on an SD40VE, just wondering if this is something many use or if it is something that just adds extra weight and/orsomething to fumble with should it be needed in an actual high stress situation.

There are numerous threads on this subject on THR; try the search function to find them.

 

[CraigC]

I'm inclined to go with the idea that a laser sight gives the bad guy something to shoot at as well.

IMHO, if you have illuminated the bad guy with a 400-1000 lumen light and drawn a bead with the laser, you're in a far better position to win the fight than he is.

 

[Hal]

IMHO, if you have illuminated the bad guy with a 400-1000 lumen light and drawn a bead with the laser, you're in a far better position to win the fight than he is.

Probably - but what about his companion?

 

[CraigC]

He's next.

 

[JTQ]

Lots of folks like and use mounted lights and lasers.

A couple of different data points

Tom Givens Rangemaster article on "Functioning in Low Light" https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017-02_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf

"We've had over 60 civilian students involved in shootings over the last few years. None used a flashlight and not one student indicated to me they felt like they needed a flashlight during their confrontation."

Tucker Gun Leather FAQ https://tuckergunleather.com/faq/

Q. Does Tucker recommend carrying a defensive pistol with a light attached to an accessory rail?

A. Tucker says, "If you're on a SWAT team, go for it. If not, your pistol is a quick-response tool for a sudden and extreme self-defense situation. If you have a light on the gun, you may find it distracting enough to slow down your response."

 

[SharpDog]

Note that having a light on your pistol does not prevent you from using a separate light if that is appropriate. This will save some time:

Light Or No Light On A Home Defense Pistol? | The High Road

 

[redneck]

I figure if I need a light to identify my target, then I have to live with the fact that it also makes me a target. Whether I use a hand held light or a weapon light doesn't really matter because either one is marking my position but I can't get by without some sort of light.

I have an olight pl2 mini light I just picked up a month or so ago and so far I really like it. It is small enough to go on a compact pistol, paddle activated and has its own built in rechargeable battery. At 600 lumens it will light up any room in my house and the sights are very clearly visible, but it also isn't blinding to me unless I deliberately shine it at a white wall a foot in front of me.

It is bright enough I can shine it at the floor in front of me and the splash will light up the area ahead of me, so that I am not necessarily pointing the gun at stuff to identify it. I would not want a weaponlight that isn't bright enough to do that with. I also keep a 1000+ lumen hand held light on hand and use it accordingly. So far I have mainly used the pistol light to dispatch some varmints in the barn and I use the hand held light until I'm ready to shoot and then switch the pistol light on.

 

[CraigC]

Lots of folks like and use mounted lights and lasers.

A couple of different data points

Tom Givens Rangemaster article on "Functioning in Low Light" https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017-02_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf

"We've had over 60 civilian students involved in shootings over the last few years. None used a flashlight and not one student indicated to me they felt like they needed a flashlight during their confrontation."

Tucker Gun Leather FAQ https://tuckergunleather.com/faq/

I'm sure there's no shortage of others who will contradict.

Worthy of note that this is about home defense, not concealed carry. I don't have attached lights on my concealed carry guns either. Home defense guns are an entirely different story.

 

[JTQ]

Experiment for folks, and your answers may determine whether you need a light on your gun or not.

Pick a time when it is completely dark outside, turn off all the lights in your house. Walk outside, is it brighter outside, than inside your house? When it is completely dark in your house, can you navigate through your house without any lights on?

If it is brighter outside than inside your house, and you can navigate through your house without any lights, an intruder will not be able to see as well inside your house as you can, because they have come from a brighter environment into a darker one. They also don't know their way around your house, but you do.

Another experiment - for those that propose the momentary on/then off use of the 500+ lumen lights inside your house to disguise your position.

On a dark night, with the lights off in your house, sit in some central part of your house, kitchen/living room whatever is a common area. Now have your spouse/child/friend/etc., start in your bedroom and "tactically" work their way through the house using your 500+ lumen light. Decide whether or not you can follow that light as it works its' way towards you.

 

[floritucky]

first lasers..

i am the farthest from an expert. but what i have found with lasers is they take a good bit of practice with. i had one mounted on a firearm a few years back thinking it would be a nice aid in lowlight situations. what i found was. i would chase the laser. hard to explain what i mean by that but i will try. when i would use it at the range i found that without a bench or some other way to steady the firearm, the little dot did a bit of bouncing and i would find that i would end up taking more time to get that little dot were i wanted it then if i just aimed with the sites. after practicing a few times (not nearly enough obviously) i did get better, but still was much better/faster with just sites. probably due to having so much more practice with sights. i decided to just forgo the laser and stick wit what i know. if you go with a laser and expect to use it. get LOTS of range time with it.

second, lights.

i personally like a light for pistols at home. its there if i need it, and i guess technically extra weight on the front would help mitigate recoil (though i personally dont notice a difference with the lights i use, it would still technically hold true) so i dont see how it could have a negative in that respect. anything else would be in the often asked question regarding giving away your position, losing the element of surprise. i wont go into my opinion on that matter because im just another rando on the web. i will just say that i keep a light on some of mine in the home

 

[CraigC]

Experiment for folks, and your answers may determine whether you need a light on your gun or not.

Pick a time when it is completely dark outside, turn off all the lights in your house. Walk outside, is it brighter outside, than inside your house? When it is completely dark in your house, can you navigate through your house without any lights on?

If it is brighter outside than inside your house, and you can navigate through your house without any lights, an intruder will not be able to see as well inside your house as you can, because they have come from a brighter environment into a darker one. They also don't know their way around your house, but you do.

Another experiment - for those that propose the momentary on/then off use of the 500+ lumen lights inside your house to disguise your position.

On a dark night, with the lights off in your house, sit in some central part of your house, kitchen/living room whatever is a common area. Now have your spouse/child/friend/etc., start in your bedroom and "tactically" work their way through the house using your 500+ lumen light. Decide whether or not you can follow that light as it works its' way towards you.

The light is not for navigating your way through the house. It's for identifying/disorienting a threat. Or at most illuminating dark corners and/or rooms. This idea that you're gonna hear something, grab your gun and turn on the weaponlight until the threat is gone is just not realistic.

 

[JTQ]

The light is not for navigating your way through the house. This idea that you're gonna hear something, grab your gun and turn on the weaponlight until the threat is gone is just not realistic.

I didn't say or imply that's what you'd do.

It's for identifying/disorienting a threat. Or at most illuminating dark corners and/or rooms.

Have your spouse/child/friend/etc., use it this way and see if you can track the movement through the house.

You don't have to do it. You may have already determined you need a mounted light and a laser. That's great. What I'm suggesting, is if somebody who hasn't made up their mind, and is wondering if the tool works for them, this may be a way to "illuminate" the situation for them.

Folks get locked into what works for LE/MIL and it isn't the same situation for the non-LE/MIL user. I always chuckled watching the original "CSI" when they were in some house/apartment/hotel room examining a crime scene and they'd break out their Surefire tactical light. You're not in an abandoned warehouse, you're in a room with electricity, there is a light switch on the wall. Turn the light on.

In your house, you know where the light switches are. Chances are good the intruder doesn't. A room light on the ceiling, isn't directional like your weapon mounted/hand held light. If the overhead light comes on, it's unlikely someone would know where the light was turned on from.

If you disagree, fine. If somebody is on the fence, it's just something to think about.

 

[FL-NC]

Short answer- YES. I recommend a light mounted to any HD gun. Here's my simple math breakdown: It is dark 50% of the time on this planet, with crimes happening disproportionately during those periods of darkness. Besides:
1. you can't shoot what you can't see
2. you need to identify who/what it is you are firing at
3. electrical power to a house can't always be counted upon. I'm not even speaking of the tech-savvy criminal who cuts power to your house- think about things like weather events that result in a loss of electricity, and the opportunities it gives criminals. In Fl we have hurricanes. In Michigan, I imagine you have ice storms that drop trees on power lines, or something like that.
4. turning on a light is almost always a tactically horrible decision, in that it illuminates you and gives away your presence, and the act of turning on a light will likely require excessive exposure to the bad guy. You will likely be helping them more than yourself when doing this, and it helps others from outside the house see inside through windows, but hurts your ability to see outside. Seeking cover and concealment in the dark and waiting in counter-ambush is probably going to be a better call.

 

[Armored farmer]

I dont understand the controversy. I have weighed the what-iffs verses the what-abouts.
I like to see clearly what I'm shooting at.

 

[Bennj]

I have a TRL4 on my HD handgun. My house is approximately 2,100 sf so if someone enters we will probably run into each other within seconds. My concern is if I am awakened I will be a little groggy prior to the the adrenaline dump. The light is primarily used to identify a friendly, such as one of my sons (they and a few close immediate family members have a key). I try to practice manipulating my handgun and light/laser to prepare for such an event and hope there's enough muscle memory there if needed.

 

[JTHunter]

For home defense, the first gun I grab is a 12 ga. SxS with double triggers. On the underside of the twin barrels, I have a small, 3-AAA cell flashlight that puts out about 125 lumens. I use two plastic "zip ties" to hold it in the groove between the barrels.
I also have an AK with another identical type of flashlight in an aluminum double clamp that I got at an NRA convention years ago. The clamp holds the light about 2" below the barrel and lights up a large enough downrange area that both the "target" and sights are easy to see.
If I'm using a handgun (.357), I use an identical light in my left hand so I can use my thumb on the switch. Being my "weak hand", the left wrist is under the right wrist to support and brace my gun hand. This set-up allows me to quickly fan an area with the light but with the gun's barrel tilted slightly upwards so it isn't pointed in the exact same direction as the light. I just have to tilt my right wrist down about an inch to be on target.

 

[JR24]

Light yes, laser no. I think a bright light tactically advantageous, yes they can see you but yes they are gonna be blinded.

I can navigate my house fine in the dark, and my dogs will do the finding for me so the light likely won't be used until "go" time. I do have kids in the house so illumination would be needed.

 

[herrwalther]

A light on a home defense weapon is a yes in my book. I have also gone through many hours of training in how to use it from professionals. Which is more important than just slapping a light on something. Get training from someone knowledgeable in using it.

There are a pros/cons to having a weapon with a light vs a light and laser hybrid. A hybrid will usually need to be larger to house both modules plus a large battery to power both. Usually more expensive than a dedicated weapon light. And holster selection can be tough, if you planned on carrying this setup at some point. A laser doesn't have many advantages. It helps you shoot when you aren't aiming down your sights ie on your back. Studies have shown new shooters with lasers on their firearms actually take more time to fire because they end up "chasing" the dot instead of using their sights.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

View media item 2621
Bedside table

 

[Crosshair]

People have been killed because someone was fumbling for the light on their pistol and fired instead.

Personally, my pistols don't have mounts for lights. So I use a flashlight by default. I live alone and have night lights through the house. The real need for me is outside.

Having a seperate light means if I do blind them and they come at me, they'll be going for a flashlight and not my weapon.

I'm not against them, I just havn't felt the pressing need.

 

[chicharrones]

I really like the grip activated lasers for short range defense handguns. My middle aged eyes have a hard time with handgun sights anymore, and in low light tritium dots blur to invisibility. Forget about fiber optic sights that need light to be illuminated.

But a laser that I can turn on with a slight pressure increase on the grip? Well, that makes for something as readily visible as a red dot, but you don't have to have the gun lined up perfectly with your eyes to find the dot.

The key is not to chase the laser like a cat on cat nip. The key is to focus your eyes on the target and bring the laser onto what you are focused on and make the shot. Easy breezy to get accustomed to while practicing in your own home using snap caps, then take that familiarity to the shooting range for the recoil practice.

Sure, the laser looks like it's dancing all over the place while under recoil. Don't worry about the dance, get that laser back on what your eyes are focused on and shoot again.

Now for people with excellent vision, I can see how a laser might be counterproductive. But, when I practice with snap caps in the house I never lose my handgun sights on a dark object in low light because the laser takes care of that issue.