Light on your conceal carry. What happened to me, last night.

[leadcounsel]

The advantages to a separte light include:

1) NOT pointing your gun around at things. If something startles you, you don't want to necessarily shoot it, for obvious reasons.
2) You can hold your light out to the side while you shine it, in the event it happens to draw fire you are not standing directly behind the light.
3) Holsters. How many holsters fit a certain light attachment for a gun. None of mine. The hassle of getting a new holster for each platform and then for each gun with/without a light just seems too much...

 

[JTQ]

I routinely carry a flashlight when I take the trash out, mostly to identify "critters". My wife and daughters all carry the Stylus Pro in their purses. They are very handy. If you want something bigger, just about every holster maker makes a light pouch for the SureFire G2/6P size light.

A light on a carry gun adds quite a bit of bulk to your pistol.

There are very few concealment holsters available for a light mounted pistol. Lots of "tactical" holsters for light mounted pistols, but the pickings are slim for concealed carry.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I carry a light -- on my key chain. It's adequate for things like feeding the horses after dark and so on.

But if someone jumped me in the dark, and I didn't have the light in my hand, I wouldn't spend time fumbling for it.

 

[Ehtereon11B]

Viridian C5L is my light/laser of choice. I have a Browning Tactical hunter flashlight in a belt holster and would need something smaller and faster. I will be looking at that Streamlight though.

 

[W.E.G.]

Circumstances that require ONLY a flashlight should be handled with ONLY a flashlight.

A light on the gun is OK, so long as you train with it extensively, and are 110% that it won't contribute to any type of failure, and so long as you don't point it at anything you do not intend to destroy.

For my methods and skill level, I see no utility of a light on a handgun.
I do see utility for a light on a carbine.

 

[Manny]

I carry a Surefire E1B virtually always in my left front pants pocket and use it frequently. It was designed for low profile carry for plain clothes cops who need a tac light. I use it for working with diesel trucks & such primarily, and it does a stellar job there as well. You may find cheaper but you won't find better.

I also have a weapon light on my house Glock but that doesn't downplay the utility of a good handheld light.

 

[FMF Doc]

I remember what a LEO told me many years ago when I was buddy riding with him. Never have the light in front of you because they might have a gun and shoot at the light. Always have the light at the side and as far away as possible from your body.

Bingo! That light might blind them, but it gives them something to shoot at. That's why SWAT teams and military keep their lights off until the last second they need them, and prefer a pulsing strobe, as it is enough to light up your target, but harder to give them a target to shoot back at.

I have not heard the recall of the #1
RULE of gun safety that states NEVER POINT/AIM YOU GUN AT ANYTHING you dont intend to shoot.

I always thought that RULE 1 was treat every weapon as though it is loaded; or maybe those USMC Range Safety Officers and Col. Jeff Cooper got it wrong?

 

[bigfatdave]

Orion8472 - I am someone who thinks it is funny to sneak up on people, and even I think your BIL is a jerk.
I also think that given the cost and size of those little streamlight lights that there is no excuse for an adult to be wandering around in the dark without a light.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/168600/streamlight-microstream-flashlight-white-led-aluminum-matte
You missed a sale, they were $16.?? last month

That light is too small to not carry with you all the time, and you'll use it more than even a pocketknife. Putting a light on your weapon makes finding holsters a PITA and encourages stupid pistol habits, and NEVER supplants having a handheld light.


Crap I carry, in order of frequency it gets used in:
light
knife (utility, not weapon)
pen
keys/wallet (tie)
etc etc etc etc
weapon

 

[easyg]

your first reflex should have been the heel of your hand to his nose as you drew your gun.

The brother-in-law was 15 feet away.
Kinda hard to hit someone in the nose at 15 feet.

 

[sgtstryker]

Just wondering about the size of the Microstream compared to a Surefire G2? Are they similar in length/diameter? I keep a light on my Glocks around the house, but pocket carry my light while CCW. Just easier to me. I even carry a small maglite at work, never knew how much I would use it.

 

[floorit76]

The Microstream will fit INSIDE the G2.

 

[floorit76]

Candle power forums has a "Recomend a light for" forum, where you can describe your needs and they will recomend a light for you. You have to join to do it, but there is plenty of info there for the non-members. Maglight and Surefire are so behind the curve it isn't funny. Forget the cheap-o 27 led you bought at Home depot. The single AA led I carry will outrun a 2-3 D Maglight all around.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Forget the cheap-o 27 led you bought at Home depot. The single AA led I carry will outrun a 2-3 D Maglight all around.

I have a Coleman LED handheld that runs on 3 AAA batteries. It is just as bright as my Streamlight TLR-1s (~150 lumens IIRC), and it only cost me $20.

 

[floorit76]

I was just looking at a Xeno Eo3, single AA, 400 lumens, $40 I'm just trying to let people know whats out there. If you haven't searched out these lights, or have a friend with one, you've probably never heard of them. I'm glad to see some decent Led's in stores. But most of them are larger, and more expensive, with lower performance than can be found with a little looking. Like the guy said a few posts back, "There is no reason an adult should be stumbling around in the dark in this day in age."

 

[blinkjr]

floorit76 - I have a Xeno E03. Great little light. Please understand those 400 lumens only come when using a LiIon 14500 cell. But, it will run on any "AA" size cell. Just not as bright. Has to do with cell chemistry, voltage, mAH...much more technical than I am qualified to discuss. It's not that much bigger than the Streamight Microstream. Only thing I don't like about it is it comes on at the medium brightness. But that is something you could learn how to manipulate with practice (turn on, 2 quick pushes to high).

 

[golden]

BOTH

I keep a light on my house gun and would not be without it.

I put the brightest light on my house gun that I could find. I want to clearly identify my target. I am not worried about pointing a gun at someone in the middle of the night, inside my house. They should not be there. If they complain that I pointed a gun at them, they will be admitting to trespassing and absolves me of any legal liability.

Outdoors, things a different. If you pull your gun to illuminate someone, you can find yourself in serious trouble. I carry a pocket light to illuminate, but would snap a light on my gun if I had to go into a situation where my gun was already drawn.


I have to qualify once a year on a night shoot. It is pitiful. The issue light is never bright enough. Anyone who tells you that the AYOOB, HARRIS or any other method works fine, has probably not tried to use them in a gunfight.
Yes, they can work, but for me, they work poorly.

Just to show you how screwed up this situation can be, I requested permission to carry a light. I would have bought the same light that is issued to another one of our units, but the management decided I should not for safety reasons. I asked what those reasons were and could not get an answer.

Give me light, more than one if possible.

Jim

 

[wildehond]

I prefer to carry a separate flashlight and carry this Surefire g2zx

I do not want to point my firearm just to see what is going on.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Just wondering about the size of the Microstream compared to a Surefire G2?

The Microstream is 3 1/2" long and about the diameter of a tube of ChapStick.

 

[Skribs]

I'm looking for a light for carry right now. My requirements are 4-4.5" long, 0.75-1" wide, belt clip near the rear, push button on the back of the light (simple on-off switch, no extra features), matte black (or similar) and around 100-125 lumens. Anyone have any suggestions within these requirements?

 

[Manco]

I have not heard the recall of the #1
RULE of gun safety that states NEVER POINT/AIM YOU GUN AT ANYTHING you dont intend to shoot.

When they repeal that RULE, then I will put a light where it does not belong - on a DEADLY WEAPON.

What about those who use a long gun for home defense?

If you train for at least a THOUSAND repetitions with a light mounted gun,fine as you might not have an N.D.

Obviously training is highly recommended for anything in our field.

I carry a shooting light at all times,but its not attached to my weapon,makes it a bit easier to take out when a light is needed too.

I like having BOTH available, with the weapon-mounted light as the backup, just in case it's needed for whatever reasons (I could enumerate them if you wish).

Many [ most ? ] will ignore my post as they 'know better'.

Good for you.

Well, flashlights and their batteries can fail, and it can be advantageous to have a free hand at times. Of course, you could always carry a second handheld flashlight as a backup, although it wouldn't free up a hand. I figure that a weapon-mounted light fills both roles, and those who train for the safe utilization of such lights on long guns, at least, could use the same techniques with pistols (including use of the flood/spill beam to identify the potential target without pointing the weapon directly at them).

 

[Vern Humphrey]

What about those who use a long gun for home defense?

The rule is not repealed just because you're at home, or have a long gun. If you have a light on your weapon, you're pointing the gun at whatever the light is illuminating.

A better choice is to work out your tactics. I always recommend a safe room at the end of a hall, with a night light at the other end to silhouette anyone approaching the safe room.

 

[fastbolt]

I'm with the group who prefers a hand held light to anything mounted on a handgun.

I remember trying one of those little plastic clamps that allowed you to affix a Mini Mag-Lite to the underside of the barrel lug of a M686 (which I tried on my issued duty 686 back then).

Aside from the occasional pile of broken lights & parts I sometimes see accumulate at the armorer bench, I have some of the same concerns about the limitations of weapon-mounted light use as some other posters. (I see them as specialized equipment, and probably more suited to long guns in confined areas, depending on the circumstances and applications ... after a lot of training.)

I'd rather not use my trigger finger for anything other than trigger manipulation. It's not terribly hard to look around and learn of an instance where some cop unintentionally manipulated a trigger under stress, instead of a light switch, and the weapon fired.

Yes, I also know a couple cops who experienced ND's because their dominant hand trigger fingers correspondingly clenched when they were performing a manipulation with their off-hand, during actual enforcement situations, which engaged their off-hand index fingers ... and their gun-hand index fingers via hand confusion? ... and that's always something to consider when training in scenario-based circumstances, to reinforce safety awareness in preparation for actual events.

Basically, there's often more to consider than just the selection of which light accessory to hang on the end of a handgun ...

 

[allaroundhunter]

If you have a light on your weapon, you're pointing the gun at whatever the light is illuminating.

No, not always, it is not a laser sight. The vast majority of the area that I am illuminating will not actually be staring down the barrel of the gun.

I'd rather not use my trigger finger for anything other than trigger manipulation. It's not terribly hard to look around and learn of an instance where some cop unintentionally manipulated a trigger under stress, instead of a light switch, and the weapon fired.

You don't have to use your trigger finger. I don't for the same reasons that you mentioned. I use my weak hand thumb; I am actually looking for a contour remote to attach to my light that will put a pressure switch underneath my middle finger on the grip.

 

[fastbolt]

You don't have to use your trigger finger. I don't for the same reasons that you mentioned. I use my weak hand thumb; I am actually looking for a contour remote to attach to my light that will put a pressure switch underneath my middle finger on the grip.

I'm aware of the pressure pad models. I prefer them to the toggle switch models, although now we're talking about introducing a subtle difference in grip consistency, at times.

My comment was aimed at the toggle switch models that are activated by a trigger finger. While off-hand (thumb) manipulation is possible at times, it requires manipulation-specific training for the off-hand thumb ... and hoping that the off-hand won't be required to perform some other critical task at the wrong moment. I'd prefer to refrain from having to suddenly "choose" which hand and digit to use under stress. Events can get complicated on their own well enough without letting Mr Murphy have some additional options of his own, right?

I'd rather opt for the pressure pad design if I were mandated to carry a weapon light on a pistol, but that's me.

None of my personally-owned weapons presently have lights, but I have a LOT of hand held lights.

 

[scaatylobo]

@ vern humphrey

"The rule is not repealed just because you're at home, or have a long gun. If you have a light on your weapon, you're pointing the gun at whatever the light is illuminating.

A better choice is to work out your tactics. I always recommend a safe room at the end of a hall, with a night light at the other end to silhouette anyone approaching the safe room."


Thank you for being another voice of reason.

To the poster that pointed out my HORRIBLE error as to the actual list and where DO NOT POINT/AIM YOU GUN AT ANYTHING YOU DO NOT INTEND TO DESTROY,I thank you and might add = its still one of THE rules that many here are violating - PERIOD.

And to any that post that they train with the many hours and live rounds to perfect this discipline needed to use afore mentioned gun mounted lights = please explain where and how often you shoot in low light while moving .Sorry but my b.s. meter dont go that high.

I had an indoor range to teach LEO's and they were not allowed to do that training as the brass said it was too dangerous.

Many are in a fantasy world and I am sad to see how many are willing to ignore the obvious and do something that will be a great lawsuit if used - lights on a gun.

OR,its just possible that 90% of the posters are just blowing hot air to amuse themselves,not knowing others might actually believe their flights of fancy.

IF you have not done the training = AND keep it up every year ?.

Please dont try this at home !.