Night fire practice

[earplug]

My indoor range arranged a lights out session. Targets from 5 yards to 25 yards. I kept my targets at 5 to 9 yards.
It had been twenty odd years since I did a night fire practice.
Was dark enough that I couldn't see the front sights on my revolvers. I was worried about losing my night vision completly from the muzzle flash from my S&W 642 and A 4 inch M-65. Didn't seem to hurt me much. I'm half blind in the dark anyway.
Neat to see the sights lined up from the muzzle flash when the round goes off.

 

[Borachon]

It's a trip shooting in full dark. Comes closest to what you'd have happen in your house if you got robbed too. Good job preparing. +1.

 

[possum]

i have really wanted to do some low light shooting, and shooting with my light, but around here i really don't have the facilities to do so, that would be great trainning and a good way to keep a sharp edge over the enemy!

 

[M2 Carbine]

Considering that it's said that 70-80 percent of defense shootings take place in low light or darkness most of us are poorly prepared for a shootout.

It seems that for most getting a bright flashlight and maybe putting night sights on the gun is about as far as they get.

It's too bad that there isn't more opportunity to shoot when it's too dark to see the sights.

I'm fortunate enough to have a backyard range and can practice late in the evening with laser and laser/light equipped guns.

This has convinced me that when it's too dark to see the gun sights the laser is king and when it's dark enough to need a light the laser/light is the way to go.

I've found it interesting that when I can just barely identify the target I am usually as accurate with the laser or more so, then when I'm using the gun sights in daylight.

I seldom do better than this, with this gun, using the sights.
(I hadn't finished sighting in the laser to the right)

 

[P95Carry]

Agreed on the laser Buck.

Each year we have an IDPA night shoot - loose rules, and I use my CT's on SIG. Light level is not quite dark but near it. Just glimmer from distant sodium lamps near club house.

I found that I could be very accurate considering and tho I went as usual for a point-shoot/std grip and presentation - without any effort that dot was there by default and so gave excellent guidance.

My night sights maybe helped a bit but nowhere near the benefits of the dot, which of course when it ''lands'' on target has extra brilliance. I'll take em every time!

 

[10-Ring]

Yeah, it is nice to practice low light or no light shooting...target & sight acquisition, night vision issues - all come into play. Plus, it can be alot of fun. I try to practice this every few months just so I'm not totally unfamiliar w/ what needs to be done and what other things must be accounted for during a night shoot.

 

[Chuck R.]

I’ve gotten to do quite a bit of low light shooting now that I own my own place. I usually just combine it with an evening fishing trip.

I usually do both night sights only, and both hand held and weapon mounted lights. I mostly work with lights because I’m concerned about target ID and hitting.

I also do quite a bit of low-light ops with my Benelli M1S90 since the ^&@*^ Muskrats won’t leave my dam alone.

It really is an eye opener for guys that have never gotten to shoot low-light before.

Chuck

 

[M2 Carbine]

I was shooting my Kel Tec PLR pistol (.223) last night.

I've got a Streamlight TLR 2 laser/light on it.
At 20-25 yards the light is so bright that it takes the fun out of it. It's almost like shooting in daylight.

And with the laser in the center of the light beam, when you iluminate the target you're also centered on the target.

Quick accurate shots from the hip.

 

[pax]

Now that daylight savings time is over, in the northern latitudes it is getting dark early enough that shooting in deep twilight on an outdoor range can happen early enough not to annoy the neighbors.

Agreed with P95Carry about CTC lasers. Love mine! I can get solid hits fairly fast just by body indexing, but with the laser I can get hits even faster, and have a much smaller margin of error. Practice both ways, of course.

pax

 

[nhhillbilly]

Sunday night

First night back to standard time two buddies and I shot until about 1830 hours. It was plenty dark at the end. Great time. Did a lot of movement drills and shooting on the move. It was a great time.

 

[earplug]

Lazer?

Our indoor range instructor favors night sights. He is not fond of lazer's
Has anyone else found any problem with a lazer?

 

[M2 Carbine]

"Our indoor range instructor favors night sights. He is not fond of lazer's
Has anyone else found any problem with a lazer?"
----------------------------------------------

While the powerful green ones can be seen out to 100 yards, on a cloudy day, the beam can be seen at night.
Meaning that the BG can see where the dot on his chest is comming from.

I've found, for my use, that a laser/light on the gun is a lot more useful than just a laser when it's too dark to identify the target.
When it's too dark to see the sights but the target can still be identified, a laser like the Crimson Trace grips works great.

As far as a problem hitting when using a (good) laser, no problem.
Just yesterday, right before dark I stepped out of my shop with a (green laser equipped) Kel Tec PLR pistol and emptied two magazines COM into a target 25 yards away, while shooting from the hip. Missing the target in low light wasn't even a consideration but without the laser, missing probably would have been the norm.