Why is a light on a revolver offensive but not on an auto?

[IV Troop]

I wanted to build a practical nightime jackrabbit gun on a centerfire revolver. While it is purely for fun this gun could serve dual purposes. The gun is a S&W 629 Powerport 44 mag with a Bushnell Holosight and an M3 Streamlight whitelight. The idea was that it could serve multiple purposes. I could take the Holosight off when not hunting rabbits and stick the iron sights back on and replace the M3 with an M6 whitelight/laser combo.

The whitelight laser combo has proven ideal for me for hitting fast moving targets at night with low or no other light source. I figure this would be a good woods gun for central Idaho where I spend so much time.

The next gun is my OD green Duracoated Ruger MKII 22lr with a Gemtech suppressor. It has an M3 mounted on a weaver rail that was custom built complete with spacer so as not to interfere with the Crimson Trace laser grips.

Why do most folks not like a revolver with a white light but love autos with them?

Some Pics:

 

[TOADMAN]

I only carry concealed so the light would be too bulky for me. I don't care for lights on both pistols and revolvers. I do have Crimson Trace Laser grips on two of my revolvers. I am sure some folks here will chime in and give you a better answer.

 

[model 649]

I guess its just that auto designs lend themselves more to hanging things onto them than revolvers. The area known as the "dust-cover" is an ideal location for adding accessories. Revolvers have no real standard area like that. Revolvers are far more variable or less standardized in terms of shape which makes it far more difficult to engineer accessories to fit more than a few of them, making the "business case" harder to justify for most companies who produce such accessories. Aesthetics? Maybe revolvers are beautiful as they are and bulky, graceless lights, etc. detract from their appearance. Autos, on the other hand already have more of a "machine" or "standardized" look to them and the shapes, when added together don't look as incongruous? Note the graceful lines of that big S&W disrupted by the scope and light. While it may be more useful, it sure looks like hades to me.
Just my "no accounting for taste" $.02
Josh

 

[migoi]

A 44 mag...

rabbit gun? Holy gamoly, do you ever find anything left after you shoot one?

migoi

 

[Kamicosmos]

I don't see anything wrong with it. Especially with the Holosite up there too. And you do something with that rig that most people never do: You Use It!

The High-Speed Tacticool crowd will throw a fit though. I mean, that is not something in use by SEELTeam5.11a SpaceShuttle Door Gunners, now is it?

 

[MillCreek]

SEALTeam5.11a SpaceShuttle Door Gunners

This would be an excellent name for a band. A tactical band, of course.

 

[Manedwolf]

To me, a light on a pistol, period, has one genuinely good use. If you're part of a squad of shouting, inrushing SWATs or soldiers who are backing each other up and who need the light to ID friendlies and threats. Okay, two...for night hunting, then it works, as well. Especially with a red/blue lens pack.

For CC or home defense? Forget it. Remember, most attackers will shoot _towards_ a light. And if you have the gun in a two-handed grip with the light on, and they shoot at it, you're going to catch it in the head or torso, I'd think.

I'd rather have, for home invasion, a laser on the gun and a Maglight held high and left in the left hand, so they shoot to the right of it. (I'd read that in an old-school book.)

And for CC, the idea is to get the thing out as quickly as possible. It'd feel pretty dumb to get shot because your light got hung up on the holster, I'd think...

 

[IV Troop]

Kamicosmos,

It is funny you mention it. Earlier this spring I took an individual who is the oldest active duty SEAL ( a commander currently stationed in FL) out rabbit hunting with us. He has commanded most of the East coast teams at one time or another.
We have a very good friend in common who owns a world class training facility. We set him up with an STI 40 and my Glock 34 9mm both with M6 whitelight laser combos. He was super impressed to say the least at how much easier it was to hit fast moving targets with white light and a LAM (laser aiming module) mounted to a pistol.

We started experimenting with attaching white lights to wheelguns as our mutual friend has a dozen or so performance center wheelguns for rabbit hunting. This is kinda where it has evolved for me. For a purely small game night gun I believe a 357 would be a much better choice but I am a 44 fan and not set up to load 38s on my Dillon 550.

 

[BreakerDave]

It's been touched on, but frame mounted lights on handguns is for the tactical crowd, and nowadays that area is a "semi-auto's only" field. It's not that a revolver can't be used as a tactical handgun, it simply isn't the dominant platform in that field.

Perhaps you can start a new niche... Of course, we'd probably have to return to the old octagon barrels so people would have an easier time mounting stuff to make tactical wheelguns. It definitely sounds like something that would be standard issue to those space shuttle doorgunners who were previously mentioned.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Me, I just think a light looks silly with a revolver attached to it.

 

[f4t9r]

Who cares what people think or say about a light on a revolver, you want one , put it on and have a blast

 

[Sam]

Autos tend to look like a handfull of sliding crashing metal so strapping more junk aboard does not effect the appearance much.

revolvers tend to have a bit more class. Putting a light on an N frame Smith is like putting curb feelers,a Continental spare kit and Propeller light covers on a Rolls. Just tacky

Sam

 

[grizz5675]

the only thing i see, is that people use revolvers for hunting animals and its illegal to hunt with lights.

 

[sm]

Contact Weigand in PA for his products , ideas and experiences on Revolver needs, including lights.

 

[IV Troop]

Where I am at it is perfectly legal to hunt varmints at night. We even have $5.00 spotlighting permits.


The whole defensive thing is kinda funny. The same arguements were used against tritium night sights when they first became available.

Offensive, defensive, SWAT whatever, That is just sticking labels on a conflict. Believe me I have a lot of experience in that area.

A fight is a fight. PERIOD.

You still have to ID what you are shooting at. I DO NOT want to get into that whole "TACTICS" arguement. For someone who works that game every night it gets a little old. Whatever someone read in a book is fine whether it was old school or high tech is fine in theory.

Theory and reality are to distinctly different animals and I can tell you first hand that reality hurts. I have the scars to prove it.

Anyways this is simply a fun-gun project and not some UBER TACTICAL tool. I am issued those.

Just PURE FUN. Though a big white light on a big bore revolver does make sense for things that can bite and scratch you. Aiming a light in one hand and a gun in another sounds easy enough in theory but it is a little tougher than most would think under stress.

 

[Brian Williams]

I think they are ugly on either, but they work for some apps. Love the ruger.

 

[AndrewM]

For CC or home defense? Forget it. Remember, most attackers will shoot _towards_ a light. And if you have the gun in a two-handed grip with the light on, and they shoot at it, you're going to catch it in the head or torso, I'd think.

I'd rather have, for home invasion, a laser on the gun and a Maglight held high and left in the left hand, so they shoot to the right of it. (I'd read that in an old-school book.)

That and you have to violate one of the 4 rules (never point your gun at something you're not willing to destroy), unless you're also carrying a flashlight, in which case there's a bit of redundancy there (and painting yourself as a prime target if there are BG's in the home). But nothing says tacticool like hanging stuff off a rail.

Andrew