Wouldn't a weapon light give away your position?

[PPGMD]

Outside it might be less advised but inside the one with the light will dominate the engagement.

Surefire teaches some methods that limit your exposure, for example, you don't leave the light on, instead you strobe it, and for search work a separate tac light is suggested, you transition to an on gun light when you see, or engage a target. It's kind of hard to describe, but if you see it in action you will understand.

 

[Rexster]

Footsteps can give away your position. Brushing against a wall or furniture can give away your position. The glow of a tritium front sight, reflected from the top of the weapon, can give away your position. If your adversary is within 180 degrees of your weapon's rear, those tritium fireflies will give away your position. (Unless you are lying in wait, with your back against a SECURED area, it is possible for an adversary to be behind you!) Your voice, spoken for whatever purpose, can give away your position. The best use of a bright light just might be after you know he is there, and he knows you are there, and you strobe his eyes while changing position. Even better, your partner/spouse/buddy gets behind cover, and floods the bad guy with light, allowing you to move, concealed from the bad guy's view, because he is seeing a burst of sun. I will leave the weapon-mounted light issue itself to the true experts here, whoever and whatever an expert is. In nearly a quarter-century of night shift police patrol, I have used light and darkness to my advantage, but what do I know. I see lots of black and white in this topic, absolutist this and absolutist that; folks, life is mostly gray.

 

[Jenrick]

Jim: No one's advocating leaving the light on all the time (or if they are I'm missing it). I agree totally that doing so provides a very distinct aiming point. I agree that unless you get really lucky and put the light on the bad guy right off you are now a target instead of the other way.

However if you use the light in short intermitent flashes to assess your environment, plan your moves, and check your threat areas, AND move while you do so. You're a much more difficult target, and have a much greater chance at success then other wise. Note I said success not survial. You can cower in your closet if you just want to survive.

Try something a little different from what everyone else here has posted about coming through the door and shooting the dude with a light. Go play hide a go seek in a blacked out house. First one to see the other one wins, and by see I mean identifiy a specific item of clothing unknow to the other person (a red ball cap or a blue scarf around the neck, etc.). Only one person gets a light. How does the one without the light re-act? They hide, they cower, they slink, they fear the light. Why? Becuase being able to direct and determine where areas of high visibility occur becomes a huge tactical advantage. Try it with both person getting a light and see what happens. You'll still see people move away from the light rather then try to "counter attack" with their own light.

In "the real world" most bad guys are going to take off if they realise some one is even home, let alone awake and looking. Home invasion robberies are rare, and are almost always people who know the residents. If you don't deal dope, or get invovled in other shady buisness your probably more likely to have your house hit by lighting (number of times my house has been hit by lighting:1, number of times I've had a home invasion robbery: 0). Even the very small percentage that are there to commit mayhem against persons, aren't going to normally bring there own light. You have the tactical advantage use it.

Light is a tool, just like your firearm. Use it if you need to, and learn where and how it is.

-Jenrick

 

[JMusic]

Yep any light can give away your position but then so does muzzle flash.

Jim

 

[Never No More]

Each one of my firearms has the top flash hiders on it.

With the exception of a CZ-52, which if Im firing it, they already know where I am.