Lights on Guns?

[hogdogs]

For my circumstance i am ready to add a light to a gun. I do not need to flash it on and off. I can navigate my home fully in the dark without bumping anything. It is STRICTLY a SAFETY feature as is the safety on my gun. When my gun goes up in the RTF position it is still on "safety". I am not going to flip it to fire ready until I have my target in my sights. A pressure switched light can be lit milliseconds before i trip the safety to be sure I have an intruder in front of me.
Brent

 

[mes228]

Lights

Just my in-experienced opinion. I thinks Law Enforcement has a need for lights searching for thugs in the brush, or clearing a warehouse. However, they have radios, back up, and myriad other things a civilian does not have. When a civilian needs a pistol, he need it "right now!". He also needs a pistol that handles well. I understand about 80% of the time he needs it to handle a conflict within 3 feet. Lights preclude this - they un-do everything engineered into pistol handling. As an aside I have hunted all my life. Many, many times returning after dark. I almost never needed or wanted a light. I always had one that I shined in a circle to keep from getting shot by other hunters though. But for movement, they always restrict your vision to the cone of light. You are night blind outside of that. I traveled better without one even in the woods. If I was in a situation and need a light I would prefer one in the off hand. In most situations I envision. I don't think I'd turn a light on until I knew what I was going to light up. I would not wander around with a light on. In short for a civilian there's a place for a light - just not hung on your pistol. As I said, just my opinion that is NOT based on experience in conflict.

 

[leadcounsel]

Lights are our friend in a self defense situation. An armed bad guy is going to shoot at a shadow or a light, it doesn't make any difference. The point is that YOU, as a responsible gun owner, MUST know your target and what's behind your target before pulling the trigger.

Is the target a threat or a mistaken identity (teenager, cop, whatever).

Is the target armed? If so, with what?

Does the target have a hostage?

What's behind the target?

What's in front of the target?

Another advantage is blinding a target. EVERYBODY reacts the same way when a bright light is pointed at their eyes; they either put their hands over their face, turn their head, or close their eyes for at least a second. That buys valuable time for the person behind the light to determine the correct course of action.

I have a light on the gun and a separate tactical light. I can determine when the light is on or off with a small motion of my finger.

If anything, it's foolish to try to defend yourself in the dark when you refuse to use a light.

 

[M1911]

I know that lots of new handguns come with light rails, and there are about 100 different ways to mount a flashlight to an AR-15, but I just won't do it. To me, pointing a gun at something and then turning on the light to see what it is violates too many safety rules. What do you think?

I think you either have no idea what a proper flashlight will do or no idea how to use it. You do NOT need to point a surefire at someone to light them up. It is bright enough to light the majority of a room simply by pointing it at the floor or ceiling. You will be much faster and more accurate with a weapon mounted light than without. And it is pretty darn hard to hold a flashlight in one hand and operate your AR15 effectively with the other.

There is a reason that SWAT teams and military units are using weapon mounted lights.

 

[M1911]

They said to angle the gun down at a 45 degree, and you'll see just fine without sweeping any friendlies.

Exactly! There is enough bounce of the light (with a good quality light like a surefire) to light up the whole room.

About a year or two ago, a home owner here in Massachusetts returned early from a trip. I guess he was tired, because he set off his own alarm. He heard an intruder, fired on him, and hit him. Unfortunately, the intruder was a police officer. Sure would have been a good thing if he'd had a weapon-mounted light and had identified his target before firing...

 

[2Seventy]

Lights such as a Surefire are a good thing for identifying a preceived threat and shooting if necessary. A light in the hand though is much more versatile then one mounted on a gun. There are several techniques for shooting with a flashlight in your support hand. I would recommend those over a light on a handgun.

 

[saskuach]

What's all this nonsense with the light being a beacon and walking around with the light on? [sarcasm] You really think running around with the light on constantly is a bad idea? you suppose, Einstein?[/sarcasm].

You get a boogie monster silhouette in your sights, flash your light to check what it is and fire if it is indeed said boogie monster. Done in 1-2 seconds. You don't go waving the bloody thing around like you're a 5 year old scared of the dark going to the bathroom at night. There's no realistic place dark enough that you have to use the light to search. The light is there to blind/identify your target after it's already in your sights.

Ridiculous... I can't believe I jumped into this one.

 

[ckd]

Quite a range of responses.

I think in the world of self-defense, you need to identify your threat, if that means a brief ID with the light before you move, then shoot, it seems wise. How you use a light is piviotal and can in some cases give you an advantage (if bright enough) to temporarily blind the opponent and misdirect your location (gotta move). A deer in the headlights can be good.

A weapons mounted light on a long gun can be handy, and often just a good tail cap flashlight and a Harrie's (or other practiced style) technique is nice combo.