weapons light on handguns?

>>>I prefer to be obscure

You can always turn the light off. But it's there at your fingertips for when you need it.
 
OK, so in 2 pages of posts, no one's mentioned the obvious choice:

Both!

I've got a WML/Laser on my bedside gun, and right next to it is a Surefire 6P. I'm also in the situation where my girlfriend's right next to me so if there's a bump outside the bedroom it's probably not good. With both, I have the option of using either. It's definitely easier to search with a handheld light, but it's definitely easier to shoot with a mounted light. Also, if one light quits working, I've got the other--what's the saying, "2 is 1 and 1 is none"?

Having said that, I'm not worried about the "they can see you" argument. If I feel the need to "clear" my house (which I shouldn't) I'll be turning lights on and yelling to let anyone in my house know that I've called the police, I'm armed, and they should get the hell out of my house.
 
am a Rangemaster/Firearms Instructor and personally feel the light should be seperate from the weapon even in LE situations.
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Me too w/ a little more than 25% of the time you've spent in it.

I agree with keeping the light separate from the gun with two exceptions for LE:

1) Weapon mounted lights on long guns. If you have a long gun out, it serious business and you can't very effectively futz with a light and long gun at the same time.

2) LE dog handlers. One hand is normally on the leash controlling the dog, the other will be needed to operate a handgun if necessary. In that case it's very beneficial and advisible that the light be mounted on the handgun.

However, if you're like me, you should be carrying another back-up light to use in instances where you don't need to draw your sidearm.

My general use/duty light is a Streamlight TL-2LED and the SHTF light is a Sure-Fire 6Z w/ the P-61 lamp.
 
I've been on both sides of this fence. Years ago we had no WML's for handguns and our WML's for our Entry long-guns were **** poor. Not enough lumination and poor switch control. Was trained to keep both separate; funny thing (ironic) was when you needed to take the shot , you found yourself bring the hands together, to stabilize the shot. Then training in using the light hand to stabilize the shooting hand; was the deal.

Now with the great WML's available, I have three M-6's attached to my go-to handguns. No reaching for a light and gun. One hand free to do other things like protecting the gun hand. Great switches for light control. Laser and light combined for max benefit. The WLM is not intended for searching, it's for identification of the target, IMO.

Train with it, but most important to us civilians, know your home environment
 
I used my WML tonite. I was chasing a BG holding his right side down an alley with my gun out, sliced the pie into a yard, had a good two hand grip and bathed the Offender with light keeping him at gunpoint while he was searched and cuffed.

I am sold.
 
I'm sold on them, I'm not a LEO, but when the power goes out and the rioting starts I do like the ability to light up the potential threats to verify their intentions with a barrel pointed right there. I control the trigger and the finger is not on it unless things get dicey. I do like having a free hand to be able to open doors or whatever other necessity arises in those desperate moments.
I realized another need for them when I went deer hunting recently when heading back to the truck in the dark and a pack of coyotes, yes a pack, were getting into wild frenzy that seemed to be just behind the closest bushes to me. I had my Garand and anyone whose carried one will tell you, they're heavy enough being carried with two hands, try holding it towards your threat one-handed while holding a flashlight in the other. That ain't a problem anymore for me with any of my firearms.
 
Originally quoted from 44 AMP:

"I have an issue with a light mounted on a gun
And that is, basically, you use the light to look around with, and you are pointing a (loaded) gun at everything you are looking at.
If you're in a situation where the handgun needs to be out of the holster I don't see any problem with this. If I'm looking through an area and I have my handgun in my hand (Light mounted or not) I'm not going to be aiming the handgun in an area where I'm not looking!

Yes, it does have the "advantage" of using the light to aim with, but balance that against the possibility of shooting someone or something accidentally, because you were looking at it, for instance, a family member up late at night, etc.
The light on my Everyday Carry Handgun has a On/Off switch on it and my pistol has a trigger. I can honestly say, I've never gotten the two of them confused or switched around!

I have always felt it better to have the light well away from the weapon. IN an actual defense situation, it is the natural thing to focus on the light, and if an intruder shoots at the light, I would rather not be right behind it.
I agree, to a certain extent, with this statement although at the same time it's nice to have the weapon and the light in the same place. I, unfortunately don't have a third arm, so I use the one not occupied by the light to call 911 if anything happens!

A police/swat officer who has an AD and shoots someone because their weapon light was on them usually has the weight of the system behind them. As long as the dept says they followed proper procedure. The city might pay, in the end, but the individual officer seldom does. You and I don't have that kind of security blanket.
I would hope that no-one, Police/SWAT/Military or civilian, is careless enough to do anything that would result in an Accidental Discharge. A responsible gun owner/carrier knows not to let the finger enter the trigger area unless/until they are planning on pulling the trigger. Pulling the handgun from the holster is a serious matter as it is and can result in just as much Court Trouble or hassle or Criminal Charges as an AD.

So balance the potential liability and risks, and make your own decision. For me, if I have to check out something in the dark, my light is in my other hand, well away from my body.
I find I can better hit the target with both hands on my pistol and I have better muzzle control if I've got both hands on my pistol. I have carried with a light mounted on just about every single handgun I've owned, with the exception of revolvers.

A laser is a different story, as it is a targeting device, which you don't (and can't) use for looking around. Just my opinion, but a light on the gun, no. A laser, yes, if you want one."
This question was about Lights on Handguns, not lasers!!

I carry either OC or CC every single day and have always carried with a light mounted on my pistol! It's not as difficult to Conceal as some would have you think. The weaponlights aren't the size of Mag Lights so concealing it is about as difficult as it is to conceal most large frame handguns. Many, many holster manufacturers are making Concealment Holsters for the more popular handgun models to accommodate a light on the handgun. It's becoming less and less of an ordeal to conceal than it's been in the past.
As I said above, if you have cause to draw your handgun you should more than likely be on the phone with a 911 dispatcher. You don't often (if ever) draw a pistol with the intent of using it and just walk away from the incident. If you have the light/weapon in the same hand, it's a whole heck of a lot easier to call for help at the same time!! I carry a Surefire X-200 mounted on several of my pistols either holstered or not and I carry a Surefire Z2 CombatLight on my weak side. If I need just a light, I have just a light. If I need to have the light/weapon then I have that option as well!
It's all up to personal preference and personal opinion! Carry in a way that's comfortable for you, not for someone else. If you prefer to carry with a light mounted on the weapon, make sure you find a holster that will allow for that in an efficient and effective manner! Just make sure you train the way you plan on carrying and carry the way you train!!
 
I can't speak for other weapon lights, but the Insight X2L that I mount on my PF9 has a rotary switch on the back of the light that I can operate with my trigger finger: one way to flash, the other for steady 'on'. OR, if I am using a two-handed grip, I can operate it with the off-hand thumb. Either way, finger and trigger stay separate unless there is a need to shoot.

Also, if a person's eyes are fully dark-adapted, even a moderately bright light in the eyes will hurt and dazzle, so the initial reflex will be to flinch away and close eyes, at which time the light wielder should either be moving (light off) or shooting, if endangered. Experiment: Turn out all lights, wait a few minutes then flash a light into your eyes, and try to stare at it.
 
I couldn't agree more! The way today's lights are made and the way they operate, you can't look at them for more than a fraction of a second without having to look away and flinch due to how bright they are!! They're designed to cause temporary blindness in your adversary!! I've done the experiment mentioned in the post above and let me say, I was seeing spots for a few minutes afterward!! It really does the trick!!
 
I have only had one opportunity to shoot in the dark, and it was at defensive pistol match, so admittedly experience is one thing I'm short on. However, one shooter accidentally flashed his light rapidly (safety rules required "constant on", but even though I was behind the shooter, the effect was mildly disorientating. I can only imagine what the effect straight on would have been.

BTW, there is a reason for the "flash" in a flash/bang.
 
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I have a light/laser combo on the "night stand" gun. My personal take is: If I'm awakened at zero dark thirty, I want to be able to see. I'm fully cognizant that I'm aiming a firearm as well as a light, that's kinda the whole point.

I believe that I'm experienced enough to not squeeze the trigger (since the first round is DA it has to be deliberate) without clearly identifying a target.

Now, in all fairness, I live alone so if I wake up to someone coming down the hall way, I'm pretty certain that their intentions don't concern checking on my well being.
 
You got a nice setup too there, Hirlau. I'm in the process of finding a holster to hold my M&P 45 with a Surefire X-300 mounted on it. I don't have any pictures yet, otherwise I'd post them.
I love seeing pictures like the ones you guys are posting!! Do you guys Carry Concealed or Open Carry with the lights on your pistols??
 
I never open carry. I have this same set-up on 3 firearms, the Storm you see, an XD-9 next to me in the car and a GLock-19 ,IWB (light unattached with me) should I need the light for the CCW (G-19); I just pop it on. I was fortunate enough to have 3 light set-ups for the areas of concern I'm most in. (home/car/person). The lights are sighted in for the individual weapon they are on.(marked also).

You do need to practice 50 % of the time with the system together.
The M-6 eats batteries, but brighter than :eek:!
 
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