Flashlight on pistol rail

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  • Johnny C

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    May 18, 2009
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    Been thinking about getting a tactical light for my pistol rail.
    Seems like clearing the house with the light mounted has the potential to run afoul of the 4 rules, might end up pointing the gun at my wife or daughter in the dark.
    Thoughts?
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    I have a light on my bedside hand gun.
    I put my trigger finger on the light lever not the trigger. It is a bump switch that can be fully engaged easily and trigger acquired quickly.
    You are correct about the rules.
     

    M67

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    Jan 15, 2011
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    I run a Surefire X300 Ultra on my P229, after getting one light, in my mind, it showed me the importance of running a light on anything that might be used for bump in the night instances.

    The 4 rules are just rules, not law. Important to follow but can be bent. Your brain is still your most important safety. You have to be able to identify things at night. As mentioned above weapon lights don't require your trigger finger to be on the trigger, it's at a ready position in case you do need to pull the trigger after you positively ID a threat

    If you're not comfortable with a weapon light, have a good flashlight by your pistol and run them in separate hands where you can pivot the light without the pistol following
     

    The Bubba Effect

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    May 13, 2010
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    High Rockies
    If you do not have a light on your gun, you need a handheld light.

    If you do have a light on your gun, you still need a handheld light.

    INGO sponsor, ACT puts on some low light classes and the one I took was hands down the best ACT class I have taken. I learned a lot about using my flashlight and gun mounted light.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    Pointing pistols at things that are not threats is bad. Until you point your light at something, you don't know if it's a threat.

    Is your house really so dark you need a light to clear it? If so, would some strategically placed low level lights left on at night not be beneficial? If you're clearing your house with a flashlight on, do you suppose that would give an indication to an intruder to set up an ambush? Who is breaking into your house and, if they are unaware of your approach, hiding and waiting for you to come find them? Home invaders are either actively seeking you out or they are unaware of you and are stealing your stuff.
     

    Hop

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    Jan 21, 2008
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    My WML is so bright that all I need to do is momentarily bounce it off the floor or ceiling to illuminate the entire room. The ACT class was good. I'll try to take it again this winter.
     

    Woobie

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    Dec 19, 2014
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    I've got one on my carry pistol. I want the target illuminated as much as I can get it, particularly if they've got ahold of someone I love.

    I have a flashlight I use as a flashlight. The weapon light is to aid in shot placement in low light, and one last redundancy to ensure no good guys are going to get shot.
     

    OutdoorDad

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    Pointing pistols at things that are not threats is bad. Until you point your light at something, you don't know if it's a threat.

    Is your house really so dark you need a light to clear it? If so, would some strategically placed low level lights left on at night not be beneficial? If you're clearing your house with a flashlight on, do you suppose that would give an indication to an intruder to set up an ambush? Who is breaking into your house and, if they are unaware of your approach, hiding and waiting for you to come find them? Home invaders are either actively seeking you out or they are unaware of you and are stealing your stuff.

    And all of that is why I don't have a weapon mounted light.
    I have a flashlight on the nightstand, but that's more of a last ditch crenelated strike bezel deal than a primary "go to" plan. I'll grab it if I think of it, but "bump" in the night? I know where stuff is and who should and shouldn't be where they are or aren't.
     

    JettaKnight

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    If I can only get one - it's a separate flashlight - far more versatile.


    This thread reminds me of all the good classes I need to take.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Aug 26, 2011
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    I have a light on my daily carry gun and all of the ones "next to my bed" for home use. A good light can be used even in the day to disorientate an attacker. In your home whether well lit or dark it's also an ability to light them up and move, and repeat. Very disorientating. I'd also recomend training in this area through a class designed for this.
    I have trained NOT to use my trigger finger to activate my lights. My trigger finger is like a parot on my shoulder that only repeats one thing. I activate my light with my support hand. But to each their own. You fight the way you train so if you do it differently that's fine as long as you've got your own routine down.
    im a big fan of lights for disorientation and identification.
    its interesting to hear different peoples point of view on what they would and wouldn't use a light for. I once had a cop who was looking for a suspect (and asked for my help) point his gun with a light on it at me. Thankfully he didn't pull the trigger because he identified me first. I still about **** my pants and so did he lol
     

    Vigilant

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    Jul 12, 2008
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    I have a light on my daily carry gun and all of the ones "next to my bed" for home use. A good light can be used even in the day to disorientate an attacker. In your home whether well lit or dark it's also an ability to light them up and move, and repeat. Very disorientating. I'd also recomend training in this area through a class designed for this.
    I have trained NOT to use my trigger finger to activate my lights. My trigger finger is like a parot on my shoulder that only repeats one thing. I activate my light with my support hand. But to each their own. You fight the way you train so if you do it differently that's fine as long as you've got your own routine down.
    im a big fan of lights for disorientation and identification.
    its interesting to hear different peoples point of view on what they would and wouldn't use a light for. I once had a cop who was looking for a suspect (and asked for my help) point his gun with a light on it at me. Thankfully he didn't pull the trigger because he identified me first. I still about **** my pants and so did he lol
    Rep gods say no to TT! Trigger finger NEVER activates a light! Support hand can bump it, and for those that don't need doused with a muzzle light, that's why we also have handhelds.
     

    lonehoosier

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    I run a flashlight Surefire LX2 and a weopens mounted light Streamlight TLR-1 on both of my carry and HD guns. A good flashlight should be your first purchase. Don't point your gun at thing until you identify it as a threat. It never hurts to seek out good training.







     

    JollyMon

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    Sep 27, 2012
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    Get a handheld. Light are bullet magnets. The last thing you want is something that indicates exactly where you are for the bad guy. There are many benefits of a handheld over a weapon mounted. But if you are dead set on one, I have some on a few of my pistols, Go for an X300 Ultra. They are pricey but you can find decent deals on them (I think I got mine for $120).

    My handheld (surefire E1DL) is part of my EDC.... It became that way as soon as I took a course that had use actually clearing rooms (with blue guns) using the different types of lighting techniques. Handheld performed much better then the weapon mounted, but there is a time and place for them
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    Pointing pistols at things that are not threats is bad. Until you point your light at something, you don't know if it's a threat.

    Is your house really so dark you need a light to clear it? If so, would some strategically placed low level lights left on at night not be beneficial? If you're clearing your house with a flashlight on, do you suppose that would give an indication to an intruder to set up an ambush? Who is breaking into your house and, if they are unaware of your approach, hiding and waiting for you to come find them? Home invaders are either actively seeking you out or they are unaware of you and are stealing your stuff.

    Our house has low watt night lights everywhere. Not me but the spouse likes this. We have the back and front yards lit up as well. I realized the other night on a Pee-Pee trip to the poddy that I can literally see and focus on about every corner of the entire house. Not lit up daytime by any measure but easy enough to see even with sleep filled eyes.
     

    cosermann

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    I view a pistol mounted light as a backup to the handheld light (2 is 1). One does NOT have to point a weapon-mounted light at something to illuminate it.

    Indirect light is the key to using such a light properly without pointing a firearm at everything you want to see (which you should NOT be doing). Think of it as "tactical mood lighting." :)
     

    HoughMade

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    Oct 24, 2012
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    Valparaiso
    Pointing pistols at things that are not threats is bad. Until you point your light at something, you don't know if it's a threat.

    Is your house really so dark you need a light to clear it? If so, would some strategically placed low level lights left on at night not be beneficial? If you're clearing your house with a flashlight on, do you suppose that would give an indication to an intruder to set up an ambush? Who is breaking into your house and, if they are unaware of your approach, hiding and waiting for you to come find them? Home invaders are either actively seeking you out or they are unaware of you and are stealing your stuff.

    I'll see your reasoned approach based upon training and experience and you raise a:

    "But it looks cool."
     
    Last edited:

    rhino

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    Mar 18, 2008
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    Indiana
    Been thinking about getting a tactical light for my pistol rail.
    Seems like clearing the house with the light mounted has the potential to run afoul of the 4 rules, might end up pointing the gun at my wife or daughter in the dark.
    Thoughts?


    • Good on you for considering this. It's an important issue.
    • As was mentioned, you need a handheld light whether you have weapon-mounted light or not.
    • There are ways to illuminate using a sufficiently powerful pistol-mounted light that do not require you to point the muzzle at an unknown person.
    • Weapon-mounted lights are unsurpassed for actual shooting when illumination is required or desirable.
    • Training is a good idea.
    • Clearing house by yourself, even your own, is a bad idea to be reserved for when you have absolutely no better choice. Doing without some training and experience in scenarios is an even worse idea.
    • Finally, when it's dark in your house, turning on the lights is a valid choice and for most people (including me), it's a better idea than trying to be sneaky with a flashlight.
     
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