Flashlight on pistol rail

[Fixer]

I run a Streamlight TRL2 on my bedside gun and agree with most that it is bright enough to carry at low ready and light up most rooms. I like that it can also be switched to strobe quickly if you do get confronted by an intruder. It is extremely effective at disorienting someone if they are use to low light of the room.

Clearing a house definitely presents more problems than one would think. training would be a great help in bettering your odds of doing it successfully.

 

[looney2ns]

Unless you must, use the saferoom method. Let the bad guy come to you. It's just stuff.


This, and bounce the light. No need to point the muzzle at the target.


http://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-6...78768&ref_=sr_1_1&s=outdoor-recreation&sr=1-1


Walmart sells LED night lights for a couple of bucks each, plant a few of them around.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

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

"But it looks cool."

It looks cool, and it's also what's seen in TV and in LEO/.mil use. Folks often don't take the time to break down the differences in the LEO mission and self defense. Oh, and a lot of LE guys who are searching as opposed to rushing a known location will...use the light switches. People who know a lot more about that sort of thing that I do pointed that out to me a while back. Uh, just turn the lights on.

Like anything, it has pro's and con's. I've become less and less interested in them for handguns. One recent training session showed me a serious downside of having a light source so near the muzzle, which is a smoke source Like driving in fog with your headlights bouncing back and blinding you, the weapon mounted light bounces light off the gun smoke. If you're stuck in a static position and there's not much air moving, you've got the same problem as even "smokeless" powders produce some smoke. Outside or when you can move, not as much of an issue. Long guns where the offset is greater, I haven't noticed it as much either.

Yes, you can use the periphery of the light to illuminate someone without having the gun pointed directly at the person. Again, though, I think it's both safer and smarter to have your home illuminated enough to make this irrelevant. It's YOUR HOUSE, use the home field advantage.

I do not dispute the distraction and disorientation power of a strong light. However getting shot is very distracting and disorienting as well.... I know how I'd rather disorient a violent intruder in my home.

 

[target64]

I do not dispute the distraction and disorientation power of a strong light. However getting shot is very distracting and disorienting as well.... I know how I'd rather disorient a violent intruder in my home.

Ding ,ding,ding, we have a winner.

 

[in625shooter]

It looks cool, and it's also what's seen in TV and in LEO/.mil use. Folks often don't take the time to break down the differences in the LEO mission and self defense. Oh, and a lot of LE guys who are searching as opposed to rushing a known location will...use the light switches. People who know a lot more about that sort of thing that I do pointed that out to me a while back. Uh, just turn the lights on.

Like anything, it has pro's and con's. I've become less and less interested in them for handguns. One recent training session showed me a serious downside of having a light source so near the muzzle, which is a smoke source Like driving in fog with your headlights bouncing back and blinding you, the weapon mounted light bounces light off the gun smoke. If you're stuck in a static position and there's not much air moving, you've got the same problem as even "smokeless" powders produce some smoke. Outside or when you can move, not as much of an issue. Long guns where the offset is greater, I haven't noticed it as much either.

Yes, you can use the periphery of the light to illuminate someone without having the gun pointed directly at the person. Again, though, I think it's both safer and smarter to have your home illuminated enough to make this irrelevant. It's YOUR HOUSE, use the home field advantage.

I do not dispute the distraction and disorientation power of a strong light. However getting shot is very distracting and disorienting as well.... I know how I'd rather disorient a violent intruder in my home.

^^THIS^^^ There is a difference between a self defense scenario and an offensive attack/serving a warrent or a UBL raid. About the only way I would recommend a WML isnif you live alone and have zero significant others to worry about coming in "unexpectedly"

I have no WML on my firearms and I have been extensively trained and have is d them in situations but will not use it at my home. But that's just me.

 

[24Carat]

Almost all concerns can be addressed with an adjustable beam set wide and a low intensity to avoid having your perceptions muted.

 

[Dirtebiker]

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.

Bully's say " Pee-Pee" and "poddy"!?

 

[Johnny C]

Lets bring this down a notch;
Wifey wakes you up and says she heard something...
do you:
1: Listen to see if you hear anything and go back to sleep if you do not.
2: Do like on TV and grab a pillow to hit the perp with if there is one
2: Grab the gun and sneak downstairs to see who is there?
3: Call 911 and shelter in place (if there are no kids)
4: Arm yourself and have the wife lock the door behind you (again if no kids)
5: Arm yourself and quietly go to the kids bedrooms to secure them after having the wife lock the door behind you.
6: Hope your wife isn't setting you up, to be shot by her as an intruder, for your insurance money

At what point would you call 911?
At what point would you investigate?

I would have to say that I have just barged downstairs unarmed before, not believing anyone was actually down there because the dog didn't bark.

Better safe than sorry, but can't be clogging up 911 every-time the cat pounces on a mouse or knocks down a vase.

Johnny C

 

[BehindBlueI's]

The home invasions I've worked have left little doubt in the occupants' minds that there was a home invasion in progress. There was no single noise than the attackers hid waiting for someone to play hide and seek. If they did, using a light to look for them would be a bad idea. But, they don't. They either actively seek you out (typical in sex crime invasion or targeted invasions of those who are believed to have inherited money, etc.) or they assume they are alone and go about their thievery.

So, none of the above changes the basic advice.

Your home should be well lit enough at night that you do not need a supplemental light to see a human in your home.
Looking for trouble alone and telegraphing your approach is bad. If you're lucky, they'll flee. If you're not, you've given them time to set up an ambush.
If you need to move in your house depends on your situation, floor plan, and what you're confronted with.

People who've successfully repelled home invasions have generally taken their attackers by surprise. Sometimes with a golf club to the face, sometimes with a shotgun warning shot through the roof (new skylight!), sometimes with a gun shot to the face. Some did move to contact. Some waited in ambush. None used a light.

 

[Dybber]

I have a tactical light on my S&W. I like the constant beam that will light up an entire room and also has the strobe. It is so bright it will easily blind/disorient any intruder. I think it is a must have if you're defending the home with a handgun.

 

[stephen87]

I have a light on my Glock 17 which is a nightstand gun. With that said, in the middle of the night, it becomes my girlfriend's nightstand gun as I usually have another firearm within arms reach. I typically grab whatever is close and make sure there is nothing. If I don't hear the dog barking or growling, I know there is no one. A few weeks ago, the dog barked and went crazy. I have no doubt that someone tried a doorknob. I instantly grabbed a Glock and headed downstairs. No one in the house. The difference is, I have a two year old, so I would prefer to stop them before they get to his bedroom.

I also carry a flashlight on me at all times. If it's not physically on my person, it's on my work backpack, that is usually near me. I can grab the light off of it before I get to the stairs.

 

[mrortega]

When I was working at my local gun shop I did the deposits most nights after closing. I can assure you I would have had no issues with my nasty glock 23 with TLR mounted being pointed at someone in the parking lot or at the deposit box. Rules schmules!!