Setting Up Glock 17 for Home Defense

[J4Me]

My G17 is going to be my dedicated HD weapon and I'd like to hear your thoughts regarding lasers and lights and anything else I should think about adding. First, do you recommend using a laser? Why or why not? Do you recommend a light mounted to the pistol or a hand held? Which products do you recommend? I think I saw something about Viridian having a light/laser combo that sounded interesting. I think one of their products gives you the option of a strobe light, too, which supposedly disorients the BG. Your suggestions welcomed . Thanks, Steve

 

[squish]

Surefire weapon lights.....accept nothing less.

 

[LtScott14]

If you have a Gen 3 Glock you can rail mount at your desire. I use a basic TLR-1 which is light only.(Streamlight) My G19 is a perfect platform for that light, yours should do well. Night Sights are nice as well, but add a little bit more $.
I have gone through" Building Clearing Tactics" and only use a quick flash to illuminate.
Unsure about the lasers, never had one on my firearms. Seem pretty impressive.
We use to use 4D Cell Maglites, so the TLRs were a lot easier to use.
(Keep a couple spare mags loaded in case, near the firearm.)
Good luck.

 

[Manatee]

Many options are available...some of which depend on how willing you are to train and practice.

I like a light on my H&K because my wife has a tendency to "move" things around the house on occasion. She won't touch my pistols though.

Lasers....lots of + and -. I have one on a pocket carry Kahr that I'm about to take off. I don't think they are the right thing for me.

ymmv

 

[Kirk Freeman]

1. As to guns, the subjective is objective. What you like, I will hate and vice versa.

2. Guns are all about triggers and sights so get those squared away. It will be dark, look into night sights.

3. Laser phasers. Meh, if you want, remember you can always mash that trigger no matter where you red dot is. Remember will you be chasing the dot about or looking at the front sight (I don't know, get trained up before).

4. Lights. Subjective too. I think a weapon mounted light is a good idea, but it can change the pistol and how you shoot it.

5. Get trained up. Go to school, let your software pick your hardware.

6. Shoot the gun a bunch, buy more mags.

In summary, the gun: meh, whatever. More important is you, go to school.

 

[sloughfoot]

make evry shot count.

 

[Redhorse]

To be honest, a 33 round magazine with one of those mountable lights with a built in laser would be my choice. I can't remember the name of this light it's like tls-2 or something.

However, I'd prefer a .45 lc or acp or a .357 with a 4 inch or 6 inch barrel. However, this is a great choice too and I'd feel perfectly safe with it. Just a preference thing, we all have them. Good choice, don't let anyone bad mouth you because it's a 9mm, the state police use them everyday.

 

[rwhitmore8]

Put ammo in the magazine, and one in the chamber. Mission accomplished. People get too carried away with this stuff. For one. If you've ever been in a situation like this it helps to have the element of surprise. You start walking around a dark house with flashlights and lasers you're pretty much walking around with a lighted target on your back.

For one, you have several advantages. Unless your contractor or mom is breaking in, you have the advantage of knowing the layout of the house. Second, the intruder has more than likely come from a lighter environment before entering the house, which means their eyes are still adjusting to the darkness of your home. More than likely they will be using a small flashlight focusing on one object at a time never giving them the opportunity to utilize their peripheral vision. Giving you the ability to get the jump on them. In a sense flashlights give you tunnel vision in the dark. They really keep you focusing solely in the direct beam, keeping you from noticing possible surroundings.

If you want to do it right, go drop some cash and get some real white hot infrared goggles, and a short barreled 12ga with buckshot. You will be a nighttime home defense animal.

The darkness is your friend. Just ask Batman.

 

[chezuki]

Night sights and training.

 

[SMiller]

Night sights and training.

x2! And not some fancy weird colored crazy sights, just standard Glock night sights.

 

[theledwarehouse]

Like said above, it's all about what you train with and your personal preferences.

The pistol lights are nice, because if you have your gun, you have your light. Both hands are on your gun for max control. On the flip side, you are pointing your gun if you are pointing your light...

Personally, I would not spend the extra cash on the laser unless I was a bad shot, or think I would be really nervous in a home defense situation. It's really just one more thing to worry about turning on.
You can just practice aiming for the hot spot of your light and be in the ball park enough to hit center mass.

The Surefire x300 ultra is a nice choice because of the quick release and the nicer switch. You could snap the light off your gun quickly if you needed to go to just having a light in your hand.

Surefire X300 Ultra

 

[cedartop]

A can, a RMR, and a light. Oh yea, some training couldn't hurt.

 

[netsecurity]

I also use the Streamlight lights, which are really good quality, and probably the cheapest worthy of self defense. Plan to spend a hundred or more on a name brand light, and you should be GTG. I have a TLR-3, but would've preferred a TLR-1/2. I can't stand lasers really, they just add to the size and weight, but I got a deal on mine.

So why do I hate lasers? Partially because it is hard to be sneaky when you have a red laser showing whatever you're looking at. But mainly because I cannot use a laser to get accurate hits because the laser bounces and shakes like crazy all over the target. The slightest movement at the barrel produces exponentially larger movements at the target, which we all know is why the sights have to be lined up perfectly and kept steady. Well, I can deal with lining up my sights and waiting a second for the movement to settle, but I cannot deal with a laser that never settles--it will literally never sit still, so it is crap for target practice IMO. End rant. In reality, at very close range, and for purely SD purposes, a laser MIGHT be okay. Me, I will continue to train with iron sites, because my focus is always on accuracy. I don't ever want to be firing from the hip and wind up hitting the wrong target.

My nightstand gun also has Trijicon night sights, which I installed myself. A couple years ago it was hard to find a new gun with them pre-installed, which would've been preferable! I had to buy a stinking sight tool that was another moderately expensive and unplanned for purchase...

 

[Captain Morgan]

A can, a RMR, and a light. Oh yea, some training couldn't hurt.

I second the supressor. Ever fire your gun without hearing protection? Ever do that inside of a building? Now, imagine multiple people are in your house and you can't hear anything over the ringing in your ears.

 

[kawtech87]

Surefire weapon lights.....accept nothing less.

Surefire is over priced and over hyped IMHO. I own Surefires and a Streamlights and several other brands. My go to is Streamlight. My rechargeable Stinger LED has been beaten, thrown, soaked in gasoline, oil, break fluid, antifreeze, dropped off of ladders onto concrete and used once as an impromptu hammer. It still charges and shines super bright. So naturally I have a Strion for general at home use and a TLR-1 on my pistol at night. And I got all three for less than the cost of a Surefire X400.

Anyway as to the OPs question. Night sights, training and a Streamlight TLR-1 along with some decent self defense ammo that you have also practiced with, and you should be good to go.

 

[rhino]

My G17 is going to be my dedicated HD weapon and I'd like to hear your thoughts regarding lasers and lights and anything else I should think about adding. First, do you recommend using a laser? Why or why not? Do you recommend a light mounted to the pistol or a hand held? Which products do you recommend? I think I saw something about Viridian having a light/laser combo that sounded interesting. I think one of their products gives you the option of a strobe light, too, which supposedly disorients the BG. Your suggestions welcomed . Thanks, Steve

Lasers are fine and can be very useful in specific situations. You need to learn how to use it it effectively, though, or it's just a cat toy.

Yes, you want a weapon-mounted light. Yes, you also need a handheld light as well. You need the handheld whether you have a weapon light or not.

Weapons mounted light: either Surefire X300 Ultra or Streamlight TLR-1 HL (no laster) or TLR-2 HL (with laser).

 

[J4Me]

Good info. Thank you, all that responded. At this point I'm thinking I should do the following in order:

1) Training
2) Practice
3) Night Sights
4) Maybe a light
5) Maybe a suppressor

Probably no laser.

That leaves me with the gun mounted light or hand held light to decide on. Advice? Thanks again.

 

[esrice]

That leaves me with the gun mounted light or hand held light to decide on. Advice?

Handheld definitely. Weapon mounted (as an addition) if you want.

I prefer Surefire.

 

[rhino]

That leaves me with the gun mounted light or hand held light to decide on. Advice? Thanks again.

Handheld light is mandatory regardless of all else.

Weapon mounted light is very useful and recommend, but you still need a handheld light even if you have a weapon light.

 

[Shootsforfun]

Night Sights and bullets, that is all...