- Location
- Scarborough, ON
Nonsense, the laser is a safety aid to help me ensure I am drawing my firearm safely at the range.
Tactical lights on pistols
- Thread starter target
- Start date
- Location
- land of f-cktards
ha! i am sure a few people do ...........but seriously i think you have a point there
Some very good points here!
I for one would personally want to use my tac light for only one purpose in an emergency. That being an extra flashlight if I can't find one or the others have dead batteries.
But the fact that I have firearms available for my protection and my families protection is a plus and the reality is that access to the firearm in a horrible situation may be the biggest obstacle. Everything else in the 30 seconds it takes to occur will be irrelevant. I'm not even sure exactly how I'm going to react or perform under real conditions.
Hopefully the presence of the threat will be enough to end the situation.
I for one would personally want to use my tac light for only one purpose in an emergency. That being an extra flashlight if I can't find one or the others have dead batteries.
But the fact that I have firearms available for my protection and my families protection is a plus and the reality is that access to the firearm in a horrible situation may be the biggest obstacle. Everything else in the 30 seconds it takes to occur will be irrelevant. I'm not even sure exactly how I'm going to react or perform under real conditions.
Hopefully the presence of the threat will be enough to end the situation.
I use a two flahlight system. Surefire X300 on my glock17 and a surefire G2Z with lanyard. Here are my thoughts on use.
1) You can't shoot what you can't see
2) don't search with a weapon mounted light unless there is a threat
3) for the bad guy shooting at my light crowd, my arm is only 2 1/2 feet long
I don't trust gang banger to have a smaller grouping than that, so just use
weapon mounted light and score hits first. One hand shooting under stress
is not good
4) for both the bunker in room and clear house people, practice, practice,
practice and did I mention practice. You never want to do somthing for
the first time in battle
5) YMMV
So basicly this is a plan / system that I like. Bump in the night, door kicked in, what ever wakes you up in codition red. I am a house clearing guy.
1) grab G2Z loop lanyard on non shooting hand
2) unlock / acess glock as per canadian laws
2) use G2Z to search / clear
3) if threat found ie door kicked in, gangbanger in living room G2Z gets
dropped and glock brought to redy position
4) if no imediate treat, continue searching using glock and x300
5) if imediate threat do your thing and win
6) fight lenghty leagal battle
7) live to tell the story to my grand kids
And for searching with thte glock and x300 there is no need to point your pistol at every thing. If you have a properly powered tactical light, when you have the pistol at the low ready with the light on it will light up a whole room. Give it a try with yours, I didn't believe it until I tried it.
YMMV
Shawn
1) You can't shoot what you can't see
2) don't search with a weapon mounted light unless there is a threat
3) for the bad guy shooting at my light crowd, my arm is only 2 1/2 feet long
I don't trust gang banger to have a smaller grouping than that, so just use
weapon mounted light and score hits first. One hand shooting under stress
is not good
4) for both the bunker in room and clear house people, practice, practice,
practice and did I mention practice. You never want to do somthing for
the first time in battle
5) YMMV
So basicly this is a plan / system that I like. Bump in the night, door kicked in, what ever wakes you up in codition red. I am a house clearing guy.
1) grab G2Z loop lanyard on non shooting hand
2) unlock / acess glock as per canadian laws
2) use G2Z to search / clear
3) if threat found ie door kicked in, gangbanger in living room G2Z gets
dropped and glock brought to redy position
4) if no imediate treat, continue searching using glock and x300
5) if imediate threat do your thing and win
6) fight lenghty leagal battle
7) live to tell the story to my grand kids
And for searching with thte glock and x300 there is no need to point your pistol at every thing. If you have a properly powered tactical light, when you have the pistol at the low ready with the light on it will light up a whole room. Give it a try with yours, I didn't believe it until I tried it.
YMMV
Shawn
If you do not have a light on your pistol and you happen to be cleaning it when some goblins break into your house at 3 in the morning, the crown prosecutor may turn that against you...saying that you shot someone without positively identifying him as a threat. How can you fully ascertain someone's intentions if you can barely see them, much more determine if they have a weapon in hand.
Really though, I think its one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. Kinda like if someone had a lot of firearms training and very proficient at the use of them, they could argue that you're a gun nut and just itching to kill someone. On the other hand if you have very little firearms experience, they could argue that you didn't have the experience to properly handle a firearm and shot someone hastily.
I'll bite...
For starters, strobing and moving is the key to success when using any light.
If I feel there is a threat in my home(and foolishly go looking for it) I will illuminate and cover/sweep/flag anything and everything I feel could be a threat or location of a threat. A loaded firearm pointed at something you aren't sure you intend or need to shoot is not a violation of the fundamentals. Covering/sweeping/flagging a non threat is part of the risk associated with using a firearm defensively. LE subscribe to the same theory. Everyone is a threat until proven otherwise, so you can bet the local constabulary will be directing their "hot" guns in your direction anytime they feel threatened. Furthermore, a loaded firearm pointed at someone does not equate to shooting an innocent.
As for becoming a target when you illuminate. If you illuminate the scumbag with a weapon mounted light you should be looking just over the sights or through them. Either way, if the startled individual attempts to attack with any sort of weapon, you should be capable of triggering rounds long before he executes his attack.
The risk of becoming a target is also present with off body light techniques with a handheld. Your arm/hand is a much smaller target but it comes at a cost. Handheld lights used off body force you to shoot dominant only which is challenging at the best of times. Working dominant only does nothing for clearing malfunctions or reloads. Heaven forbid you should need to open a door or carry a small child. With a third hand the off body technique would be the cats a$$. Personally I'm with Big red, use both, more lights the better.
For the OP, I'm running a Streamlight TLR1 C4 LED which cost me $130 to my door
TDC
peter2772000
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
I swore I was just gonna post a pic of my P-99 c/w tact. light/laser and not jump into the debate. But...
"The experts" in the states say, as has Griffy, that the perp can use your pistol-mounted tactical light to home in on you. Far as I'm concerned, the average street scum has had maybe 10-50 rounds of shooting practice under his belt, no more. I'd personally rather have a pistol-mounted tactical light which I can switch on/off as needed while sweeping my house. Matter of fact, I suggest practicing as follows;
Climb outta bed butt-naked at 2:00 am for the cursed over-45 prostrate-induced squirt while the gf's sleeping soundly. Grab P-99 and pretend you've heard a strange noise (a noise that your ultra sensitive pit-poodle didn't hear). Morph into stealth mode while walking towards the sanctuary of the washroom, sweeping back and forth with firearm, all the while your balls are slapping across your thighs with that unmistakable "clack...clack"...
As you prepare to enter the washroom, you spot a perp with an AK-47, HK-45 and two rocket-propelled grenades aiming right at you. You blind him with your uber-bright tactical light, plant your red laser dot on center mass and utter as quietly as possible "boom, boom" (signifying an efficient double-tap).
You then proceed to empty your bladder in aforementioned washroom (which is why you got up to begin with) and quietly head back to bed, proud of the fact that you've just saved yourself & your family from certain carnage!
As you climb into bed, prouder than a peacock, you faintly hear your gf mutter "dumbass" after which point she turns over and continues snoring.
Some heroes never get any credit......
"The experts" in the states say, as has Griffy, that the perp can use your pistol-mounted tactical light to home in on you. Far as I'm concerned, the average street scum has had maybe 10-50 rounds of shooting practice under his belt, no more. I'd personally rather have a pistol-mounted tactical light which I can switch on/off as needed while sweeping my house. Matter of fact, I suggest practicing as follows;
Climb outta bed butt-naked at 2:00 am for the cursed over-45 prostrate-induced squirt while the gf's sleeping soundly. Grab P-99 and pretend you've heard a strange noise (a noise that your ultra sensitive pit-poodle didn't hear). Morph into stealth mode while walking towards the sanctuary of the washroom, sweeping back and forth with firearm, all the while your balls are slapping across your thighs with that unmistakable "clack...clack"...
As you prepare to enter the washroom, you spot a perp with an AK-47, HK-45 and two rocket-propelled grenades aiming right at you. You blind him with your uber-bright tactical light, plant your red laser dot on center mass and utter as quietly as possible "boom, boom" (signifying an efficient double-tap).
You then proceed to empty your bladder in aforementioned washroom (which is why you got up to begin with) and quietly head back to bed, proud of the fact that you've just saved yourself & your family from certain carnage!
As you climb into bed, prouder than a peacock, you faintly hear your gf mutter "dumbass" after which point she turns over and continues snoring.
Some heroes never get any credit......
peter2772000
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Ooops, almost forgot 
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec
As with many other skills you have learned (ie: writing, dancing, brushing your teeth...) the key is repetition. As silly as it may sound or look (especially to other family members), you have to develop muscle memory.
Like dancing the salsa or cha-cha, you have to practice, practice, practice until your body can do it automatically. Self defence is the same principal, you practice until your muscles learn what to do without you being in conscious control.
Look at someone who has a lot of holster experience. Ever notice how the muzzle of their pistol goes straight into the opening of their holster without looking or fumbling? That's muscle memory, your muscles "know" exactly where the top of the holster is without looking for it. Then look at a "newbie" trying to re-holster!
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec
Ooops, almost forgot
You may want to try this one 10,000,00CP burn your retinas out of your eye sockets. Even if you don't shoot him, the perp will probably need a seeing eye dog afterwards:
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Peter,
Thanks for the chuckle, I needed that
I can now explain to the ms. that I'm not the only one doing such stupid stunt... and that putting on body armor to go for a wiz isn't that much of a stretch either ...
I don't have a light on the any pistol, but I sure as heck got one one the shotgun! It's powerful enough that even if I just shine it at the floor, there enough illumination to light up the room and identify any possible threat.
As far as 'blinding' the threat, that's what muzzle flash and buckshots are for.
I ended up inheriting a "pit-poodle" and say what you might about yappy ankle biters, this dog is sharp...This purebred 4lb fuzzball already has a insurance fraudster and arsonist to her credit...
But back on topic: I prefer a hand held light (Inova T4) just because I do not like gadgets on my handguns, I feel they ruin the balance. However, with that said, I can see the advantage of a weapon mounted light and if I can ever find one compact and light enough I'd love to put it on a Glock to try it out. To avoid the bulkiness and weight I've also considered the laser that replaces the guide rod...but they are $300. Anyone have any experience with these on a compact Glock?
But back on topic: I prefer a hand held light (Inova T4) just because I do not like gadgets on my handguns, I feel they ruin the balance. However, with that said, I can see the advantage of a weapon mounted light and if I can ever find one compact and light enough I'd love to put it on a Glock to try it out. To avoid the bulkiness and weight I've also considered the laser that replaces the guide rod...but they are $300. Anyone have any experience with these on a compact Glock?
peter2772000
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
You forgot the part of exiting the bathroom to be greeted by a totally disgruntled pit-poodle spoiling for a fight or a doggy treat, whichever is closer to hand
Uh yeah, 'bout that. The aforementioned disgruntled pit-poodle could, hypothetically speaking of course, mistake my appendage for a cocktail weinie. 'Cause of the darkness'n stuff, you know? ........
shootemup, I've owned a Lab, a german shepard and three boxers over the last 35 yrs. They all had their strengths and weaknesses, but my pit poodle is by far the smartest dog I've ever owned. !
You may want to try this one 10,000,00CP burn your retinas out of your eye sockets. Even if you don't shoot him, the perp will probably need a seeing eye dog afterwards:
Alas, tactical rail only available for the 20mm Bofors gun
I have a similar unit, a 35W metal halide good to 300 yards or so. For handheld, I recently got a Liotec Beacon, rated at 230 lumens. It has three modes: full blast, 20% (good for reading maps in the car) and full blast with strobe which will both blind a perp and also seriously mess with his mind. Uses a 18650 rechargeable battery, rated at 150 mins. at full output. Only complaint is that the switch on the end is pretty stiff, unlike the Surefire Nitrolon I have on my Marlin 1894 in case of nocturnal bears.
Stuart
- Location
- Off the "X"
as you climb into bed, prouder than a peacock, you faintly hear your gf mutter "dumbass" after which point she turns over and continues snoring.
Some heroes never get any credit......
lmao. Classic!
