are gun mounted lights smart?

[Wolfwood]

I was thinking in darkened enviromnet is it really smart to ahve a light on your gun? i mean doesnt that make a hell of a target to the BG?
seems liek a seperate light that you can hold away and or above yourself would be a little smarter or atleast safer.
educate me people! i am confused!

 

[jdh]

The light mounted on your gun is NOT a general purpose light. You do not use it for searching and the like. It is to be turned on just before you pull the trigger to make one last positive ID of the target before you pull the trigger.

 

[Shorts]

I was thinking in darkened enviromnet is it really smart to ahve a light on your gun? i mean doesnt that make a hell of a target to the BG?
seems liek a seperate light that you can hold away and or above yourself would be a little smarter or atleast safer.
educate me people! i am confused!

Because some people have only one hand. You want to hold a light or a gun?


There are a variety of scenarios when everything points to "turn on the house lights" or "night sights still need a target to identify".

Really I just found out, when you're out hunting at night, gun mounted lights are pretty darn useful.

If you want to be sneaky pete, go for it. But in some situations, a gun mounted light is pretty practical.

 

[Wolfwood]

yeah i was jsut doing some reading and in tactical situation the pressure switches on the lights seem handy, to take 'snapshots' of a room while moving.
and if ya just have one hand definatly go with choice B.
and night hunting sitations are understandable.

 

[hoytinak]

I keep one on my bedside gun. As stated it's not used as a general flashlight. It is used as a spot on/off and to make one last positive ID of the target before you pull the trigger. I've done lots of training entering and clearing rooms with weapon mounted lights (M4s and sidearms) and feel very confident with it. As a side note, I do keep another light handy for searching if need be.

 

[idleprocess]

A decently focused (and centered) weapon light is like a caveman's laser sight in a pinch. At close range, the bullet is going to hit somewhere in that hotspot...

 

[M. Sage]

I was thinking in darkened enviromnet is it really smart to ahve a light on your gun? i mean doesnt that make a hell of a target to the BG?
seems liek a seperate light that you can hold away and or above yourself would be a little smarter or atleast safer.
educate me people! i am confused!

First off, the premise is false. In a dark building, where a gun light is meant to be used, you aren't going to be able to return fire effectively with one of these babies shone in your peepers. If you have access to a gun light, or know someone who does, take it off the gun, sit in a dark room for 30 minutes or so till your eyes adjust, then have him shine the light at your eyes. It's going to hurt like hell, and I bet you flinch away even though you're expecting it.

It's not like seeing someone carrying a flashlight out in a field, it's more like driving down a country road and suddenly having someone who was driving dark throw on their brights just as you're about to go by them. It's shocking, disorienting and a bit painful.

Used correctly, a weapon light is a weapon in and of itself. The disorientation, shock and pain can be used to your advantage - either causing the other guy to hesitate for that split second you need to deliver a double-tap or even as a way to cause them to submit and surrender. Bright light in the eyes and an angry voice (of God, apparently, since all you can see is the steam coming off your own retinas) booming out "on the ground, now! Down down down!!!"

I've seen weapon lights that have a small LED "navigation" light for general purpose use. They're usually colored to conceal the source and preserve night vision. I've also seen hand-held lights like the Surefire Aviator that have a similar "map light" feature. Very useful.

For those of you who do use tactical lights for home defense, either weapon-mounted or hand-held, make sure you get at least some realistic practice with them. Lay down to sleep some night, but get up again after about an hour when your eyes have adjusted to the night. Then light the room up with your light of choice. It's going to blind you, too.

I strongly suggest keeping your non-dominant eye closed whenever you pop a light on in the dark. That eye will keep its night vision and you'll be able to get your sight picture with the light on.

As far as using as a primitive laser sight - yeah, it'll work sort of, but you're better off learning to point shoot. Some time spent with your weapon of choice, some ammo and a little masking tape can teach you a lot.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I advise having a weapon light as well as a handheld flashlight. If you are in a situation where you are restricted to the use of only one arm, for whatever reason, then you still have control of a light on your gun. When you have the option to use to hands, then you'll also have a handheld light to use for searching so you aren't covering everything with your muzzle. Here is a WEALTH of information in relation to low light tools and tactics:

http://www.progressivecombat.com/pdfs/SWAT-Clarity-Chaos.pdf
http://www.progressivecombat.com/pdfs/LETArticle-May2008.pdf
JNC: Let there be Light: Good
http://www.surefireinstitute.com/images/pdfs/White_Light_Article.pdf
http://www.surefireinstitute.com/images/pdfs/Officer-Involved_Shooting_Study.pdf
http://www.surefireinstitute.com/images/pdfs/SureFire_Low-Light_Editorial.pdf
Low Light - Forum Powered by Eve Community (lots of great info there)
Videos - SureFire Institute

 

[ethan]

as with anything, its a matter of preference, alot of guys reccomend it when refering to a home defense situation, implying that you would be on the phone dialing 911, that being said, you want to have hands free for other purposes, grabbing your family and moving them, opening/closing doors, ultra close defense, etc, etc, the list goes on, the problem is, as stated, even shining a light away from you in pitch black is f-ing blinding, the problem i see with alot of un-trained personnel using weapon mounted lights is that there is this trend towards using them as a utility light (i would be lying if i said i have never done this) but you must remember that if you have a light on your weapon its oriented towards the business end, so wherever that light is pointed, so is your muzzle

also as was also stated, i actually have my personal x300 on my M4 (120 lumens) and it is BLINDING, out to 50 meters, very useful over here, if you know how to strobe a light at the proper times, only to blind people and to get a quick look at a room, its a whole nother weapon in and of itself, and in fact, because alot of operating is done at night, works even better than a rifle because people can actually see it and they know what comes with it, i assure you, unless you are very high, or are hardended to the point of having a death wish, an 120 lumen LED light hitting you in the face emitting words like "GET THE F@$K DOWN" "GET THE F%$K ON THE GROUND" "NOW NOW NOW", you ARE going to comply, i guarantee it, so if you are trained in the use of tactical lighting, then i would say yes all the way, put one on your go to gun and your primary tac-rifle, considering most violent enounters occur during less than optimal lighting times, why wouldnt you want one

 

[navyguy]

I think they are an excellent tool.

 

[Mate]

I know I can reload and shoot better two handed...

 

[Shorts]

I know I can reload and shoot better two handed...

I can do everything better with two hands too. But I talked to God and its still a no-go on getting my left arm back.

 

[kingofwylietx]

I can do everything better with two hands too. But I talked to God and its still a no-go on getting my left arm back.

Dang, he's still denying you? I'll have a word with him later.

 

[Mate]

I think you missed the point. Instead of juggling a mag and a flashlight, all I have to do is everything like I would normally.

It wasnt a dig at you bro, and I'm sorry if you got offended.

 

[Shorts]

Dang, he's still denying you? I'll have a word with him later.

hehehe sweet. "I know a guy"

 

[Shorts]

I think you missed the point. Instead of juggling a mag and a flashlight, all I have to do is everything like I would normally.

It wasnt a dig at you bro, and I'm sorry if you got offended.

No worries girl.

How do you do things normally? I mean, can you elaborate on your methods?

 

[Buckles]

I've got a surefire g2 led that I'm about to mount on my HD shotgun. It will def. blind anyone in the dark.

 

[Mate]

I draw, assume the thumbs forward grip, and proceed to press the trigger. If I reload, then I index the mag and then insert it.

With a light on my gun, I can do all of this normally. I dont have to put the handheld light in my mouth, or in a pocket, or try to juggle it and a mag in the same hand.


Oh, and what's this girl stuff? Last time I checked, there's something swinging between my legs.

 

[Starker]

LOL ... Shorts is not a "bro" ...

 

[Big country]

I draw, assume the thumbs forward grip, and proceed to press the trigger. If I reload, then I index the mag and then insert it.

With a light on my gun, I can do all of this normally. I dont have to put the handheld light in my mouth, or in a pocket, or try to juggle it and a mag in the same hand.


Oh, and what's this girl stuff? Last time I checked, there's something swinging between my legs.

LOL ... Shorts is not a "bro" ...

You called her bro she called you girl it's a trade off. J/k
I'll get back on topic now. Have any of you actually tried to shoot you pistol (I mean live rounds not dry fire) with a flash light in your hand? I have shot with my 3-D cell mag light that I carry on duty, that is a PITA. It is doable but a lot of dry fire practice went into it. I have not tried a weapon mounted light with anything but a blue gun so all I can say is it works well in the store on a blue gun.