Flashlight Mania

[amprecon]

I have the Streamlight TLR-1 and while I'm sure there are more powerful lights available, for the money I think they're great lights for my purposes as a civilian. What I like about this light is that it is readily removeable and able to be switched out between several weapons, long-guns, pistols, shotguns. I had a need for a mounted light when I was returning to the vehicle in the dark after a hunt and walked up on several snarling coyotes not far from me. I was hunting with a Garand that day and any of you that owns one knows, it's a heavy bugger, and trying to hold it up towards a target with one hand while trying to identify the target with a light in the other hand is quite a challenge. I have since added a rail to the Garand for the TLR-1, but have to remember an artificial light on your hunting weapon at night is usually a no-no. However, I could put it on one of my Glocks and shoulder the hunting rifle and be set. I have also experienced times here where the power has been out for several days and when there's no lights and things go bump in the night, a light on the 870 allows you to operate the weapon properly and to be able to identify the cause of those "bumps".
When the shotgun won't do, I slap the light on one of my Glocks and am able to have a free hand to do other things with. I like them, but I'm a civilian with different purposes than armed professionals, like..........surviving a confrontation without getting sued.

 

[Al Thompson]

Agree with everything possum said. Completely correct, IMHO.

rhoggman, depends on your mission. I would have loved to have a light on my M9 when I was in Baghdad, made do with a G2. My primary weapon was the M9, had M4s when we needed them.

My take is that my primary weapon needs a light. For me as a cake eating civilian, I have a light on my handgun and shotgun. Key use here is identifying your target. If I camp or move to the country, the AR or FAL gets a light.

For military use, if I were sending someone out with an M9 as a primary or into a building, it would be nice to have a mounted light for the many reasons previously stated. For a reference, Bing West mentioned in his book on Fallujah that the rule was pretty simple - no going into houses with out white lights. The sudden transition from blazing sunlight to darkness screws people's sight up.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I also tend to like being able to put my gun in a holster.

And here we go a bunch of posts with pictures of light capable holsters. blah blah, you all know what I mean but you insist on nitpicking.

 

[Al Thompson]

Earl, me too. For around the house or in a hotel, it's less of a worry.

 

[Mags]

Check out this hand held light, it is designed to be held with your weak hand while gripping your pistol. Here is the manufacture's (First Light) website:
http://www.first-light-usa.com/tomahawkmain.php

 

[John Parker]

Yawn. Light, no light, who cares?

 

[Mags]

Yawn. Light, no light, who cares?

What did that add?

 

[JMusic]

I can't imagine using more than a momemtary burst of light in the house. This is Indian territory you know, not a good place to be.



Jim

 

[John Parker]

What did that add?

It wasn't meant to add anything.

 

[Avenger29]

Hell, I know of people that CCW with a small light on their pistol.

(I'm considering joining them)

 

[Mags]

It wasn't meant to add anything.

Then don't post jerk.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Check out this hand held light, it is designed to be held with your weak hand while gripping your pistol

This light makes it easier to do but it is playing off the training that most LEOs have to hold the light in their weak hand while still supporting their firing making it so you can have a light detached from those ugly rails and still shoot two handed.

Have your cake and eat it too.

 

[John Parker]

Then don't post jerk.

Now now 'The Real Mags,' there's no reason for name calling. It's the internet, you don't need to get hurt over what people write here, because it's not real! ;-) How about a BIIIIIG hug, does that make it all better?

 

[johnnylaw53]

I really unsure of the lights mounted on the handgun thing also. I was trained that you hold the flashlight out to the side since if someone shoot at you the shooter normally shoot at the brightest spot. I have one of the guys under my supervision assigned to the U.S. Marshall fugitive task force here and I have gone out with them a few times most of them are younger guys and when they make night entry looking for a b.g. some use mounted lights others don't. I can see the usefulness some here but for home protection I still think the light in the weak hand is the way to go, when you put the light on a suspected target and the light is mounted on the weapon and you see the niose that woke you up is your teenage son coming back into the house you had a weapon ready to fire pointing at him well or her the girls sneak out now days too. AS far as combat goes we didn't think about lights on weapons in the 60's early 70's, so I will submit to what our young warriors are saying about that now days. If you are serving and you think the light help you by all means get two we want you back home safe after the mission.

be safe

 

[MikePaiN]

I had considered a mountable light for awhile. I finally made my decision when I saw the "right" on for sale on a local forum. The primary use for it is HD, I know my home and won't need it on to move around giving away my position. As I see it, that negates the only draw back of a tactical light, its super light weight(no hindrance to handling, at all imo) and extremely bright, no doubt it'll monetarily blind anyone suddenly looking at it out of the dark.