Carrying with a light

[obesechess]

Because it gives away your location, but your average person is not a trained soldier in a "combat area of operation." Soldiers in combat zones have other methods of positive target identification that most of us do not have access to when we are in our plain clothes going about our daily lives, and positive target identification is paramount. In fact, seeing a light coming from the end of a pistol can be a deterrent, as my anecdote on the previous page noted.

 

[Aught Six]

Well I guess Ive relied on those other methods from jungle school to see in the dark.

If you ever watched X-Files, they used a flashlight correctly. Having the light in one hand and away from the body so it someone fires at you from the dark, they dont hit your body.

 

[titsonritz]

Let me bring your attention to FM-23 Army noise and light discipline field manual.

No white light shall be shown in a combat area of operation.

Gee I wonder why that is...

So you don't get conked on the head with a mortar! Not something most good vs. bad self defense scenarios are likely to entail.

Exactly, combat zones and home defense or anything else civilians are likely to encounter are two very different things.

 

[1775usmc]

Exactly, combat zones and home defense or anything else civilians are likely to encounter are two very different things.

But it's fun to pretend it's all war.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Having been to a war or two....
I won't carry a light or use one on my firearm.
My experiences there , have shaped my thinking here.

Please note the use of the words..."I" and "My"....
As in this is what I have learned / experienced...and what I do.
Not...what everyone else needs to do or have experienced.

At the end of the day...it is you and your situation that matters....
Not someone else and their situation.

Use a light ...or don't....use ( and practice ) with what works for you....and your situation.
Andy

 

[Aught Six]

Exactly, combat zones and home defense or anything else civilians are likely to encounter are two very different things.

The only difference is that the military folk are trained for it.
If I see a light in my house, Im shooting at it. But then if I see a shadow, its toast too.

Any of you old war dogs ever visit the command center for the 11th ACR in Bad K Germany?
The Commander's foyer was covered in stuffed animals that soldiers shot because they did not answer the challenge.
Trained professionals. They even had night vision (if thats what you called a Starlight scope).

We saw a light in the jungle, we fired one single shot from a track mounted Ma Duce.
he light went out.

 

[MTpockets]

I am starting to get the idea that most of you would consider it over-kill to "BLOOOP" a M583A - CARTRIDGE 40MM WHITE STAR PARACHUTE for a little illumination to help find those dropped in the dark keys.

>>>BLOOOP<<<
>>>fizzle-fizzle<<<

MTpockets mutters, "How you like them candela…you stoopid KEYS!?"



I am sure it has already been discussed in this, or another thread (like the one that involved lumi-hamsters), the SUREFIRE TURBO or similar, could be used as a complementary aiming device depending on target size and distance to that target. And, no, I am not saying that they should be relied upon as a sole aiming device. These lights have a concentrated beam center combined with a softer spill that can aid in acquiring and/or tracking targets.

Never know when you may need to defend your dark-hours delivered DoorDash from a horde of hungry javelina....

Spoiler: It could happen...Javi

View: https://youtu.be/5Df1o_QwlX8

 

[1775usmc]

The only difference is that the military folk are trained for it.
If I see a light in my house, Im shooting at it. But then if I see a shadow, its toast too.

Any of you old war dogs ever visit the command center for the 11th ACR in Bad K Germany?
The Commander's foyer was covered in stuffed animals that soldiers shot because they did not answer the challenge.
Trained professionals. They even had night vision (if thats what you called a Starlight scope).

We saw a light in the jungle, we fired one single shot from a track mounted Ma Duce.
he light went out.

Be a bummer when that shadow belongs to a family member.

 

[NOC]

My experience on this issue is partly based on the restrictions I live with in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia. My county prohibits weapon mounted lights, lasers and optical sights. I recently took a class focused on shooting in the dark and I learned a few things I didn't expect. I also want to make clear that I don't have either military or LE experience nor do I claim any special skills or expertise and actively seek to avoid confrontation.

The first thing I learned in the night shooting course I took was that my tritium sights have a very narrow set of conditions where they have any utility where I can identify a target without a light, essentially at twilight. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have them on any defensive weapon, just didn't have any idea when they would actually be that useful over standard sights.

Full dark I need a light to ID a target. In a civilian context my rules of engagement preclude shooting at shadows. Once I use my light I can't see my sights without the light so the old FBI neck hold turned out to be really useful for target ID and accuracy. I use a malkoff with high lumens and candella. This was outdoors in full dark. In the outdoors, full dark, I wasn't able to see my sights very clearly when my light was using the harries or the air marshall "syringe" grip, but inside a structure the light reflected from my light in the shoothouse class i took with the same trainer.

In the shoothouse course I used an airsoft Glock I also learned that lower light settings are useful within a structure. My three level light at the lowest setting (about 10 lumens) gave me more than enough light to ID and aim but it was more difficult for my opponents to locate me using light from my flashlight.

My general carry light is three level and tops out at a mere 375 lumens and works for me day to day. When I find myself in nighttime urban areas where the potential issues are going to be from the restaurant to parking I carry the light I used in the night shooting course (e2 2 cell sized compact light with shock cord for retention.)

Bottom line is that the classes I was able to take turned out to have a bigger impact on what I would do than the equipment choices I made before the classes. For those of us that don't have access to police or military training I think a class or two in low/no light will impact your choices more than any number of firearms press articles. One downside, prepare to be humbled by what you thought you knew versus what you experience in such classes.