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nate45 · February 3, 2012, 07:36 PM

The proper tactical flashlight should have an output of at least 60 lumens, a hundred lumens would be better. Its true they light up a room, but it takes at least 60 lumens to blind someone. Also fully lighting and properly identifying your target are of paramount importance.

Many modern LED flashlights are varible, the one I'm holding right now has a low setting of 5 lumens, medium 30 lumens, high 81 lumens, Turbo 180 lumens. It also has strobe and SOS settings. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of a strobe, but I can tell you that 100 plus lumens in the eyes is painful, blinding and disorienting.

Someone who's eyes are adjusted to the dark will be temporarily blinded by a 100+ lumen light. In informal testing, several friends and myself have found it very difficult to advance into a 100+ lumen light. Once the light hits your unprepared, darkness adjusted eyes, seeing who is holding the flashlight and exactly where they are is next to impossible.

In your particular situation, keeping your pistol in your pocket, or holstered seems prudent and reasonable to me. Fully lighting and identifying individuals, before pointing a handgun at them is definitely the best course of action.

February 3, 2012, 07:36 PM	#25
nate45 Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,746	The proper tactical flashlight should have an output of at least 60 lumens, a hundred lumens would be better. Its true they light up a room, but it takes at least 60 lumens to blind someone. Also fully lighting and properly identifying your target are of paramount importance. Many modern LED flashlights are varible, the one I'm holding right now has a low setting of 5 lumens, medium 30 lumens, high 81 lumens, Turbo 180 lumens. It also has strobe and SOS settings. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of a strobe, but I can tell you that 100 plus lumens in the eyes is painful, blinding and disorienting. Someone who's eyes are adjusted to the dark will be temporarily blinded by a 100+ lumen light. In informal testing, several friends and myself have found it very difficult to advance into a 100+ lumen light. Once the light hits your unprepared, darkness adjusted eyes, seeing who is holding the flashlight and exactly where they are is next to impossible. In your particular situation, keeping your pistol in your pocket, or holstered seems prudent and reasonable to me. Fully lighting and identifying individuals, before pointing a handgun at them is definitely the best course of action. __________________ "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."- Thomas Jefferson ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ (>_<)