Tactical Light... Yes or No?

[Unbreakable]

Wrong, Unbreakable. You will blind him and you will be getting off the first shots. You don't have to leave the light on....are you even familiar with them?

And if they happen to be to your extreme left when you shine the light? How are you going to blind them then? And better yet... how are you going to stop the bullets that your light just directed them to fire at you? You assume that they when you use a light that it is always going to be dead in someone's face and that it is always going to momentarily blind them. This is not the case. Are you even familiar with lights?

[Unbreakable]

However, if you don't have that capability, having a flashlight allows you to identify a person as threat or non-threat. For ethical as well as moral reasons, you need to make that identification.

Agreed, I definitely have a flashlight with me about all the time. I'm just wondering about Handheld Vs Weapon Mounted.

[pax]

<moderator hat on>

A little more light, a little less heat, please.

</moderator hat off>

pax

[James K]

I will say again. IF I am an armed BG and I am concealed in a large dark space (think the local WalMart at night) and you come in with a light on your gun and holding the gun up in front of your face, you better spotlight me the first try, first time, no guesswork. If you don't, my shot will be aimed at the light and the bullet will take out what's behind the light. (Note that armed citizens and private security guards don't even get the bagpipes.)

Jim

[MLeake]

... they pinpoint YOUR position; besides, they require a muzzle sweep during ID.

I prefer handheld, held arm's length away from me.

Cheers,

M

[Doggieman]

Depends on the circumstances.

If I were clearing out a building with a bunch of other guys and we all had 'em and were sweeping through, then I'd probably want one. But if I were alone and there were several BGs then I'd probably want it as dark as possible.

Once the first shot is fired, everybody's going to know what's going on anyway.

There are tons of different situations. It might help to read up on why certain people use them in some and don't in others.

[akr]

Unbreakable, you don't understand. I wouldn't even shine the light unless I saw a figure in the dark. I would know where they are already. The reason I have a light is so I wouldn't mistakenly shoot a loved one. Also, I know the layout of my house better than you.

[akr]

I'm just wondering about Handheld Vs Weapon Mounted.

Obviously, you already had your mind made up before you posted.

[ronl]

I don't think they're all that useful, but just in case I tried a different approach with my XCR. I have the Tango Down rail covers on it with the inserts for various switches. I took the insert out and put the self adhesive velcro in the slot as well as on a Mini-Mag flashlight with the 3/4" battery housing. If I want the light I just stick it to the cover. It will not come off during firing. Plus is that I can remove the light in less than a second and toss it aside if necessary. Negative is that I have to turn the light on manually by twisting the front housing. Can't have everything. BTW, I used the velcro to attach the switch for my Aimpoint laser and it works very well.

[akr]

All depends on what kind of light you have. Get a TLR 1.

[Erik]

Lots of lights on the guns of people who are in positions to shoot and be shot at... NOT a lot of injury or death, if any, attributed to shots at the light that I'm aware of. It is much to do about nothing, imo, but I'm willing to be swayed - link evidence( research, stories, etc) suggesting otherwise. - Thanks.

[Stevie-Ray]

Lots of lights on the guns of people who are in positions to shoot and be shot at... NOT a lot of injury or death, if any, attributed to shots at the light that I'm aware of. It is much to do about nothing, imo, but I'm willing to be swayed - link evidence( research, stories, etc) suggesting otherwise. - Thanks.

True, but that could be because of the relative newness of tactical lights. Not taking any sides as I really don't have one, just a possibility.

<moderator hat on>

A little more light, a little less heat, please.

</moderator hat off>

Now, that was cute. Seriously.

[M14fan]

The only place I would be likely to use a weapon mounted light is inside my home. I am not military or law enforcement and so am extremely unlikely to be doing building sweeps in the dark. My own home is never completely dark. I keep the lights off in the bedroom so that I am in the dark but the rest of the house is dimly lit with low powered flurescent lights giving me the opportunity to survey rooms before I enter from a position of dark concealment. I also prefer my 4d Maglight. Very bright, excellent backup attitude adjuster. I am also considering mounting a rail on my Sistema Colt as the previous owner drilled holes in the dust cover presumably for that purpose and I am not sure how else to deal with the holes.

Hmmm, I think I'll start a thread on that.