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ShaulWolf · January 22, 2018, 11:04 AM

I can see why one would worry about lumens, but practicing with a light would mitigate that. It won't completely eliminate the possibility of blinding yourself, but it'll reduce it. If you have concerns about removing your night vision after simply using a white light, then realize that your night vision is already gone after using even a 300 lumen white light. It becomes a moot point, and I'd rather have as much light as possible to feed my eyes the most information possible. Also think about how much worse the effect is for the person on the receiving end of that light.

Another thing to consider is the candela output of a white light. Lower lumens tend to have less reach (reflector design comes into play as well). This means that I won't be able to use that light as effectively at distance. What's a realistic distance? I don't know, each situation has its own circumstances. I don't want to limit myself though.

As for having the WML pointed at an area... A better question would be "why is my weapon out?" If you're actively using your WML, then there should be a high likelihood of having to use your firearm. Otherwise, your weapon should remain in its holster, and you should be using a handheld. The WML comes into play when you feel that you are in threat of serious bodily harm (or have to defend someone against it), and you need more light to determine who the threat is coming from, and if there is a genuine threat (PID the target).

There could be any number of scenarios where a WML is useful, though the two most common will likely be defending in your own home or in a parking lot/garage. Think of any dimly lit area, and it could be useful for maintaining light on the threat. Remember, just because one threat has ended doesn't mean that there aren't other potential threats. If the area is secure, then you can holster and go to a handheld light.

So why use a WML at all? Again, because I would rather use a two handed grip while maintaining illumination on a threat. I want to be able to remove their ability to effectively see where I am with as much light as possible, see them and the area around them, assess whether or not I need to fire/keep firing/stop firing, and scan around them and myself after. All while being able to control my firearm as effectively as possible, which is typically done with two hands. If there is no threat, then my WML does not come into play.

January 22, 2018, 11:04 AM	#24
ShaulWolf Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2011 Location: New Castle, PA Posts: 189	I can see why one would worry about lumens, but practicing with a light would mitigate that. It won't completely eliminate the possibility of blinding yourself, but it'll reduce it. If you have concerns about removing your night vision after simply using a white light, then realize that your night vision is already gone after using even a 300 lumen white light. It becomes a moot point, and I'd rather have as much light as possible to feed my eyes the most information possible. Also think about how much worse the effect is for the person on the receiving end of that light. Another thing to consider is the candela output of a white light. Lower lumens tend to have less reach (reflector design comes into play as well). This means that I won't be able to use that light as effectively at distance. What's a realistic distance? I don't know, each situation has its own circumstances. I don't want to limit myself though. As for having the WML pointed at an area... A better question would be "why is my weapon out?" If you're actively using your WML, then there should be a high likelihood of having to use your firearm. Otherwise, your weapon should remain in its holster, and you should be using a handheld. The WML comes into play when you feel that you are in threat of serious bodily harm (or have to defend someone against it), and you need more light to determine who the threat is coming from, and if there is a genuine threat (PID the target). There could be any number of scenarios where a WML is useful, though the two most common will likely be defending in your own home or in a parking lot/garage. Think of any dimly lit area, and it could be useful for maintaining light on the threat. Remember, just because one threat has ended doesn't mean that there aren't other potential threats. If the area is secure, then you can holster and go to a handheld light. So why use a WML at all? Again, because I would rather use a two handed grip while maintaining illumination on a threat. I want to be able to remove their ability to effectively see where I am with as much light as possible, see them and the area around them, assess whether or not I need to fire/keep firing/stop firing, and scan around them and myself after. All while being able to control my firearm as effectively as possible, which is typically done with two hands. If there is no threat, then my WML does not come into play.