Mounted flashlights and laser sights for home defense

[ATN082268]

Are mounted flashlights and laser sights worth it for home defense? I'll probably get a handgun first for home defense and wondered if some accessories were worthwhile.

[Dragline45]

I personally think so as far as weapon lights go, not a fan of lasers at all though. This was discussed fairly recently in the Tactics section. You might wana go check that thread out as it points out all the benefits and downfalls of using a weapon light.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=535506

[SHE3PDOG]

This really depends on who you talk to. I'll try not to be biased.

With a flashlight, you may be able to identify your target better than without one, but your opponent may be able to see you better as well, especially if the light isn't pointed directly at him when he first sees it.

Pointing your gun at something to see it may also no be for the best because someone you do not want to hurt might get flagged with your muzzle, like your kid or wife.

Very high power flashlights, especially ones with strobe or multicolor strobe effects, may be able to temporarily blind an intruder that is looking around in the dark, but as many say, they may just shoot in the general direction of the light.

Flashlights also add weight, which could be a good thing. It would reduce muzzle flip quite a bit, and anything you can do to aid in quick follow up shots in a defensive scenario is good IMO.

I'm sure others will chime in here soon about it.

[Joe_Pike]

I just have a flashlight next to my gun instead of hanging anything off of it. That way I can use the light in any direction without swinging the gun around.

[Derbel McDillet]

The purpose of a light is to positively ID a threat before you shoot. You don't use it to search.

I use verbal commands to establish my armed presence as part of my threat identification process. ln addition I don't want to wait until I'm at the brink of dropping the hammer on a threat to determine if the person is friend or foe - verbal commands allow me to ID the threat sooner. My light is my final visual verification. If there's any doubt I "splash" the light off the wall or floor.

A laser is a useful sighting device similar to a red dot optic. I suggest you become competent in using iron sights before you get a laser as the laser can fail. You'll need personal experience with a laser sight to fully understand and appreciate how it increases your efficiency and effectiveness in many situations and circumstances.

Also keep in mind that the more switches you have to operate the more decisions you have to make under stress. I suggest you keep things KISS simple with either a gun mounted light or laser, not both. If you want a laser then use a separate handheld flashlight with a simple press "on", release "off" switch. Stay away from lights with multi-function switches (strobe, dazzle, SOS, high/low power, etc.) as they increase both decision-making and the possibility of errors (the light being in a mode you don't want it to be in, like strobe mode when you want it to be off).

Good luck!

[Cheapshooter]

Are mounted flashlights and laser sights worth it for home defense?

flashlights...Maybe, but I prefer off the gun, in weak side hand with the hand being used as a support. You don't have to point the gun at something, or someone that may not be a threat.

laser sights...No. I never want to trust my life to batteries and circuits.

[Vermonter]

Yes. Handheld light is needed as well. Any HD gun needs a light. I like the tlr 4s with kight and laser. With a proper thumbs forward grip you can run it perfectly,

[ShaulWolf]

You're not supposed to use the weapon mounted light to search though. As stated above, it's to ID the threat visually before firing. It's really just a quick on/off to give a splash of light, thus allowing you to get a quick visual of the threat. If you plan to use the light for searching, then yes, you're better off with an unmounted light.

[SteelChickenShooter]

Yes I think a laser and light can be a great benefit for a HD handgun.

[rodfac]

I thought all night sights, rail mounted flashlights, and lasers were mall ninja stuff until I went to two defensive handgun courses where the instructors recommended all of the above. A second endorsement came from a KY State Police Sgt. I met in a local gunshop. His comments resulted in my buying and outfitting my bedside gun with a flashlight.

Son #2 had to defend a neighbor's horse herd from marauding Ferrel dogs a year ago and soon found that managing a flashlight and handgun while trying to hit dogs instead of horses was impossible. He was a Marine MP at the time, and holds the course record at Kaneo Bay with the M9 so he's far from some inept civilian.

All of the above mentioned aids to night shooting are not cheap, but serve a definite purpose...but the first order of business for any home defender is to learn to shoot with the issue sights, then add on the rest.

Best regards, Rod

[Dragline45]

You're not supposed to use the weapon mounted light to search though. As stated above, it's to ID the threat visually before firing.

This is untrue, how am I going to ID the threat without finding it in the first place? Special forces and law enforcement use weapon lights to search houses all the time. Keeping your finger off the trigger while doing so is perfectly safe, after all I have never known of a gun to go off by itself. I have a weapon light on my M9A1, I would have no reservations about using it to search, especially with its DA trigger. I actually keep my finger in the trigger guard with my finger off the trigger, which is one of the reasons I prefer DA/SA pistols.

[Noreaster]

This is a debated issue in my State right now. The training council is teaching a handheld flashlight for searching in conjunction with a weapon mounted light so you don't muzzle a friendly. On the other hand every flashlight search technique we were ever taught in the last twenty years (chapman, Harris, Ayoob, Surefire, Neck index...) involved the muzzle in the same direction as the flashlight beam as you searched. If your careful and train you can search with a weapon mounted light with the muzzle down using ambient lighting to search, but it this isn't the best method. With a weapon mounted light you have a free hand for opening doors, turning on lights, dialing 911 and or strikes for non lethal threats...

[ShaulWolf]

I got taught to avoid keeping the light on while moving through so you didn't give your position away the entire time. Yes, you're likely noticed from noise, but that's not as definite as seeing the source of a bright light. Quick splash of light to get a look at what's in the area, then move on. If you see a threat when the light is on, engage if necessary. If no threat, keep going. That's what was passed on to me from a few Sgts' experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you know other methods, then by all means share so we can all learn.

[passtime]

I was dead set against lasers and mounted flashlights for my nightstand weapon. I decided to use a handheld light instead. Then I spent a week doing nighttime drills using my alarm clock to wake me from a dead sleep. I discovered that it takes entirely to long to wake, up grab my handgun, point and aim for my liking. I am not that great at point and shoot. This started me thinking again about a laser. I ended up purchasing a CT Railmaster and have since shaved quite a bit of time off of my response time. It also comes in handy for dry firing drills. I think the main drawback about a laser for me is not to let it take the place of using iron sights. I practice with my irons mostly and only shoot a few rounds using the laser just to stay aquainted. The laser as far as I am concerned is for home defense and or nighttime use. I keep low light conditions in my home at all times but if for some reason I need light I still use and do drills using my handheld light which by the way I paid $10.00 for at wally world. It works like a charm.

[Cirdan]

I have a Beretta PX4 Storm (full sized) with a rail on it. I bought both a laser and, later, a light for it. Now I keep it ready with the light on it. Most self-defense situations occur in poor light. It just makes more sense to me to be able to see the threat AND use a two-handed grip for accuracy.

I also keep a high-powered flashlight on the nightstand for "searching."

Don't assume the BG can track you by noise. Noise can actually be quite deceptive.

[GLI45]

My bedside pistol is an STI Tactical with night sights and a Streamlight TLR3 mounted on the rail. Waking up from a dead sleep with adrenaline pumping I don't want to have to grab my gun and a separate flashlight. Additionally I want both hands on the gun. While I practice strong hand and weak hand shooting for competition, let's not fool ourselves. We're all more confident and comfortable with both hands on the pistol. Trying to aim a pistol and a flashlight simultaneously with two different hands in a surprise high stress situation in the dark is not a scenario I would opt for intentionally.

[Derbel McDillet]

This is untrue, how am I going to ID the threat without finding it in the first place?

AVOID using it to search (i.e., hunt the burglar) whenever possible.

LE and military work in teams. They also have training and experience.

Training with a partner in low-light, using something as simple as a single-shot Airsoft pistol, will show you the vulnerabilities of searching with a flashlight.

[Tactical Jackalope]

Nothing beats a weapon mounted light on a handgun and having your other hand free if need be. I'm a huge proponent of weapon mounted lights.

[Double Naught Spy]

I don't know why people keep saying that you aren't supposed to use the weapon mounted light to search. All I can figure is that they have one of those old sheetmetal body, plastic cap, C celled Ray-O-Vac battery flaslighted from the 1960s still on their guns that only shine about 30 feet and the dim yellow light doesn't light up much outside of the central hot spot such that if mounted on a gun, you have to point the gun at what you want to see.

Here in the 21st century, you can light up an entire room with a tiny light pointed at the ground, such as with my rifle mounted light with the rifle carried in low ready or pistol mounted light carried similarly. The lights have enough splash outside of the core beam that I can brightly light up a target without pointing at the target.

If you have the gun anyway, why not have a light on it? Nobody says you have to use it. You can still use another light if you so choose, but as Constantine said, having a weapon mounted light gives you a free hand. You can use that free hand for all sorts of things like dialing 911, securing or opening a door, guiding a loved one to safety, staunching the flow of blood, clearing a malfunction in a gun, etc. Tap-rack gets really squirrely when you try to do it when a flashlight in your hand, even more so if your hand is wet.

[Skans]

You'll get differing opinions on this. Personally, I like a large capacity 9mm semi-auto for home defense - no flashlights or lasers. Any shots I'll be taking will be from inside my home at a distance of less than 20 feet - lighting is not a concern to me, and I don't need a laser.

[44 AMP]

Sure, you shouldn't search with a weapon mounted light, but consider what the majority of people will actually do, rather than what they ought to do.

And weigh the risks.

How many of the people who buy a gun and put a light on it are going to search for the bad guy (assumed to be waiting in ambush) in total emcom, and only flash them with the light for target lock?

Not many, I'm thinking.

[pilpens]

OP,
You already have the right start. Get the firearm first. Learn it. Learn how to will utilize it. Later, learn what you may need in addition to it.
Many are good accessories but will it be a good one to have for you application?
====
For me, I like a handheld light more than a weapon mounted light.
Also, I like FO or Glow in Dark front sights more than laser. A laser can be a hindrance to learning for a beginner.
====

[Tactical Jackalope]

Double Naught Spy. I couldn't agree more with how you've helped my point.

[FAS1]

Are mounted flashlights and laser sights worth it for home defense? I'll probably get a handgun first for home defense and wondered if some accessories were worthwhile.

I was curious about what percentage of people use a weapons mounted light for home defense so I looked at the last 3 years of my sales that are directly related. Three years ago it was 28%. Today it is 33%. A small increase as it steadily grows each year.

I still use a handheld flashlight as my HD gun is a Gen2 G17 which doesn't have a rail. My home has lots of windows and at night I can see pretty well in the dark (to my advantage).

[papershotshells]

I prefer a weapon mounted light, used IN CONJUNCTION with a handheld SureFire flashlight. The SureFire is useful for searching, etc, and can be used to keep the bad guys focus AWAY from your weapon. The weapon mounted light can be used in the event of a loss/failure of the handheld light and for positive target ID "in the moment".

I have not used a laser yet, but I plan to try them soon and will probably outfit the missus's gun with one and possibly my own.

Papershotshells