Who carries a weapon light on their edc?

[Jimmy_Chimichanga]

You would rather have to operate your pistol with one hand, and your flashlight with the other?

I would rather not have to draw my pistol to see in the dark.

Maybe you draw down people on a regular basis, I never had to.

[ShaulWolf]

I would rather not have to draw my pistol to see in the dark.

Maybe you draw down people on a regular basis, I never had to.

That's stupid, and not what the weapon light is for.

Your handheld is your primary light for administrative purposes. The weapon light comes into play when you need to use a light and firearm at the same time, ie when the use of lethal force becomes likely. Or, in other words, when it's dark and you have your gun out.

It's easier and more effective using two hands to grip your gun than it is to use one hand. A weapon light lets you use two hands, while maintaining illumination on a threat or potential threat. Once the area is secure and you reholster, you use your handheld again.

No one ever said a weapon light replaces your handheld. That's just dumb and a good way to hurt someone you don't intend to.

[KCJones]

That's stupid, and not what the weapon light is for.

Your handheld is your primary light for administrative purposes. The weapon light comes into play when you need to use a light and firearm at the same time, ie when the use of lethal force becomes likely. Or, in other words, when it's dark and you have your gun out.

It's easier and more effective using two hands to grip your gun than it is to use one hand. A weapon light lets you use two hands, while maintaining illumination on a threat or potential threat. Once the area is secure and you reholster, you use your handheld again.

No one ever said a weapon light replaces your handheld. That's just dumb and a good way to hurt someone you don't intend to.

And yet we continue to ignore the "hey bad guy, here's a light so you have a target to shoot at in the dark" factor.

I'd sure rather have some perp shooting at a light held in my hand a few feet out to my side than the light on my gun that I'm holding up right in line with my face.

[ShaulWolf]

Actually, the "here's a light" thing is more like a "wall of white light that you can't see past" thing. I've seen, done, and had this done to me in force-on-force scenarios. It sucks being on the receiving end.

Any light with enough lumens and candela will blind someone to the point that they won't be able to see. If they have a gun, then they'll be shooting (effectively) blind. Furthermore, it took less time to get a shot off using a weapon light than it did shooting one-handed with a handheld in my support hand. Recoil management was better, since I could use two hands, so additional shots were faster and much more accurate than using one hand. It was also a huge help in being able to maintain accuracy while moving, and keeping my target illuminated.

Try it yourself instead of regurgitating old theories.

[KCJones]

Actually, the "here's a light" thing is more like a "wall of white light that you can't see past" thing. I've seen, done, and had this done to me in force-on-force scenarios. It sucks being on the receiving end.

Any light with enough lumens and candela will blind someone to the point that they won't be able to see. If they have a gun, then they'll be shooting (effectively) blind. Furthermore, it took less time to get a shot off using a weapon light than it did shooting one-handed with a handheld in my support hand. Recoil management was better, since I could use two hands, so additional shots were faster and much more accurate than using one hand. It was also a huge help in being able to maintain accuracy while moving, and keeping my target illuminated.

Try it yourself instead of regurgitating old theories.

I'd be curious to hear details of your "force-on-force" scenarios where you've experienced it.

I've experienced it several times myself. Twice with a LEO holding a light on me outdoors (at my place of business, working late, the neighbors - and I thank them - calling it in), once with my father not knowing I was coming home to visit, also outdoors, once with my wife not knowing I was home early from a business trip, indoors. I could always easily tell the point of origin of the light, even if I couldn't 'see' the target. But I could sure as hell see where the light was, it was no 'wall of light'. From old-school maglight to LED flashlight, had I been a 'bad dude' the "shoot right about here" spot was pretty obvious to me. If I'd been a shooter with a 15-round 9mm in my hand and blew ~half the mag in the vicinity of the light origin, I'm guessing the person holding the light woulda been pretty damned unhappy.

So regurgitation or not, I still think stealth is better than "hey, shoot right here this way".

[ShaulWolf]

Marines and LEO. Didn't matter if it was on blue guns, airsoft, or sim rounds, effect was all the same unless you had a weak light or were outside the effective throw distance. If the light was in the other person's face it was blinding; if it wasn't in their face, then they might see, or might be blind if the flood was bright enough.

You're still ignoring that it's faster to shoot with both hands on the gun than only one.

The "stealth approach" doesn't matter much in a self defense scenario. The threat is already targeting you. If you're in a home defense situation, then you should have the light on until you have to ID the threat.

[Ranger P229]

My firearms instructor in academy on the flashlight technique of holding your arm out to your side- "And the bad guy is supposed to believe I'm a six foot cop way over there? Yeah...."

you shoot better supporting your strong hand with your support. Whether that's with both hands on your gun with a light mounted on it, or any of the methods to provide some level of support to your strong hand with your support while holding a light in your support.

[Jimmy_Chimichanga]

Actually, the "here's a light" thing is more like a "wall of white light that you can't see past" thing.

lol wouldn't you want a high CRI light so you can identify what you're looking at rather than blinding white light washing out all detail?

[Ranger P229]

lol keep talking home defense in an edc thread

You don't have your EDC on you in your home?

[Jimmy_Chimichanga]

You don't have your EDC on you in your home?

not sure if you're serious, but no I don't walk around my house holstered.

my home is three floors, I have easy access to firearms on every level.

maybe if I was poor, had 1 gun, & lived in a 2 bedroom apartment... you were joking, right?