pistols with lights

[Shawn.L]

anyone carry a pistol with a light?

I have been thinking about it, and while I never got into it before i think I may.

My thinking:
Chances are I will never need my psitol for SD (lets hope), within that structure of rarity there is an ever rarer subset where i will need a pistol with a light.

I carry a light all the time anyway, but manipulating a light in one hand and a pistol in another in a another skill to practice and subsrandard to a pistol with a light.

The forward weight will keep down muzzle flip.

so it seems the light brings very little reasonable practicle use, BUT there are really no drawbacks. I'm not worryed about the weight at all or size.

thoughts ?

[Stuartsab]

I've thought about it cause the tati-cool rail on the bottom of my FiveseveN looks lonely. The biggest con to a light attached is that you have to have a specific holster to accommodate it and you kind of give away your position to a BG. Now since I have good night vision it's not really an issue for me just the tati-cool part =). I know I wasn't any help but I just thought drop my 1 cent

/pointless rant

[1911shooter]

The other caveot(spelling) is if you ever need it in the home dont forget whatever the light covers so does your muzzle, and if by chance that person is a family member, you just swept your muzzle on them, and pointed a loaded gun at them. Just a thought.

[Shawn.L]

The other caveot(spelling) is if you ever need it in the home dont forget whatever the light covers so does your muzzle, and if by chance that person is a family member, you just swept your muzzle on them, and pointed a loaded gun at them. Just a thought.

I understand that. I have no wanted a light before and this was many of the many reasons, not wanting to have to point a gun at something to see it.

but......

I carry a flashlight 24/7 anyway, so if i need a light without a gun I have that option. The gun mounted light would only then add to my options, and is easier to employ then the flashlight/gun techniques.

If I am using the different techniques I will be pointing them both in the same direction anyway.

but......

with high output lights with large fields there is no reason to have to point the gun directly at something to see it. You can light up a whole room from the low ready position.

[TonyF]

If I'm compelled to conduct a search for some reason then a weapon mounted light definitely has advantages.

Whether they have any practical utility if one is accosted on the street is debatable.

White light is primarily used for the purpose of identification. Since most "street encounters" occur at or just beyond contact distance, if a potential threat has made their intention known, then applying white light is really not indicated, especially if there is adequate ambient light (which is usually the case), and the pistol is outfitted with tritium sights. Regardless, in this type of scenario the firearm may not be the best, first option.

If one is threatened but the distance substantially exceeds "at or just beyond contact distance", a weapon mounted light may prove useful but in these circumstances, options other than resorting to deadly force may be available unless of course the threat begins to close. At that point it will likely become a "close contact distance" scenario and we're back to square one.

I use a weapon mounted light on my HD handgun and while I did purchase a CC holster to accommodate that pistol with a light mounted, I have since questioned its usefulness for street carry.

[340M&P]

I carry a G32 with a blackhawk xiphos light attached in a blackhawk serpa holster designed for the combo. I also have my surefire executive light in my pocket as well.
I've always wanted to try the mounted light thing, and am quite pleased with it. Concealment is not much of an issue with me, but if I want to carry it concealed, I do take off the light and go IWB.
Everything has it's pluses and drawbacks.

[Shawn.L]

If I'm compelled to conduct a search for some reason then a weapon mounted light definitely has advantages.

Whether they have any practical utility if one is accosted on the street is debatable.

White light is primarily used for the purpose of identification. Since most "street encounters" occur at or just beyond contact distance, if a potential threat has made their intention known, then applying white light is really not indicated, especially if there is adequate ambient light (which is usually the case), and the pistol is outfitted with tritium sights. Regardless, in this type of scenario the firearm may not be the best, first option.

If one is threatened but the distance substantially exceeds "at or just beyond contact distance", a weapon mounted light may prove useful but in these circumstances, options other than resorting to deadly force may be available unless of course the threat begins to close. At that point it will likely become a "close contact distance" scenario and we're back to square one.

I use a weapon mounted light on my HD handgun and while I did purchase a CC holster to accommodate that pistol with a light mounted, I have since questioned its usefulness for street carry.

thanks for the input Tony.

I think i have come to the conclusion that they are not likely to be useful, but could be in a very rare and specific circumstance. But since they carry no real deficit, it may be of little overall gain, but at no cost.

I also use my carry gun for HD, (when I get some rifle training I will re-evaluate that decision) and so having the light already mounted makes a lot of sense.

[PennsyPlinker]

I have a Streamlight on the rail of the home defense gun. I know the arguments about having to point the gun at whatever it is I want to illuminate, but truth be told, I don't have my finger on the trigger, I am almost always certain of the location of family members, and peripheral light from the light itself can be used close up to illuminate without pointing the muzzle at anything directly besides the floor. I also like the ability to have the light and gun pointing in the same direction and maintaining one hand free.

As far as carrying a gun with a light, I think it would cumbersome. It certainly does not make the gun any, uhhhh, lighter.

[Shawn.L]

I have a Streamlight on the rail of the home defense gun. I know the arguments about having to point the gun at whatever it is I want to illuminate, but truth be told, I don't have my finger on the trigger, I am almost always certain of the location of family members, and peripheral light from the light itself can be used close up to illuminate without pointing the muzzle at anything directly besides the floor. I also like the ability to have the light and gun pointing in the same direction and maintaining one hand free.

As far as carrying a gun with a light, I think it would cumbersome. It certainly does not make the gun any, uhhhh, lighter.

well I am uswed to carrying a govt. model 1911 and am switching to the lighter and smaller STI 2011 Tactical 4.15, so even with the light it wont be any bigger or heavier than what I am already used to.

and frankly I dont find 1911 carry to be cumbersome, I have a good belt and holster

as far as pointing, we had a power outage just the other day. My 80 lumen Surefire I carry lights up any room in my house fully pointed at the wall or floor. I wake up early (like 3AM) and usually put it on the 15 lumen stetting sitting pointed at a wall to get dressed and not wake my wife. The whole room is dimly lit like that.

So with modern high output lights its not nessisary to point right at anything to see it. Low ready 80 lumens lights up everything I can see. I think that argument is therefore invalid.

[TonyF]

I have a Streamlight on the rail of the home defense gun. I know the arguments about having to point the gun at whatever it is I want to illuminate, but truth be told, I don't have my finger on the trigger,

This is key.

If you have reason to present the weapon (legitimate bump in the night), you have made a reasonable assessment that there is a potential threat. At that point one's safety is in question and so long as we don't violate Rule #3, mitigating circumstances warrant the justification of utilizing the weapon mounted light as a general illumination tool.

peripheral light from the light itself can be used close up to illuminate without pointing the muzzle at anything directly besides the floor.

as far as pointing, we had a power outage just the other day. My 80 lumen Surefire I carry lights up any room in my house fully pointed at the wall or floor.

So with modern high output lights its not nessisary to point right at anything to see it. Low ready 80 lumens lights up everything I can see. I think that argument is therefore invalid.

True.

However, inside the home is one thing while a similar situation on the street is quite another. Having the weapon mounted light at low ready yet still directed toward a "potential" threat could be misinterpreted either purposely or out of ignorance by "friendly's" (or a threat's confederates) in proximity to the incident as your having pointed the weapon "at" someone. Taken at face value, that constitutes a felony, especially if it is deemed by responding LEO's or the D.A. that you were imprudent in presenting the weapon in the first place. As such I would still caution against the use of a weapon mounted light for street carry.