We started some low light shooting in the Defensive Handgun League and I thought I'd start a thread on tactical lights.

I'm a big fan of them, but can't even claim to be a flashlight prince, let alone the King of Tactical Lights. I do know a Tact light prince and asked him in passing what his favorite light was. He produced three Surefire lights, said he always carrys two, and discussed the merits of each.

I ended up buying a Surefire Aviator from the Prince of tactical lights ( he is not a LEO or a Surefire dealer). He sold it because it has red LEDs and he prefers the blue LED. These LEDs are great since they let you see things without destroying your night vision. I'm told pilots use them to check maps, etc in the dark cockpit, so they are Aviator lights. List price is $185.

I just got a Surefire E2D Executive Defender with the ridging on both ends for last ditch defense. It has a handy pocket clip and is standard issue for the Secret Service. It has all the standard Surefire features like lockout to assure it doesn't come on by accident and is really built to last. List is $105.

My first purchase was the Streamlight Scorpion which is rubberized and has a taillight on/off switch. At $40 list it is not as well built as their other lights but its serviceable.

When friends and neighbors talk with me about personal security I start them on discusions about the Colonel's color codes of awareness and move onto a tact light and pepper spray. Depending on who it is, handgun carry generally comes next for me. I discourage knife carry, I know nothing about them and couldn't think I or most untrained people could use them effectively under stress.

Streichers has a good display of tact lights and will let you play with them to find the best one for you. Wholesale Hunter and other Internet sites often have good sale prices. What do you folks carry and recommend?

There are a number of aluminum-bodied Xenon and LED bulbs currently at Sam's for ridiculously low prices. My perusal of flashlight forums suggests that they are actually quite good.

I have a couple of $35 Surefire Nitrolon G2s, and recommend them. They aren't as fancy as Surefire's metal flashlights, but they're just as bright, tough and reliable.

I have the same cheap Surefire light and really like it. It goes in my jacket pocket all the time and comes in handy (not unlike the folding knife I have) for lots of unexpected, non-defensive, little problems like dropped car keys or temporarily blinding coworkers...

Dirk

Everyone I noticed using lights at the shoot on Wednesday held a flashlight in one hand and their gun in the other. Seems pretty ackward. Is that the preferred method? Are gun-mounted lights adviseable/allowable?

BTW - I had a great time Wednesday - can't wait for next time!!

TomK
Mpls, MN

I've trained with both techniques. The tactical rail lights are really easy to use. The trouble I had was that my M3 light is either momentary, requiring a spare finger to operate (which I never seem to manage), or constantly on which is no good if you're trying to be 'tactical'. Recoil management is super easy, though.

The Harries technique, while hard on my flabby shoulder and back muscles, allows me to aim and operate the light with very little fiddling, but recoil is managed only with isometric pressure between the backs of both hands. The M3, while upping my cool factor, is still hard for me to turn on and turn off quickly while shooting. Plus, I don't have a holster which accommodates it.

There's another technique, I can't remember the name, which involved holding the light like a cigar in the non-firing side hand which allows a nearly normal two handed grip (good for recoil management) and still offers instantaneous light control. Your light needs to have a ridge or ring on it, though, otherwise it's possible to squirt it out between your fingers if you're not careful.

Dirk

After the shoot last Wednesday, one of Bill's people, was discussing the use of the lights. Tactical lights are often referred to as "shoot me lights". I've heard that term for the last few years. The guy at the range suggested holding the light in your weak hand, above your shoulder and aimed at the target. That makes a lot of sense because were someone to shoot AT the light, it would probably miss any vital organs or COM. I suppose there are several techniques one could use and I don't know the name of any of them, but, I DO shy away from the tactical rail lights.

Well, putting on my evil hat for the moment, if I were a BG tip-toeing through a house and I saw a light bobbing around, I probably would put two or three rounds at the light.

Having the light right above your shoulder would put it 8 inches from your head and I would rather not get shot there!

I think lights are overkill for home defense, at least in my house. There's enough ambient light from the street, along with my inherent familiarity that using a light seems like it would be a "shoot me" (as noted above) and giving away the big tactical advantage I DO have, which is my familiarity with the place in the dark.

Away from home it seems like another thing to haul around with marginal utility. And it's not no utility (hey, I own a jillion flashlights, too), but not enough utility to warrant carrying one everywhere. If it's dark enough I need a flashlight, I don't need to go there.

I suppose I'll regret this, and get trapped in an underground parking garage without power.

I have a Surefire E2 Executive.

I have carried it in my pocket daily for probably four or more years and I use it almost daily. Other than replacing batteries when needed, I have only replaced the bulb one time.

The light is so bright from this little flashlight; I think that in a very dark environment, you could quite possibly (temporally) blind an attacker. Using the button on the bottom, you only need to “turn it on” for a second or two, to see a large area of threat.

I use a surefire e2e,and have trained a bit with it.I prefer the Harries method [hands back to back] the cigar method worries me because of the squeezing motion to activate the light.It seems easy to get a sympathetic muscle squeeze of the trigger finger and get a bang when you meant to get light especially under stress. I am not a fan of gun lights because of the whole point a gun at something I have not identified,I want to be able to keep the handgun at low ready while I use the light if needed.
I encourage everyone to shoot in the dark with a flashlight for practice,it is a whole different experience.

The tactical style flashlights, my opinion, are best used to temporarily blind an attacker, which they do extremely well, so that you may move to cover or better yet turn tail and make distance your friend if possible. If it helps me avoid a lethal confrontation, I'm all for it. Yes, your flashlight can pinpoint your location, but at the same time you shouldn't be shooting at something that you cannot identify. It's a double edged sword but I still want one in my bag of tricks.

Final Option does some great lowlight force on force training with Simunitions and flashlights. I'm sure IDPA Shooter will vouch for that. That type of training is an eye opener if you've never had the chance.

I particularily like the Surefire G2 Nitrolons. I have about 9 of the things stashed around the house and both cars. While I have the Surefire forend on my shotgun for home defense I don't have them on any handguns. They have been known to make some handguns malfunction. Its better now, though. Glock had many problems. They had to change magazine follower designs to a high point follower to solve the problems. If you have a tactical light on a personal defense handgun you definately need to know if your gun works with the light installed. This is from personal experience and also what the local Glock rep told me.

I agree with Keith and the BlackHawk! Night-Ops GLADIUS Illumination Tools is the ultimate if you have the $235 plus tax. The Flashlight Prince ordered this computer controlled light that functions as a strobe in one of its several computer controlled modes on first sight. This is a truly awesome tool that will blind anyone.

I'm an empty nester with an understanding wife but over two hundred for a flashlight? I'm afraid that dear wife of 33 years might put this light where the sun does not shine and leave it in strobe mode! But it is useful the same way Les Bauer is useful to me, see this gun costs a $1,500 more than the one I just bought.

I have a gun mounted light for grins but I just can't get over pointing a gun at someone or something that I'm not willing to destroy. Isn't there a rule about that?

You're probably thinking of the Rogers-Surefire technique. It works well but only with the right type of light - flats on two sides, rubber ring for compression, and tailcap that can be activated with your palm.

It was a Surefire Christmas around here. From the NRA catalog I bought 6P's for my son and my father-in-law and then treated myself to a C2.