Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns To add a light..

That's an interesting solution. Looks rather bulky, but it's kinda neat...on someone else's gun.

Weapon mounted lights are a very specific tool. They are a CQB room clearing tool and that's about it. They should never be used for searching or looking over areas where a threat has not been determined.

If I were on a SWAT team, I'd most certainly have one. For home defense, I don't want one because I want to search with my light while holding my pistol in a safe direction; I have kids and dogs in the house. Both of which can at times make random noises in the middle of the night. I don't want to EVER point a gun at one of my family.

So normal flashlight used in the normal way with the gun pointed safely away. Once a threat is identified, then handgun and light come into alignment.

For concealed carry, again you'll be using the flashlight very independently of the pistol.

I just think for 99% of civilian use the weapon light is more liability than asset.

I wouldn't want that on a carry gun, but for a nightstand gun it looks pretty good.

I had my gunsmith mount a rail on both of my Springfield 1911-A1 pistols. Surefire X300 lights on both.
They don't fit into holsters with the lights mounted, but will fit into a Blackhawk Kydex holster if you slip the light off.
Frankly, I don't holster these any more. They are dedicated home defense/camping defense pistols now.
As soon as I get the Docter reflex sight mounted, it will be, in my ever so humble opinion, just perfect.
oh, and I have zero problem illuminating a bump in the night, while pointing the 1911 at what is causing me angst.

Sam, is that a Dawson Rail? You used to be able to send your 1911 frame to them for installation but I didn't see it on their website.

Thanks for the discussion guys, I appreciate your experience. This is a 38 Super, and I won't be replacing it with one with a rail.

Mannlicher,
exactly how did your gunsmith attach the rail? Has it been used and does it come loose?

Novak can add rails to the dust cover too FB. And holsters are more abundant than some would leave to believe. As far as "searching" with a weapon mounted light. The method we are taught is to keep the muzzle pointed at the floor and use the "halo" of the light to illuminate. I typically also utilize a hand held light combined with my weapon light if I need to get a brighter picture of a certain area

Can you clarify your thoughts on this a little? In my mind a civilian (anyone in plain clothes/off duty) is far less likely to be actively searching for a bad guy and more likely need to confirm a threat. I will always preach carrying a handheld light in addition to a weapon mounted but dont see how a weapon light can ever be a liability.

I dont fall back on the concept of the light illuminating me as a target. In my observations and experience it would be extremely rare for a bad guy to shoot well enough from any distance to center punch you based on where your light was. If the bad guy has that ability to that, where you are holding the light will probably not have a lot of effect on the outcome of the fight.

it is a Dawson rail. My gunsmith attached it.

Fireball, he drilled and tapped the pistol for the three attaching screws. Looks like he used epoxy as well. It has withstood hundreds of rounds, and is at tight as a tick.

Addressing the issue of the weapon light making YOU the target, it has been my experience that the X300 in the face kinda blinds folks.

I agree, just like Varmint said above, and thanks for the info Sam.

That's been my thinking, too, i.e., that a high intensity light to the face would be very disorienting. It's hard to look directly at it, let alone aim a gun at it.

As for it being a liability, my practice is to keep the trigger finger outside the trigger guard while working the light in search mode.

I'm lukewarm on the light on the handgun, for the reason ET gave.

There's so many variables that can affect this issue, that you have to keep in mind. Cops have to go catch azzhats in buildings; Hopefully they brought friends and a dog when they have to go on offense.

An armed citizen most likely will be investigating a noise. In those cases things are extremely fluid. You point the light the wrong direction and turn it on, and you're silhouetted and an easy target. Point it a different direction two seconds later and the bad guy is blinded, throws down his gun/knife and gives up. And what you can do depends on state laws, too, and the exact situation.

Besides that, if you have the rail empty on the pistol, you can mount all sorts of cool things, like a bayonet, a flare gun, or a mini-crossbow...

Most people should be used to walking around their houses in the dark without the aid of any light. Plus, they know where all the light switches are so they can do things like illuminate the halls and stairways. It is really one of the last places where one should need a weapon mounted light. I don�t leave a light affixed to any of the 3 handguns I use for defense purposes. I have a light I can mount to the rail of 2, but I don�t leave it attached. I don�t like bulking up, adding weight and cluttering guns. By the way, I do not leave the house without a good flashlight, and I use it all the time, even while the sun is shining. Also, while I do not have guns placed all over my house, I have a fair amount of flashlights within relatively easy reach at all times.

I have been toying with the idea of getting a combo light/laser, but am also torn. I can see the benefit of having a blinding light being in the face of the intruder, however you need to know where the intruders eyes are, and if it is one alone, etc.
On the other hand I know that the familiar plants, furniture and corners we know so well in our house may appear to move places when in a high stress level situation.
I am more in line of thought of using the gun to clear my way into securing wife and kids in a safe place, (most likely my bedroom) and calling the cops.
I like tex n cal's idea of a mini crossbow to avoid waking up the neighbors

NOT having a light on a nightstand gun is beyond stupid. A guy in GA last week shot a guy in his backyard that was moving toward him in the dark. That "guy" was an elderly man with alzheimer's, lost and looking for help. A light, and a little common sense, would have made for a much happier ending for all concerned.

I've got a Galco holster for my railgun. It is very tight though.

I'm not an expert, but totally agree. I'm an NRA Instructor & pick up some extra income teaching private security officers how to shoot. Lights just seem like a liability to me. I have either night sights or lasers on most of my defensive handguns. While lights on handguns are cool they make for excellent targets.

That tragedy could have been prevented without a weapon mounted light. I lots of illumination options, none of which is mounted to my weapon.

ok, how about this? Folks that like a light can use one on their HD pistol. Those that don't, have the option to NOT use on theirs.
Now we can move past casting aspersions, and making 'light' about the choices of others.