Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns what weapon light on pistol for Home Defense

to laser or not? which light?

how many lumens?

Lumens will depend on how big your house is, and whether you want to use it outside. One thing about high-intensity lights indoors, in a house with white walls, is that the reflection can dazzle you particularly if your eyes haven't adjusted to light when you activate the weapon-light. More lumens is not always better.

I've got a Streamlight TRL-1 on my night-stand gun and I like it because it's bright, light and inexpensive. I can also reach the rocker switch more easily than the switch on other brands of lights.

It's worth a trip to a well stocked store to be able to try out multiple lights on guns similar to your own, as each gun/light combination can have a different "switch reach" for lack of a better term. I like to have the switch where I can operate it with either my weak-hand thumb when grasping the gun with both hands, or with my right index finger when holding the gun with one hand. The placement of the rail on your pistol, and the length of the light itself, both influence how far of a reach you will have to the activation switch.

Ive read many opinions on blinding yourself with too many lumens indoors...some agree, some say if xommon sense is used, it rarely happens that easily...thanks for the info

Lumens can include beam pattern and spill, if a higher lumen light has more spill, it moght light up more without sweeping the muzzle and also,miggt makenit harder for someone to aim at you with that much intenisty in their retina

I have the TRL-1 on my Glock, don't have any problems with it inside. Bright and works well outside too.

Another vote for the TLR-1. I keep one attached to my nightstand glock all the time.

TLR-1. Go to u tube and do a search, they compared 4 different brands. It wasn't even close.

Thanks



Looking at that and surefire x300 ultra

I have the Surefire X300 on two of my Springfield 1911-A1 .45s. The light is amazingly bright, 500 Lumins, with great range. This is my dedicated home defense weapon, and the pistol that is always in my tent, or under my tarp, when camping.

Mannlicher

Pm,sent

my second Springfield 1911-A1, also with a X-300 light, and a friend.

Another vote for a TLR-1

I used the TLR-1 for a while and it is probably the most popular among friends, hard to beat for price and durability. I am quickly gaining preference for the inforce products.

Something in the 200-300 range will be plenty of light inside. I do run the 600 lumen TLR HD on a patrol rifle and like the extra reach but it can be a bit much indoors. I would rather have a bit to much light on occassion than not have enough for my needs.

For things that go bump in the night inside a home the TLR1 is hard to beat. I have 2 of them and 1 of the x300's

SAKO75, When you stated "home defense",I presume you meant your own home.Under that premise,I prefer tritium sights.I know my home and can get a clear sight picture without giving away my position and the element of surprise! To put it plainly,I want the fist and last light an intruder to see is a muzzle flash! I still have a "tactical" type light which can be put to use if needed, holding it away from my body while keeping my handgun in an offensive position. memtb

For pistol distances a TLR1 is plenty bright. I have several of them on different guns.

IME weapon mounted lights are really better for AFTER you've found a bad guy than for while you're looking for him. And after you've found him, there's no harm in lighting him up like the field of dreams. So for how I use one, I don't worry about it being too bright.

no one wants the laser it seems!

http://www.viridiangreenlaser.com/

I like these and have two. They can do green laser only, pulsating laser (saves battery), very bright white light with laser, very bright white light with no laser, etc.

They also make a holster that turns the laser/light on when drawn.

Good customer service, too.

im thinking of the viridian for my ccw shield....

I think you would like it. If disabling white light is something you are interested in, the Viridian is quite bright and also has a strobe that can be programmed into their lights. I've seen what that is like. An intruder or other target can't see the person who is directing it at them and is very disorienting on the receiving end. Pretty neat but if a person is subject to seizures, it can cause them.