Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
We’ve all heard this before, and I think it’s completely garbage. Modern lights are plenty bright enough to identify someone from across a room, or down the hall without ever pointing your pistol at them. I busted out the camera, and kicked on some servers over at YouTube to show just this.
I attempted to use a Streamlight TLR-2 weapon mounted light so that you could see the laser as well as the light so you would know exactly where the “muzzle” was pointing. Unfortunately, the laser got a little washed out in the video because the light is so bright. What we see here is that modern LED weapon mounted lights are plenty bright enough to identify someone in your home, without ever muzzling them. Certainly there are other arguments for and against WML’s, but I wanted to bust this particular myth.
As mentioned, huge thanks to my friends over at Carolina Gunrunners in North Raleigh for their help with this.
I Someone Is In Your House At Night, Why Are You Worried About Pointing A Gun At Him?. I Have A Hand held Light That I Hold In My Support Hand But My Gun Hand Is Pointing Where The Light BeaM is.
And That Will Be Shining Ditectly At The Intruder…
I tend to agree, especially since I don’t have kids in the house, if you aren’t in bed next to me, you don’t belong here.
I think the argument stems from armchair internet commandos who get hung up on the “be sure of your target” rule. Its a valid rule, but modern lights make the argument invalid.
This is just a matter of trigger discipline and clear thought. If i need to draw my weapon and point the light to ID them, it’s because that person is in a place they shouldn’t be or placed me in a situation that makes me fear for my life. Those would be the two main reasons I would draw my weapon. Further, the light would give me time to ID them, and a split second more to consider the action.
Umm… no reason not to have TWO lights available either. One on the gun, one in the other hand…
Of course! I’m a huge proponent of carrying an EDC light. Got mine in my pocket now!