which flashlight do you use with your gun?

[blinder switch]

I use SF 9P,s with SureFire P60L's for my assault rifles. For various handguns, I use a few other SureFires in rotation. Here is a pic.

 

[Icebreak]

I may extend it to overdrive a P91. Right now it has a Malkoff.

It works well with this.

These two work well together.

For this purpose I like the Z3 much better though.

 

[CLHC]

Can't top you fellas, but here's my version of a "weapon" light:

Ran out of them "100 MPH Duct Tape," so the Scotch Tape will have to do for now.

 

[Tachikoma]

I take advantage of this thread to ask 1 question to you gun experts:
yesterday Italian customs have resent a package to dealextreme because it contained "weapon parts" ($4 scope mounts for airsoft replicas);
since I'll be getting a real Glock 17 in the next months I wanted to buy a SureFire X300, the problem is that in Italy it sells for €300
Now, considering that on eBay I've fount it for €160 including shipping, do you believe it will be blocked at customs as a weapon part or they'll let it pass if the seller writes "flashlight" on description?

 

[blinder switch]

I take advantage of this thread to ask 1 question to you gun experts:
yesterday Italian customs have resent a package to dealextreme because it contained "weapon parts" ($4 scope mounts for airsoft replicas);
since I'll be getting a real Glock 17 in the next months I wanted to buy a SureFire X300, the problem is that in Italy it sells for €300
Now, considering that on eBay I've fount it for €160 including shipping, do you believe it will be blocked at customs as a weapon part or they'll let it pass if the seller writes "flashlight" on description?

Tachikoma-

Hello from Florida, USA first of all. I am U.S. Army veteran and while I was in a combat arms MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and fired and used calibers of weapons and Tanks from .22 caliber to 120mm, and all kinds of weapons in between that range, I still do not think I am an expert. But I have been firing large caliber weapons for 35 plus years. I even own several handguns, large caliber rifles, assault rifles, etc.

It might work, since it is a flashlight, but I do not know your what your Country would do, so It might or might not work IMO.

I do hope that you can get it, just please be legal and careful in doing so, otherwise it could end up being the worst mistake of your life.

Regards and good luck,

blinder switch

 

[Tachikoma]

So you're suggesting me to pay double the price to buy it in Italy?

 

[blinder switch]

I misread your post.

No way do I think that you should have to pay double.

 

[Brigadier]

Tachikoma,

Save your money and buy a nice hand held tactical light like a Novatac 120T for use with your Glock. Unless you are LEO or military, I think a handgun mounted light is a mixed bag at best. Here's why:

You hear something go bump in the night. You grab your Glock with the flashlight attached to go investigate. You are approaching the source of the noise and shine your light on it to identify it. It is a Police officer that was investigating a burglary call. Now you have just pointed a loaded gun at a cop. Big mistake. A good way to get yourself killed.

Get a NovaTac and practice the Harries or Thorpe handgun/flashlight technique.

 

[RWT1405]

I have to agree with Brigadier on this one. A Novatac 120T or a SF 6P (or Z2, etc.) with a Malkoff M60 (my choice) as a Tactical light with your handgun. I own several handguns capable of mounting a light & none shall ever see a light mounted (at least as long as I own them).

The only weapons (unless LEO, Military, etc.) that I will put lights on are long guns, and then I will always have a handheld light available. As Brigadier says the last thing you want to do is be holding a weapon (loaded or not, they won't know) pointed at a LEO, in order to use it's light. Now THAT is bad juju. FWIW my 0.02

 

[Tao]

You saw mine above with the TK10, and here is what it looks like just before I eradicate yet another flesh eating Ginger-Zombie.

 

[Brownstone]

You hear something go bump in the night. You grab your Glock with the flashlight attached to go investigate. You are approaching the source of the noise and shine your light on it to identify it. It is a Police officer that was investigating a burglary call. Now you have just pointed a loaded gun at a cop. Big mistake. A good way to get yourself killed.

This doesn't make any sense to me. By this logic the cop shouldn't have a light mounted on his handgun either.

Scenario: You are a police officer dispatched to investigate a burglary call. The homeowner, armed with a rifle, is also investigating the noise he heard on his property. You, the police officer, only have a handgun mounted flashlight. Seeing a person in the shadows, you shine your light on that person to identify them. Big mistake. You have just pointed your firearm at the rifle-armed homeowner, forcing him to make the instantaneous decision to shoot you or not. Further, your light has diminished his ability to distinguish your uniform, lessening his chances of identifying you as an officer.

:thinking:

 

[BIGIRON]

I've never felt the need for a handgun mounted light and feel there are more negatives about them than positives but in the true spirit of CPF you should have both.

 

[Brigadier]

This doesn't make any sense to me. By this logic the cop shouldn't have a light mounted on his handgun either.

Scenario: You are a police officer dispatched to investigate a burglary call. The homeowner, armed with a rifle, is also investigating the noise he heard on his property. You, the police officer, only have a handgun mounted flashlight. Seeing a person in the shadows, you shine your light on that person to identify them. Big mistake. You have just pointed your firearm at the rifle-armed homeowner, forcing him to make the instantaneous decision to shoot you or not. Further, your light has diminished his ability to distinguish your uniform, lessening his chances of identifying you as an officer.

:thinking:

First of all, the only LEO's that usually search with a weapon mounted light are SWAT teams, and there are a number of members[not just one cop], and they announce themselves.

Second, the rules for LEO and citizen are different.

Third, as an armed citizen, you are required, and responsible, to identify your target BEFORE you shoot. Same goes for LEO, but they have more leeway.

 

[Brownstone]

First of all, the only LEO's that usually search with a weapon mounted light are SWAT teams, and there are a number of members[not just one cop], and they announce themselves.

Well, the SWAT team scenario is different from the message I was responding to. That message concerned a homeowner, an officer, and an implied intruder. You are saying therefore that my scenario is moot, that there would never be a situation where an individual officer would be using a handgun mounted light.
​

"Third, as an armed citizen, you are required, and responsible, to identify your target BEFORE you shoot."

This is patently untrue.

Basically, the legal standard in Colorado that a homeowner is expected to meet before using lethal force is to have a "reasonable belief in the immanent use of physical force by the other person". There is no legal requirement that the target be identified, and having the target shine a light in the homeowner's eyes only reduces the chances of identification.

That standard may, of course, be different in other jurisdictions.
​

Technically, this whole handgun-mounted flashlight discussion isn't one that I should be personally very interested in, as I use a rifle-mounted flashlight to investigate bumps in the night. Handgun-mounted lights just aren't that attractive to me.

:shrug:

 

[lronchef]

I keep my Streamlight TLR-1 on the M&P9 for when it's needed, otherwise, I have my P3D to strobe any badguys if I can grab it AND the gun in a timely manner. First choice is to use the P3D for spotting/strobing and the TLR-1 is backup for when I need two hands.

The wife in the mean time picks up the M91/30 with Bayonet attached and the UK headlamp..if she attacks she is to yell "FOR MOTHER RUSSIA!!!"

There is no legal requirement that the target be identified, and having the target shine a light in the homeowner's eyes only reduces the chances of identification.
​

True in California too... What really matters is what the Jury will think...Were you firing indiscriminately through a door or through concealment (a wall) behind which you enjoyed relative safety from immediate bodily injury or death? If there were multiple assailants in your home, then yes, blast away..smartly.

But no, there is no legality in identifying your target..that's more of a gun safety rule..that should ALWAYS apply anyway.

 

[lronchef]

sorry for the double post..can't figure out how to delete this one..

 

[Brigadier]

This is patently untrue.

Basically, the legal standard in Colorado that a homeowner is expected to meet before using lethal force is to have a "reasonable belief in the immanent use of physical force by the other person". There is no legal requirement that the target be identified, and having the target shine a light in the homeowner's eyes only reduces the chances of identification.

That standard may, of course, be different in other jurisdictions.
​

I also said the gun owner was responsible to identify the target. That's part of the responsibility that goes along with the right of gun ownership.