Who has actually used the "Tactical" aspect of their torch?

hogx1

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Joined
Feb 18, 2005
Messages
131
So how many people actually have had to use their light in a "Tactical" manner? I am using "tactical" in a self-defense type of way.

I know that one of the selling features of these lights is that they can be momentarily blinding and or bludgeoning someone. Neither of which I have got the opportunity to do... er I mean had the need to do. I can only see three ways it could be used as self-defense.

Temporarily blind someone
Hold in your hand to give your punch some extra oomph
Swing on the lanyard like a mace

We all trust these lights to help us out in a bad situation but would they really give us much of an edge?
 

Blazer

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Joined
Dec 10, 2005
Messages
338
Location
Ontario, Canada
Many times on traffic stops I'll pop (defined as momentary flash of the light) the passenger in the eyes (I'm always on night shifts and always approach on the passenger side) just so I have a second or two to check their hands and immediate area without them knowing where I am or what I'm doing while my partner deals with the driver.
I use one of the following for this purpose:
SL 20-X LED
SL Stinger XT
SL Strion
Pelican M6 LED
Mag Charger or
Mag 3D
depending on what is available in the car and at beginning of shift.
 

Fringe

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Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
996
Not that this was a life or death situation, but my friend was dealing with one of his drunk "friends" a few months ago and the "friend" got really upset and began to challenge my friend to a fight. The guy would not back down he wanted to fight so badly, so as he was approaching my friend pushing and whatnot, my buddy pulled out his Mclux III PD and blasted him in the eyes with it at full power. This made the "friend" recoil each time and kept him at bay. I thought it was a great story.
 

webley445

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 16, 2001
Messages
1,353
Location
St. Pete, Fl.
Never "whacked" a person, but many times while patrolling and finding suspicious activity, have lit them up to the point that they immediately leave or at least try to make out like they weren't up to anything at all.
 

Coop

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
2,199
Location
Tilburg, the Netherlands (perfectly reachable by U
A few years back I had a job as a security guard at a shelter for refugees. When doing my rounds during a nightshift I came across 2 men fighting. I tried to calm them down, but they did not speak dutch/english/french or german so I couldn't really communicate with them...
When one of them pulled out a razor (the old folding type) I felt it was time to take action. I decided not to wait for my backup and whacked razorguy over the head with my magcharger. He went down immediately. The other guy was pretty quick to grab the dropped razor and jumped at me. He was too close for me to swing the mag at him, so I jabbed him in the throat with the mags tailcap. Not hard but just enough to have him grasp for air. Worked him to the ground before he could recover and cuffed him with a heavy duty zip-tie. While I was doing that my colleagues arrived, they were just in time to cuff the other one who was starting to wake up from his mag induced nap and hand the 2 individuals over to our friends from the local police.

not really tactical... but the maglite saved my ***.
 

Safety1st

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Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
273
Location
Yorkshire, England
Very much like our member Blazer, I use my flashlight regularly during traffic stops at night...

As I approach the vehicle, i'll use it to illuminate the interior allowing me to view the numbers of occupants and what they're doing...

then switch it momentarily off....

They always expect me to go to the driver's window...and BOOM...i'm there at the passenger one..

Always makes 'em jump...and keep 'em one step behind me....!..
 

Greens_Rules

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
12
i used the Tactical part of one of my lights. Hit the back switch as i was looking at the light end. Was blind for about 30 seconds.

Rob
 

Fringe

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Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
996
Good story Maycooper. Glad no one was hurt, especially you.
 

Flakey

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Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Messages
425
Not sure how "tactical" this is but ahh hell, i was night hiking the other night, (my new hobby) i looked up the path a little bit and there was a pretty good sized coyote. i had my c3 (beamshaped) on to light up my path but i had the mag74 in my other hand. i made some "shoo" "get outta here" noises and i think he thought that was pretty funny cause he started walking towords me. i really didnt need that kind of friend at the moment so i gave him a shot of mag74 in the eyes. he let out a yelp and ran off, i had to giggle a little bit, how silly animals can be. then again if someone 4 times my size lit me up with a light so bright that i could feel the heat on my face ..... i'd probably let out a yelp and run away as well lol!
 

Mike Painter

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
1,863
I had a friend who did just the opposite. He had his spotlight on a guy who was running away. It was down a steep embankment and he was not going to chase him.
After a few seconds he turned the light off.
It's hard to run in the dark.
The guy said that if my friend left the light on he would walk to the patrol car.
 

Colonial Marine

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Joined
Nov 23, 2005
Messages
19
Location
London
Apart from using my M6 and 6p regularly on night shifts searching for disturbed burglary suspects, I also use it as previously mentioned when doing drug searches as a momentary flash to give me time to assess for any weapons or threats.

When I used to have my ASP triad light, I once used it to blind a guy who was stealing alloy rims off a car one night.

I snuck up on him and challenged him, he was a big fella and squared up to me when he saw he was cornered. This earned him a flash in the eyes and before his eyes readjusted he was in rigid handcuffs.
 
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