Seppo_Vesala
Newly Enlightened
Hi,
I´m looking for books that discuss flashlight techniques, and the use of flashlight in self defense and law enforcement applications. Considering the importance of the subject, there seems to be surprisingly few books around. So, I would appreciate any information about such books.
I have been looking for the books over the internet (mainly Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble), and have been able to find only three books that are dedicated to the subject (I´m including a brief description of each book for benefit of those who don´t have these books):
- Andy Stanford: Fight at night: A very good book (as you could expect form Stanford). It starts with "human factors" (explanation how the eye works, how it adapts to darkness and so on), then there is a chapter about various night vision equipment, and another about less exotic aiming devices. The fourht chapter discusses flashlights and spotlights. There is very good advise on selecting a flashlight, and Standford also gives some recommendations on what specific flashlight to buy. In the book, Stanford presents eight different handgun shooting techniques with flashlight. There is also chapters on "additional tools" (clothing, perimeter defense, edged weapons and so on), self defense with fashlight, low-light tactics, and training for low-light encounters. It is a very good book, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
- Tony L. Jones: The police officer´s guide to operating and surviving in low-light and no-light conditions: From the title, you get the impression that this book is all about operating in low-light conditions, but this is not the case. There is some thirty pages about night ops, but the majority of the book is filled with descriptions of various manufacturer´s flashlights, laser sights, night vision equipment and so on. That´s fine if you are buying a new thermal imaging system, but otherwise the majority of the book is of questionable value. The fact is emphasized with the fact that this product info becomes obsolete when time goes by, and this same info is available via internet. There is some good information about tactics however (like eleven shooting techniques), but very little that is not included in Stanford´s book.
- John G. Peters,Jr.: Defensive Tactics with Flashlights: This book is out of print, and therefore I heve not been able to acquire it, but it seems interesting… Anyone out there who knows this book?
In addition, it seems that in almost every book about handguns and self defense, there is a chapter or two about low-light operations. Some of the best I have seen are:
- Massad Ayoob: Stressfire: In the book, Ayoob presents his complete Stressfire combat system. There is some very good discussion about use of flashlight in general, and some of the most common shooting techniques (not Surefere/Rogers though).
- Gabriel Suarez: Tactical advantage & Tactical pistol marksmanship: All the basic techniques, nd some good pointers. Suarez doesn´t like to present techniques he doesn´t like himself, so you have to trust his word, and not to try things out yourself. (I don´t have other books by Suarez, but I would guess that they are good also)
- Michael T. Rayburn: Advanced patrol tactics: As the name implies, this book is aimed for police markets. There is some good information for civilians also. Rayburn gives a stong emphasis on point shooting, and the chapter on low light operations concentrates on instinctive shooting. The information in this book is somawhat different to that in most other books, but it is not necessary contradictionary with them.
- Dave Spaulding: Handgun combatives: Only six pages of "night work", but there is also some good pointers there. And the book overall is of good quality.
- Ronald J. Adams, Thomas M. McTernan & Chares Remsberg: Street survival: This is THE book for law enforement officers (and the availability is limited to civilians). It has a good chapter on light control, aölthoug this info is available in other books as well.
There is propably tons of military manuals that discuss operations in reduced visibility. I have found that these books rarely lend themselves well to civilian/law enforcement applications, however.
So, there is my list of good books on flashlight tactics. Any additions to the list?
I´m looking for books that discuss flashlight techniques, and the use of flashlight in self defense and law enforcement applications. Considering the importance of the subject, there seems to be surprisingly few books around. So, I would appreciate any information about such books.
I have been looking for the books over the internet (mainly Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble), and have been able to find only three books that are dedicated to the subject (I´m including a brief description of each book for benefit of those who don´t have these books):
- Andy Stanford: Fight at night: A very good book (as you could expect form Stanford). It starts with "human factors" (explanation how the eye works, how it adapts to darkness and so on), then there is a chapter about various night vision equipment, and another about less exotic aiming devices. The fourht chapter discusses flashlights and spotlights. There is very good advise on selecting a flashlight, and Standford also gives some recommendations on what specific flashlight to buy. In the book, Stanford presents eight different handgun shooting techniques with flashlight. There is also chapters on "additional tools" (clothing, perimeter defense, edged weapons and so on), self defense with fashlight, low-light tactics, and training for low-light encounters. It is a very good book, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
- Tony L. Jones: The police officer´s guide to operating and surviving in low-light and no-light conditions: From the title, you get the impression that this book is all about operating in low-light conditions, but this is not the case. There is some thirty pages about night ops, but the majority of the book is filled with descriptions of various manufacturer´s flashlights, laser sights, night vision equipment and so on. That´s fine if you are buying a new thermal imaging system, but otherwise the majority of the book is of questionable value. The fact is emphasized with the fact that this product info becomes obsolete when time goes by, and this same info is available via internet. There is some good information about tactics however (like eleven shooting techniques), but very little that is not included in Stanford´s book.
- John G. Peters,Jr.: Defensive Tactics with Flashlights: This book is out of print, and therefore I heve not been able to acquire it, but it seems interesting… Anyone out there who knows this book?
In addition, it seems that in almost every book about handguns and self defense, there is a chapter or two about low-light operations. Some of the best I have seen are:
- Massad Ayoob: Stressfire: In the book, Ayoob presents his complete Stressfire combat system. There is some very good discussion about use of flashlight in general, and some of the most common shooting techniques (not Surefere/Rogers though).
- Gabriel Suarez: Tactical advantage & Tactical pistol marksmanship: All the basic techniques, nd some good pointers. Suarez doesn´t like to present techniques he doesn´t like himself, so you have to trust his word, and not to try things out yourself. (I don´t have other books by Suarez, but I would guess that they are good also)
- Michael T. Rayburn: Advanced patrol tactics: As the name implies, this book is aimed for police markets. There is some good information for civilians also. Rayburn gives a stong emphasis on point shooting, and the chapter on low light operations concentrates on instinctive shooting. The information in this book is somawhat different to that in most other books, but it is not necessary contradictionary with them.
- Dave Spaulding: Handgun combatives: Only six pages of "night work", but there is also some good pointers there. And the book overall is of good quality.
- Ronald J. Adams, Thomas M. McTernan & Chares Remsberg: Street survival: This is THE book for law enforement officers (and the availability is limited to civilians). It has a good chapter on light control, aölthoug this info is available in other books as well.
There is propably tons of military manuals that discuss operations in reduced visibility. I have found that these books rarely lend themselves well to civilian/law enforcement applications, however.
So, there is my list of good books on flashlight tactics. Any additions to the list?
