[Hal3134]

What is the recommended type of flashlight for use with a pistol? Is the answer different for EDC vs at home? How many of you carry a flashlight with your EDC pistol? For now, at least, I'm not looking to do a WML (feel free to sound off if you vehemently disagree with this), mostly because eventually I want to get a Crimson Trace laser and nobody sells both a light and laser setup for the Sig365XL.

I haven't seen much discussion about carrying a flashlight with EDC CCW. How irresponsible is it to NOT carry a flashlight? I'm sure it would help but it's just more gear to carry. If I do carry one, I've been looking at the Fenix PD35 TAC version for EDC but it's starting to get sizable. Penlight size would be even better. Any comments or recommendations?

For at home, absent inside security cameras, I've seen some people suggest to keep the lights off and use a smallish spotlight flashlight with momentary "on" and sweep the rooms. Is this the preferred technique? For sake of this question, let's assume I've decided to NOT shelter in place.

I've seen some flashlights that are 1000+ lumens and will light up just about an entire backyard (I'm commenting on the size of the area moreso than the intensity of the light). Do they have any place in these situations (EDC or home)?

 

[mikedeanellis]

I consider the gun abd the flashlight a package and don’t carry one without the other. I carry the flashlight on my weak side. I use a 1500 lm olight m2r warrior. I have a package on Amazon it has a nice Kydex slip in holster.
My thinking is you got to be able to see your target and acquire it first...


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[pluong91]

I browsed the concealed carry forum and went wayyyyy back and saw some of the things in which you are referencing.

Seems like 2 trains of thoughts:
Pistol light- Olight seems to be popular especially since you can recharge, considering getting one myself, problem is you must identify the subject before pointing to adhere to the rules of gun ownership, don't point it at anything you dont intend to destroy. Some posters mentioned you can point lower to the ground and the light will be enough to identify subject...
Flash light- Also in the market for one, looking at surefires. Must be carried on offhand and can identify subject without pointing your weapon. Tradeoff is those precious seconds...

You call...

In terms of sweeps of the home, gonna be alot of different thoughts.
For myself, I'm bunkering down in my bed room.
If you must clear the room, using it momentarily seems like a better idea to not give up position and also there are flash lights where if you push down then it will be momentary, if you turn then its on all the time…..

1000+ lumens, sure its extremely bright and some come with a strobe function, which is what I will be looking for. Potentially blinding the subject for a few seconds so I can react with my trigger hand.

 

[Flash LB]

I don't use a WML and never will. I prefer the weapon and the light to be separate.

I also am fond of momentary push button lights, such as I have on the SureFire I EDC now and have for around 25 years or so.

I disagree with the strobe function unless you've played with one a bit. I found that it disorients me as much as it disorients my adversary.

 

[Lancer L5 AWM]

Streamlight's TLR-6 light/laser combo works great on a p365xl, it's an American company with a great reputation, they're assembled in America, and have a lifetime warranty. (Those are specs and not a commentary on any other topic).
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[mrerick]

I carry a LED Maglite (D cell) separately in my non-dominant hand when using a handgun. I do have a weapon mounted TLR-1 Streamlite on my EDC AR-15 rifle.

I don't use lasers. I do use red dot sights.

The Maglite can also be a contact weapon.

 

[theLBC]

i am a fan of weapon lights now that they make them with sufficient brightness to light up an entire room (pointed at the ceiling), eliminating the need to "sweep the room" with your gun in order to see anything.

i currently use a surefire x400u light/laser combo, but if you're on a tighter budget, i also have an Olight Bladr pro that works well (but i have only had it since december).

if you ccw, this can me more difficult as compact lights are often not as bright.
also holster fit can be an issue, so i would recommend you always carry a flashlight.
for me, that is a fenix fx-pd35tac currently.

nothing wrong with not having a light as long as you don't shoot the wrong thing or person because it was too dark.

 

[JohnnyL]

I carry a pocket flashlight (Streamlight Protac 2L-X) and a WML on my EDC (Streamlight TLR-6). I use the flashlight often for various things around the house. I tend to think that people might get a little upset if I pull my firearm to use the flashlight

I do like the WML with the laser on my carry. I took a low/no light course a few months ago and in situations where I had to peek out from cover and get a few rounds off, popping the light/laser combo was very effective. I actually converted a few people who were solid in the "light only" camp.

 

[theLBC]

I carry a pocket flashlight (Streamlight Protac 2L-X) and a WML on my EDC (Streamlight TLR-6). I use the flashlight often for various things around the house. I tend to think that people might get a little upset if I pull my firearm to use the flashlight

I do like the WML with the laser on my carry. I took a low/no light course a few months ago and in situations where I had to peek out from cover and get a few rounds off, popping the light/laser combo was very effective. I actually converted a few people who were solid in the "light only" camp.

i think a lot of "old school" guys dismiss lasers like AR-15 fan boys hate on piston driven rifles (which are better).

there can be lots of situations where you can't use your sights properly, peeking around cover, from under the bed to pepper spray or blood in your eyes.
put the pretty green dot where you want a hole.

 

[tdubya]

I disagree with the strobe function unless you've played with one a bit. I found that it disorients me as much as it disorients my adversary.

Agree. Same here.

 

[theLBC]

I don't use a WML and never will. I prefer the weapon and the light to be separate.

I also am fond of momentary push button lights, such as I have on the SureFire I EDC now and have for around 25 years or so.

I disagree with the strobe function unless you've played with one a bit. I found that it disorients me as much as it disorients my adversary.

Agree. Same here.

the thing about current 1000+ lumen lights (good ones) is they can be effective in particular situations to disorient somebody without a strobe.

if you have a light with that feature, it can at least be effective to signal or flag somebody down, even in the daytime if bright enough.

 

[mikedeanellis]

i think a lot of "old school" guys dismiss lasers like AR-15 fan boys hate on piston driven rifles (which are better).

there can be lots of situations where you can't use your sights properly, peeking around cover, from under the bed to pepper spray or blood in your eyes.
put the pretty green dot where you want a hole.

This. I have a green laser. It’s point and shoot, takes aiming out of the equation if needed.

I also think it’s a bit foolhardy to carry a flashlight on the gun itself. If you really try to obey the gun rules, it’s an oxymoron... I don’t know if that means you’re a moron if you carry a light on a gun but maybe...


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[M1911A1Hawkeyes]

I carry a Surefire in my pocket with a Thyrm Switchback attached to the light as part of my EDC. I have the light with me at all times. Nine times out of ten my carry pistol will also have a weapon mounted light on it but I never use the weapon mounted light as a flashlight that is what the handheld is for.

I like the switchback since it allows me to retain the light in my hand while using a two hand pistol grip or doing whatever. The finger ring will release under heavy pressure as a safety measure so you'd be able to get out of it if something happened.

If you don't have weapon mount light on your gun and you want to use a two handed grip with your gun you can spin the light around and use your thumb to push on the back of the switchback which will drive the light into the middle finger and allow you to activate the light.

 

[Huski92]

I carry one daily and use it quit a bit. I also have them in some pistols and my rifles.


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[Skyviking]

Folks, the minute you pull out your Roscoe with the 1,000 mega-watt superlight attached to it to see what you might need to be shooting at, you have either (a): just lost the gunfight or, more likely, (b): just earned a trip to the local holding facility while you make bail for assault with a deadly weapon or some such related charge(s).

Someone mentioned "time lost" by using a hand-held light (flashlight) in lieu of a weapon-mounted light (WML). Not so. I daresay none of us civilians are walking around in total darkness. The flashlight is used to illuminate darkly shadowed areas as we walk through them (parking structures, hedges along sidewalks, alleyway entrances, etc.) so that we can spot trouble before we get there. Bad guys usually run from light like cockroaches. Really bad actors don't care about anything but cops (maybe) and cops are the ones usually walking around with flashlights...

If you need to draw your weapon to address a threat of great bodily harm or death to you, it is because you have enough ambient light to discern and articulate it as such. If you have to draw your pistol to get enough light on the subject at hand by pointing it at the ceiling or floor to "see" and then make that decision, you have not given sufficient thought or gotten enough training to realize that you are woefully behind the power curve and that your planned course of action places you at great peril, both in the moment and the aftermath played out in court.

YMMV, but I would not proclaim Walter Mitty as My hero.

 

[Skyviking]

A Surefire flashlight or two is always in my pocketses.

 

[Hal3134]

Would a 300 lumen light be fine or does everybody use 1000 lumens these days? The 300 lumen would be a smaller package.

 

[theLBC]

Would a 300 lumen light be fine or does everybody use 1000 lumens these days? The 300 lumen would be a smaller package.

it depends on how and when you use it.
as i mentioned earlier, the advantage of brighter lights is being able to illuminate an entire room, eliminating the need to "sweep the room" with your muzzle to see if anyone if hiding in the dark.
as always, there are situations (lots of rooms that are not cleared) that using a bright light (or any light) might give away your presence or position. obviously a brighter light more likely to spill into other rooms or hallways.

there is always going to be arguments for and against wml, but it really comes down to knowing when and how to use them.

i like having every option in my hand when i grab my gun in the middle of the night. i don't have to use it, and if i have time to grab a flashlight that is still an option.

 

[Lancer L5 AWM]

Would a 300 lumen light be fine or does everybody use 1000 lumens these days? The 300 lumen would be a smaller package.

Even a 100 lumen light is much better than NO light.
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[Spookster]

Here's mine. What you think?