Streamlight Toggle Off/On during Live Fire

[Cupcake615]

Not sure if this should be in software or hardware. I am very new to this forum, but I was wondering if anyone experienced the same thing I do or knew a way to fix it (either the way I shoot needs fixed or a workaround). I am an LEO and have a Streamlight TLR1 mounted on my duty issue Glock 22. When utilizing the light during many night practices and a couple night matches, I am consistently running into the same problem. My strong hand is right side. During my regular two-handed grip of the weapon (Thumb forward), my off hand thumb will toggle the switch to off for the light. Those familiar with the light system, will understand its workings and see what I mean.

Does this happen to anyone else consistently?
Is this a possible design flaw?
Is there an easy fix? Ie. Do I just need to control the gun and therefore recoil better?

Thanks in advance.

[SLG]

Sounds like you need to trim your left thumb down a bit.

If you don't want to make such a simple modification, you might look at their contour switch. It's like a DG switch, but more rigid.

[Lester Polfus]

What SLG said and...

If, instead of modifying your thumb, you go the contour switch route, you may run into fit problems with your holster, which can often be fixed with sandpaper. If it is an agency holster I would check policy on that one.

[Wondering Beard]

My strong hand is right side. During my regular two-handed grip of the weapon (Thumb forward), my off hand thumb will toggle the switch to off for the light. Those familiar with the light system, will understand its workings and see what I mean.

Is this something that happens during recoil or on the draw?

[rjohnson4405]

With my Glock 19, my thumb sits parallel to the frame and tracks with it in recoil (as well as I can tell without a high speed camera on me).

If your support hand isn't tracking with the gun it sounds like it might be slipping and "disconnecting" from the gun/strong hand it's wrapped around.

Your 22 is going to recoil a bit more snappy than my 9mm. If you're already applying lots of support hand pressure, try this:

It's been call pliable hands or soft hands by some trainers. Keep your support hand flexible as you wrap the gun and your strong hand. Try and move it around while still relaxed to fill in as much around the grip and your support hand as you can, what you really want is no "air pockets" between your hands or the gun. The entire palm and surface of the fingers should be in contact with something. Once you have as much contact with the grip and your hand as you think you can get, squeeze hard. You may have a lot of traction to gain before you squeeze.

I used have my support hand already cupped and rigid by the time I brought it to the gun/strong hand and they never "fit" well enough together for my support hand to get any traction resulting in them coming apart or my support hand slipping in between shots or strings of shots (even with 9mm). Shooting a compact 45 for a year really made me learn to grip better and I think this helps. If this doesn't make sense I can try and find a youtube link.

With practice your new "pliable" grip will become just as fast once you train the support hand what shape it should have and wait to really tense up until it's connected to the gun/strong hand.

[Cupcake615]

Is this something that happens during recoil or on the draw?

During recoil.

Thanks guys. I'm thinking it must be the way I am gripping most of the time. I will try all the tips and see what works. I think Johnson's might work the best. I've been playing with my grip and wondering if I put my support hand too far forward (instead of towards the back left corner of the grip). I'll try to train it up during dry fire and then see if my thumb is "disconnecting" during live fire.

[Wondering Beard]

That definitely sounds like a grip issue.

I get the impression that your support doesn't "hold enough onto your gun" during firing and thus as the gun recoils upwards, your support hand thumb stays level and hits the upward moving toggle of the light.

I don't think that your hand is too far forward (though it may be, we'd have to see it to know) but rather that gun moves up in your hand which it shouldn't.

The linked video in a thread about control of the gun should give you some ideas: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....204#post542204

[Cupcake615]

Sounds good. Thanks. Definitely gonna work on the grip issue during live fire. I did notice the last time I shot at night (Night competition match) that when I was in the "groove" and shooting well, it didn't happen (as long as I was dialed in).