Flashlight techniques in low light matches

[Lomshek]

No one has mentioned the "Graham" technique using Surefire Combat Rings so I will. Before Surefire ever debuted their rings I experimented with that style and once the rings were available it became my default handheld method.

Reloads and manipulations are easier because the light can't be dropped easily but allows you to use your off hand like normal. Splits and accuracy are worse than normal two handed shooting but better than SHO. The light is indexed pretty good with the muzzle. I found that changing the amount of flashlight butt that protrudes from the ring changes your grip and beam index so you need to fiddle with that to tune the light for you.

ETA - I actually run the light "upside down" from how the instructions show with the ring around my middle finger. That naturally makes the light drop outside of my grip when I need to reload or work the slide and indexes better for me.

[Corey]

I have rather seriously looked into NODs awhile ago and decided against them for my purposes because of increased complexity, logistics, lack of good lasers for most of my pistols and cost. I'd rather get reasonably proficient with a flashlight than spend 3-5K on stuff I won't be able to deploy fast enough.

But NV gear is so cool! What kind of man are you spending money to improve your skills instead of buying cool toys?

I learned Harries technique ages ago and have practiced it enough to be pretty good with it but I also know I have stuck with it too long and it is time to evolve. Have been working a little on the jaw index and am switching over to it as my default technique. A club in my area does a night shoot once a year and I did it last year using Harries. The match is in June this year so I have some time to get the jaw index dialed in and see how much of a difference it makes.

[jar]

I like it. Options for non glass mirrors / reflective materials ?

Aluminum foil or a mylar space blanket.

Im not sure mirrors and lasers are a good combination. A reflected laser shot to the eye of a competitor, staff or spectator sounds like it could be bad.
Good idea for wml's only but lasers i'm not sure about.

The matches TheRoland and I were talking about were IDPA, so no lasers were in play. If they are it's definitely a concern. I don't know enough to evaluate the risk.

[ToddG]

No laser sold commercially for use on a private citizen's firearm should be capable of causing damage by momentary exposure to the eye. They're actually regulated by the Food & Drug Administration for that. I'm not suggesting you should stare into the laser hoping to find the secrets of the universe, but the human blink response is adequate to prevent injury if the person isn't purposely trying to look at the emission.

Then again:

[GJM]

DG switch question. My DG switch on the M&P works great, in not activating the light when I don't intend to, but reliably turning the light off when I intend it to. (As an aside, the CT laser on the rear grip of my M&P works equally well by the above standard.) However, with the DG switch on my Glock, while I can activate the light with just one hand, with my normal two hand grip I can't reliably get the light turned on. Anyone else having this problem?

[SLG]

I may be remembering things wrong, in which case I stand corrected. However, I do think that these techniques are pretty situationally dependent, and the amount of ambient light you have will change things every time. Also, I may be confusing CQB stuff with CCW stuff. It has been too long since I've been on a range with either of them.

[Jimichanga]

I'm not suggesting you should stare into the laser hoping to find the secrets of the universe...

Now that was funny. Thanks for the laugh.