In 2019 weapon lights are mandatory....convince me otherwise

[JohnO]

I've been wearing a headlamp nightly for many years, twice a night during the winter months when it gets dark earlier.

The key for me is using the lower lumens, a flood vs. pencil beam, beam directed out many yards ahead...not down, and keeping the eyes moving rather than simply focused on where the light is projected.

FWIW, the model I am using the past couple of years is a Nitecore HC30. It has proven durable and reliable regardless of weather and when dropped on a concrete surface in the garage. It has a range of settings from seriously low, for map reading in the dark without losing night vision...to more than I ever really use.

I too am out with the dogs every night multiple times. I always have a quality handheld light and usually a headlamp too. The headlamp is a cheapo EverReady with spot, flood and red LEDs. It works fine but I have been thinking about getting a better quality headlight. I really like wearing the headlamp over a ball cap. The brim keeps my eyes shaded from the beams.

My dogs go out off lead wearing an e-collar which has the capability of turning on a constant or flashing white light. Both have thick fur around their necks so the e-collar light doesn't show well. Therefore I added a secondary light to their regular collars https://www.rayallen.com/cobra-buckl...ar-with-handle. A 6" long strip of inch wide Velcro hook secures the beacon to the loop material on the collar. Blue for the female and white for the male https://store.sportdog.com/locator-beacon. The e-collar is my insurance that I can correct them individually if don't obey. I keep it set on vibrate and that suffices for minor corrections. Taking off after a coyote that took a stern yell plus a couple zaps.

[blues]

I have one of these Nite Ize lights on my dogs collar...


...I can no longer let her run off lead at night. Her prey drive gets the better of her and I have yet to work with an e-collar.

When I carry a handheld light, it's one of my several Malkoff lights. I've yet to find a better, more rugged alternative.

[TC215]

Thought this was relevant: Mother accidentally shoots daughter.

“The key question would be if the mother was negligent in not identifying her daughter before shooting,” Scala said, according to the station.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/ohio-mom-...er-prosecution

[Rex G]

My experience is that a headlamp illuminates the rear sight and back of the gun, while making the front sight invisible.

I readily agree, even without trying it myself. There is a scientific formula, called the Inverse Square Law, that shows how light diminishes in intensity, over distance. The front sight will have far, far less illumination, on it, than the back of the weapon, and rear sight. The eyes’ iris will contract, to “meter” light, based upon the light level at the rear of the weapon.

I am no physicist, but am a (non-pro*) photographer, for whom the Inverse Square Law is a Thing. I borrowed the term “meter” from photography jargon. If a photographic subject is a very short distance from the light source, another object, a very short short distance behind it, will be nearly invisible, if the ambient light level is low, or dark. To get equal light on the front and rear sights of a pistol, at macro distance, I need to illuminate them from a light source that illuminates both of them from an equal distance, which means from one side, or the other, which works with off-camera flash, in photography, but is hardly practical, in a gunfight. Alternatively, I can light each sight with its own, dedicated light source, which is also impractical, during a gunfight.

Camera lenses work much like human eyes; therefore the equivalence.

*I did have to learn serious close-range photography, when doing evidentiary/forensic/crime scene photography, as “camera unit” was one of the hats I wore, as a police patrol officer. (Just please don’t ask me questions about focus stacking, HDR, or anything done during post-processing, as post-processing, or anything that could be seen as “manipulating” the image, was against the rules.)

[blues]

Rex, you should try it before dismissing it. I've pulled my gun and tested it for myself at various times. It may not work for everyone but it does work.

[BK14]

Just a data point, this from Tucker Gun Leather https://tuckergunleather.com/faq/

Not attacking your stance, but I wouldn’t call that a data point.... Does the guy behind Tucker have LE experience?

There is no downside besides bulk/comfort/cost to having a WML. My draw speed with or without stays the same, so I’m not sure what your quoted post is referencing with a slower reaction. If I want to use my handheld light (I have 3 on me while on duty) I use it. If I want my WML, I use it. Sometimes I search buildings with my handheld, sometimes with my WML, just depends, but with it I have options.

When it come to reactionary incidents, if I need a light to PID while “reacting” like Tucker said, I’m faster to draw a gun and activate the WML then draw a gun and light separately. Alternatively, if I’m doing some sort of a “speed draw” that probably means the lighting is decent enough for me to have already PID’d a threat and I can ignore that there is a WML on my gun.

Outside of lighting, which is obviously the main advantage, as shown by USPSA open and limited (if you’re Dave Sevigny and remove the guts) adding weight helps reduce recoil. Adding a muzzle standoff gives you options (contact shot? Probably not, but glass breaking works pretty well).

My EDC off duty gun has a light some days, and doesn’t others. Just depends how comfortable I want to be. But I always have a handheld. I think there are serious advantages to the WML, but despite the size advances like the TLR-7, it’s still more comfy for me to carry with no light.

[BillSWPA]

ANY serious defensive light will put out more than enough lumens so that, if it is used indoors, everything in the room will instantly be lighted, including the user. There is no need to point the gun at anything to illuminate it with a WML.

The issue of drawing a gun and light quickly was discussed above. Add concealment Into the mix, and drawing a gun with a WML becomes even easier as compared to simultaneously drawing a gun and separate light. See at least 2 above posts discussing getting surprised at home or while arriving home.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[corneileous]

ANY serious defensive light will put out more than enough lumens so that, if it is used indoors, everything in the room will instantly be lighted, including the user. There is no need to point the gun at anything to illuminate it with a WML.

The issue of drawing a gun and light quickly was discussed above. Add concealment Into the mix, and drawing a gun with a WML becomes even easier as compared to simultaneously drawing a gun and separate light. See at least 2 above posts discussing getting surprised at home or while arriving home.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s true. I never really thought about that, that you don’t necessarily have to point your pistol at anything in particular just to put light on it. You could for the most part just have your gun aimed at the floor and with a bright enough light- even the 150 lumen streamlight, you’re still gonna put adequate light out to see what’s going on but still, I think I’d just rather use a handheld flashlight just so that I don’t make myself a target by being directly behind something that could be shot at if the guy was hiding behind something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[JodyH]

Still the best backcountry, dog walking, pistol shooting light made.

Attachment 42382

[HopetonBrown]

I think I’d just rather use a handheld flashlight just so that I don’t make myself a target by being directly behind something that could be shot at if the guy was hiding behind something.

Vickers said most untrained people shoot low left, which is exactly where you're at with an FBI hold.