Break in- light switches or WML?

[KneeShot]

We have 3 kids under the age of 9 in a bedroom right next to the Wife and I. The other night I thought I heard someone trying the door (it was actually my wife in the kitchen) and I was standing over the steps (live in a split level) so fast with weapon in hand (G17 w/ SF x300) that I realized I didn't even think about turning on any lights. I did start strobing the small window on the door w/ the WML.
We have a string of bells on our door handle, and the similar sounds of glasses clinking and cabinets closing in the kitchen woke me right up.

My question is; when should you turn on interior lights and when should you keep the element of surprise w/ a WML?

My concerns are back lighting myself and keeping my kids quiet and out of the situation.

The plan is for my wife to grab the phone and get to the kids while I pull security, we also have a security system. But my question regarding interior lights remains...?

If this has already been discussed will someone please point me to the link.

Do any of the gun fighting books have a good chapter on this?

For reference - Any CQB training I've had has been through the military, wearing NVG's and carrying a rifle.

I was also standing over the steps on one leg (I am an amputee).....this situation also made me realize that's it's time for some one legged night fire!

Thanks All.

[Drang]

Maybe someone keeps stats on these sort of details of home invasions, but my first thought is that turning on the lights should give you all the surprise you need, and the bad guys will leave at that point.

Probably.

Willing to be shown stats to the contrary, but this ain't a close ambush, the best outcome for you besides never getting broken into, is to scare the bad guys away.

[Duelist]

I keep a handheld light next to my pistol, which wears a WML. The handheld is for searching and identifying stray family members/cats making noise in the kitchen. WML is for shooting.

I've never been tempted to turn on the house lights for this kind of thing, but am willing to be convinced if there is a logical reason for it.

[xmanhockey7]

The answer is it depends. If there's an issue of backlighting yourself turning on the light isn't a good idea. I know someone who can turn on all the lights in his downstairs by flipping a switch in the bedroom. Granted his house has a different setup than most. For me if I can turn on the lights and not backlight myself I will. No need to make stuff more complicated by trying to use handheld or WML. Of course this all changes if you're running nods.

[HCM]

I keep a handheld light next to my pistol, which wears a WML. The handheld is for searching and identifying stray family members/cats making noise in the kitchen. WML is for shooting.
.

This ^^^^^^.

Hand held light with a hand / wrist lanyard for searching, WML is for shooting.

[BehindBlueI's]

Using a weapon mounted light to point at the door without knowing if you have a target is setting yourself up for a tragedy. At this point you don't even know if there's a threat, yet you've drawn and pointed a gun. Why?

Unless you are being specifically targeted, simply yelling "Who's there?" will get a burglar who hasn't made entry on his way. Turning on lights, announcing you are calling police, etc, all work well. The ones who do not leave at that point are often drunks who think they are at the right house or dopers who are high enough they aren't real sure what's going on.

[Chuck Haggard]

I have night lights, some of them motion activated, at strategic places in my house, I would be in a very dark hole from the bad guy's perspective. Between that and the all the lumens handheld I have the bad guy is going to be in a very bad spot if he chooses to continue. I'm also a big fan of some version of "Halt, who goes there?" to set the stage for the bad guy if he chooses to pick a fight, or for friendlies to be able to hollar out if it's a false alarm.

[Cookie Monster]

I am just a dude that has taken a lot of classes (500 hours) but somehow has never taken a low light class. All the defensive pistol classes I have taken have told me to turn on the lights.

I have a handheld I will search with, sometimes probably wrongly without a pistol/long gun -all defensive guns have lights.

I have had friends (maybe I need to improve my friend picking) end up in someone's house when being drunk or high thinking it was their house. My friends' experience has me removed from the group of people that state "if someone is in my house, they get shot" by default.

[voodoo_man]

Night lights, as Chuck said, are best, especially if they are directional and are motion activated.

When I search houses/structures Ill turn on every single light as I go. Especially at night. Why use a wml when you have light for entire rooms that isnt attached to you?

That said, the new setups ive been seeing at wifi enabled bulbs/lamps. Turn on all the light with a macro on your phone.

[StraitR]

That said, the new setups ive been seeing at wifi enabled bulbs/lamps. Turn on all the light with a macro on your phone.

^^^^That's pretty slick. Do want.