Great advice..

[DOC 1500]

I've been recently having discussions  (on this forum and another) about putting a weapon light on my pistol.
All of my thoughts were concentrating on the light and not the fact of what is attached to.
This post from another forum, written by a retired police officer has given me good reason to RETHINK  the weapons light. Everybody's thoughts are different on this subject, but if you think about the first rule of handling a firearm,
NEVER POINT A FIREARM AT ANYTHING YOU DON'T INTEND TO  DESTROY..
this may also give you reasons to pause.
Here is the post...
" The answer to that question will get me into trouble. I?m not even sure if I?m completely sold on ?pistol lights? for home defense, if by pistol light you mean pistol mounted light. If you are relying on a pistol mounted light in order to identify a threat, you could find yourself pointing a gun at a member of your family. I?m sure you know the laser rule (talk about gambling). I?m not even sure I like the idea of the local cop doing that, when responding to my 911 call. And I have been trained and have used them myself.

I remember responding to a bank robbery with my K9 many years ago. I saw way to many cops using their weapons for light.

My first light mounted on my pistol was attached to the mag, I forget who made it, that should tell you how far back I go. "

[Grendel]

'Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy', was how I was trained.

A slight change, but makes a lot of difference.

I'm not a fan of searching with your gun light either, but in Law Enforcement/Military the criteria for searching are a little different compared to waking up in the night and thinking someone's in your house.

The fewer things I'm fumbling around with under stress, and the easier it is to identify a target and make the shoot/no shoot decision, the better.

[motorcyclist]

From a non police/military view point I couldn't agree more with him. Pointing your muzzle at everything you want to illuminate is stupid. Inside the house? turn the freak'n lights on! Outside? Your yard should be lit like a Christmas tree with the flick of a switch. What thief is going to hang around when the lights go on? Don't shoot at what you can't identify. I'll step off the soap box now...

[Practical Shooter]

My thought is that the burglar doesn't know your home like you do. You should be able to easily go from rooms to rooms without any light and a chance to be identified. You should be in full stealth mode.
On the other hand, the burglar will need some kind of a light to move around.
All in your advantage, but if you decide to point a gun at him/her, you better have a light to be able to identify your target.
Which brings me to the point that your finger cannot be on the light switch and the trigger at the same time
 Lights should be activated with another finger than the trigger finger.

[Rcher]

From lights to lasers.
Let's say there's enough light in the house/room where intruder breaks in. Is the any practical sense to put a green/red laser on your home defense handgun?
I'm new in lasers and currently only using them as fun attribute for range shooting. I think they are good for practicing shooting skills, but will someone use them at home for self defense? I think using lasers will change the whole mindset how you get your handgun to a point when you're ready to shoot.

[larryflew]

I have lasers on 3 carry pistols. All are set up to be below the sights when on so I don't rely on the laser unless there is a reason I can't use my sights. The dot is there but I don't see it.

[DOC 1500]

I have lasers on 3 carry pistols. All are set up to be below the sights when on so I don't rely on the laser unless there is a reason I can't use my sights. The dot is there but I don't see it.

First things first, make sure you know the target.

[DOC 1500]

JMHO, those of you that use lasers, honestly remind yourself how long it takes you to first search for that little bitty dot , now that you've located the dot Finding the best spot to put it on the target. HOW MUCH TIME HAVE YOU WASTED  ALREADY 🤔 Oh by the way is the target you're pointing at the one you want to fire at? Or are you still searching for the DOT) have you positively identified that Target as a bad guy? ( are you looking at the dot or looking at the bad guy?)
 Does he have a weapon? BANG 😳oops too much time.😵 now he can continue through your house unopposed for the rest of your family.
All because you spent all your time looking for that silly dot to put on your target. Again JMHO
It's a whole different story for military, law enforcement, the special units.

[M1A4ME]

Training, or lack of it.

Any light does not have to be pointed directly at something.  My light (the one in my had or the one on the pistol) will illuminate the whole room if I flash it on the ceiling (you know how white ceiling paint is).

We have no kids in our house most of the time.  Used to be, once a week, our nephews kids were coming over to spend Friday nights.  I think that is slowing down now because we aren't "cool" as they get older.

People used to say (and many still do) that an RMR on a pistol is a waste because it takes too much time to "find the dot".  Or the window is too small.  Or the dot isn't bright enough.  Or the dots don't stay sighted in.  Or (put in any reason i didn't list).  Those willing to practice have found out it's not slow, the window isn't the deal - the dot is the deal.  Oh yeah, another reason RMRs won't catch on is the window is tinted instead of being bright and clear to look through.  Again, it's the dot and the target.  Not the lens/window.

Training, or lack of it, will be the difference in whether you can use the tool in your hand.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Practice,practice,and more practice. Does not matter if you are using a laser,RMR, open sights or point shooting.You will only be as proficient with your chosen platform as your skill level allows.
As for lights or the lack of it is your responsibility to identify the target before engaging it with deadly force.

[larryflew]

I have lasers on 3 carry pistols. All are set up to be below the sights when on so I don't rely on the laser unless there is a reason I can't use my sights. The dot is there but I don't see it.

First things first, make sure you know the target.

? ? ?

[MadDuner]

I don't see anything wrong with using the light on the gun to identify friend or foe and threat when there's a bump in the middle of the night and you have to go resolve the alarm to see if it's a raccoon knocking over the trash or a burglar already in your house.

You've already got the "tool" pointed in the right direction should it be required in an instant.
You sure wouldn't want to go blasting at things in the dark that you cannot identify.
You need light for that.
That's why you get to control the trigger part of the equation.
The key is CONTROL.
I WANT IT AT ALL TIMES.

[CrazyDave]

Personally Sir, I love a 800+ lumen light.  Not only does it blind and/or disorientate someone.  It gives you a wide field of view and a jump on the bad guy as his pupils adjust.  Just when seconds count too! Maybe it's someone you don't want to throw lead through.  A light will give you some extra time and advantage during shoot and no shoot situations. No one wants to go to prison, if you can blind and identify your threat before you pull the trigger all the better for you IMHO. 

[DOC 1500]

 I have already decided to carry a 1400 Lumen small flashlight in my left hand and the pistol and the right hand.
Flashlight lighting things up, pistol at the ready position , pointed in a safe Direction.

[Hemiscorpius lepturus]

My wife has a very bright flashlight on her pistol, I do not have any on mine. That is primarily because I am much more comfortable in the dark, and am better trained to hold a flashlight in one hand and a pistol in the other. She needs both hands on the firearm. If there is a situation where she is going to use that flashlight, it is probably not to use it to see what she might need to shoot, but rather to blind an attacker and have a better idea of where the bullets are hitting.