Flashlights: Mounted, carried, both, or neither?

michaelclm · Jan 4, 2013

I'm curious to find out what our daily CC practitioners do with regard to flashligth carry. The poll is private but feel free to post your responses in the thread. If you split your methods evenly, please feel free to select more than one response.

I intend to start additional threads related to the use of lights and the pros and cons of each method for the purpose of discussion. All I'm really looking for here is the actual carry data related to what you carry on a daily basis.

taymoor · Jan 4, 2013

I keep a 4sevens Quark 123^2 tactical in a kydex belt holster 99% of the time.

jtischauser · Jan 4, 2013

Great Topic!

I have shot a couple of night matches using my Glock 34/17 with both a TRL-1 and a Crimson Trace Rail Master. I was using competition holsters that would only be suitable for Open Carry not concealed. These matches really opened my eyes in regards to the effectiveness and necessity of having a good light and/or laser for low light shooting.

I just recently started daily IWB Concealed carry with a Ruger LC9 and LCP. I am liking like the compact or subcompact and slim single stack guns cause they are not very bulky. I don't think I would like the bulkiness of a TRL for IWB carry. The CT Rail Master is a lot smaller light but it would still require me to carry a larger gun.

Am I being a cupcake with my preference for little guns and comfort?

What do you IWB carry with a light? Or is IWB out if the question with a light equipped gun?

kdf9511 · Jan 4, 2013

Well my carry gun is a Taurus TCP so a weapon mounted light is kind of out on it. I don't always carry a light but 99% of the time there is one within reach in a jacket pocket or briefcase. What I do carry is an LED light that clips on the brim of my hat. I've gotten to really like these as they are small, lightweight and pretty bright. I would like to however get an inexpensive quick detachable light for my G34 for at home. I've got a bunch of these scattered around.

poopgiggle · Jan 4, 2013

I don't use a weaponlight but only because I haven't spent the money on one. I am mostly clueless as to the respective advantages/disadvantages of weapon-mounted lights and hand held lights and I look forward to threads on them.

Jesse Tischauser said:
What do you IWB carry with a light? Or is IWB out if the question with a light equipped gun?

I just got a holster from a guy in TN who makes holsters for light-mounted guns. Some guy out there in the Internet posted a picture of himself appendix-carrying a M&P with a light and a RMR in one. Comp-Tac and Raven make IWB holsters for guns with lights too I think.

michaelclm · Jan 4, 2013

Right now I'm carrying a full-size M&P9 IWB with a TLR-1 in an Armordillo Concealment holster.

Before, I was carrying an M&P9c in a Triple Crown custom AIWB holster. The belt loop broke on the Triple Crown so I had to fall back on full-time carry of the big gun with the TLR1 attached.

I have actually looked at getting an AC holster for the 9c with a TLR3 attached for appendix carry.

My primary light and gun combo was the 9c with a light on my belt in a mag/light combo pouch. Since the gear breakage, I'm carrying that same Surefire 6PX Tactical in the combo pouch so I have two lights (more to come on this strategy in future threads) but it wasn't always my normal strategy.

So going forward I will be running one of two setups almost all of the time:

9c at the appendix with a TLR-3 and the 6PX Tactical belt-mounted on my other strong side

-or-
9 IWB at the 3-3:30 with a TLR-1 and the 6PX Tactical on the belt.

I voted belt carry only, since that was my primary, but it's going to change. Again, more on this later.

Airic · Jan 4, 2013

I pretty much always carry a small flashlight, even if im not carrying a gun. IMO the flashlight should be seperate from the gun because you will need to use it way before you draw a weapon. I carry a small 1" maglight LED that you can get at walmart for $30. Its bright as hell and has a strobe function. It has held up to nightly police work and tactical training.

I did carry a surefire 6p for years but with how good flashlight tech has gotten the last couple years, im not paying that much anymore.

Modoc · Jan 4, 2013

Eric Gambill said:
I pretty much always carry a small flashlight, even if im not carrying a gun. IMO the flashlight should be seperate from the gun because you will need to use it way before you draw a weapon. I carry a small 1" maglight LED that you can get at walmart for $30. Its bright as hell and has a strobe function. It has held up to nightly police work and tactical training.
I did carry a surefire 6p for years but with how good flashlight tech has gotten the last couple years, im not paying that much anymore.

I second Eric on carrying a separate light. My work needs one for checking things, so it gets drawn a lot more than my CC does. Currently I am looking at the new Shurefire compacts with the 180+ lumens, because most of the other compact lights don't give enough light to see the bottom of a 20' deep Drainage Inlet in the daytime. Near side, front pocket with the wallet is where it lives.

Matt1911 · Jan 4, 2013

My bedside gun wears a TLR-1.
I don't usually carry a flashlight on my person simply because I haven't bought the right one yet. I've been eyeballin the compact models from surefire that have a clip so I can have it clipped inside my pocket and it won't move around.

Burk Cornelius · Jan 4, 2013

Eric Gambill said:
, even if im not carrying a gun.

WHAT? Blasphemy!

Airic · Jan 4, 2013

Burk Cornelius said:
WHAT? Blasphemy!

Yep, sad thing is an off duty police officer is just as restricted in CCW as a citizen with a license. So no schools, govt buildings, hospitals...

I take in the flashlight and a knife. A flashlight with a strobe is a great defensive tool when its all you have.

okshooter26 · Jan 11, 2013

To each his/her own. I'm not against flashlights but I haven't seen a holster that would work well with this. For a compact handgun designed for very close range it seems unneescary to me as you should be able to see someone within 20 feet. A full sized handgun if concealed with a mounted light would be difficult to draw and conceal in my opinion. Rifles with mounted flashlights seem a lot more useful to me as the are designed for engaging targets further away where it may be more difficult to identify the target. However handguns with a hand held flash light in the other hand to be used when need would probably be more useable as you don't have to brandish the weapon to determine if there is a threat.

Wall · Jan 11, 2013

I've got a little Fenix pd20 & a nitecore.
Both are awesome lights

Mattyvip · Jan 12, 2013

My carry/work guns both have a TRL 1 on them (the same one I just change the light to whatever I'm carrying). I also carry sepearate surefires with me as well. a 6-P led for work and a e2d led for everything else

Larry Mullican · Jan 13, 2013

I have an HDS Systems EDC, (Every Day Carry) 170 tactical. It is simular to Tony Walls Fenix PD20. I also have a Fenix TK15 with Picatinny quick mount to fit both shotgun and AR.

nikatkimber · Jan 14, 2013

Both carry lights I've tried move around too much, even with clips. Gotta try something smaller. Also running out of usable pocket space.

I don't (and probably won't) carry a WML. But I have one on my bedside gun.

Reason being is that I have to weigh the benefits vs the weight / convenience of carrying two lights, since a lot of the time I would need a light, I don't need a gun.

jeremys · Mar 2, 2013

Saw something from Tom Givens talking about utilizing a light with weak hand away from your body. If you flash a light at someone and they want to shoot back they will shoot at the light.

This makes sense to me, but pulling a gun and a light at the same time is gonna be slow. Bed side is a different story, but for carry, I just don't see this actually working. Maybe I need to practice it.

jeremys · Mar 2, 2013

Jesse posted:
"Am I being a cupcake with my preference for little guns and comfort?"

My wife asked me the same thing.
As long as your not using a purse, carry what makes you want to carry.

Airic · Mar 2, 2013

Whatever a person decides is best, they need to train with it.

Heres a couple usefull videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga6ECYv16Ac&feature=youtube_gdata_player

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9ObSKdP1AI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkWJNuGxfNM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Freedom Shooter · Mar 2, 2013

There is no reason to carry a light while you C/C you cant go looking for the person or you are not in fear of your life. In your home that is complete different store i have several guns/light in my home. I will clear my house to my family and outside. A light is just as important to a gun.