Thank you so much for this post. I have to start looking into a light now....
I wont be wearing a vest.... I will have to look up some kind of training. Do you think I have to figure out which way I will carry, before I look at lights? I am talking about the on off switch. I don't carry extra mags, so I think I will carry weak side.
Thanks for the reply, so much to obsess about
I wouldn't think so. Most of the "methods" are adaptable to either rear button or side switch though I don't think there are a whole lot of "side switches" in tactical lights these days.
Whatever you choose I would definitely include the old FBI method in your practice. Besides being a good idea to be able to fire your weapon one handed if you needed to, it also puts the "target" light away from your body. I don't know about you but if I was in a situation, where firearms were in play, I would shoot at any "non-friendly" light pointed at me. Getting flashed in the face (THAT's WHAT SHE SAID - sorry had to do it before someone else did) doesn't prevent you from pulling the trigger while pointed at the blinding light.
As far as lights go I would find something with easily replaceable batteries. While I have had surefires and stingers (I still have my old surefire 8x from 95 and that things is tough... I've busted car windows with it and even had it in my fist while defending myself) I can't say how much I have grown to dislike propriety batteries and the cr123as. Now one of my main requirements are the ability to take either AA or AAA (pref AA) in small tactical lights and no bigger than C cells in others (I have a twin task UV stinger which is a c cell and is pretty nice for UV).
I am switching my m3x and m6 over to Insights AA gun lights. I bought one and it works great so far. Main reason is the AA capability. I still keep my other two (converted the m3x to led) as backups on my longarms.
Gun light. Amazon.com: Insight Weapon Light on AA QR Pistol Kit: Sports & Outdoors
For handhelds I have retired the surefire8x (still keeping it for nostalgia lol) and have switched to a Fenix (can't remember if it is the ld20 or ld22 one is 180 the other is 190 lumens) AA and a 4sevens Quark tactical (280 lumens). I just bought the Quark but have had the Fenix for a couple years now. It's been used quite a bit and is still going strong. The Quark is much brighter though so will be carrying that now.
Quark: Amazon.com: 4Sevens/Foursevens Quark Tactical QT2A-X/"X" AA² Black Finish / Cool White LED; 2XAA; 280 Lumens: Camera & Photo
The Streamlight UV: Amazon.com: Streamlight 51010 Twin-Task 3C 9-Inch UV Flashlight, Black: Home Improvement
Great advice, but I dont' agree with the lights chosen. For roughly the same money or cheaper you can get Streamlight lights with much higher lumen output and better battery life.
Amazon.com: Streamlight TLR-1S Rail Mounted Tactical with Strobe: Sports & Outdoors
Amazon.com: Streamlight 88040 ProTAC HL High Lumen Professional Tactical Light with white LED and Holster, Black: Home Improvement
Sure, the batteries are CR123A's, but you can buy them online and in bulk all year round. The battery is what makes the light capable of putting out as much light as possible. The TLR-1 is cheaper and also has a strobe feature.
ETA: Here are your batteries. Not that expensive...
Amazon.com: 12-Pack Surefire SF12-BB Box of 12 123A 3 Volt Lithium Batteries SF123A: Electronics
This is the answer right here. One person returning fire probably ends this situation. Even with the body armor this guy was probably not prepared to be shot or even shot at.Dave Spaulding has a great story about shooting a SWAT warrior in the nuts while his magic force-field flashlight "blinded" Dave.
With respect to the author I fail to see how a flashlight will disable a lunatic's trigger finger, perhaps I am incorrect.
I'll bring Chompy along with me to the movies. Hope management and my fellow movier goers do not mind. Maybe I'll give him a squeaky mailman to play with.
Look, if we want to prevent Mad Man from going on shooting sprees, eliminate the no gun zones where they do their work. All this gaming the system and tactical shmatical stuff is only ignoring the real problem.