Reasons for Multiple Lights

[CAPT KIRK]

I see some guys, like Travis Haley in the Magpul Dynamics DVD trailer, with multiple lights on their guns. Other than redundancy is there some other purpose with this?

[sff70]

Try shooting around the right side of cover when you're using a light mounted at 9 oclock, or vice versa.

Backlighting, self-blinding, and projecting farther than necessary beyond cover come into play.

Working a light mounted at 9 oclock is difficult to do with your right hand (think RH shooter transitioned to left shoulder and is now firing with left hand and using right hand to support the rifle/work the light.

Tape switches can alleviate this to some degree, but can offer problems with WLNDs, and the cord getting snagged. A light mounted at either 12 or 6 oclock can also be an improvement.

As for myself, in addition to the above,I like using a X200B for indoor work, and a 6P with 160 lumens for outdoor work, so I have both.

[Robb Jensen]

I see some guys, like Travis Haley in the Magpul Dynamics DVD trailer, with multiple lights on their guns. Other than redundancy is there some other purpose with this?

In Travis' past (Force Recon US Marine) and then some other jobs overseas, involved clearing many hooches in a day.
Lights go down (dead batteries, bulbs go bad). In his instance the 'NY reload' (2nd light) worked best for him. He needed a light instantly, sort of the two-is-one, one-is-none method.

[Treehopr]

As gotm4 stated, redundancy is one reason but also if you have something mission specific such as an IR light.

I just started mounting 2 lights on my AR so that I can activate a light shooting strong side or support side.

[IroquoisSnakePlissken]

Murphy's Law.

[theJanitor]

travis' "second" light is an IR illuminator by surefire.

[cronus5116]

I have two lights on my AR, one is a sure fire X200 that I switch between my glocks and the AR the other is a M952 that stays on the picattiny rail all the time, the M952 has a beam that will reach futher, and the X200 has a whiter much wider beam, but then again I use mine outside for critter patrol , where that helps me out alot. plus if Im out for to long and my batterys start to die on my M952 the X200 is still going strong.

[SW-Shooter]

When I see a whole bunch of crap piled on AR's I think POSER, unless of course you are actively serving in the shit, or on the street I just can't fathom piling 5 pounds of crap on a defensive carbine. But what do I know.... I don't write or teach.

[decodeddiesel]

When I see a whole bunch of crap piled on AR's I think POSER, unless of course you are actively serving in the shit, or on the street I just can't fathom piling 5 pounds of crap on a defensive carbine. But what do I know.... I don't write or teach.

While I can agree that having 2 lights, an IR designator/Illuminator, a 3x magnifier, etc. on your home protection gun is excessive, surely though you must agree having a good quality light on a "defensive carbine" is the one "accessory" that is non-negotiable. Especially given that you can go buy a SF G2 and a VTac mount for around $60.

[markm]

When I see a whole bunch of crap piled on AR's I think POSER, unless of course you are actively serving in the shit, or on the street I just can't fathom piling 5 pounds of crap on a defensive carbine. But what do I know.... I don't write or teach.

I tend to agree. I am a minimalist to the bone. But I do feel a sling and a light are mandatory. Those are the two things you almost can't do without on a defensive rifle. And I have run 2 lights on my gun in the past.