Do you CCW a pistol with a light?

[SteyrAUG]

Just looking for opinions, I'm really considering this after reading that something like 70% of violent encounters happen at night. Is it much more uncomfortable than a pistol without a light? Any tips, opinions, etc?

Jay

No but often I'll drop a M3 in my pocket. My CCW has night sights and if given the opportunity because things look 'questionable' I can snap on a M3 pretty quick. Or if needed I can hold it in my non shooting hand.

[SteyrAUG]

i could be wrong,
but i thought it was a bad idea (possible illegal) to carry a weapon mounted light on a CC pistol.

reason being 99% of the time u need to identify a possible threat before you point your weapon at it.

and that carries over to---

if you point your (you as a civilian) weapon at someone it better be to shoot them because your life is in danger.


if your worried about shooting at night then crimson trace laser grips work great, and there 100% legal.

Honestly these are my least important considerations if I am trying to stay alive. A weapon light actually goes a long way to positively identifying an threat from a potential threat (both cases you might draw and point a weapon) and can sometimes neutralize an attack.

Give me a brightly illuminated and partially blinded target over a laser dot any day.

[sff70]

G19 w/ X300 in a RCS Phantom, and also E1B or Fenix in pocket.

The above is practical, and comfortable.

[Agile53]

G19 or 17 w/ a SF 300 in a BladeTech IWB.
SF E1B for a backup light & 442 for a BUG.

[kmrtnsn]

Carry most every moment out of the house but never with a weapons light; don't care fore the concept.

[Vash1023]

Honestly these are my least important considerations if I am trying to stay alive. A weapon light actually goes a long way to positively identifying an threat from a potential threat (both cases you might draw and point a weapon) and can sometimes neutralize an attack.

Give me a brightly illuminated and partially blinded target over a laser dot any day.

but my point is you cant (legally) point a firearm at a person unless there threatening your life.

im pretty sure you will lose your CCW if u do that.

thats why lots of LEO's have flashlights and weapon mounted lights.

[DocHolliday01]

I carry a Glock 19 wX300 IWB. It carries well but I do have to wear t-shirts that are more loose fitting than I normally wear.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Lights like the x300 that have the side-by-side batteries are a throw back to when you needed two batteries to get enough lihgt out of a incan/xenon bulb while LEDs allow a 1x123 light to put out 80-120 lumens, correct? I'd like to see Surefire comeout with a narrower 1x123 light that fits the narrow Dawson rail. Now that would be a nice carry light platform.

[Jake0331]

I keep a lighted pistol by the bed, but my carry does not go with a light. Even if you train and become extremely proficient, a slick pistol is always going to be faster and less prone to snagging and printing.

[El Cid]

On duty I carry a Glock 22 with Surefire X300 in a Raven Concealment Phantom. I love it and never in a million years would have thought that setup would conceal so well. I don't have the IWB clips/loops for it, but on my pants that are large enough for IWB carry, the entire setup slips inside easily and comfortably.

Off duty I typically carry my Para P-14 and it doesn't have a rail. If it had a rail, I'd get another RC Phantom and carry it with an X300.

As a side note, I have carried a Surefire 6Z on my belt since the mid 90's and still do today. It's there in a Rosen SOS whether my sidearm has a light on it or not.

Legally, there are no issues with having a light mounted to your sidearm. Obviously using that light the way you would for "regular" flashlight tasks is a terrible idea (whether legal or not).