Weapon Light as Aiming Aid?

[Jay Cunningham]

The conventional wisdom is that a white light mounted coaxial to the barrel of the carbine is used to locate and identify potential threats. Along with using them came warning not to mistakenly employ them as aiming devices.

Recently, we've seen experimentation with a new setup consisting of a high-intensity, small sized, tightly focused light (SFX300) mounted at the 12:00 position on the AR carbine. This places the light within the offset region between the bore and the sightline.

Does this particular arrangement begin to blur the line between identification tool and aiming aid?

[BushmasterFanBoy]

I've used my Insight M6 on my AR with light and laser on, to be honest, in close spaces, I'd trust just the light to be close enough. The laser on my M6 points to a section of the light pattern that I've never seen move or change, thus I'd imagine it would easily fill the same function as a laser if one put some time into practicing its point of impact.

[NCPatrolAR]

The concept of using a light as an aiming point isnt anything new. When Surefire released the X200A; they stated you could use the tip of the diamond as an improvised aiming point. Personaly, I'm not fond of the concept. I'd rather use my sights (irons or red dot) or a laser.

[ST911]

Functional close quarters expedient, depending on the light. Not recommended otherwise.

[mark5pt56]

The issue I can see is weapon fixation. If you use the light to ID and ending up focusing on the weapon, you may end up shoot at that item. Ok, if you hit it or the hand, the position of the hand/weapon is a big factor. Not a big deal if the bad guy has it in front so shots would go center mass, but in some circumstances, that may not be the case.

[Lumpy196]

I remember in the early 90s Tacstar selling low-budget weapons lights with a crosshair superimposed over the bezel lense.


Im still trying to figure out why one would NEED to use a flashlight for an aiming device when my long guns have....aiming devices. I understand the concept of redundancy, but I think there are better options available that would be more intuitive.

[markm]

I remember in the early 80s Tacstar selling low-budget weapons lights with a crosshair superimposed over the bezel lense.

That sounds like a KNS product!

[Failure2Stop]

Does this particular arrangement begin to blur the line between identification tool and aiming aid?

When I first attached the X300 to my carbine I had a similar thought. Inside my livingroom my M3 dot sat just to the right of center of the beam. I had the same internal battle as you propose here. My final conclusion:

Given the right series of circumstances, at real room distances, you take what you got.

[Lumpy196]

Given the right series of circumstances, at real room distances, you take what you got.

And in my case, that would be, in order:

Aimpoint
back up irons
Aimpoint body as a large ghost ring technique

All of which I can reasonably practiced and only one of which lacks a definitive aiming point.

[Failure2Stop]

And in my case, that would be, in order:

Aimpoint
back up irons
Aimpoint body as a large ghost ring technique

All of which I can reasonably practiced and only one of which lacks a definitive aiming point.

Agreed, if I am on my feet and can see out of my right eye, I am going with your exact same list.

However, if I am on my back, wearing my pirate costume complete with eye-patch, and my Aimpoint is covered by a fat guy's tighty-whiteys when the ninjas drop out of the ceiling; well, then I take what I gotta.