All posts tagged home defense

Always a debate when it comes to lasers and lights on firearms

crimson trace laser grips for saleThere have been many advancements on firearms and the biggest changes we have seen in the laser 2yrs are with the Flashlights we sell.  Surefire and Streamlight have had several upgrades of the same flashlights and what a G2 Flashlight is now is not anything like what it was 8yrs ago.  Battery life is also improving and this year we saw the first ever  solar/battery powered optics.  Lasers is just about everywhere now, on law enforcement lights like the TLR and the Viridian laser light combos.  I have found good use for the Crimson Trace laser grips on my smaller sidearms.s

If you have a little .380 or even a revolver the laser grips add more comfort to guns where regular sights really are really worth much.  Once you go small on a firearm the side radius isn’t going to do much more than point and shooting will and the Crimson Trace laser grips for sale are going to be a bonus.  Confidence in what you carry is very important and lasers, if trained properly, can be deployed the same way you would use a flashlight.  A constant on with a laser may not be a good idea for home defense because it can give away your position but like all devices, training to  use it properly is important.

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Don’t expect a do it all gadget on your firearms

I saw a recent night fighting test where they basically showed how night sights become useless as soon as a flashlight gets turned on and the glowing dots won’t help you in low light conditions depending on your flashlight gun techniques.   The whole flashlight thing on handguns is a debate in itself because there are so many things to consider.   There are flashlight retention devices like the Section 8 Tactical ultimate retention device that have helped improve grip and freeing up your hand to open doors or do magazine changes, but it is true that it’s not as steady as a flashlight mounted on the firearm.

Night sights are nice, but who would get into a shoot out in their home without turning on a light or using a flashlight?   One thing to consider are Crimson Trace Laser grips for home defense because not only can you tell depth of a target in low light you can also get better cover and still know where your gun is pointed.   There are some really good defensive training DVD’s coming out an Massad Ayoob will be going over using laser grips in home situations.   I highly recommend using lasers on home firearms as well as flashlights, I think those are far more practical and advantageous than using night sights.

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Lights, Lasers and Strobes

I think people do get carried away with firearm accessories, but I have found that training with defensive tactics using flashlights is well worth it.   I don’t think a flashlight is going to stop a threat, but it surely can out a threat, identify innocent people, and possible distract an attacker for a few seconds.  Many of the situations that people have been in that were considered hostile and mostly women, could have been dealt with, with non-lethal force.   Pepper spray and mace are a good companion because firearms have far more legal ramifications.

When it comes to using lasers, that’s a personal preference, I personally find them to be more useful for less trained shooters to give them for confidence, and they work well for those in environments where using cover is more probable and having a laser may give you more accuracy while the majority of your body is out of the view of a threat.   Streamlight flashlights have a TLR-1, TLR-2 and the TLR-3 they  will give you the standard flashlight, laser, or the laser and strobe depending on the model you use.  I would give caution to putting too much on a firearm and put more into the training of the operator.   Manual safeties complicate firearms as much as putting too many switches on one.

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Deciding on putting a white light on a handgun

I have witnessed one too many times of people mounting things on firearms that fall off, get snagged or malfunction.  The more you put on a firearm that needs to be tightened or screwed on, the more you better pay attention to how it is mounted and verifying that it has been locked in every time you expect to use it.   I haven’t caught on to the handgun white light idea because considering the distance I would use a sidearm inside my home, holding a flashlight while shooting a Glock vs having it on a Glock doesn’t really mean much to me.   I’m not going to be taking 25yd shots where I need a better shooting grip to get good shots.

Mounting a white light on your gun may also mean  you can’t use your gun holsters anymore and you’ll have to run out and pick up a new one.   Keeping a gun in your bed side safe with a white light is very practical.  Streamlight flashlights make the TLR-1 and TLR-2 that gives you the option of a flashlight or flashlight and laser.  I’m a fan off certain types of firearms for me, but there are guns that I would issue to less trained loved ones with certain accessories because they are easier to manipulate or handle.   I’m a big fan of shotguns and battle rifles, but that is too much for a fragile person to handle inside the home.  I’d feel better issuing a Glock 19 with a white light than a 1911 with a manual safety for someone less trained to deal with recoil and stress.

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Laser grips? Are they any different now?

Just like the white lights that could only be mounted to trigger guards and the lasers that mounted the same way, gun manufacturers have been modifying their firearms so that can all be accessorized.  It’s really easy to spot some of the older model Sig 228 and Sig 229 guns because they don’t have rails.  Now it’s pretty much the law of the land to have a rail on your handgun because so many understand the need for using a white light.  Just like everything that has to do with firearms and caliber debates, you have to know what the task at hand is and know what tools will work to get the job done.

I agree that the best place to put a laser is probable right inside the barrel and beam it out of the exact same spot the bullet flies out of, but right now that is impossible.   Lasermax and Crimson Trace laser grips have different approaches to getting the same job done, and it’s really what your preference is.  For close up fighting, once you get your laser setup for the ranges you wish to do combat training or defensive training in your laser will work, but side mounted lasers will become inaccurate once you get out of your comfort zone.

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