Dont see the need to attach my surefire or any flashlight to my shield when you can use few techniques depending on situation and physical environment
6 Flashlight Shooting Techniques You Must Know - USA Carry
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Well...That article turned me off right away and I disagree with it on numerous levels.
First, background. I have over a decade of experience in law enforcement and am currently one of less than twenty firearms instructors for a 9,000+ sworn law enforcement agency. I was responsible for completely updating and implementing our department's low light training program as well as the low light program of instruction during our handgun transition classes which includes instruction in issue weapon-mounted-lights. I have attended numerous low-light training courses and instructor development courses, trained thousands of recruits and law enforcement personnel from numerous agencies in low light conditions, and I currently train personnel in low light conditions numerous times per week.
First...Just because one has a weapon-mounted-light (WML) on their handgun does not prohibit them in any way from having a hand-held light available. I find it sad that many consider a WML a replacement rather than an additional tool.
I wouldn't drive a car without seeing where I was going, and I wouldn't want to point a gun in a direction where I couldn't see what I was pointing it at. Yes, hand-held lights work, but having seen how trained individuals react under stress, I can say that VERY FEW will utilize a hand-held light against a threat unless the light is already illuminating the threat. I would venture to say that 60-70% of the time, the light ends up dropped as the shooter obtains a "trained" two-handed stance, while another 20-30% of the time they will hold on to the light but not activate it...in fact, they'll forget it's there.
Training can help, but even trained individuals exhibit a drastic reduction in target acquisition and ability to recover from recoil for multiple shots or moving targets.
The ability to use a WML, particularly one with a pressure switch a-la Surefire's "DG" or the CTC "Lightguard" makes the use of the light almost guaranteed...resulting in an increase in speed of target identification and acquisition. Since the shooter can generally take advantage of their trained two-hand grip, recoil recovery, target transition, and tracking of moving targets (a big frigin' deal in reality) is greatly enhanced.
I have conducted a test...I do it every time we train new shooters with WMLs...You can all do it as well...On a buzzer have the student engage a target from the holster...or even low-ready, with a hand-held light, requiring them to identify if the target is a threat (It works really well if you have a "no-threat" target sometimes). Then do the same drill with a WML. The results speak for themselves.
Yes...Proper use of WMLs requires training.
and...Proper use of hand-held lights requires training.
Of course, Proper use of firearms - in general - requires training.
Search out good trainers who use WMLs and hand-helds, because they are both sides of the same coin.
PS: Thanks for posting that Viridian...I have my eye on that one... I've been looking for a viable "off-duty"/home defense compact WML for some time and the current Streamlight TLR-3,4 series just doesn't do it. CTC is getting closer with their Railmaster and this Viridian looks like another step in the right direction!
