What is the best way to hold a revolver and a flashlight for defensive purposes?

[Rugerista]

The revolver is one of my preferred defensive weapons. I recently purchased a hand-held defensive light. I did some research on Google and YouTube and found several videos and posts on how to hold a light and a semi-automatic handgun. However, there is very little information on how to safely and effectively hold a flashlight and a revolver.

Any advice, links, pictures, videos and/or experience on the subject would be appreciated. My goal is to learn an effective technique and practice.

Thank you

 

[Doug M.]

If you found "neck index", I think it will work just as well with a revolver as with a pistol. It's probably the most workable technique once you get used to it.

Flashlight: Surefire Fury, either the P2X or P3X, single output, with a clickie switch. Nothing comes close.

 

[forrestinmathews]

The real problem isn't in holding the light, it's in the reloading process with the light involved. Try between the weak hand little and ring fingers. Weak hand reloading comes into it's prime here unless you have some way of strapping the light to your hand.

 

[Old cop]

During the time we carried revolvers we were trained to hold the light in our weak hand and away from our body. That way if the bad guy shot at the light it would not be anywhere near our vitals. I don't care for the present use of the light held on the gun itself right in front of our X-Ring.

 

[tops]

During the time we carried revolvers we were trained to hold the light in our weak hand and away from our body. That way if the bad guy shot at the light it would not be anywhere near our vitals. I don't care for the present use of the light held on the gun itself right in from of our X-Ring.

The light makes a good target for a pistol but it makes a super good target for a rifle with a glass eye. Larry

 

[David Sinko]

It depends on whether you're caught out in the open or working around cover. You need to be able to adapt to a couple of different methods. Most of the low light match scenarios and qualifications I've done are unrealistic and involve shooting bullseyes in the dark. A real gunfight in the dark will be quick and brutal, with a lot of lead coming your way. Incoming bullets will be at your light, and even if the light is held away from your body the bullets will probably miss the light and still hit you anyway. I think I'd be inclined to keep the light off and shoot at the muzzle flashes. Or simply retreat, if possible. I've never done it for real, but I once had an unarmed subject in a dark basement who I think was contemplating whether or not to try to grab me and attempt to disarm me. Fortunately my light was never on for more than a second at a time and I was always moving. I saw him before he could decide how he was going to handle me. So sometimes it's how you manage your light before you have to take a shot.

Dave Sinko

 

[sipowicz]

During the time we carried revolvers we were trained to hold the light in our weak hand and away from our body. That way if the bad guy shot at the light it would not be anywhere near our vitals. I don't care for the present use of the light held on the gun itself right in from of our X-Ring.

Makes sense..but acctually, they found out that by holding it that way, you were still lit up by the spill light and less likely to be shining the light in the bad guy's eyes. Also, holding one arm out was a bit awkward and made it harder to hit your target. On the gun lights might be in front of your x -ring, but with these new super high outputs, you are pretty likely to blind your threat before he can get off a decent shot.

If you don't have a light on your gun, we were taught a few different methods. For me, the crossover method worked best...light in off hand, thumb on back of it...gun hand over it with backs of hands touching each other.

Like this:

Another method is between the fingers but it depends on the size of your light...and it's not very stable.

 

[Old cop]

Someone mentioned only keeping the ligh on for a few seconds and I forgot to mention part of the training was to click the light on and off, not keeping it on all the time.

 

[coltle6920]

My preferred method would be to have someone else hold the light and stand a few feet away from me.I'm no dummy!

 

[Arik]

The way I know how to is to have hands crossed and palms back to back. That way no matter where the gun points the light points as well. Like the first picture above

Honestly, this is why I like semi autos and rails

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[vito]

I little off topic, but what do you think is more effective in disorienting or blinding an opponent, keeping the light on or using it in strobe mode (assuming your flashlight can do this)?

 

[sipowicz]

I disabled the strobe function on all my handheld "tactical" lights....I found they disoriented me too. I don't want to have a shootout in the disco.

This is my set-up.

 

[SgtLumpy]

If it's one of those really expensive, tacti-cool flashlights, toss it to your opponent. He'll pick it up and think "Now I'm tacti-cool too". That'll cause him to lose focus on you so you can then shoot him in the leg, like in the movies.

Hope that helps.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[Rugerista]

For me, the crossover method worked best...light in off hand, thumb on back of it...gun hand over it with backs of hands touching each other.

Like this:

Excellent post. The picture helps a lot. I think I can make this work with a revolver.

 

[Rastoff]

I disabled the strobe function on all my handheld "tactical" lights....

How did you do that?

 

[Smoke]

Makes sense..but acctually, they found out that by holding it that way, you were still lit up by the spill light and less likely to be shining the light in the bad guy's eyes. Also, holding one arm out was a bit awkward and made it harder to hit your target. On the gun lights might be in front of your x -ring, but with these new super high outputs, you are pretty likely to blind your threat before he can get off a decent shot.

If you don't have a light on your gun, we were taught a few different methods. For me, the crossover method worked best...light in off hand, thumb on back of it...gun hand over it with backs of hands touching each other.

Like this:

This is how I was always taught.

 

[forrestinmathews]

Stream light has a ten tap programmable feature where you can run through several options and make the light do only high or turn the strobe off and make it go low power first before high as well as high/strobe/low.

 

[sipowicz]

How did you do that?

It's in the instructions on most lights...if you don't have them you get them off the website...

 

[66snub]

Just remember to be careful with the technique pictured above with a revolver. Don't forget that revolvers belch flames out the sides like a top fuel dragster when they shoot.

My duty Sig 226 doesn't have a rail on it, so when I'm clearing a house, I carry my light (streamlight stinger) reverse grip with the flashlight barrel back by my neck with the flashlight off. I use momentary pressure on the button with my middle finger to get small bursts of light when I need it. Shine the light quickly, see the room layout, move, repeat. I can still manipulate doorknobs like this and can change the elevation of the light if needed. If I were clearing a house with a revolver, I'd do it the same way.

 

[walkin' trails]

The Harries Technique is the first photo posted by Sipowicz, and is a good, all-round adaptable way of using a handheld light. As for what to do with the light during reloads, attach a lanyard. What you need to do is try out the techniques you saw and see which one best works for you. Even practicing room clearing at home with an empty pistol.