TexasCHLforum.com

txinvestigator wrote:

kw5kw wrote:

kauboy wrote:I'd go with the 9mm staying at home. The .45 is a little large for some women and the 9 is more manageable. Your wife will probably feel more comfortable controlling a 9mm in a stressful situation. But why do you need nightsights on you home gun? I would get the NS on your carry weapon and get a Surefire for the nightstand. Its much better to blind a relative than to shoot them using pretty green sights while they're sleep-walking through the house. And if it turns out to be a perp, he won't be able to see anything and you can take them down however you see fit, non-lethal or otherwise. Always keep in mind the safety of innocents.

True, the wife (who does not have a CHL) does spend more time at home alone, so maybe the 9mm would be better at home for this reason.

I don't want a light mounted on my gun!

Lesson from Gunsite:

A. Bad guy will shoot what he can see... he can see the light
B. I don't have body armor
C. Bad guy shoots at light
D. Bad guy hits me behind light.

or:

A. Bad guy will shoot what he can see... he can see the light
B. Since I don't have body armor, I hold the light up in the air with my weak hand, this gives the illusion of much larger (light comming down from at least 7 feet) adversary, plus now the light would only target my hand/arm, much smaller target for the bad guy.
C. I'm able to see him with light and using night sights, I have him pegged.

Cops can use tatical light cause they have body armor, me as a joe citizen do not.

I know my house and it is only me, the wife and the dog.

I leave no lights on that would allow the Bad guy to have knowledge of my floor plans.

I have a very bright ---can't remember the brand name--- 5-LED tatical light that uses two #123 batteries.

Russ

I have done force on force training. I disagree about the weapon mounted light. I can see the shooter plain enough to shoot him when he holds his light out and away from his body. Also, stand in a hallway and see if you can hold the light up AND away from your body.

You also train to shoot two-handed. How many rounds have you put thru your weapon one handed, under stress while holding a light on a target? I assure you that is a skill you will lose quickly under stress. It is too easy to make a mistake and press the trigger rather than push the light-on switch when under stress. I am not talking theory either, but from participating in and observing training.

If you need your off hand to do something like open a door, engage a person, etc., you will lose your light.

With a weapon mounted light you shoot two handed like you train. You never lose your light if you need your off hand to do something. You can still have your other light to illuminate things you do not want to cover with your weapon.


I can tell you that as a former cop, my tactics were not based on the fact that I was wearing armor. My tactics were based on not being shot at all, as if I were not wearing armor. Any tactic that you would engage in with body armor that you would not engage in without it is not a sound tactic.

I say this not to try to impress you, but so you know I have training and experience in this issue. I am a former LEO. I am currently the training director for a Firearms Training Center in Dallas. We train CHL's, Armed Guards, armed Body Guards and local, state and Federal LEO's. I am a CHL instructor, DPS Private Security Board combined firearms instructor, and I have attended MANY advanced tactical schools.

I keep a Kimber Warrior with a Surefire X200 mounted on it for my immediate action gun at night. If I did not have access to a weapon mounted light, the procedure I would use is this;





This technique gives a more stable shooting platform than the "hand over your head" method, allows to move the light to illuminate something you would not wish to cover, allows for tighter spaces, and is less likely to cause confusion when trying to manipulate either the weapon or the light.

In fact, I carry the CDP you see in the picture along with that light: always. Away from home those are the tactics I would use in the dark

I don't know of ANY LEO's or other units using the "hand over the head" method any more.

And please don't think I am criticizing you or your tactics. This is just from my experience. ;)

Good luck to you.