HOW NECESSARY IS A PISTOL LIGHT? 

Good info. I decided to skip the WML on a CC after listening to Chuck Haggard’s appearance on Ballistic Radio on the topic. That said, one of my carry guns pulls double duty as a nightstand gun and low-light match gun. That one has a WML on it. But my main EDC doesn’t because I think the “total darkness” John Wick scenario is the CC equivalent of the prepper’s “zombie” scenario - basically a fantasy.

To your point, I tend to carry both. In the winter, I use a weapon mounted light and hand light for the exact reasons you mentioned. It provides options.

LIke with everything in life and tools we use and why, it always comes down to "it depends". since it seems only the Sith deal in absolutes. lol Anyway, I know someone who has various pistols, some with light mount capability, some without. Since they are a regular civilian, their needs can be different than a duty person, even duty people need to watch how they use a weapon mounted light. Anyway, having various tools and/or cababilities on/within one's self every day can and does change. I know that, although I'm not a "flashlight" person or a "knife" person, I happen to usually have a knife on me, and 2 flash lights. One for small admin type tasks (surefire sidekicks are great btw) and a streamlight handheld for when i really really want bright light now, and because of it's construction, it's possible use as an impact tool. I also carry Pom pepper spray. most days all those tools are carried, on running days, it usually just the POM and an ID, and a more proactive sense of awareness of my surroundings. Drivers don't see you, even if wearing a yellow new balance shirt, or. long sleeve red SOLGW running shirt. I mean they should see you, but phones and/or the desire to turn left at an intersection without looking to the right for runners is more important. Anyway, Having options is good. I know someone who saved a good amount of money due to a sale price and whatnot on a 9mm tisas duty 1911 by getting the model without a rail. Would they have liked the rail, sure, but not getting one not only saved them money on the pistol, but also saved them from having a desire to buy a WML, and subsequently looking for holsters for a 1911 with a rail, etc. Which is why i'm not averse to people buying less expensive pistols, because there's a lot of things people may need/should buy to go with it. Ammo, holster(s), belt, training, targets, cleaning supplies, etc. I guess S&W came out with a SD9 2.0, which appears to be less than 300, there's other brands that are out there that will function and do the job too. We live in a golden age of firearms and choices. By and large, it's become more inclusive, even if there are still some cool kids. There will always be cool kids, but there hasn't always been as many options for people to get a self-defense tool for home or carry, that can and have been life changing, and not just for the grams. I mean unless you bought it for your "Grams" because she needed one. lol If I can afford a pistol with a rail, for a potential addition of a light at some point, I will. If not, I still have a powerful flashlight in my pocket that does not violate rules when put into use to see things. Thanks for the video. I'm glad more and more people are making videos that aren't "anti" this or that, but letting folks know, it's not always binary or black and white. There's a ton of grey area.

Prefacing this by saying I'm untrained beyond a brief stint in the Army for college money and am now a nurse and not a tactical guru, I choose to put a WML on my carry guns. I totally agree with the software aspect of this video. When I started carrying I immediately put a WML on my guns because more gadgets are more betterer, right? That was a while ago, and while I guess I have it if I need it, I realize that I lack the expertise to adequately utilize a WML. The main reason I still carry a WML is for comfort; everyone's mileage may vary, but I've found that with my body geometry (it's round), having a WML - or, specifically, a WML-compatible holster - actually helps with my comfort and concealment. It seems like the wider surface area just works better for me.

This seems to be one of those topics that comes up again and again, and if you listen to experts like Massad Ayoob, they’re saying pretty much what you said. The trend probably in the last 5-10 years among the “tacticool” is to put these ridiculous looking lights on their carry guns, even micro guns like the Hellcat and P365. It’s ridiculous. Home defense is different. For EDC, you want smaller, lighter, easier to conceal, not bulky. As you said, most encounters aren’t happening in a rural field with no lighting. Most are happening in urban or suburban contexts, where you can make out the threat. And if you can’t, drawing your weapon and flagging someone just to determine if a threat exists is a good way to get a felony charge of aggravated assault. I wouldn’t even have a red dot optic on my carry gun, if I wasn’t almost 60 years old and needed it for quick target acquisition. Simple is better.

I agree with you that a wml is not a need but an option. I always advise anyone that chooses to carry a wml better have a handheld for the exact reasons you mentioned. Even if you only have a handheld you need to be efficient in your one handed draw and your one handed shooting ability. I know people who can barely acquire a dot with both hands let alone one. I also know people with a wml who have never actually trained activating the light and it’s essentially lawn art on their gun. I think it’s fair to say that regardless of the option you choose you need to train with it and understand the context it applies to just like anything else.

I don’t think I need/want a WML for my CCW. It’s too bulky and realistically too much to remember in a self defense scenario to activate the light. Yeah ppl will say training yada yada but most likely it will be close up, fast and probably enough light even if dim. That said my home defense gun has a light because it may be pitch black where I have the tactical advantage of knowing the layout of my house.

I personally am a fan of having both options available. I normally have a surfire (x300) or streamlight (tlr1) on my normal carry handguns, in addition to a surfire stiletto or Modlight. I think more people need to train/ practice with just using a hand-held light at the range & during dedicated dry practice. I have taken a handful (6-8) low light classes. The WML deal is a bit of an uphill battle I've encountered over the last 2 years with some of the "Normal Earth people." Not everyone needs to rock a $300 surfire, but if you're going to, you should take the time to learn and seriously develop the skills and practice them semi regularly. I strongly encourage everyone to take a solid low light class or two if they have the opportunity to.

As a former cop, I can tell you one of the main reasons my department did not allow normal patrol officers to carry weapon mounted lights is because of rule two violations. These guys would just like you said flag themselves even heard of people trying to direct traffic using weapon mounted lights.

My offensive pistol has a WML and a dot on it. My defensive pistol has irons only.

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