Comments on: How to Use a Flashlight in a Tactical Situation

By: Max C

Max C — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:57:19 +0000

I teach basic maneuvering, tactical team movement, and CQB basics to a variety of personnel. Clearly our opinions differ on carry technique, but I always preach keeping your light AWAY from your body or head in a situation that involves firearms.

Lets reverse the roles, and see if you can understand where I’m coming from…
Someone has entered your home, or a location you are protecting. They are armed, and have a light of their own. You see the light 10 meters or less in front of you. How will you select a target? In countless exercises I have seen nearly every client/trainee fire at the light.

We instruct our personnel to carry a light down against the chest with their weapon at the ready. When the time comes for target acquisition you hold the light out AWAY from the body, with an extended arm. This may adversely affect your accuracy when firing unsupported, but it greatly increases your chances of keeping all your blood in your body.

By: Fox

Fox — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:48:17 +0000

I work in public safety. I do not agree with the “Eye Index”. Armed intruders/assailants tend to attack the source of the light. If its next to your head, you see where I am going with this. This is why we are no longer taught to rest the light on our shoulder anymore. I still use the Roger technique with great success, in keeping the light on target, and retention of my weapon.

By: Hamid

Hamid — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 23:34:10 +0000

I am a big fan of the nitecore P25 ( http://www.buytacticalflashlights.com/Nitecore-Flashlights/Nitecore-P25 ) as it can be recharged from a USB cable, which means I can take it backpacking along with a small solar charging unit (which also works on my gps!) and never worry about not having light!.

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 06:53:07 +0000

I think another merit of the eye-index technique is that it can be used for melee attack in addition to a “stamp.” With the flashlight on the side, that person can use the flashlight, assuming it is of solid construction, as a club. Right after blinding the person’s eyes, that defender can swing the flashlight right smash on its head. That blunt attack might knock the assailant unconscious. It is more accurate than the piercing “stamp” move.

As stated before, attaching a flashlight to a pistol is also a good idea. It frees up that person’s other hand for other uses. However, that person will need to have a lot of self-control to prevent accidental fire.

By: Cal

Cal — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:09:34 +0000

It is simple, if the bad guy has a gun and you are engaged at more than 15 feet you are better off with the light held away.

But if you are in a confined space such as a hallway or doorway inside you home of a small ally; or,
the bad guy has a knife; or
physical superiority you are much better off with the light held against your the head.

In the great majority of home invasions the invader does not have a gun. Again, not just most but the great majority. They have a knife, screwdriver, crowbar or physical superiority.
Home defenders moving though hallways, or doorways are much more likely to be physically struck, stabbed or have the gun grabbed if they have their arms out fully or mostly. They are also in no position to counter or defend against a blow to the head if both ands are gripping a gun or a gun and light held out.

In fact with even with NO flashlight handy you should enter a doorway or run a corner with one hand up and by your held as it is the best way to fend a blow.

In short if you in the woods and your opponent is armed with a projectile weapon, or in a battlefield, you should not use a light at all. If you are in you home forget everything taught at the range about stance and grip, instead keep the gun close to your upper abdomen gripping with one hand, and one hand UP by your head, flashlight or not! You have no fending leverage if your arm is out forward or to the side at 10 oclock

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:32:41 +0000

When a light is on, many adversaries will shoot at the light source. In your “recommended” technique, that means they will be shooting right at your head.

When I was a police officer, I was taught the first “not recommended technique above; it is not dangerous if you have good trigger discipline.

I was also taught a technique of holding your light hand out far from your body and shining the light in at the necessary angle. That way if anybody shoots at the light they are likely to completely miss you (unless they are an awful shot).

Great article though, I consider my light as important as my gun for self defense.

By: Wasim

Wasim — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 20:08:14 +0000

Well, in Chicago, it’s illegal to carry a gun outside (unless you’re police), so a “tactical situation” for me would’nt ionvolve a gun.

By: Gary Bryant

Gary Bryant — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:06:39 +0000

Thanks for the information. I never would have considered some of the great input concerning tactical lights had I not run into your site. I never imagined so much was involved in the use of Tactical Flashlights. They are definitely a great asset to have in a low-light situation but to use them as a defense tool to temporarily blind an assailant is a great idea. Do you think the weapon mounted lights are a good idea? Is it something to avoid because the light becomes a good target for your enemy to fire a disabling blow (as discussed in your blog above). I imagine there are many law enforcement personnel commenting on your site. It would be informative to get their take on this issue concerning weapon mounted lights vs, hand held techniques. I do agree that holding it near you head might be good in some situations but when an enemy has a gun… maybe not. Thanks for this cool site. Nice Idea. Gary

By: Peter A.

Peter A. — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:39:08 +0000

In my opinion, the best tactical flashlight on the market: http://www.maglite.com/maglite_xl200_led.asp. Affordable, powerful, proven–and made in the U.S.A. The only downside to it is that it is a bit too large to carry in a pocket on a regular basis. One upside to it–and something that I have not seen mentioned here yet (sorry if I am mistaken)–is that it doesn’t use what are relatively hard to find batteries (i.e. the CR123 battery). In other words, thinking in terms of an emergency or worst case scenario (or even an ill prepared for camping trip), you want a flashlight whose power source can be easily found and replaced when it runs out. AAA batteries are readily available just about everywhere; CR123s not so much. The more exotic stuff is great for relaitvely limited or hobby use (indeed I have some
myself). However, if you are going to purchase just one, and/or find yourself in a situation in which space is limited (like in a camping, emergency, or “bug-out” bag), then you want a flashlight that is not going to become useless once the batteries you possess or can carry run out.

Brett and Kate–great site. Keep up the good work!

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:35:14 +0000

One thing that was taught to me in a tactical low light shooting class was to hold the light away from your head at about head height, or slightly higher. The Idea of not holding it close to your head was that people will tend to shoot tword the light, (as mentioned above in the section about turn on turn off move) thus if the light is right near your head you are more likely to be hit in the head by the bad guys rounds than if you keep the light away from your head.