finished reading sometime ago actually and vote on making this a sticky.

I went from SF G2X 320 lumen to a SF M600P only because, I tried the scenarios posted here at home.
Versus a friend who would hide in various areas of the house, with my aging eye the G2X didn't provide enough flood in our house.  The M600P remedied that issued but initially had problem with it being on the 3 o'clock position.  I gained to like the G2X on 9 o'clock because how the flow of the house....at 3 o'clock position seem to flash myself with the wall on my 3 o'clock position.  Hence, I move the light 9 o'clock to flash=strobe the hallway or opening of lets say door frame. Hope I'm making sense.

Thinking I could clear my house, I always have problem coming down to the basement.
You see, the wall on the left coming down the basement is only dry wall, behind it is the exposed frames.  My friend kept saying, when coming down the stairs, don't flash, because he could estimate where to shoot thru the drywall.  So we forego clearing the basement.
Only plan now is, barricade and call the cavalry/911.

There's a range that offers low-level light, but not house clearing.  Will try that when I get a chance
picture for scrutiny

Very nice

Great article and I think everyone needs to realize there's no perfect solution. But it doesn't makes sense to say I won't use s light because it give away my position.

Obviously when you blip the light people will key in on you but you have the advantage. You get to shoot first and move. The other person will take time to react and so will his buddy.

Would it be better if we could see just like daytime in pitch black?  Sure, but we can't.

It's better to see and have the advantage than be blind.

Current setups.
Cree LED in a Surefire G2 Nitrolon in FDE

You can with NODs

Used correctly, a WML is the right choice

I'm getting more & more impressed with the LED lights of today.
When I first wrote this, they were weak as hell. Now, these LEDs from Cree are like daylight with a switch.

I got a Streamlight TLR-1 HL, 800 lumens. Wouldn't want to hit a white wall with my eyes adjusted to the darkness, but for out door use, and creating flash blindness, you can't beat it on a handgun.

Great Read, makes it painfully obvious I need a low light class

Couple of questions for M4builder

1. obvious advances in led technology since you wrote this in 2009, what would be your weapon light of choice now

2. with the advances of weapon mounted lights/ mounting systems, activation methods/ etc...have any of your tactics changed since you wrote this?

Late to the meeting. Very nice and informative write-up M4builder. Greatly appreciate you taking the time to form these thoughts and put them to paper. I also appreciate several of the responses. Good work folks.

1. I use a Cree LED head in my Surefire for the AR (200 lumen), and a Streamlight TLR-1 HL on my pistol (800 lumen).

2. Tactics haven't really changed, just the equipment.

I'm curious why you go with only 200 lumens on the rifle, but 800 on the pistol.

This is one of the best threads I have seen in awhile I wanted to say I too have just made an m4 for a house carbine and a lot of the information is very helpful... now I just need to learn to clear the house efficiently. We have too many freakin' doors!

Good write up. Well worth the read.

Some anecdotes from personal experience: A light well suited for indoor use can be useless outside in certain situations and ambient light sources can reduce the effectiveness of your light.  I.E. shooting from a lit parking lot to a dark area at the edge of the parking lot. That 2-300 lumen tac light may not overcome the street light and illuminate the threat, leaving you to only know the threats location from his muzzle flashes while you are well illuminated from the street light. Then when you drop your light because it is useless when things get sporty and need to reload you don't have it when you move to a position where it may be of use. If a situation requires a weapon and a light a weapon mounted light is good for this reason.  A light with intuitive mode settings is a good idea if you can practice and become proficient with it.

Referring to blinding or disorienting a threat. In force on force training with sim guns when a threat is identified and illuminated with one or more bright lights the threat can only see the light. It doesn't keep them from shooting at you but they can't focus very well and aim at you very well while you can see them very well and aim. In this situation bad guy missed his shots.

Again good write up and useful thread.

I am not the most tactical person, in fact I often think tactical means complicated (at least the things I see on the internet make me think that.  But I guess tons of stuff hanging off a weapon is not necessarily always tactical.)  I like the simple approach (KISS) and have always thought a WMF is a great tool and have one on my HD gun but have never had much to back it up, until now.  This is an excellent write up, I plan to train in my home when the kids are out using these techniques.  

8 year old and this article still holds true. Very Impressive.

However, I also like to play devils advocate often and try to look at things from both sides as I believe this adds clarity to any situation.  If someone has the opinion that flashlights are a bad idea and turning one on at night will get you shot then they are welcome to not use one.  But they are gonna feel really bad when they shoot a family member in the middle of the night.  You can mount a flashlight to have available if needed and if you think you are in a situation where having the light on will get you killed then don't use it.  But in the event that using a flashlight will save a loved one by identifying them or save yourself by flash-blinding a BG, guess what, you don't have a flashlight to use as a tool: you dead, your family dead, RIP.  It's always good to have options.

Excellent writeup! Very informative.

Tactics just means choices ultimately. Having a light gives you more choices within a possible scenario. You always have the option to not activate the light, and obviously choose the time and position when or if you do.
Theres also plenty of realistic situations where activating your light does essentially nothing for giving anything away. Approaching from a lit hallway into a darkened room for example.

Thanks, OP.  1st thing I bought FW_wife after she got her 938 was a light for it.

I understand that if you have a smart house, you can hit a switch and all the house lights will come on @ once.  Might be a worthwhile addition to security cams.

Great info M4builder. Thanks.

Happy New Year

Question on light placement and activation.

Assume a right handed shooter.

if light is placed on the ejection port side of the weapon, which is desireable in terms of interference with gear as well as for barricade work, activation can really only be performed with tape switch.

if light is placed on the std bolt release side of the weapon, activation can be performed with support side hand / thumb bumping the switch (preferred by many to tape switch), but then you are faced with interference issues eliminated by other side placement.

Am I missing a technique in regards to activation if WML is on ejection port side?

Or is this just the trade off to accept?

EDIT : below post also mentions light usage when you have transitioned the rifle to non standard firing side, good point.

Thoughts?

I guess what this thought process has revealed is that I need to take a low light / WML course.

Depends on light/mount system but you could also position at 12 o’clock.

Eta: and transition to either hand.

Any recommendations for an Insight M3X to upgrade the module for more lumens and a filter?

I found an LED replacement bulb on ebay/amazon. Can't remember which. Lumens Factory was the mfg.

Wasn't a huge gain, but good enough for indoors

Ok, so hopefully this is the right place to ask. I don't personally do this as I use a tape switch, but how on earth are right handed shooters activating their lights mounted on the right side of rifles using a clicky cap. For whatever reason when I see this set up it drives me nuts because I can't even attempt to picture how on earth someone is running that light.

Usually reaching over top of the rail and using their left hand thumb.  Uncomfortable for me.  My rifles with tape switches get the light on the right, otherwise, clicky cap lights get mounted on the left.

Same for my set ups. And yeah, it just seemed like such a ridiculous reach for those running it that way. To each their own

Agreed, and here is why:

When you activate your light, you want to shift your POA (point of aim) as little as possible.  For me, that is a clicky switch at the base of the light, with the switch where my support hand thumb normally rests.  That is at 9 o’clock for me, a right-handed shooter.  The light should be mounted as close to the barrel as possible, so the force you apply to the switch is in the same axis as the barrel.

I have found that the use of a tape switch always moves my POA more than the use of a clicky switch as described above.  To find what method works best for you, do the following:

Position a target on a wall, tree, fence, etc., at moderate distance, say 50 yds.  A scope sight in target works best as they typically have a grid with inch markers so you can see/measure your POA shift with light activation.  While holding the rifle without external support, look through the optic and point your UNLOADED rifle at the center of the target. Activate the weapon light and note the amount of change of your POA.  Try this for different positions of the tape switch and with the use of a clicky switch.

With a tape switch mounted on the forearm rail, you must squeeze the switch carefully, applying equal pressure to both sides of the forearm to minimize POA shift.  I found this difficult to do, especially when under stress.  Mounting a tape switch on the front or back of a vertical grip was slightly better for me than on the rail since the applied force is in the same direction as the barrel, but I was still pushing the muzzle up or down with considerable change in POA.

Hope this helps.

New member here, and relatively new to AR's.

Thanks, mods, for making this a sticky. I am in the process of rigging up my MCX Virtus up for home defense, and need some serious input as to what to buy, how to set this up, and how to use it.

For the lights category, this gave me some good information on all three. Thanks again for the hat trick.

What do you guys think about using a light with a strobe function, and leaving it on while you move in the dark, throiugh a building?

I think that's a great idea for you to draw fire w/.  I'll sit back here in the dark and see where the muzzle flashes are coming from.  

Candela...tens of thousands of 'em.

Just happened upon this..  Great write-up OP!

I am fast forwarding this thread for guidance and upgrading.  I have mounted Olight tiny rechargeable 1350 lumen white led lights on my 2 rifles.  Plus both have full power green lasers.

Short cord to the remote pad.  Science marches on.  The olights remote pads cord is retained by arson engineering mlock retaining pads.  Trick. Not that expensive.  The Olight comes on a dim light as long as its in its locked mode when its unit mounted switches are pushed and turn off when released as does the remote pad.  Holding both the lights switches on the light itself for several seconds powers up the light and allows the unit to cycle thorough its various light levels.  Double click engages strobe.  Extremely bright.  Plus the green laser is on if selected.  Rechargeable with a magnetic snap on.

Sounds complicated. I prefer simple.


Btw what did you mean by "full power green lasers"?

I agree with keeping it simple.  I use Arisaka 600's, Surefire M600's, and Modlite 18650's.  If I want light, I want full power without having to mess with modes.  If for some reason I wanted a low power, nav light, I'd use one of those MFT Backup lights.

I even got rid of the rail mounted tape switch...and went back to the tailcap.

Old but useful thread, so a good healthy bump with my own take on what works best for me and some general observations. If any of what works for me bothers anyone, take it with a grain of salt.

First, I'm a left handed rifle shooter because I am left eye dominant, but naturally right handed for everything else. I became naturally ambidextrous because of it. And I took the lemon I was born with and turned it into lemonade because it's made me become better rifleman, IMO. This means that I can switch shoulders and make the best use of cover while defending my home. The lesser dominant eye won't matter as much to myself at least, when the max range is minute of the end of hallways and from one side of the walls to another side.

Because of the above I place the lights on the left and use pressure pads. Well the right type of switches/pads that have worked correctly based on my needs anyways. Absolute zero shift of POI from POA no matter what narrative is being given, from 25 to 100, my stuff works because instead of just slapping it on where I thought it should go whether because it had felt comfortable or it's what every cool kid was doing, I took the gun out at night with tools, and stayed out there until things were finally placed to function all the time and not because of form. If I need to switch shoulders, that pad is exactly where it needs to be on top, where both hands can use it effectively.

I now have only one rifle right now with no switches or pressure pad, that may change too some day.

I've tried Streamlights, they flicker when being used because the battery spring isn't keeping the batteries into contact from recoil. Arisaka had addressed that but Streamlight acted like it's still not an actual problem.

Even tried Inforce WML's. While I can really appreciate the design and lightweight, plus their CS absolute rocks, the fact that they sometimes fall off if not retard strength monkey tightened, or the knob snaps off while tightening to keep it from coming off again, I was done. I got what broke replaced no questions asked. I then gave them away with full disclosure and have one left now, just in case for whatever reason.

I jumped on the Surefire game because the last two brands sucked, and although they haven't failed, it's been taught to me that throw and spill matters more than how many lumens that have almost no throw but lots of up close only spill

It wasn't until Gunsite at the night portion where I found out about Modlite. I wanted to trash every Surefire I had after both the OKW and PLHv2 were demoed. I had found the right brand that gave the right results there were clearly needed and missing from my rifles until now.

When the topic does come up in my circle, I keep suggesting to folks to go at night and find out instead of just slapping it on and calling it good. Four so far have found out that everything changes when it's pitch black. Suddenly what the cool kids were doing or what people were telling them to do online, wasn't the best way after all. Reality is a bit different in person. Harsh way to find out, but it's the only way to learn IMO.

I'm a Modlite convert as well. I bastardized my light by sticking a PLHv2 head on a Surefire 600DF Pro body...because SF aced the mounting system on that model.

What is it w/ lefties and Arizona?  You, Ian, SinistralRifleman...

The sure fire shows 1350 lumens output.
The Olight is also 1350 lumens and tiny in size versus the surefire.  And magnetic rechargeable.
Olight Baldr pro r has a coxial green 5mw laser.
Please look at this new model.  1000 Mah built in rechargeable battery.
The magnetic connection is unique.  Strong connection .The complicated mention here would seem incorrect.  
Takes seconds to open the QD mount and  disconnect the magnetically  attached remote pad leaving the pad and the cord physically still attached to the weapons forearm
I looked at every light I could find last month.  They all look like flashlights stuck on the side of the forearm.  
The Olight is extremely compact compared to what i see here.  1/2 the size or less.  
7” Flat connecting cord.  Then someone somewhere showed a arson machining remote pad cord positive retention little metal bracket.  Versus cable ties or a loose hanging wire.
So i put three on the cord between the Olight and the pad mounted in its own snap in holder mounted on a short piece of pitcanny rail.
The Olight has a tiny flashlight I also purchased.  Baton ll EDC(every day carry)  i bought a tiny 3d printed belt  holster for it and carry it always.
It has a 1000 lumens.  90 minutes run time on high.  Same magnetic clamp charge cord from a USB plug in.  
I mounted the pad to the side of a B&T swiveling monopod on my hk 911 that has flats on both sides and 4 thick orings to retain the pad without the pitcanny mount i used on the ar-15.

This guy too

I dunno man.

I don't understand the point of your post as it's rather off topic with the thread's purpose of how to properly use weapon mounted lights.

Did this thread help you understand how to properly use your light at all?

Yes thank you

Great thread and just what I needed. I just finished mounting a tape-switch controlled Fayachi light on my wife's new AR. Based on what I just read, I am removing it, taking off the tape switch and replacing it with the switch, and mounting it on the side, where it can be activated by the thumb of the foregrip hand. I'm brand new to the AR platform and have never used a light on a forearm in before. I'll take all the help and advice I can get.

I moved the light and tried out the techniques in the dark last night. It all worked well. I'm a believer. My Feyachi FL-22B light has a narrow center spot and a nice wide splash. Hands-on training is next for us.

Thanks bro