Thread: shooting in low light

I am going to explain how to employ the useful techniques of using a flashlight with a pistol, especially useful for those flashlights that have a tactical switch.

As many of the members already have a Surefire of two or three batteries with a tactical switch or a similar one of another brand, going from 60 to 200 lumens, I am going to explain the two most popular techniques. One is the Harries which I have already explained in the previous post in conjunction with the Borealis 1050 lumens light.

The Harries technique





Michael Harries invented this position and it is considered one of the first positions ever that coordinates the use of the flashlight using the two hands.
For using with tactical switch lights (with a switch in the tail), the flashlight is grasped with the left hand around the body and the thumb will activate the switch.
For lights with switch on the top (as the Magcharger, Stinger and Borealis) the index finger is used to press the switch down without clicking it on (if you drop your light you don’t want it to illuminate you)
The back of the hands are pressed together and maintain an isometric tension to help control the recoil of the gun. Your wrists will be crossed and the light will be parallel or close to the muzzle of the gun.

The Roger-Surefire




Holster maker, ex FBI agent, and competition shooter Bill Rogers teamed up with Surefire to adapt a rubber grommet or washer to the Surefire 6 Z (now available in most combat models of Surefire and copied by others light makers).
The position is also called the cigar position, as you grasp the body of the flashlight like a cigar, with the index and middle finger. The tail cap is resting on the fleshy part below your thumb and a little pressure back on the rubber ring will activate the light (the tail cap button resting in that part below your thumb will switch the light on).
That position will let you grasp the hand shooting the pistol with three fingers of the left hand, and it is the only position that let you use a two-handed grip on the gun

The Chapman technique




Ray Chapman was the first IPSC world champion. He invented his position for use with the Kel-Lites of the 1970’s (probably the first high quality Police Flashlight) that have a sliding switch on top of the barrel. It is still a great position to use for those that don’t want to cross the wrists as in the Harries position when using a big flashlight.
It is well suited for the Maglites or Stingers and for the modification of the Maglite like the Borealis 1050 lumens flashlight.

You just grasp the flashlight as you usually do, with your thumb in the switch and your fingers circling the barrel and you bring it up to index your fingernails with the fingernails of the shooting hand.

In my other post I have mentioned the old FBI technique which is to separate the flashlight high and away from you in order to confuse you opponent about your position, however it will not work on hallways and narrow places, so is better to have knowledge of all the positions to fit them to each particular situation.

Another technique that doesn’t offer any support to the shooting hand but it can be very useful when using a pistol with lousy sights (original 1911, Luger, etc) is the one I used more than 40 years ago when I started combat shooting.
It indexes the light on top of my head, letting the light fall on a line from the sights to the target. Even the minuscule back up .380 or the Baby Browning sights gets illuminated using this ridiculous position.

In closing, I would like to say that in my opinion lights with less than 60 lumens are out of the new low light fighting techniques.
For my belt light I will prefer to have a minimum of 200 lumens, using the Surefire C-3 and the P-91 lamp as my favorite if in civilian clothing and a Bear Cub if in uniform (as the bigger head of the Bear Cub is not easy to conceal.

But if I have to clear a big room, warehouse or backyard, I prefer a light with more power. My Surefire M-6 with the 500 lumens lamp will do, but I prefer even more lumens to really blind, disorient, and roast my opponent. That is when I use the Borealis 1050 lumens light.

These positions I have shown here will work with big lights too (except for the cigar position), the thing you will have to remember is that when you need a light in a hairy situation you need it badly and that two is better than one, so a big light in your hand to blind you opponent and another smaller light in your belt as a back up is better than only one. (Two is one and one is none).

Cheers
Watchmaker
P/S Oops, forgive me the finger in the trigger
I never had a formal training, John Wayne movies teach me to shoot:D

So um...how do you feel about elbow head flashlights?

I like your 1911.

Originally Posted by LaRue

So um...how do you feel about elbow head flashlights?

I like your 1911.

What I use myself could be no ideal for others.
I think that professionals that clear houses in a team, should have the lights in the guns, pistol, M-4 or MP-5.
For uniformed officers clearing houses for a variety of reasons (not need to call SWAT) I recommend a duty light (heavy) with lots of power (the Borealis 1050 lumens will be ideal) as you can blind an opponent and render him unconscious using the heavy light as a baton.

For rural policemen or border patrol the Borealis 1050 lumens is again the light to use, as the extended range of the beam can be used up to 300 yards.

I don’t see a need for special gimmicks to hold the light to elbow or hand, with pockets lights the standard Rogers-Surefire grip is the most practical.

Civilians could have other needs.
I worked as a watchmaker for 40 years, but I am now retired. I still clip my S&W Chief Special every morning when I put my pants on.
Now it wear also the Crimson Trace laser Grips. I also drop down my left pocket a Fenix P3D.




In the house or the car I am not to far away from a Borealis 1050 lumens, I like to have the heft of the big light in my hand when I answer the door, as I can blind somebody with the powerful beam, blind men are easy to club down.
Now retired, I am spending more time in the fishing/hunting cabin in the Adirondacks; it is great to have such a powerful light at hand when driving the solitary mountain roads.

If I am expecting trouble I get hold of the Gov’t .45 also with laser grips and Federal 230 Hydra-Shock ammo, if I have to wear this outside in parking lot or a bigger area, I may exchange the P3D for a Fenix TK-11 that have a little more range and can still wear in my belt or pocket.






I have compiled some beam shots from popular police/military lights, including the mighty Surefire M-6 (the darling of Special Forces) and the Borealis 1050 lumens.



HERE ARE SOME COMPARISON BEAM SHOTS AT 35 YARDS WITH THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY/POLICE FLASHLIGHTS.
THE CONTENDERS FROM LEFT;
MAGLITE 3 D, MAGCHARGER, ULTRA STINGER, SUREFIRE M-6, AND BOREALIS




MAGLITE 3 D (the most popular police flashlight) 46 lumens




MAGCHARGER 216 lumens rechargeable




ULTRA STINGER 295 lumens recargable




SUREFIRE M-6 500 lumens for 20 minutes on six 123’s batteries




BOREALIS RECHARGEABLE




Cheers
Watchmaker

Um, I'm not sure if you understood my question, or if I said it right.

I meant , how would you hold a flashlight with a bent head (L-shape) with your pistol?

Yes, sorry I was not thinking of the 90 degrees heads. They were mostly military lights with very low power output, about 25 lumens.

I will not use one with a pistol, but I think the best way to use them is in the belt (clipped to it) or military style clipped to the vest.

Since they will have to be on all the time, will be poor for tactical use.

Watchmaker