EDC Basics: Tactical Lights On Carry Guns

Do You Need A Weapon Light For EDC?

Apparently, 2024 is destined to be the year of weapon light discourse, at least insofar as they pertain to concealed carry. A certain acclaimed firearms trainer (who shall remain nameless) sparked a heated debate in the online gun community, with one side arguing that a pistol-mounted light is an essential piece of EDC gear and the other claiming that while a light might be nice to have under very specific circumstances, armed civilians typically don't need them at all.

The Case For Pistol-Mounted Lights

Those advocating for weapon lights on EDC pistols are primarily concerned with positive target identification in dimly lit or completely dark environments. As every responsible gun owner should know, the rules of firearms safety require shooters to know their target and what lies beyond. Doing so effectively reduces the risk of engaging a non-threat or inadvertently striking an innocent bystander.

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Of course, this is difficult to achieve if everything around you is enveloped in darkness. Deploying a tactical light to illuminate your target / backstop enhances your ability to make quick, informed decisions while keeping both hands firmly on your gun when confronted with a potential deadly threat.

A pistol-mounted light can also act as a psychological deterrent, temporarily disorienting would-be attackers with a blinding strobe or a constant high-output beam. Your silhouette is obscured behind a bright light (meaning the assailant can only aim for the approximate source of the light) but because you can see your target clearly, you stand a better chance of landing a significant hit that ends the threat and allows you to escape from harm.

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The Case Against Pistol-Mounted Lights

While most will acknowledge the benefits listed above, some individuals have serious reservations about utilizing a tactical light that is mounted parallel to the muzzle. The same core tenets that require positive target identification also prohibit aiming a firearm at any person or object the shooter is not willing to destroy. Thus, the inherent design flaw of weapon lights is that in order to identify your target, you must first point your gun towards a subject you have not already determined to be a threat.

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The recommended alternative is carrying a handheld EDC flashlight, deployed with the shooter's support hand, so as to illuminate targets while maintaining a low ready position with the pistol in the dominate hand. Notably, an offhand light can be used to identify a deadly threat before activating the pistol-mounted light and transitioning the support hand back to the gun as you engage the target.

However, even though this practice may be marginally safer than relying on a weapon light as your primary light source, it is also slower and requires more training to utilize efficiently. There are undoubtedly still some situations in which a weapon light alone is the more pragmatic choice for a civilian self-defender.

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Which Light Is Right?

Tactical lights are a lot like red dot sights in that they are not an absolute necessity, but they do enhance the functionality of your EDC pistol. If you chose to run a light on your carry gun for the clear advantages they provide, we still encourage you to keep a handheld light on your person for performing administrative tasks that do not require the aiming of a firearm. 

Want to learn how you can deploy a weapon-mounted light more safely and effectively? Check out the incredible SureFire training event we attended, where we were instructed by former Delta Force operator Kyle Lamb.

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