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[JavaBrewer]

MXRider - I'm not going to detail for the world my exact course of action - just the desired goals. I'll leave the rest up to imagination but I am confident I have most scenarios covered.

Regarding the tac light - what you and I see as practical is not relevant. For the same reasons hand loads are not suggested for HD I choose to employ factory stock firearms in a HD role. Again YMMV.

[bdubz]

I'm not clearing anything. Period. Family will congregate in lighted bedroom with locked door. Call to 911 and until the cops secure scene anyone coming through the door is dealt with. No tactical crap to excite lawyers - a standard 18" HD 870 with 00 buck with a backup S&W 686 close by.

I understand where myk is coming from. I have no intention of killing a person for stealing my material goods. That is what HO insurance is for and why I'm never going to 'clear' the home to save a damn TV set. If the intruder(s) proceed to our location despite our warnings then I cannot vouch for their continued well being.

Either way it would be freaking nightmare.

I'm with this guy. I'd like to not endanger my family by shooting up the house or in a worst case scenario, arming the invader with one more weapon. They can take whatever material goods they can get before the cops arrive as long as they don't come through my door where my family is at. I have insurance for that. I also have a 90 lb bulldog as the first line of defense to alert me when something isn't right and to find and seriously injure any attacker if they even stick around long enough after hearing him coming. A trained dog is definitely the best first line of defense in my eyes.

[MXRider]

I'm not asking you to divulge your secret plan. I'm asking a serious question about getting your family together in one place, and how you will accomplish this in a low/no light situation.

[negolien]

yup

In the dark, how do you tell the difference between a thief and your wife/gf/drunk friend that you forgot was sleeping over?

Nobody says you turn on the flashlight and wave it around like a beacon, it's used to identify a threat/innocent bystander. Hence why many tactical lights have the pressure switch, you only need to use it sparingly.

If its truly light enough for you to see inside your house in the dark, remember that it goes both ways. Why would you not want the option of also having a temporary blinding light at your disposal?

I concur sir.

[BonnieB]

Barabarossa, above, is totally right.

Here's the problem. I think you are relying on your eyes to do all the identification for you. Use your ears, voice, throw a tennis ball away from you, if necessary and have a plan. If you're still unsure, take a low-light class, you'll feel better.

Maybe you have bought into the whole $200 flash-bang tactical strobing flashlight marketing campaign. If it disorients a BG, it'll disorient you too.

My (very generic) tactical plan in a home invasion of any sort is

1) pick up my loaded handgun and go quickly and quietly to the room where my loaded shotgun is, if I'm not already there.

1) get my back in a corner, in a dark room, racked shot gun in hand, and

2) let them come to me. I know where he is, he doesn't know where I am, in lowlight.

He can take my stuff and leave, I don't care. I'm insured and it's only me who's irreplaceable.

Remember, if a light blinds an intruder, it blinds you too. If you aren't moving in the dark and he is, you have the advantage.

And you simply don't shoot if you aren't sure who it is. Remember the guy who killed his own 15 year old son last week, by shooting at 'a masked intruder' in his yard.

You can always keep a flashlight by your gun, for afterwards. I keep a flashlight in every room in the house. Just because.

[mandor]

lol you guys suck. why did you start arguing over criminal rights, morality, and stuff like that. thread is about usefulness of lights on a defensive weapon, particularly the 12 ga. shotgun.

hopefully no one has to ever engage another person in combat with a firearm, but if you do, you should prepare for it.

i have a light on my HD shotgun, because i believe you should give yourself ALL advantages when fighting another human. in a low light situation, you have a lot of options: lights, lasers, dots, etc. this weapon you are outfitting is not for shooting clays or paper targets. you are creating it with the idea that it will help you defend yourself in a life or death situation. hell yes i want a flash light. flash light is always helpful.

[JavaBrewer]

I'm not asking you to divulge your secret plan. I'm asking a serious question about getting your family together in one place, and how you will accomplish this in a low/no light situation.

Again that's private info. We live here. We are intimate with the layout. No need to share.

Best,
David

[MXRider]

This place is a ****show sometimes.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[BlK Lantern]

This one reason it doesn't hurt to have a dog sometimes. My dogs can detect things before I can see them...

[LCU1670]

First, only clear your home if you have to, otherwise hold up in your room and call 911.

If you have to clear, have lights in your home on a remote, that is in your room, now you can turn on lights throughout the home. Maybe that also scares them away.

If you cannot do that, have night lights strategically placed throughout to help you in clearing your home.

Next, never rack your weapon, you need noise disipline.

Amplified ear muffs, may help you here them, and protect your ears.

Body armor?

Weapon light, must be sturdy and mounted sturdy, easy to use, and only used to ID target, or quick scan. I took a four night shotgun course at Front Sight. It blew apart 2 weapons lights, they didn't hold up the the repeated recoil, and it showed me and worked out the best way to have everything mounted for easy, intuitive use. So, whatever you mount, go to the range and give it a workout.

Have a back up sidearm.

But again, if possible, holdup and call 911. Have keys you can throw out the window (light on them?) to the cops when they get there, and stay on the phone to transfer info to them.

Bedroom door, apply some simple modifications to make it sturdier. Longer screws, dead bolt.

[AAShooter]

Bedroom door, apply some simple modifications to make it sturdier. Longer screws, dead bolt.

Consider installing a metal door and door frame with deadbolt.

[ElDub1950]

... if you were to ask most guys why they have a light on their gun their going to say something like "its so I can clear my house in the dark" ...

Well, if they told you the truth, 'most' guys have a flashlight on their shotgun because it goes nicely with their bayonet, laser, red dot, dual 6 round side saddles, quadrail forearm, pistol grip, door breacher and 100 round bandolier. AND it doesn't matter that it weight 38 pounds and they can't hit a Buick at 5 yards!

But that's if they actually told you the truth.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

The fail is strong in this thread. And it all seems to be coming from the OP. Dude, people are trying to explain why your "ideas" are not the best. And you just keep arguing. If one person tells you that you are wrong, it is a disagreement. When everybody is telling you that you are wrong, it is time to re-examine your premise.

As for your original question, as the others have said, lights are important for identifying your target. It keeps you from shooting your kids, your dog, the coat rack by the door, etc... If you can't see the value in that, I pity your family. As for making you a target, if it is a weapon-mounted light, how exactly are they going to shoot at you? You have your gun pointed at them. You just blinded them, and can adjust your aim and fire long before they can recover enough to get a shot off. You really, really need to get some training before you spout off your pet theories.

-Mb

[Squidward]

I'm not a big fan of clearing ones own home in most situations. Multiple rooms and maybe multiple bad guys throughout... But a light on a shotgun (or any gun) is not a bad thing IMHO; it gives you options.

However, if you absolutely have to clear your house or move through rooms to get to kids, let's not forget to turn on the interior house lights as well. After all, you're not sneaking up on anyone anyway.

[kb58]

It is amazing that this thread hasn't been resolved yet. All you have to do is read of several incidents where someone "defending their home" killed a child, spouse, or friend, all due to not properly identifying the target. You MUST identify the target before pulling the trigger... to do otherwise is insanity.

I for one vote for calling the cops, pointing your protection at the door, and waiting.