Do you really want a light on your HD pistol?

[bountyhunter]

Sleeping in your home makes a perfect target, so don't sleep and get rid of your home, no matter how beneficial it is. You're just giving away your position.

Don't forget valuables, perfect target? Yep, burn 'em. Nice car? Not having it, perfect target.

????????????????????????

Whatever. If you want to give an armed intruder a target which is on line of sight to your head, go for it. The rest of the above post is complete nonsense.

If you do use a light at least have it separate so you can hold it away from your body.

[bountyhunter]

I will keep the flashlight in my hand and have the wife or kids call the cops once we are in a safe place. Cops can clear the house.

smartest post of the day. I'm not getting shot over a stinkin TV or DVD player.

[omgwtfbbq]

To me, a light is absolutely important. If you can't identify your target and what's beyond it, you shouldn't take the shot.

Remember the wandering Alzheimer patient who got killed by the homeowner who thought he was trying to break into his house?

I certainly don't want to get into a gunfight, but I also don't want to be responsible for killing someone if I don't have to.

[bountyhunter]

Can you cite any incidents to back that up? 198.5 CPC provides an affirmative defense when someone forcibly enter's your home. I don't see anything that requires you to retreat to a place of relative safety. Granted it does not provide for immunity in a civil case, but I don't think many states have laws that do that either.

I personally know of one. In the early 90's, an old man living in Oakland had a thug break into his house. The man retreated to and locked his bedroom door. He got out his WW2 service 45 and hid behind the bed. The thug tried to break through the bedroom door with a crowbar and the man fired once, killing the intruder. The man was charged with murder and locked up. The DA said using a gun was excessive force against a man with a crowbar. The story got news coverage. I was part of the people who melted the DA's phone line. The man was eventually released and charges dropped.

Mr Hog's statement:

Originally Posted by Hogxtz View Post
In California, if you search your house and confront the intruder and shoot him, instead of hunkering down with a choke point as stated earlier, you are going to have some life changing times in court.

Is very likely true depending on where you are in California. There are DA's who will charge ANYBODY who uses a gun even in self defense. Although the charges will eventually get dropped, the cost will be high. As they say: you will beat the rap but you won't beat the ride.

The second point is "getting shafted in court" may also include civil court when the scumbag's family sues you for the "excessive force" you used on the poor man......

[grim1U]

A light of some sort, either on your gun or separate, is a must for HD.

So true, I have both, stored together (handheld and on HD Gun) never know when one or the other may crap out, or what situation you might be in.

Even if I never use one or the other, atleast it's there just in case.

[DDM4556]

????????????????????????

Whatever. If you want to give an armed intruder a target which is on line of sight to your head, go for it. The rest of the above post is complete nonsense.

If you do use a light at least have it separate so you can hold it away from your body.

Yes, use your free hand for the flashlight. Make sure you keep your arm fully extended out to the side as you do. Practice navigating your house and negotiating obstacles this way. You'll be a mall ninja in no time!

[SDM44]

I use a tactical light in my house so I can clear it at night, so any badguys seeing it will know that I'm ready to engage them.

I use a laser so I can shine it on a badguy's chest, so he thinks there's a sniper aiming at him.

I rack my shotgun multiple times to ensure the badguys hear that I have a shotgun and that I mean business.

When I see badguys with their flashlights, giving away THEIR position, I'll throw rocks across the room so they think I'm hiding over there. When they go over that spot to fight me, I'll jump behind them by surprise and yell bazinga.

[stix213]

Identifying your intruder is your most important responsibility. You can't depend on your house lights to be working. A light on your firearm is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this, and worries about "giving away your position" like you're trying to sneak up and surprise an intruder as more important than finding out if they are a drunk friend or family member just seem laughable.

Do you plan to just shoot an intruder by surprise whom you can barely see? If you plan to confront them rather than blindly shooting at a dark figure then you're "giving away your position" anyway. Why not see who it is as early as possible? I just don't get this kind of wannabe tactical thinking like you're some ninja in the dark ready to strike.

Also, just because you have a light doesn't mean you have to use it.

[CHIEFone]

Yes a light on HD pistol. as previously stated to ID target and what beyond at night.

it all depends about house layout in my view and who else is armed in the house.

where are most master bedrooms located? typically in the back corner
whose in the front rooms? kids\roommates\family guest\ etc are they armed?
is your house one or two stories? is there a fatal funnel?
has a plan be talked about with those in the house where to go to when things go bump in the night?

just some questions to think about for those they maybe havent yet.

[TripleThreat]

A light is an option, that doesn't mean you have to use it, but it also mean if you need it it's already available.

Triple

[NapalmCheese]

You got way too much time on your hands lol

Are you telling me I'm the only guy that does this with his wife?

[Galli1565]

Get training to learn how to use a light on your defensive handgun. Have you ever tried to clear a building and open doors/manipulate objects with your hands full?

[toby]

Someone entered your house doesn't means you simply can shoot and kill them...

Here is a common scenario:
You heard someone in the house/property 0200 in the morning, without id the person, you fired multiple shots in the dark, killed the person.
You turned on the light, found out the dead guy was your neighbor went to the wrong house because he was drunk.


Now, you may or may not get away from the criminal charges, but you are almost certain facing a huge civil liability case in most of states.
Your name was also on the headline of news next day: "Homeowner kills unarmed neighbor", everyone labels you a "murderer".

All these could be avoid if you id the target with a light...

First off did I ever say I had no light? NO! So in this scenario you conjured up maybe for you! I would never fire in the dark and I don't have drunk neighbors but either way If you enter you die I'll take that gamble. Get serious with this dude, if you take chances you will more than likely lose if that guy that entered has a weapon or is able to strong-arm you.

[madoka]

I don't get it. Some people just have an aversion to common sense. A few people have already provided clear, logical advise. Yet you seem to prefer to stay "in the dark".

In their combat fantasies, some people will always be more concerned with assassins than they are burglars.

[JackRydden224]

Hmmm how about with a light on my weapon I get to shoot with two hands versus one and I shoot much better with two hands? If I got a guy shooting at me I definitely want to put myself in the best position to defend myself.