Tactical Excess?

[Nirrad]

[CrippledPidgeon]

If you are aiming your rifle isn't the light going to be in front of your head anyway? And should you really be just pointing your gun around a corner and shooting at things you can't see? And wouldnt you be pointing a loaded gun at everything (and everybody) if you are using a weapon mounted light to search? Kinda of dangerous isn't? If that's what someone was trained to do maybe the OP was right?

The biggest advantage of a weapon mounted light is that it is always mounted to the gun. Well okay duh, but if you find yourself in a self defense situation at night, you need at a minimum, two things. A weapon, and a light. Obviously, without a weapon, you're screwed. Without a light, you run the risk of becoming like this guy.

With a weapon mounted light, you get both things and only need to grab one object. The weapon.

And of course, if your main defense weapon is a long gun, a mounted light is really the only way to go. Try operating a pump shotgun (use snap caps if you're not on a range!) while holding a flashlight.

Let us be clear. I'm not on some witch hunt against all things military-related.

Again, what a man chooses to ethically do with his firearm is not my business or a subject I disagree with. My only point is that before he or she choses to employ it , they should ask themselves what the point of the exercise is. This is not to say they shouldn't do it-but that they should know WHY, even if that reason is simply to burn off 1000 rounds .

People who associate tactical training with an egotistical lean haven't asked themselves that crucial question.

This is not the problem.

Rather, my concern is with people who walk with a stiff upper lip because THEY have a tactical HK and battle-rated plate carrier, which means they're super duper prepared for All Which May Come, and the rest of us unwashed are mere serfs to their tactical prowess.

I get what you're saying, and the solution is simple. Ignore them, because they're not worth your time. Life's too short to let it be dictated by all the idiots

[hambam105]

I understand the OP now...

Silver Ta is just jealous he can't keep up.

[pastureofmuppets]

This is why I <b>love</b> the internet.


I rate this thread at 2.5 bags of popcorn.

[sl0re10]

I hear you. I go for the grey man approach.

My AK looks like a mini 14.....

[Bob Hostetter]

I am all for weapon mounted lights but from personal experience know that they have shortcomings if that is the only light you have available. Lights mounted on loaded weapons (actually any weapons) should rarely be used in a search mode in any situation, especially high stress one's, unless you have already identified the object of your search as a danger requiring the application of lethal force. At that point you are using the light as a tool to refine your target identification and sight alignment and not something to see if its really just one of your kids getting something to drink in the middle of the night.

Using a weapon mounted light to figure out what the source of a noise is in the middle of the night is a poor choice greatly increasing the possibility of firing at a non threat target. Techniques that are used by the military in war zones under clear cut ROE's are not appropriate for use in non war zones by anyone.

The only justification is that you "know" it is a bad guy, "think" it is a bad guy before you can confirm it, you are unable to control your fear level and properly perform a search, or you place your own safety so far above that of family and friends that you just don't care about increasing their risks. There is actually a reason why professionals recommend leaving searches to the experts.

My original comment has based on another poster stating that hat mounted lights were more dangerous then weapon mounted lights because the "bad guy" could just shoot at the light. My opinion was that the "bad guy" can shoot at any light and if it is mounted on your weapon and you are aiming it then either way they are shooting at your head. AND shooting unaimed fire, as suggested, is probably not that smart either. Please don't jump to the opinion that I am in favor of hat mounted lights, just that the posters stated reason for not liking them, in my opinion, seemed flawed.

But either way, its just my opinion, and I am sure everyone has their own opinion, probably based on more real life experience then I have.

[Steve_In_29]

....The REAL, actual SF people who use this stuff for a living can do it because they're trained for MONTHS at a time on the US taxpayer's dime. Not 5 hours every month in a field with surplus store ammo. Furthermore, those skillsets exist for one purpose-efficiently murdering killing the enemy. Not paper targets on a one-sided range.....

Fixed it for you.

It's NOT MURDER when the other guy has the ability to shoot back and especially not during a war. As a combat vet I find your use of the word offensive.

Even among civilians in the old west, it used to be called a "disagreement among two armed men" and not charged as murder unless one was shot in the back or ambushed.

[Steve_In_29]

....The "cult of the 1911".....

We are a recognized religion, NOT a cult! Unlike those heathens in the Glock cult, worshiping their funny little piece of plastic.

[biglou]

I don't need any types of lights. I now have the night vision capabilities of a panther killing it's prey in total darkness. At least that's what the guy at the mall kiosk told me when I bought the cat eye contact lens. No slice of pie is safe !

[Untamed1972]

We are a recognized religion, NOT a cult! Unlike those heathens in the Glock cult, worshiping their funny little piece of plastic.

Wasn't JM Browning a Mormon? LOL

[sl0re10]

I see more of what you describe in Airsoft than real shooting

So long as they are safe and not obnoxious, whom am I to judge. They might even be better than me.

I do share the same annoyance when people tell me I absolutely need a handgun to fight my way dramatically to my primary or take off a fallen foe

I think they also should get a pass on some of it. Camo can be cheap / why mess up your street clothes jumping into brush, you might actually not be seen due to it now and then and the game is about not getting hit, and then best of all... as someone who played paintball in everyday clothes.... tough/ thick cotton/starched camo hurts less when your hit... a lot less. Only time I had welts from paintball was non camo...

[sl0re10]

I'm wearing those right now. Really.

I have a greenish pair of Levi's that are similar. Its for BLM camping. My wife was happy I was not going to wear dress slacks.... The pockets really helped out getting stuff from the car to the shooting area. She bought me a green tacifool water balder for the trip... it was actually the least expensive ($10 vs the normal looking ones which were $30+).

[sl0re10]

This is not the problem.

Rather, my concern is with people who walk with a stiff upper lip because THEY have a tactical HK and battle-rated plate carrier, which means they're super duper prepared for All Which May Come, and the rest of us unwashed are mere serfs to their tactical prowess.

Just look at it differently. They're holding onto your plate carrier for when you need it (re: the iron price).

[Stan08]

I've had it. Honestly.
My patience with the trendy tactical BS has run out...

OK, so I have a question; so now that your patience has honestly run out are you going to grab your AR, gear, and freak the hell out?

[fonzy]

This reminds me of something.

"Take those sunglasses off soldier. If Delta wants to wear Oakleys thats their business, I don't want to see them on you again, hooah?"