Flashlights & Flashlight Stages

[lndshrk]

Shot a "Flashlight" stage for the first time on Saturday at the S & W Academy in Springfield, MA. They always put on a great match. I was able to borrow a Streamlight from another shooter and asked the RO for advice on best technique for use. Curious if anyone has developed a prefered way of shooting (1) holding a flashlight and since I have to go out and buy one now, which make and (2) model work the best. One thing I noticed, it seems one that clicks on and stays on would be preferred, rather than one that is made for morse code. Any ideas?

[Flexmoney]

SureFire built a "dark house" for the USPSA Nationals. Guy Neil wrote an artilce on a couple of flashlight techniques in Front Sight.

On the stage at the Nationals...I am pretty sure that the fastest technique was to turn the light on and hold it in the mouth...keeping both hands free (there was a reload). I don't know how "tactical" that is, but is certainly beat my method.

[Nik Habicht]

If you're shooting IDPA and have to handhold the light, get one of surefire's combatlights --- the 6Z or 9Z, or even better yet the current versions of those lights --- the Z2 or Z3, I think. Preferred technique for me --- from my IDPA days --- is to hold the light in a cigar grip in my left hand. I then butt the heels of my hands --- the left holding the flashlight, the right holding the gun --- together and shoot. Most flashlight stages don't have far targets --- it works. If you're shooting USPSA, game it like Flex said.....

[Nik Habicht]

On the stage at the Nationals...I am pretty sure that the fastest technique was to turn the light on and hold it in the mouth...keeping both hands free (there was a reload). I don't know how "tactical" that is, but is certainly beat my method.

My instincts were telling me that most gamer's would employ this strategy --- and since I didn't see an autoclave, there was NO WAY I was putting that in my mouth....

[rhino]

The current issue of SWAT has an overview of almost every well known flashlight technique, written by Louis Awerbuck.

Which you use depends on the situation and how your body is constructed. That means you should know and be able to use several techniques to be able to adapt to different scenarios.

[reneet]

Don't know from tactical standpoint but the fastest way to do that stage at nationals was using the pressure switch and shooting w/ strong hand.

[Patrick Sweeney]

Uh-huh. Those of us with wheelguns took one look at the stage and decided "The best we can do is survive this."

I used the lanyard, and adjusted the screw cap until it was almost but not on. then on the start I swept my hand and the light along my trousers to turn the cap and leave it on, then did my best to shoot a revolver and reload twice.

At those distances I probably should have shot strong hand only.

[lndshrk]

I spoke with Tom at Surefire today and he explained something called the "Rogers/Surefire Technique" which has you holding the flashlight like a cigar in the weak hand, gripping the gun with the lower three fingers, then pressing the pressure switch into the base of the thumb for illumination. Seems to work, but my grip puts the barrel of the flashlight against the mag release . . . and you know the rest! Will practice with it and see if I can make it work. Thanks!

[Tom Mainus]

I shot that stage at nationals. I volunteered to go first, shooting revolver I only saw one option, stick it my mouth and go. Worked pretty good.

[sargenv]

I figure this is where one of those headlamp flashlights would work good. I have a 7 led unit that mounts right up there on the melon

Vince

[Steve Moneypenny]

i use all of the techniques. I would reccomend a tail cap push button pressure on switch (sure fire is the best ) others are good but none like sure fire. their new E2 Defender rules, it's a weapon too

there is a really cool "sure fire presents" from guns and ammo that has all the info you need.

as for lock on tail switches... ok for competition, but i wouldn't go that way for a self defense light. the other name for a "flash light" is a "bullet magnet"

Steve

[Mistral404]

At Nationals I heard of two techniques.

Grip in the weak hand and cup the weak hand around the strong hand. Now the probelm with this was sometimes the flashlight hit the mag release button. Which is fine if you want your mags to drop out of the gun.

Second method was flashlight in weak hand and strong hand shooting.

Turns out the second method gave me my best hit factor at the nationals.

[Chriss Grube]

The best way to game that stage was to use the lanyard to tie the light into your hand. Take the lanyard and put the loop around your wrist and cinch it in tight with the flashlight on the inside of your wrist, then bring the rest of the lanyard up the back of your hand, put your little finger throung the loop then bring the loop around the haed of the light and tighten it up. The flashlight "was in your hand" which met the course description". Turn on the light with a quick twist. When you closed your hand in your regular grip on the gun the light slid right under the bottom of your hand. No problems messing with your grip or doing any reloads. The light points right where your gun does.

[blackdragon]

The best way that I heard to game that stage, was to put the light against your leg weak hand turn it on, start with your hand on the gun. Timer goes off, start hosing strong hand.

Ivan

SCS Vegas

[dpeters8445]

I shot that stage at nationals. I volunteered to go first, shooting revolver I only saw one option, stick it my mouth and go. Worked pretty good.

That's odd, We shot the Dark house last on Friday and the RO specifically told us that we were not to put the flashlight in our mouths.

[Nik Habicht]

Doug,

look at the date on Tom's post ---- either he invented time travel or he's talking about FGN03....

[hopalong]

dpeters8445

Mainus was talking about last years Factory gun Nats ( i think)

for me I had originally practiced (remember revolver) putting the light in the week hand and cinching the lanyard tight and turning the knob on at the buzzer and shooting week handed while holding the light and the next reload ready (it is alright but not the best)

after playing with the same light we were going to use in the stage (Thanks CJL32) who conveniently had one i came up with this.

put light in week hand cinch it up tight to where the endcap is just in your hand and the small part is between your pinky finger and the other one, turn the knob until it is almost on, at the buzzer turn the knob to keep the light on all the time get your normal grip but let your week hand down on the grip just enough to let the light go under the grip.

the light is pointing anywhere the gun points and the target if fully visible, I reload both with the right and left hand depending on how many moon clips I have gone through but with this technique reload like Jerry does and when you transfer the gun the light is pointing directly infront of the gun and you can see right through the cylinder, no problems at all.

Stage 1 Dark House

Sam Keen 17 Alphas, 1 Charlie time: 16.49 HF 5.3972

I don't think I could do it much faster in the daylight.

with a revolver you had to shoot the middle room 3 before the 3 in the room on the right so here is how I did it.

Buzzer, Light on. draw to targets on right and go left, reload going through door, lean past no-shoot for 2 sure alphas go around, shoot target on left across from the door and go to back, make sure to take extra step past No-shoot, no need to gamble on that one as the extra step doesn't cost as much as a hit on no-shoot. back up while reloading and go through door while opening it with right shoulder shoot left to right. the Charlie hit was on the last target, last shot missed A zone by less than a bullets width.

Hopalong

[UltraTen]

I've searched the forums on how to properly use a flashlight during low/no light stages with very little "current" information.

I found a 2004 post describing the "cigar" technique.

I've practiced it a little, but it just doesn't feel natural.

From what I've read it does seem that there are not alot of dark stages in most IDPA matches.

Anybody out there have any experience shooting in the dark with a hand held flashlight??

What technique works best for you??

Edited November 19, 2009 by Flexmoney
** thread merged **

[Matt Cheely]

Honestly, most of the time dropping the flashlight so it dangles from the lanyard will give you enough light without interfering with your grip at all.

[Boats]

Dig arround Surefires web site in the section headed articles. Very good explanation, history & pros and cons of all the flashlight tequniques. I saw some things that suprised me and a method I had not seen used that is working good for me.

Boats

[nwb01]

When shooting with a flashlight in IDPA I use one of these.

[Joe4d]

The problem is every match you attend will have a different set of rules on types of lights, how they can be held, if you have to turn them on and off, etc etc. So it is nearly impossible to learn a technique or even what kinda light is best. Try to learn several methods with several different types of lights and holds, multiple start positions etc. I ve found a wrist lanyard and holding my light in the left hand and just shooting the stages strong hand only seams to be the least problematic. The minute you come up with a light / technique that wins the club will change the rules on you.

[Sac Law Man]

The Surefire method seems to be the best in my opinion. I use it for IDPA and at work when needed. I carry a surefire on my duty belt and practice often. The so-called cigar technique is similar, but not the same. Other techniques taught are the Ayoob technique, Harries, Chapman and FBI. Do a search for the different techniques and see what works for you.

[UltraTen]

When shooting with a flashlight in IDPA I use one of these.

I like this, I'm going to have to pick one up and try it out.

I've got to find some time to read the Surefire articles

Thanks much!!

[Duane Thomas]

The Surefire method seems to be the best in my opinion. I use it for IDPA and at work when needed. I carry a surefire on my duty belt and practice often. The so-called cigar technique is similar, but not the same.

How do the two differ?