Anyone have suggestions on weapon light holsters that work with or without the light? I know of Kaluban Cloak and Safariland with ALS. Any others?

Safariland 6280, 6004, 6005

I believe that you will have to rely on holsters that have an active retention device, such as some of the ones mentioned above.

Unfortunately, most concealment holsters rely on a close fit that involves molding around the weapon light. A gun will seat inside those holsters without a light, but you will lose most of the retention.

https://otghex.com/products/nocturnal-sidewinder-series/?navselect=group2

 

Off the Grid has custom kydex that allows you to insert a rod into the holster when not using a weapon-mounted light. I've heard good things about it.

I'm curious why you ask the question.

 

My opinion is that weapon mounted lights are a "not good thing" - they influence you to sweep the muzzle across something you have yet to decide you are willing to destroy (having not seen it yet). A hand held light allows you to look without endangering the place you are looking and if you use a "cigar hold" there is minimal compromise on your ability to control the gun as soon as you re-assert a two-hand grip.

 

Each to their own though,

 

Stu.

I took a low light class a couple months back and found myself getting my arms all tangled up, and at one point, bruising my weak arm pretty good as a recoiling slide gave it a good smack. I figure if I'm having trouble in controlled training environment, I hate to think how I'd be in a true stress situation. I realize it's something that more training will help, but until I get to that point, I'd be more comfortable with weapon lights.

I'm curious why you ask the question.

 

My opinion is that weapon mounted lights are a "not good thing" - they influence you to sweep the muzzle across something you have yet to decide you are willing to destroy (having not seen it yet). A hand held light allows you to look without endangering the place you are looking and if you use a "cigar hold" there is minimal compromise on your ability to control the gun as soon as you re-assert a two-hand grip.

 

Each to their own though,

 

Stu.

Balderdash.

 

The purpose of a white light is to acquire, identify and if necessary process a threat.

 

That processing part involves launching projectiles into said threat.

 

During the day on a square range, with minimal pressure, average people have difficulty getting solid hits on paper with their blaster at room distance when using both paws, let alone one.

 

This is made worse when trying to hit a moving target and more so when it is a human being and more so when that human being is going to guns against you.

 

I don't know about you, but I shoot better, faster, and more accurately using both of my hands on the pistol. No matter what hand held technique you prefer, there will be some lessening of ability. I dont know your take on that, but I want to be shooting to the best of my abilities if I ever find myself in a gunfight.

 

The weaponlight gives me the ability to identify that person as a bad guy, an unknown, or good guy and if necessary to engage with both hands on the gun. There is no messing with the hand held light or any poor one handed shooting techniques that no one ever trains on.

 

If it comes to shots fired, I can shoot using the same 2 handed grip, stance, tactics, etc... that I train with on a regular basis. No "I hope I can make this work" under fire. If I light it up and identify the target as not being a threat, then I move on to whatever I need to do next. The dedicated weaponlight also lets me use the light and keep a hand free to open a door, pick up my kid, use the phone.

 

You argue that a light on the pistol creates a Rule 2 Violation. OK, but I am ready to destroy any unknowns that I illuminate until I am sure they are not a threat - so from my way of thinking, there is no violation unless I continue to point a gun at something I have already acquired, identified, and verified is an innocent. Frankly, that is a mindset issue - if you feel the need to clear your home as a reaction to some stimuli in an effort to keep you and yours safe from harm than everything should be treated as a threat until positively verified that it is not. Conversely, following your logic, everything should be treated as a non-threat until I verify that it is. I have two issues with that way of thinking: 1) It slows down my decision making ability placing me behind an opponent when I get to the D of my OODA loop; and 2) If I am already out of bed and searching my house for someone I should be in orange and I am hunting for a threat with a binary solution set - threat or innocent - then processed accordingly.

 

Additionally, with the correct searching techniques (think indirect lighting techniques and bouncing light off of ceilings and floors) I can clear a pitch black dark house full of infants and nuns, identifying each individual as a non-threat with my pistol/rifle WML, without ever having pointed a loaded gun at anyone.

 

The gorilla in the room here is of course the lack of training or often times inadequate or inferior training. Basically, you don't know what you don't know. You need to be taught these TTPs by a reputable instructor who will the train you giving you skills to practice on your own so you become proficient.

 

Having a WML means we can use both hands on the gun which is a very good thing.

 

Being able to acquire identify and process your target is also a very good thing.

 

Using a handheld light means that you now have to do something else before you can acquire identify and start to process the threat.

 

And that eats up time. That eats up accuracy. That eats up ability. That eats up cognitive processing power and put you behind in the OODA loop.

 

How much time do you have in a gunfight?

 

The rest of your life. So stack the deck in your favor so your thought processes, movements, and procedural memory is more efficient, allowing you to move faster while remaining in control.

 

It is really pretty simple. If you don't trust yourself, train more.

Whoops. ND

 

I was holding a flashlight in my support hand while typing

HE, I see your points and they make sense if you are entering a known hostile environment in your capacity as a swat team member. On the other hand, I'm just a regular guy who is more likely to be reacting to a bump in the night which could just as easily have been caused by one of my daughters as an intruder. I am not willing to risk my daughters.

 

I train to use a handheld light and I can still shoot pretty well with it.

 

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

(Snicker) [He said balderdash] (teehee)....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using TT 2 Pro

A handheld light is mandatory, while a WML is a good option to have.

 

HE covered most of the bases. In a situation where there's a bump in the night and I'm not sure if it was because of one of my kids, I am using my handheld first. If I'm sure everyone who is supposed to be in my house is there, that means the source of the noise is likely someone who is at least slightly less important to me than my family. In that case, I will have my WML with good trigger finger discipline, and a handheld within easy reach in my pocket.

 

Remember, a WML is not a laser that's used to aim just before taking a shot. A WML is for identification. The order is, light up area, identify who/what is there, and only if there is a threat does my trigger finger go inside the trigger guard.

edit by me: tons of great info but quoting would be craziness...

 

 

HE, I see your points and they make sense if you are entering a known hostile environment in your capacity as a swat team member. On the other hand, I'm just a regular guy who is more likely to be reacting to a bump in the night which could just as easily have been caused by one of my daughters as an intruder. I am not willing to risk my daughters.

 

I train to use a handheld light and I can still shoot pretty well with it.

 

 

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Do not forget a WML does not have to directly illuminate a target and there are techniques to avoid pointing your weapon at a non-threat, ESPECIALLY in the confines of your home since that is what appears to be your main area of use.

 

Any decent WML (either Streamlight TLR-1/2/3, SurefireX###, Inforce APL, etc.) will have sufficient illumination to cast ambient light. With both hands-on with your weapon + WML with light engaged, at a low ready or a position Sul you will cast a hotspot on the ground, enabling ambient light to illuminate the area, and keeping your weapon pointed in a safe direction yet quickly available immediate action.

 

Just a suggestion! Otherwise if you are completely set against solely using a WML... I would suggest a handheld light AND WML so you can perform any number of firing techniques with handheld light OR drop it and engage.

I have been looking at these guys for a holster for my FNP with TRL3. They make it and not many other do. They say that there holster will work with or without the light on the pistol. They say retention is a bit less but who knows how much.

 

They are pretty reasonable in price so buy two is not a bad option.

 

http://www.kt-mech.com/01Holsters.html