WMLs are great in a gunfight. Photo credit to lead ISP Instructor, Dan Spagone. @spg1_tactical
At Intuitive Self Protection, we’re not here to make you look cool. We’re here to make you dangerous to the people who are threats to your safety. That includes knowing when to use a weapon-mounted light (WML) and when a handheld light makes more sense.
A weapon-mounted light is attached to your gun. Wherever your gun points, your light points. It's fast and easy to use in a fight; especially when both hands are busy.
A handheld light is, well, handheld. You carry it in your support hand and aim it independently from your weapon. It takes more skill to use under stress, but you also have more control over when and where your gun is pointed.
The Problem with Weapon-Mounted Lights
WMLs are great in a gunfight. The problem is, not every low-light situation calls for a gun. Imagine a family member knocking over a chair at 2AM. You grab your pistol with the light attached… and now you’re flagging your loved one because you had to aim the gun to ID the target. That’s a recipe for tragedy. If your light is attached to your gun, you are aiming a deadly weapon every time you want to see what made that bump in the night.
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When Handheld Lights Make Sense
Checking out a noise when you're not 100% sure it’s a threat
Walking to your car in a dark parking lot
Searching your house without having to point a gun at everything
You still have a gun ready. You just don’t need to aim it at your kids, your spouse, or your neighbor’s dumb dog to figure out what’s going on.
Conclusion
Don’t rely on a weapon-mounted light unless you’ve trained to use it under stress and understand the risks. Use a handheld light to ID unknowns, and keep your gun pointed away until it's go time. Both tools have a place. Understand when and why to use each one.
At Intuitive Self Protection, we train people for real-life problems like this. Come to class, learn to think under pressure, and get confident in low-light situations. Your gear can’t save you but your training can.
About The Author
Hank Hayes is a Combat Arts Hall of Famer and inventor of the No Lie Blade. He is the founder and CEO of both Intuitive Self Protection and NLB Tactical and creator of the ISP/NLB viscous fighting system. Since 1998, he has trained well over 30,000 Military and Law Enforcement personnel via Government contract mainly at the elite special teams level and continues to train both civilians and MIL/LE how to come home safe.
