Appropriate Action's Pistol usage in darkness Class

     I wrote not to long ago about EDC lights and my opinions on them. Now I want to talk just a little about a class I am going to offer to utilize them when there is darkness in your world and why you should take it.

     The majority of shootings according to the FBI occur in low light and in distance less than 11 feet. I can personally tell you I remember most of the times I had my pistol in my hand at work was in the middle of the dark morning in a single wide trailer or really close to a stopped vehicle shouting commands.
  
     Now darkness does not just mean between the hours of 2100 and 0700 in the day. It could mean your basement, a movie theater without power, your home when you hear a sound at the door, an abandoned building or warehouse, or any other area where the sunshine pump doesn't work. And then combine the fact that you have to go looking for whatever the problem and and it is dark. FML right?

     Appropriate Action's Pistol usage in darkness class is around an 8 hour on the range instruction that deals with the little problems that come about having to use a pistol in a dark environment. Only people who have completed a state mandated handgun carry permit class, completed a pistol class from a reputable organization, current or former law enforcement and military, or an alumni of Appropriate Action will be able to attend.

     The first hours of the class will start in the late afternoon. First off will be a small safety brief and lecture about how the human eye works in reduced light explained in plain language. Next will be several different flashlights will be shown and explain their different brightness levels and modes of operation. After that, several different flashlight positions will be explained and what situations they are used in.

     After the lecture part is over for the day the students will move to the range and practice one handed manipulation of the pistol with the light in the non-dominant hand.  We will practice all of the hand held light positions covered while it is still light outside. That way in a safer environment we can see what the student is doing and correct any issues before the lights go out. Once that is done the students will live fire the positions under static and movement conditions. After that there will be a brief "dinner" break.

     Once everyone has came back a safety brief will start again and by that time it should be dark enough to use the their lights.Starting off with smaller skill building drills we will move up to using full scale silhouette targets at confrontational distance. Movement will yet again be covered as well as scanning and assessing any other threats. For those who have not dealt with it we will cover moving around corners

     The day will end with a final exercise that should be challenging and fun for everyone. I hate working folks hard and they not leave without a sense of accomplishing something and a smile. A final few minute debrief and they go home hopefully the wiser.

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     Tim Davis, Jr. is a full time law Enforcement Professional, martial arts, and a part time firearms instructor. He has firearms experience spanning over 15 years ranging from several schools in advanced tactical response to time spent in Afghanistan working with their law enforcement program. Tim is the co-owner of Appropriate Action in Englewood TN. 

You can Contact him at soulreaver604@hotmail.com

EDC lights

     In the month of June I will be teaching my first 'Nighttime Pistol Usage' class to the public. This is something in a person's training that should not be neglected at all. The FBI statistics state that the majority of lethal force encounters happen inside 11 feet and during low light conditions. A MAJORITY.

     One tool that is a must have besides a firearm is some type of directed beam illumination gizmo. 

We call them flashlights for short.They come in all shapes and sizes, as well as beam colors and intensity. Many take common battery types, while others take specialized power sources. You have to pick the combination that works best for you. 

     First thing to look for is what you can afford. Wal-Mart and Ebay has about the most inexpensive lights out there. If you buy from the two most popular tactical brands such as Surefire and Streamlight then you will be paying a lot more. The internet is where it's at if you want to bargain shop around. If I covered EVERY brand of light out there to use then this blog would never end. I am just going to cover some of the most common out there.

     You can't talk about hand held fighting lights without mentioning SureFire. They produce some of the most powerful lights used by law enforcement, military, contractors, and civilians alike. They are known for a very robust (I have literally beaten some of my lights from them against glass) and hard to break. Not too long ago before the advent of the higher intensity LED you had to use Surefire lights with incandescent bulbs that could blow out at the wrong time. Don't get me wrong I had Surefire Z2 I was issued in Afghanistan 2007 that I had loaned to my business partner. It was returned to me last October with the original bulb in it still working. I have since blown that bulb (don't ask) and upgraded it to a CREE 300 Lumen LED bulb. Surefire makes smaller lights with a single battery (Backup) and super large lights called 'Torches' they are so bright. On average their hand held lights utilize the CR123A lithium battery which you can find at most Wal-Marts in two packs. However there are several online retailers that offer larger boxes of the batteries at severely discounted prices.

     Another popular brand of light that is almost impossible not to find on every duty belt of any police officer in this country is the Streamlight. The most common model being the Stinger, PolyStinger, HP, and DS. The joy I have had with these lights is that they are rechargeable with a battery life of several years. It always had a place on my duty belt and on long trips it was in my car with the family. In the old days my pet peeve with them was that the incandescent bulbs could not take a drop on a hard surface.  Bulbs were cheap to replace. Now, like Surefire they have gone to LED's. You can buy most of their lights in either aluminum or polymer.

     Off name brands can still be just as good as the last two I listed. I have a Rayovac 3 Watt LED hand held light that I have had in my personal vehicle for years. It takes AA batteries and works every time I turn it on. As much as I use it I have only changed the batteries about four or five times. Autozone sells several different brands of LED's that last forever on the batteries they come with. And they are very very cheap indeed. I bought three small single AA battery lights and put one in each of my trauma kits. They are not very bright. However, they are cheap and they will get the job done in a pinch.

    Next you need to pick your configuration. First lets talk about how its powered. If you don't want to buy CR123A's then I suggest a common battery type like AA, C, or D. Or you can go with a rechargeable light. However all batteries eventually wear out and will need to be replaced. If you are using a LED instead of an incandescent bulb the batteries will last much much longer. I like the Streamlight because I can charge it with an outlet mount or a car mount. I have a huge searchlight version kept in my truck. Yet again these power choices may be dictated by your budget or availability.

     Without getting folks wrapped around the axle on this one lets talk about brightness. There are lights that are dimmer than a candle and there are some that will literally make you see spots for several minutes and blind you if you are not careful. I generally like 200 to 500 lumen for a light that is not attached to a weapon. Over 300 or better for a pistol mounted light. Most LED handheld lights will have a center bright focus area in the center of the light projected and a lighter halo effect around it to help with angled vision. The larger the head of the light the better the focus and halo effect generally.

     How to turn it on can be something that can help or hurt you. I prefer a pressure type switch either near the head of the light or in a tail cap. I work a tail cap with my thumb or meat of my thumb depending on the grip. I work a near head button with my pinky finger. If it is a switch that is hard to push can be a bad thing. Another thing to think about is if there is a chance that you turn on the light by accident. Going through a place you want to be stealthy and you light turns on letting everyone know where you are at is a technical definition of a bad thing. Hand held Surefires usually have a turn cap that will render the light inert when twisted so far out. Streamlights not so much. You just have to be more mindful of what you are doing.

     Weapon lights have gotten into vogue lately because several holster companies have made it available to keep the light on the gun while it is on your belt. When I am in plain clothes teaching on my day job I'll wear my Springfield Operator with Surefire X300 light on my belt in a Zero Concealment systems Felon holster. I have only had the light off of my 1911 to clean the gun. Those two are pretty much mated for life.When my Redrup Custom Glock 19 is on my nightstand I have an old school Streamlight M3X mounted. Weapon lights and their usage have a separate set of rules. You have to be mindful that where you point the light while it is mounted is also where that gun is pointed towards. Lets not violate rule #2 of never point the weapon at anything you don't intend to destroy. Try not to manipulate the light with your trigger finger if you can stay away from it. If possible use your support hand in the two handed grip.

     Yet again two brands come to mind when you think of weapons lights. Guess which two. There are others out there but these are the mainstream. They come in many configurations like the hand helds and are usually pretty bright. They can get expensive due to the fact you are getting something that can withstand the recoil of a firearm and still function. However, you are getting something that lasts.

     With these things in mind start researching. Many brands have Youtube videos online advertising their products. Get independent opinions from folks who own these products and have used them. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask all you want and never go by just one person's word if you can get away with it.

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     Tim Davis, Jr. is a full time law Enforcement Professional, martial arts, and a part time firearms instructor. He has firearms experience spanning over 15 years ranging from several schools in advanced tactical response to time spent in Afghanistan working with their law enforcement program. Tim is the co-owner of Appropriate Action in Englewood TN.