Tactical defense flishlight

Bing

My wife saw a short story about using a high lumen flashlight to temporarily blind a potential threat at night in order to facilitate getting away from a potential danger situation.

Of course, the handy 9mm in her purse seems a better solution, but she would still like to carry a light like that in her purse, glove box, etc.

Does anyone here have any experience or comments of any brand, lumen requirements, etc. on this ?

CHIRO1989

This was pretty good for its day, mine is going on 10 years and works good, you can bring it on a plane, lens will get HOT if left on with mine which I don't think is an LED, it would work as a tool to punch someone with. There are probably some better options out there theses days.

http://www.surefire.com/e2d-led-defender-ultra.html

LMLarsen

I've read lots of hypotheticals about using bright light as a defense, but have not seen or heard anything verified.

Jayhawker

I'm not so sure that whipping out a flashlight instead of a gun works all that well for me...However, having a good flashlight is a good thing. I recently bought a J5 "tactical" flashlight that was in a display at the butcher shop for 20 bucks. It's an LED, bright as hell and clips to my pocket nicely....it also has a strobe function that I have absolutely no use for other than to see if I can cause the bad guy to have seizures before I shoot him....If you want to look, just googel "J5 flashlights"

zorba

Its best if the flashlight is attached to her gun...

Rocketman

CHIRO1989 wrote: »

This was pretty good for its day, mine is going on 10 years and works good, you can bring it on a plane, lens will get HOT if left on with mine which I don't think is an LED, it would work as a tool to punch someone with. There are probably some better options out there theses days.

http://www.surefire.com/e2d-led-defender-ultra.html

An ultrafire flashlight with the rechargeable battery is a fraction of the cost, durable, bright as ever and functions flawlessly. Different models have different features.

NCFUBAR

I carry a Surefire E2D but it is down the list on my choices of a weapon but it can serve by possibly momentarily blinding someone AND with its strike bezel be a GTFU me tool.

Jayhawker

I've had some expensive flashlights and lost every one of them...can't see spending a ton of money on one....my current 20 dollar light is about the limit of what I'll spend.

Jayhawker

knitepoet wrote: »

JH, have your wife strobe you & move either towards or away from you while the strobe is on, and try to touch her her shoulder. The strobe will mess with your depth perception some. Enough to really be worth anything??? I can't say

Ok I get your point....ended up grabbing a boob....

CHIRO1989

Jayhawker wrote: »

Ok I get your point....ended up grabbing a boob....

AAAnnnddd, your still on here talking to us.......

NN

The strobing can mess up the light operator. also.

NN

Time to go to bed

---

I just noticed this thread is about fishlights.

Just about any light will do. I do use a flounder light as a stern navigation light.

Zee

Jayhawker wrote: »

Ok I get your point....ended up grabbing a boob....

Thats the funniest thing I've read on here in a while.

I'm gonna give my wife one of those lights...............

Ernie Bishop

Funny stuff.
I know what I'm thinking, just don't think I'm going to post it..........................

Fat Billy

Don't Tactical Flashlights have higher recoil? :jester: Later,

coolgunguy

Bing wrote: »

My wife saw a short story about using a high lumen flashlight to temporarily blind a potential threat at night in order to facilitate getting away from a potential danger situation.

Of course, the handy 9mm in her purse seems a better solution, but she would still like to carry a light like that in her purse, glove box, etc.

Does anyone here have any experience or comments of any brand, lumen requirements, etc. on this ?

A flashlight is a very useful tool, but if a flashlight is your wife's idea of a primary self defense weapon, it's time to get her thinking about 'plan B'. Sayin'

Since she already carries, I'd say she recognizes that fact already. If not, please let her know that a flashlight is an enhancer, not a primary weapon... IOW, don't go thinking you can shine this I the attacker's eyes and incapacitate him, despite the tactical sales pitch to the contrary.

Belief in the pocket/purse held light that will stop an attacker in his tracks is right up there with the belief that a pump gun is better than an auto because all you have to do is rack the slide and baddies everywhere will wet themselves in terror...

Bigslug

When Surefire was just getting established with their earlier incandescent lights, they stated that 60 lumens was the threshold for dishing out the "dazzle" effect. Pretty much anything you get these days will be well in excess of that.

Of late, my current favorite is Streamlight's Pro Tac 2AA:

* It's small and light.
* It's relatively cheap (about $40-$50)
* It runs on 2 AA batteries - I like not needing the exotic stuff.
* It has a momentary tailcap switch (if you want a fighting light, I consider this mandatory) that can be pressed harder to click into constant-on.
* It has a 155 lumen top end mode, and can be programmed to also take advantage of (or not) an 11 lumen low end as well as a strobe.

I just programmed it for bright only, being of the KISS mindset, but the dim/bright dual setting has some utility as well. The strobe option I find to be more PITA than anything else. The more things it can do, the more things you have to keep track of. Gadgetry sells stuff, but it ain't necessarily your friend. What I like about these Streamlights is they give you the gadgetry with the option of turning it off.

NCFUBAR

Slug, I gotta agree on the KISS. All the multi-mode lights and such just make it easier for Murphy to show up. On & Off is pretty much all I think I can handle if someone or thing is threatening.

Darkstar888

I have had great success with Streamlight ProTac series. I have about 5. My favorite is the new ProTac 1L-1AA. It can run on either one cr123 at 350 lumens or one AA at 155 lumens. It's the brightest of the ProTac series and very small. Three modes, high, strobe, and low in that order. The pocket clip is designed such that you can clip it on the brim of a hat or car sun visor. Very cool. Only around $40.
IMG_0969.JPG

Bigslug

NCFUBAR wrote: »

Slug, I gotta agree on the KISS. All the multi-mode lights and such just make it easier for Murphy to show up. On & Off is pretty much all I think I can handle if someone or thing is threatening.

I had (and ultimately lost) an early Blackhawk Gladius that was the best of the multi-moders I've encountered. It had a rotary border around the tailcap switch that made shifting gears pretty intuitive.

Only real problem was that it was pretty easy to get it accidentally locked on in constant/dim mode, thus draining your juice - and that was with it carried in a belt holster. Definitely not a purse light.

I ran my current 2-AA Streamlight in dim-bright mode initially, and that has a lot of utility if you practice enough to to the two fast taps to get it to bright. The dim mode is really nice for searching for dropped parts under the armory bench, or, if you're in that line of work, checking I.D. and insurance without blinding yourself. I've pretty much settled for all bright, all the time, and I can pulse the tailcap my own damn self if I need a strobe.

KSDeputy

If you buy a good flashlight, such as a Streamlight that runs on cr123a batteries, they can blind an attacker. The model I have is 750 lumens. It costs a lot more than $ 19.95. You get what you pay for. They have a new one that is 1100 lumens, it uses 3 cr123a batteries. With the one I have I can stand in the middle of my 8.6 acres and see the whole place at night. I could not do that with one that uses 3 aaa batteries. I know because I have one of those, too. also have a Streamlight that uses one cr123a lithium battery I carry in my fanny pack. The shelf life of the battery is 10 years.

LMLarsen

CR123 batteries used to be reasonably priced, but then as tacticool lights became popular, their price skyrocketed.

Anybody know of a good source for a good price these days?

bullsi1911

Bigslug wrote: »

When Surefire was just getting established with their earlier incandescent lights, they stated that 60 lumens was the threshold for dishing out the "dazzle" effect. Pretty much anything you get these days will be well in excess of that.

Of late, my current favorite is Streamlight's Pro Tac 2AA:

* It's small and light.
* It's relatively cheap (about $40-$50)
* It runs on 2 AA batteries - I like not needing the exotic stuff.
* It has a momentary tailcap switch (if you want a fighting light, I consider this mandatory) that can be pressed harder to click into constant-on.
* It has a 155 lumen top end mode, and can be programmed to also take advantage of (or not) an 11 lumen low end as well as a strobe.

I just programmed it for bright only, being of the KISS mindset, but the dim/bright dual setting has some utility as well. The strobe option I find to be more PITA than anything else. The more things it can do, the more things you have to keep track of. Gadgetry sells stuff, but it ain't necessarily your friend. What I like about these Streamlights is they give you the gadgetry with the option of turning it off.

My daily carry flashlight is an older, non programmable version of that light. It is a great light. I reversed the clip on mine so that the lens is pointing up, added a small paper shim inside the barrel that keeps the batteries from slightly rattling, and it has been my daily carry flashlight for several years now.

Since I spend a whole bunch of my time in airports and airplanes, I have to rely on bright lights and improvised impact weapons in those areas. A very bright light in the eyes could give you the edge in that sort of situation.

Sarge

I have one I picked up from Walmart that claims to be a "tactical" flashlight. Has the high, low, strobe settings. But uh, if that's my last resort for self defense, well, I might as well just consider myself up creek without a paddle because it ain't gonna do much.

Rocketman

If your flashlight still takes a battery or batteries that aren't rechargeable a couple thousand hours and then you're not doing yourself the justice of having a flashlight that's like the sun. Seriously look up the ultrafire brand on eBay. The lumen output is unreal, the battery is rechargeable, comes with a charger and you can get them for around $20. Don't let the price scare you. I've used one daily for 2 years.

snake284

In my opinion, a light is just a good target. Something the bad guy can shoot at. Now I'll go with a taser or mace maybe but still would prefer firepower. But a light is just something for BG to shoot at. It may blind him, but he can probably hit it even if he's blinded by it.

Sarge

snake284 wrote: »

In my opinion, a light is just a good target. Something the bad guy can shoot at. Now I'll go with a taser or mace maybe but still would prefer firepower. But a light is just something for BG to shoot at. It may blind him, but he can probably hit it even if he's blinded by it.

cpj wrote: »

So...you just fire at random into the inky darkness?

Well... I agree with snake. A flashlight is a big ass target. Think of police or soldiers clearing a building at night. If you're in the building laying in wait, you see the persons coming with a flashlight, you know exactly what to aim for, well before they even know you're there. Same if you're out on patrol and encounter an enemy camp that has a campfire/cooking fires/lights/etc. Being in the dark, you have an advantage. This is sniper school 101: can't aim at what you don't see.

Jayhawker

Sarge wrote: »

Well... I agree with snake. A flashlight is a big ass target. Think of police or soldiers clearing a building at night. If you're in the building laying in wait, you see the persons coming with a flashlight, you know exactly what to aim for, well before they even know you're there. Same if you're out on patrol and encounter an enemy camp that has a campfire/cooking fires/lights/etc. Being in the dark, you have an advantage. This is sniper school 101: can't aim at what you don't see.

Soooo...tell us what you think of weapon lights....

Sarge

Jayhawker wrote: »

Soooo...tell us what you think of weapon lights....

They have their uses, Jay, but so does darkness. There's advantages to both.

Sarge

cpj wrote: »

And in the context of this thread, which is self defense, not a covert military sniping operation... I'm saying....there are advantages.

Yeah I got a bit off topic, sorry 'bout that. I'd still say though, a flashlight wouldn't be my first line of defense. At least not a small one. Maybe one with a bit of weight behind it, so that if I do manage to stun them with the strobe, I can then deliver a resounding wack to the head.

KSDeputy

Our alarm system uses some wireless components that run on CR123A batteries. I always keep plenty on hand as the flashlights use them, too. I get mine on Amazon.