this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2025
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So two of my handguns have rails and mounting spaces for any number of goofy tacticool stuff. But none of it has appealed to me at all. I shoot just fine without an optic. Lasers seem like a gimmick that don't work either because the dot isn't visible enough or because the dot never stays zeroed. And a flashlight doesn't seem necessary when I can just also hold a flashlight. Is there anything I'm not considering that might be more useful?

An underbarrel shotgun would be awesome but I doubt they're made small enough for a pistol lol

If it helps at all answer, my guns are largely for shooting at ranges, and also for the hopefully never self-defense situation.

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[–] BobDole@hexbear.net 16 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The benefit of an attached flashlight is you can use both hands to stabilize better, the downside being you can’t hold the flashlight far from your body to confuse your target about where they should shoot.

[–] ShimmeringKoi@hexbear.net 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Fun fact, in some states EMT classes specifically tell you to hold your flashlight far off to the side when approaching a shooting scene for this exact reason

[–] principalkohoutek@hexbear.net 16 points 1 week ago

I've seen people do that and never knew why

[–] axont@hexbear.net 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I've also considered situations where I might want to point a flashlight at something but also not point a gun at the same time. An attachment would force me to threaten anything I want to see.

[–] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

A flashlight lets you do two-handed shooting in the dark, though.

[–] axont@hexbear.net 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If I'm getting into a self-defense situation in pitch darkness with only a handgun light as my illumination I'm prolly gonna die regardless fam

[–] Vingst@hexbear.net 5 points 1 week ago

nah you got this

[–] GalaxyBrain@hexbear.net 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I feel like the best option in this weirdly specific situation is to reverse grip a flashlight and hold that arm across your chest so the light source doesnt have your body behind it and the rest your gun arm on the one holding the flashlight, you csn keep the support arm steady and still move the flashlight with your wrist. This is such an unlikely situation that it's barely worth comsidering but that seems like the best way to avoid killing someone by accident and still use a flashlight with a gun, having them attached seems to break the 'dont point a gun at anything you dont want to kill' rule

[–] Vingst@hexbear.net 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/4-flashlight-techniques-for-concealed-carry/

the first 3 techniques are good except hold the light at the temple of one's head instead of one's neck, so you can illuminate your sights and actually illuminate everything from your eyes POV instead of making a big arm and gun shadow off to your strong side

i prefer the "high fbi" or that temple hold. you can adapt to the situation. avoid bouncing the light off the cover you are standing right behind and blinding yourself.

[–] GalaxyBrain@hexbear.net 3 points 1 week ago

That makes sense. Ive only.fired a gin a few times and hardly ever use a flashlight so I was just going off what I felt msde sense.