DK Firearms

Defensive Concealed carry pistol

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  • TK5o

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    I know there is a thread on this somewhere but I could not locate it. So here it goes......

    What do you prefer or carry on your defensive handgun... light, laser, night sights, none, or combination of the three?

    I appreciate the LEO and Military applications for the accessories. But I’m thinking more of strictly defensive out in the town type of scenarios. Such as walking through shopping center (possibly carrying young child), eating in a restaurant, or maybe at a park, and somebody starts shooting.
    My goal would be to get family out to safety not hunt the bad guy.
    Any thoughts on wants or possible needs of the above accessories for those type of situations.
    Im not talking home invasion as I would think you would/could be more offensive in protecting family members
    Any thoughts?

    btw I currently carry a glock with fiber optic front sight, blacked out rear and a tlr-7. My thoughts are maybe I dont need the light? And what about a laser for one handed shooting from the hip or other non traditional positions?
     

    Jdcujo

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    I carry pretty much stock. Maybe upgraded sights ( truglo or trij front sights ).
    My girl has a 365xl with the sig laser and it works for her.
     

    Fng1911

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    I choose to use a dot, keep extra mags in all 4 doors of vehicle and 1 in the trunk.

    The fact that your carrying is a plus. You talk about eating at a restaurant, have you ever practiced drawing at your dinner table? Or in your car? Have you discussed a plan with family in case there is a shooting? The only reason I'm mentioning this is because your already carrying to protect the family, but practicing scenarios will make you feel more mentally comfortable.
     

    JWlineman

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    Most recent thread, I'm sure there are other relevant threads in the Handgun Talk section.

     

    Jdcujo

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    I choose to use a dot, keep extra mags in all 4 doors of vehicle and 1 in the trunk.

    The fact that your carrying is a plus. You talk about eating at a restaurant, have you ever practiced drawing at your dinner table? Or in your car? Have you discussed a plan with family in case there is a shooting? The only reason I'm mentioning this is because your already carrying to protect the family, but practicing scenarios will make you feel more mentally comfortable.
    Drawing in a car is a pita ( honestly few times where the idea of a car/truck gun in a secondary holster in the vehicle truly shines
     

    M60Gunner

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    That other thread got pretty darn opinionated pretty quickly LOL. Due to my own personal experience with Mr. Murphy I keep it simple when carrying out and about so just sights, with several lights on my person but not on the gun. In the home I have an Olight on the gun but I feel this is necessary due to the number of kids in my house (I must have 100% target identification). We have a family code word and plan of action, both for in the house and when out/about. We have lots of what if scenario discussions, like what if a shooter comes in that door of the restaurant/walmart/CVS, etc., or what if that lady two beach umbrellas down starts stabbing people on the beach?
     

    TK5o

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    Yes we have discussed plans. I also always have a flashlight on me aside from the tlr-7. Im not looking to move to a red dot just yet. Although I have no opinion due to no experience with them on a pistol. I do have prior training in tactics as well as training with a weapon light and laser on a pistol.
    My thought process for this thread is defensive and a get the family away/out type situation.
     

    M60Gunner

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    Agreed TK50. Even in the home I will be concentrating on securing the family, and not trying to clear the house like I'm an operator. Much rather have the threat come to me in my terrain so to speak.
     

    JWlineman

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    IMHO, a solid SHTF plan, good observation, and generally avoiding potential bad situations is 90% of the solution to your potential problem. You have a lumens(handheld and wml), good conversation and a plan with your family, a good sharpening of those skills sounds best.
    I'll also add that, if you haven't implemented it already, an IFAK or small med kit in your vehicle or body and the training to use such. We get hung up on weapons to deal with threats but fail to address a more applicable issue. A guy in the food court is choking, heart attack at the gas station, rolling up on a car accident. You don't need to be a tactical ninja but having simple knowledge of how to put a tourniquet on and calmly talk to a victim can save a life too.
     

    M60Gunner

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    Good reminder JW thanks. I started carrying an IFAK and tourniquet in each vehicle and I have an extra tourniquet in my active shooter bag since I saw sometime back you recommended it and I thought damn I should have one!
     

    Raven

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    Drawing in a car is a pita ( honestly few times where the idea of a car/truck gun in a secondary holster in the vehicle truly shines
    If you're practicing drawing in a car, and you have a family, bring them with you to practice. They'll need to practice getting out of the way of your muzzle and you'll need to practice recognizing them as non-targets and looking past them out the windows. I pulled on a guy that was checking my minivans door locks, as we were parked in a dark parking lot, engine off, on the west side of Pensacola, the same parking lot a former coworker of mine was murdered in only a few weeks prior. I was in the far corner of the parking lot over in the dark, looking into the light of the building 100 yards away where I'd used to work, just watching the delivery drivers come and go and reminiscing. I saw that asshole coming in my passenger side mirror, hunched over and checking the tinted rear passenger door handle, as I was already facing that way talking to my wife, and as he came to be in front of my untinted front windows he met the business end of a Glock when he cupped his hands to see inside. My wife was looking at me in the driver seat and the kids were oblivious to their surroundings behind us. My draw stroke and front sight acquisition brought the Glock up and across the front of my wife's chest while she was mid-sentence and she froze. The invaders eyes got big and he fell backwards and took off into the darkness. By the time the wife even turned to look out her window he was gone and I was holstered and we were squeeling tires out of the parking lot. Families in cars need to be part of drills. Families need to not only just go to the range together but also to get into the IDPA and paintball teams and shoot and move, to know what you know, to be professionals about it and be predictable and be a team. Or else they'll just be in the way, a liability, not back up. I haven't been to the paintball range here in 10 years, but the paintball range up in Bangor was where I longed to be as soon as the snow was gone every year. And they had a sedan, a two story house and a helicopter all on the field and fair game. I'm proud of my son. A couple of years after the minivan he held his own as we were giving and receiving fire from windows, moving as a team. My wife was nowhere to be found. Failure to train. And I let her know it, too, that should anything ever happen she's getting left behind to cower in a defensive position because she will be safer there, as an untrained individual. And she understood.
     
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    Raven

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    IMHO, a solid SHTF plan, good observation, and generally avoiding potential bad situations is 90% of the solution to your potential problem. You have a lumens(handheld and wml), good conversation and a plan with your family, a good sharpening of those skills sounds best.
    I'll also add that, if you haven't implemented it already, an IFAK or small med kit in your vehicle or body and the training to use such. We get hung up on weapons to deal with threats but fail to address a more applicable issue. A guy in the food court is choking, heart attack at the gas station, rolling up on a car accident. You don't need to be a tactical ninja but having simple knowledge of how to put a tourniquet on and calmly talk to a victim can save a life too.
    Got my first aid kit in my cargo pocket right now, all day every day, with a tourniquet. Each vehicle has tourniquets for as many seats as may be occupied. Practice using your belt and boot laces as tourniquets, too. I haven't practiced with my belt in years, since active duty, but the motions are still second nature. Plan to be shot multiple times, not just once, so practice putting multiple tourniquets on, even one handed, with your teeth, left handed, etc. Not a pleasant thought, but plan to be triple tapped so that when you're only single or double tapped it's not such a shock. Get point blank with a 60 caliber paintball and see if you can still function thru the shock, get off the X and return fire while having already taken a few to the chest. It's great stress inoculation
     
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    MAXman

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    I first ever put a crimson trace laser on a j frame smith, because night sights weren’t an option. When I saw those laser max 50$ j frame lights I figured wtf not, nothing to loose.

    I got to where I do like the lasers. They’re similar to a red dot in practice, except they still work when shooting from retention. I only have them on revolvers though.

    I’m a pretty big fan of lights on handguns, especially with pressure switches. I hate juggling a handheld and a weapon at the same time, and with tlr 6’s and 7’s, and that little 300$ surefire, you’re not adding that much weight or bulk.
    All that being said my most carried firearm has neither lights or lasers, just some old and dim night sights.
     

    TR-6

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    I know there is a thread on this somewhere but I could not locate it. So here it goes......

    What do you prefer or carry on your defensive handgun... light, laser, night sights, none, or combination of the three?

    I appreciate the LEO and Military applications for the accessories. But I’m thinking more of strictly defensive out in the town type of scenarios. Such as walking through shopping center (possibly carrying young child), eating in a restaurant, or maybe at a park, and somebody starts shooting.
    My goal would be to get family out to safety not hunt the bad guy.
    Any thoughts on wants or possible needs of the above accessories for those type of situations.
    Im not talking home invasion as I would think you would/could be more offensive in protecting family members
    Any thoughts?

    btw I currently carry a glock with fiber optic front sight, blacked out rear and a tlr-7. My thoughts are maybe I dont need the light? And what about a laser for one handed shooting from the hip or other non traditional positions?
    Check out you tube video Aiming is useless by Rob Leatham
     

    Raven

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    Check out you tube video Aiming is useless by Rob Leatham
    Aquire the front sight, and then its eyes wide open and hand/eye coordination all the way. Without acquiring the front sight first, I've found that too many times I tend to force the muzzle down under stress, no matter the grip angle and on various model pistols. An instructor told me that this is a common reaction to stress, but that most men dont shoot enough outside of a flat range/standing still/weaver stance to ever recognize the problem. On a man size target inside of 5 yards you'll still hit him below the belt, but outside of that 5 yards it's a real problem. Acquire the front sight first (for anything outside of 5 yards) if given the time and opportunity
     
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    G-rat

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    red dot on it, night sights for sure. white light in off hand pocket. stay alert, check your six, and get the hell away from trouble if ex-fil is an option.
     
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