Shooting in Different Lighting Conditions + Practice Drills
If you have never taken a low light class, find a local one and enroll. No matter how familiar you are with shooting, low light adds variables not only to your ability to visually assess the situation but also to how you engage with and manipulate your firearm. Having experience with low light to no light conditions, as well as with different source light angles, can only be done by learning and practicing, it is not something you are going to figure out on the fly. Knowing what decisions to make in each lighting condition is unique to you, so learning a variety of ways to solve the lack of light problem is beneficial.
Once you have learned about shooting in low light practice it. Take the drills you already know and add a new parameter to it, a light must be used to locate the target, identify it as a threat and engage. It may take a bit of experimentation to find what technique is right for you, but once you can manipulate your firearm with your chosen light source you can start building on your low light technique and make the light an advantage during an encounter.
What to look for in a flashlight
The first thing you need for low light shooting is some type of flashlight, it could be handheld or weapon mounted but having both is highly encouraged. A handheld allows for administrative duties, deterrence and safe searching. A weapon mounted light (WML) allows for a better engagement with the firearm, remember we still have to adhere to the safety rules so using your WML to look around means you are also pointing your firearm at each thing you illuminate.
With either piece of equipment you will want to look for a high output beam (check lumens and candela specs), lithium or rechargeable batteries, an on/off tail cap switch with momentary on, and LED. Having all the bells and whistles tactical lights offer can be tempting but simple operations are best for when you need the light quickly.
It might take a few tries to find the light that is right for you so check out the brightness, size, and button operation of the lights you or your friends already have. I live in the city and thought a 200 lumen light was enough, then I took a night class in a rural area and oh wow is the darkness there different. I very quickly ditched my light for a new one that was 800 lumens. From that one no light class I found I needed an entirely different set up to be prepared from low light to no light. I needed more lumens, an easier to press tail cap, and an output cycle button that was separate from the tail cap. The old light was good for in my house or under street lights and had a momentary on, but each time I pressed the button it would alternate between the low output and high output settings, can’t have that when I need positive threat identification.
Lastly, you may want some type of accessory that helps you hold onto the flashlight when you need to use that hand for other tasks. This could be a lanyard, plunger, ring, or some bungee cord.
Use the light to your advantage
Low light shooting is a deep topic and everyone has their own views on what methods are best. Taking the time to learn multiple methods and techniques will help make the light an advantage rather than being a “bullet magnet” by illuminating or blinding you.
Instead you can use the light to temporarily blind the assailant and conceal your movement. Each movement coincides with a flash to the face making it hard for them to keep track of you and inducing flash blindness.
Take a look at this quick guide or browse through some videos to see just how complex a topic low light shooting is and give you inspiration for a whole new slice in your shooting skills pie.
Techniques
There are numerous techniques to use a handheld flashlight in conjunction with your firearm, experiment and see which one is right for you. On a WML there are numerous button/switch configurations and finding one that minimally impacts your master grip is going to be helpful.
Here is a brief overview of some of the more commonly used handheld flashlight techniques.
The FBI flashlight hold brings the light away from the user's body in an effort to redirect incoming fire away from the body since a light can be a “bullet magnet” in some situations. Having the light slightly forward of the body and changing position can cause confusion as to where the user’s body actually is. The drawback of this hold is that it forces the user to shoot one handed and can be harder to direct the light exactly where intended.
Another popular hold is the Harries flashlight hold where the hands are back to back. This can give some stability but ultimately still leaves you shooting one handed. It also allows the light to cross your body's centerline and bring the light to the opposite side of the body which may be useful when cover/concealment is involved. Since this technique causes your hands to cross it is important that your support hand goes under your primary hand and that you do not flag yourself by passing the support hand in front of the muzzle.
While there are several other holds that can be used some are outdated with the flashlight switch being moved from the side to the tail cap. The last one we will mention is the least technical of all the options, the neck index hold where you simply hold the flashlight in an ice pick orientation and then bring that hand to your neck, jaw, or side of the head. This will be slightly different for everyone but allows the light to follow where you look. A drawback of this is the “bullet magnet” is now directly next to your head and due to how far back it is the light can illuminate your hand or sights and splash back affecting your vision.
Drills
You can add a flashlight to any drill and switch up what technique is used to find what works for you. Additionally, if you also have a WML, figuring out how and when to switch from handheld to WML is a good transition to rehearse. Let’s take a look at several drills that will help build a foundation for low light and then add in tactics.
Each of these can be trained from a dusk level of light to total darkness, and if you can try them in each light. An outdoor range evening session will give the most opportunity but these can be artificially trained indoors by controlling the ambient light. If you only have access to the range during the day consider adding 5x5 squares of foil to your intended target to get some feedback on how directly the beam is actually hitting your target.
If you are using an optic, set your brightness to automatically adjust if possible, if not turn it down so that it does not become a distraction, block your target, or impede your ability to see into the darkness beyond it.
The first drill is drawing from holster. It is an essential skill but adding a flashlight that changes the draw stroke, and even more so if you have to clear a concealment garment one handed. Start slow with dryfire and figure out the steps and technique that works for you, once you get it down change the lighting conditions. Start with a low light and work your way to no light. If you have a WML, practice turning it on during the draw stroke. If you use both, practice transitioning from one to the other with both the goal of retaining as well as ditching the handheld.
Once you have the ability to combine a light and firearm in different ways, expand the time frame of usage. The handheld light is likely to come out first and used to identify if the firearm needs to be drawn. Indoors you have two options to minimize the backsplash of light coming back at you, follow the baseboards or point straight up at the ceiling to make an umbrella of light. Picture a scenario in your mind where you may need to search out what that bump in the night was and then how you transition to the firearm. You already know the draw so applying it to a scenario makes for a great rehearsal drill.
Gun manipulations are also worth practicing so add a light to your reload and tap rack drills. This may prove which technique is most viable for you. Being able to tuck the handheld deep into your palm and freeing up your fingers for use takes some practice which is why some people opt for a ring that allows them to spin it out of the way when needed.
Once you have some experience going from searching to presenting and manipulating dry, get to the range and try this out with two shot engagements. Make sure the beam is actually on the target for positive identification prior to shooting. The reason you want to shoot two rounds is to see if the recoil changes your ability to use the chosen hold. Something that is perfectly comfortable and manageable in dry may become uncomfortable or impact accuracy in live fire. If you have the time, it would be best to give each technique a try live.
The Vanishing Victim drill should be done dry and in full light first and then in low to no light conditions and add live ammo. It puts all the skills together, and creates a time constraint in a mock scenario. There is a lot going on here, not only are there a stack of techniques occurring, it is also while in motion and coordinated timing. Feign compliance, flash the light, move off the X while drawing, flash the light and shoot, then continue to move and flash/shoot as needed.
The momentary burst of light needs to help you locate the threat, identify that it is one, and ultimately engage. Moving after each step and flashing a burst of light can make you hard to keep track of but remember the bad guy can use the dark too so when you move they may as well. Practice in different scenarios will help you determine when to turn the light on/off, when to keep it on, and when to transition from handheld to WML.
Own the darkness
Ultimately low light is a topic best learned in classes with a knowledgeable instructor. Consider taking a private to really be alone in the dark.
Knowing how to use light to your advantage can allow you to own the darkness and take advantage on your home turf. As we know firearms skills are perishable so a good understanding and frequent practice is key.
If you haven’t already started working low light into your dryfire sessions, don’t wait for the Dark Mode daily challenge to come around, start turning out the lights and using your MantisX to confirm good shots.
Kayla House
Author