Handheld VS Weapon Mounted Lights Which 1 is Better?

Should you carry a handheld light (HHL) or weapon-mounted light (WML)?

The answer is surprisingly simple-get both.

Each light has a place and purpose. Using one type of light when the other is appropriate can be very dangerous.

If you want to continue reading, I'm happy to explain the justification behind my recommendation.

Basic Requirements For Lights:

Tactical lights need to be simple to use. We need to consider that we are likely to overload or fail when adding operations requiring fine motor skills or complex procedures in a life-threatening, high-stress situation. Use a tactical light that won't need multiple taps and presses to turn the light on or move through many light patterns.

A light that requires turning the bezel for activation has a place, but you shouldn't use one for tactical purposes.

Most common flashlights come equipped with a constant on switch. You activate the button, and the light is either off or on. But there is definite value in having a light with an option of momentary on. Momentary on means the light turns on when pressure is applied to a switch and turns off when you release the pressure.

Brightness and Strobe?

What about different brightness levels and strobe function? I don't see any tactical advantage or application in a self-defense context for these features.

On the other hand, a strobe feature may be good in alerting someone far off because the flashing light is more noticeable. So if you are signaling someone to your location, strobe isn't a bad thing—context matters.

Varying brightness levels may be helpful in an administrative light. Dialing back the brightness is a good idea and keeps you from blinding yourself and others with too much light if you just need a little light to see where you're going.

So far, to recap, your tactical light should have momentary/constant on and be bright.

How Bright?

Lights have a lumen, Candella, and lux rating. These numbers describe the brightness (lumens), the shape or area of light intensity (lux), and the power or reach of the light (Candella). Which lumen and Candella ratings are best for various purposes can get quite extensive, so I'll save the topic of another post. First, however, here is some basic guidance.

If two lights have the same lumen output, the one with the higher Candella rating will throw the light further and appear much brighter. However, brighter isn't always better. Bright is good for a tactical light at a distance but may blind you for an administrative light to see something closer. Also, extremely bright lights splash off walls and can cause problems indoors.

In general, a light with 800-1000 lumens and a Candella rating of 15,000 or more will provide you flexibility in different applications.

I Learned the Hard Way:

Some time ago, I took a low-light carbine class with Kyle Lamb and used a rifle-mounted light that had a brightness adjustment button. Unfortunately, I accidentally turned down my light brightness about 10 times during that 2-day course, and I learned an essential lesson about the simplicity of operation.

Also, remember that once you are engaged in a gunfight, the purpose of the light is no longer to search a dark space but simply to illuminate the target area and potentially blind the threat while shooting.

WML or HHL

Lastly, I would remind readers that regardless of the tools you choose to own and deploy in a gunfight, seek formal training in their use. Then practice becoming proficient in using the light.

Slapping a tactical light on your gun isn't difficult. However, using it effectively requres training and practice.

Thankfully, involving the use of your WML and HHL in “dry fire practice” is easy, and you shouldn't have trouble getting practice hours in.

Situations That Favor Weapon Mounted Lights

The apparent advantage of a weapon-mounted light (WML) is that you always have a light if you have your firearm.

Weapon mounted lights vary in terms of how they are activated. Some may have switches, paddles or may even automatically turn on just by assuming a grip. Ideally, you should be able to activate the light without breaking your grip. If you can activate the light even with a one-handed grip, all the better.

Situations in which you only have one hand in the fight favor a weapon-mounted light. You may be holding a child or pushing an innocent person from coming forward into the line of fire. You may also only have one hand in the fight because your other hand/arm is injured. It could also be that you are opening a door, reaching for something, or otherwise doing something so that your hand is not available at that moment.

tactical lights

In any of these situations, you can still activate your weapon-mounted light and illuminate your target.

Using a WML allows you to use a two-handed grip and a light, which is preferable to a single-handed grip.

There are two different functions of light in a tactical environment.

  • verify there is a target by searching in a dark space confirming if you do or do not have a threat
  • illuminate the target so you can see what you're shooting

A WML does the second point well. It is excellent at illuminating the target while providing me a two-handed grip on my gun. I can see the threat, deliver rounds, and assess the effectiveness of my shots.

However, realize, the light only follows the direction of my gun's muzzle. A WML is my choice if I only need to illuminate the target to see and effectively put shots on target. However, a WML is not a great choice if I am searching to identify if there IS a threat. That is where a handheld light's application comes into play.

Situations That Favor Handheld Lights

Handheld lights have a much broader application than a weapon-mounted light for obvious reasons.

It is an unsafe and harmful practice to search with a weapon-mounted light. The temptation may be there, but just don't do it. If you illuminate a family member, animal, or other non-threat, you have just muzzled them with your firearm.

A handheld light affords you the option of keeping the firearm in a ready position and illuminate an area or thing without at the same time pointing your gun at it.

There are a few standard techniques for using a handheld light and a handgun simultaneously. Here is a post for your reference.

You can also use a handheld light in non-tactical situations. For example, if you needed light to find the keys that dropped under your driver's seat, you wouldn't use a WML, would you? Handheld lights work well for these administrative tasks.

Why Have 2 Handheld Flashlights?

Understanding the roles each light plays, you may choose to carry a weapon-mounted light, tactical handheld flashlight, AND an administrative handheld light. The reasoning behind this setup is so your tactical HHL is always at full charge and never run down by the day-to-day administrative usage, just something to consider.

Ultimately the handheld light should be your primary source of light until you choose to engage a target, and then if you have a weapon-mounted light available, it is likely the best tool to illuminate your target.

Speaking Specifically About Lights For Daily Carry

Flashlights are handy regardless of life-threatening encounters. Every day I carry a flashlight, pocket knife, and a firearm. Which do you think I use the most often? The pocket knife and flashlight get used several times a week in the course of everyday life.

So, I'm inclined to suggest that a person should always carry a handheld light. There are a lot of small, easy-to-carry EDC lights on the market, but I've always loved the Streamlight Microstream.

However, our sister company ReadyUpGear designed a modular flashlight called the MCF Spark. The modularity allows some customization on size and tail-cap. It is a great administrative flashlight.

Weapon mounted lights are trickier for everyday carry. For one, they increase the footprint of the firearm slightly, which may decrease comfort and concealability in some cases. Additionally, weapon-mounted lights can significantly reduce the number of available holsters you can use. Holster manufacturers typically produce holsters for the guns people carry most.

Producing holsters that work with lights isn't something every holster company does well. So many just don't bother with it. I find the best holster for WML is the PHLster Floodlight. The holster bears on the light and not the gun.

For me personally, I keep a weapon-mounted light on my home defense firearm, but not my daily carry a gun. But if you carry a WML and don't have an issue with comfort, it can only help.

What ideas do you have, or what do you think I missed in this discussion? Let me know in the comments below!

*This post is updated and was originally published in 2018

About Jacob Paulsen

Jacob S. Paulsen is the President of ConcealedCarry.com. ConcealedCarry.com provides in-person and online firearm training for American gun owners. The Company is currently teaching in-person classes in 25+ states with a team of more than 55 instructors. Jacob is a NRA certified instructor & Range Safety Officer, USCCA certified instructor and training counselor, Utah BCI instructor, Affiliate instructor for Next Level Training, Graduate and certified instructor for The Law of Self Defense, and a Glock and Sig Sauer Certified Armorer. He resides in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with his wife and children.

16 Comments

  1. Doug on July 15, 2018 at 10:18 am

    After reading this article go and check all your battery operated lights. Like smoke detectors, change the batteries regularly and test their performance frequently. So you know that when you need it, it will be there and working. It’s not like you’re using your light to clear the house every night, so batteries do die or leak or fade and you don’t want to find that out with an armed intruder lurking in your house.

  2. Jackson on July 18, 2018 at 7:26 pm

    Great article. One problem though is that some EDC’s like mine do not have a rail in which to mount a light. I prefer the Rogers method as I can keep my two handed grip and still have the light available for search.

    • Kevin R on December 28, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      Jackson, just one question, have you actually run through any live fire scenarios or courses of fire while using the Rogers technique? I have and quickly realized it just did not work for me! I instantly begin using the Harries technique and still do today after 20 plus years of extensive training as a LE Active Shooter Instructor. We should always apply what we’ve learned in real life circumstances to make sure it actually works for us in reality.

  3. Chuck Haggard on October 12, 2021 at 10:04 am

    Not mentioned is the fact the the real world need for a pistol mounted light in a CCW context approaches almost absolute zero. I’m not talking made up hypothetical scenarios which are so popular, I’m talking real life.

    • Jacob Paulsen on October 13, 2021 at 3:56 pm

      Good point Chuck. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

  4. DEFENDER on October 12, 2021 at 11:48 am

    Problem with the Rogers Technique is you have to leave the light on and cannot use the Preferred Flash technique to ID Friend – Foe.

    Problem with all the other Techniques is you are basically shooing with One Hand – how much have you practiced that ?

    There ARE techniques for searching a hallway w/o Muzzling Down-the-Hallway.
    Which may put family in danger of a wall or door shoot-thru.

    And should be used especially with the Rogers and FBI Techniques.

    Base-Board and Ceiling “Splash” Techniques.
    Need at least 1k lumen to do it properly.

    State and DHS Certified Pistol Instr.
    Certified – Defense of the Home Instr

  5. matthew on October 12, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    lots of people have a head mounted light. can this take the place of the hand held light. it offers hands free light.

    • DEFENDER on October 14, 2021 at 2:56 am

      If you want to get shot in the head.

      Also usually not a directed beam for searching or splash.

  6. DEFENDER on October 13, 2021 at 4:20 am

    “It is an unsafe and harmful practice to search with a weapon-mounted light. The temptation may be there, but just don’t do it. If you illuminate a family member, animal, or other non-threat, you have just muzzled them with your firearm.”

    There are techniques to search with a WML that do not Muzzle the innocent – You “Do”
    need at least say a 1k Lumen light:

    1 – Baseboard Technique – Point the LIght/gun at the baseboard of a hallway, with enough lumens you can get enough “Splash” off the walls to ID Friend/Foe.

    2 – Ceiling/top of wall corner Technique – Also can get enough “Splash” to ID Friend/foe.

    So you are Not pointing the gun straight down a Hallway.

  7. Kent W Phillips on October 14, 2021 at 9:33 am

    The saying says: “2 is 1, and one is none.”

    Another saying says: “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”

    I’m in favor of having both “on-the-gun” and “in-the-hand”. Murphy is always nearby.

  8. Gandof Grey on October 18, 2021 at 4:08 pm

    If you’re searching for a potentially dangerous person, your gun should look where you do. The potential to “muzzle” someone you don’t want to shoot is always there. Welcome to the real world. As mentioned by Defender, there are techniques to minimize that. Any decent weapon mounted light has enough spill to illuminate a fairly large area with out muzzling anyone. In the course of my job, and even in my private life, I’ve had the need to intentionally point firearms at persons that I did not shoot.
    I’m an advocate of the two light carry system. One for administrative/backup, and a weapon mounted light, along with a pocket knife and cell phone. All, in my opinion, essential.

  9. Ken Curtis on December 27, 2021 at 5:31 pm

    The last thing, as licese to carry holder, I am thinking about is tracking an attacker. If I stopped the immediate threat to me or my family, I would be a good witness for LE.

  10. Harold on December 27, 2021 at 7:50 pm

    If I have a choice of going into a zero light situation where I need a flashlight. I will take a position that I am at an advantage with whatever ambient light will expose someone. Having a light on while searching is the best way to get yourself shot. If you came into a room searching for me with a flash light, your are probably going to be less than 12 feet away. No matter where you hold that light I will have an easy target long before you can spot me. Your pupils will be dilated from looking where the light is. My pupils will be closed down more so I will be able to make out your silhouette the instant you open the door. Twelve feet is point blank for me. If you need to search for someone in the dark, wait for the pro’s to come and do it. They will probably have night vision and won’t have to expose their position with a visible light. If they don’t have night vision they will probably throw in light sticks to light up the room. Either way they are not going into a room with a flashlight giving away their position.

  11. Harold on December 27, 2021 at 10:50 pm

    In my response I made a mistake. Your pupils will not be dilated, they will be partially closed due to staring at the lighted area and mine would be dilated which would make it easier for me to see a dimly lit person.

  12. John on December 27, 2021 at 11:46 pm

    While having a light attached to your weapon may help illuminate your target in a dark room, it also gives the bad guy something to aim at. I’ve always preferred to have a separate light in my off hand that I can hold away from my body. If I need to illuminate a target, I have red laser sights on my pistols that can be activated just before firing.

  13. A.G. Lough on December 28, 2021 at 9:24 am

    You do not mention lasers, which, combined with a flashlight, dramatically increase hit potential.

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