Every fall, the same thing happens. The clocks change, and suddenly I'm driving home from work in the dark, letting the dog out in the dark, and walking across a parking lot to my truck in the dark. If you carry a gun, that should get your attention. A big chunk of your daily life just moved into low light, and most of us have only ever practiced on a bright, sunny range.
That's why I run a series of low light classes every fall. Once it gets dark earlier, we can train in real darkness at a reasonable hour instead of staying out until midnight.
Identify Before You Act
This is the big one. You are responsible for knowing what you're dealing with before you ever make a decision with a firearm. In the dark, that shape by the garage could be a threat. It could also be your neighbor, your teenager coming in late, or a family member who got up for a glass of water.
You can't make that call if you can't see. A light lets you identify what's in front of you and what's around and behind it. Without one, you're guessing, and guessing isn't good enough when a gun is involved.
Most of Life Happens in Dim Light This Time of Year
In the summer, it's easy to think of a defensive situation as something that happens in broad daylight. In fall and winter, a lot of normal life happens at dusk or after dark: getting gas on the way home, checking on a noise outside, pulling into your driveway, walking out of a store at closing time.
If your training only happens at noon, you're practicing for a world you only live in part of the time.
Your Skills Change in the Dark
Things that feel easy in daylight get harder fast when the light goes away. Seeing your sights is harder. Judging distance is harder. Finding your target, checking what's behind it, and moving safely all take more effort. Even simple gun handling, like a reload or clearing a malfunction, can feel different when you can't clearly see your hands.
Add a flashlight to the mix and now you're managing two tools at once. That's a skill, and like any skill, it has to be practiced. You don't want the first time you try it to be the night you actually need it.
Practice With Your Actual Light
I see this a lot: someone buys a good light, puts it in a drawer or on their gun, and never really trains with it. Then they find out the switch is awkward or they fumble turning it on.
Bring the light you'll actually carry or keep at home, and train with it. Learn where the switch is without looking. Learn how it works with your grip. Learn what the beam looks like on a target at different distances. If you run a light/laser combo like the Streamlight TLR-6, make sure you know how it's set up. I wrote a post on adjusting the light/laser combo setting on the TLR-6 if you want a walkthrough.
There's also the question of which kind of light makes the most sense for you, a weapon-mounted light or a handheld. Both have their place, and I'll cover that comparison in an upcoming post.
Join Me for Fall Low Light Training
If you've never trained in the dark, or it's been a while, this is the time of year to do it. My fall low light classes start with Low Light Pistol Basics. It's about four hours on the range, and the cost is $75. Bring a light and at least 100 rounds, and we'll work on seeing, identifying, and shooting safely after dark.
The next class is Tuesday, November 10, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, and there are only 6 seats. Sign up for Low Light Pistol Basics and let's get you comfortable in the dark before you need to be.
— Shane