OK! I got your interest.

This is STRICTLY an AR15 question so please no Handgun, Shotgun, or Ninja Spike throwing comments.

If an intruder enters your home at night and you grab your AR which is equipped with an attached Light with Separate Laser, & a Red Dot (currently on 24/7) what would you use?

Light & Laser?

Light & Red Dot?

Light Only & Iron Sights?

Laser Only?

Red Dot Only?

At the point only the red dot. Your eyes are very well adjusted to the darkness when you wake up. You know the layout of your house. The BG doesn't know where you are. If you use your light it will be a beacon to you.

Not a laser person but I believe in a dark environment it can give you away. Not the beam but the end of the emitter on your gun.

What if my ninja spike has red dot and laser?

Honestly, nothing until I get close enough for a brief blast of the light to make sure it's a bg...then a brief blast of the "other" light.

In my home, I have all the advantages, unless the bad guy has blueprints. However, due to the proximity of my family, in all reality, in this scenario, the AR would be my next-to-last choice.

The illuminated reticle of my Leupold "Prismatic" scope.

If I really, really wanted to ensure I wasn't about to shoot someone who didn't need shooting, I'd also illuminate him with the white light while being ready to shoot immediately if appropriate.

I also have a laser on my primary defensive AR at the moment, but that's to permit a reasonable degree of accuracy when I can't use the sights (e.g., when wearing a gas mask). I'm not a fan of the devices otherwise.

red dot. Don't use the light until you're right in his face and flip it on when he's not expecting it. If he persists in resisting, shoot him.

well...if you had an M-16 you could turn on full auto...that would be funny....well not for the intruder I suppose....he might need new shorts.

Red dot, then the light to confirm.

You have to solve ROE... and just because the glass broke doesn't mean another family member is out to investigate or one of your drunk friend isn't doing something stupid.

I have a RDS and light on my HD AR. There's enough ambient light in my home that the RDS should suffice. If not or I'm outside for some reason, I could always burst the TLR-1 to id my target.

Side note: an Aimpoint could stay on 24/7, an EOTech could not. I use an Aimpoint for HD.

The perimeter floodlights aren't an option?

The whole idea of lasers themselves aside, having a laser on any gun with an optical sight, particularly one with a red dot reticle, is just asking for confusion when you need it least. And having a laser on a gun with a white light just adds to more confusion. So, if you have a laser and a dot sight and a white light, you have to decide which dot to focus on, extra fun as your brains subconciously tries to process that the laser dot is at a physical distance and the sight dot is not, and whatever hand/finger. prehensile limb you use for switching your lights has to remember which one is the laser and which is the white light, and not start poking things at random, or your other digits are going to feel left out and you'll hear a bang and see a flash when you really just wanted a steady light.

nothing. I know my house in the dark, the intruder doesn't and doesn't know the dark corner i'm hiding. I'll turn the light on a second before i shoot...


Kevin

I wouldn't bother with the Red Dot because on my SBR it has to be turned on. AND, my home doesn't have any shooting distance I cannot instictively hit easily.


I will however, blind him with the sun/Surefire to make sure I'm not shooting someone/thing I don't want to.

Let's keep in mind, this individual will already have let his bowels go while my dogs are coordinating their attack.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Red dot, then the light to confirm.

You have to solve ROE... and just because the glass broke doesn't mean another family member is out to investigate or one of your drunk friend isn't doing something stupid.

Exactly. Maybe a family member heard a noise BEFORE the glass broke and is down there investigating.

Unless we're in the unlikely-but-frequently-discussed TEOTWAIKI scenario where you can take a little liberty with who's a bad guy and who's not, then I am always getting a positive ID before firing. The costs of not doing so are too hight. I'd rather myself get one-upped by the bad guy then to shoot my wife or kids.

I have an Aimpoint, so I leave the red dot on.

The light gets turned on to identify the threat.

Sine I dont use a ar for 'bump in the night' house use I have no legitimate response for this post.
BUT..I use no light/dot etc.I'm staying dark and hidden till it's too late for the intruder

Red dot. The light is used to identify and stun the person.

My blinding white rage at being awakened in the middle of the damned night.

If I am really pissed at being awakened and want them to suffer for it, I tell my wife it's her turn

quote:

Originally posted by countrygun:
If I am really pissed at being awakened and want them to suffer for it, I tell my wife it's her turn

There ya go.

strobe- identify- engage
The light is on the AR in order to use it to momentarily strobe rooms in order to identify and/or disorient the intruder. It's also on there to make SURE you identify the "target" as a bad guy. I've never been a laser advocate, JMO. Point shoot (close range) or use the Aimpoint if there is time to turn it on and distance requires it.

Aim Point is already always on, not switching on light until needed, don't have a laser.

I don't keep an AR for home defense, but for what ever firearm kept for HD, I'd suggest a seperate, non-weapon mounted light. Remember, never point a gun at something you're not willing to destroy.