Lights and Backup Magazines

February 19, 2021, 04:51 PM

Quattro15

What do you guys think about these two items on a CCW EDC routine?

Do you carry both, one or the other?

Do you think a light on the gun or on your person is a better option?

Do you think a backup magazine is necessary?

Things get heavy, we have a lot of stuff on us anyway....Cell Phones, keys, knives, etc.

Do you keep a first aid kit on your person?

Are any of these Items in your vehicle but not on your belt?

When is it too much?

February 19, 2021, 05:02 PM

h2oys

quote:
Originally posted by Quattro15:
What do you guys think about these two items on a CCW EDC routine? ANSWER: Yes on both

Do you carry both, one or the other? ANSWER: Yes on both.

Do you think a light on the gun or on your person is a better option? - ANSWER: On person

Do you think a backup magazine is necessary? ANSWER: Yes

Things get heavy, we have a lot of stuff on us anyway....Cell Phones, keys, knives, etc. ANSWER: Yes on all 3.

Do you keep a first aid kit on your person? ANSWER: No, personally I keep one in all our cars.

Are any of these Items in your vehicle but not on your belt? ANSWER: Also keep extra flashlight, knife, etc in my car as back up to what I carry on my person.

When is it too much?

February 19, 2021, 05:13 PM

RogueJSK

Off duty, I always carry one or two spare magazines and a handheld flashlight, and often -but not always- a WML as well. (I haven't found a workable WML setup for my smallest carry guns like my P365, but otherwise I carry a WML) I don't carry an IFAK or TQ on me off duty, but I have a trauma kit and several TQs in all my vehicles.

If you're only going to have one flashlight, it should be a handheld light. Nearly everything you can do with a WML you can do with a handheld light, but the reverse isn't true. However, both is best. Especially now that there are lights like the XC1 and TLR-7/7A that don't really add much of any bulk to compact handguns.

Yes, I think at least one backup magazine is necessary. The magazine is the most likely part of the handgun to malfunction, and carrying more rounds than you needed is always better than fewer rounds than you needed. Besides, a spare magazine or two on your belt isn't any harder to conceal than the holstered handgun on the other side of your belt.

February 19, 2021, 06:01 PM

Phred

I routinely carry a WML, as well as a small handheld light. I always carry a spare mag, 2 spares if I’m carrying my G43 (which is quite rare these days).

February 19, 2021, 06:35 PM

sigfreund

I have no use for a light that’s mounted on a gun unless I might be searching for someone in my home or in a duty situation. I cannot imagine how I would need one on a defensive weapon in other situations, and therefore it’s not something whose weight or bulk or maintenance I need to put up with for routine carry.

Even when it’s not possible to carry a gun or other weapon, I always carry a flashlight, and have used them countless times (unlike my weapons). Their uses range from the nearly trivial, such as looking for dropped items, to potentially life-saving. I consider them to be as essential as wearing shoes when I’m away from home.

I always carry a spare magazine. I suppose that someone who was extraordinarily sensitive to its weight might find carrying one burdensome, but then I can only wonder how they tolerate carrying a gun, keys, a wallet, or cell phone. I don’t expect to ever need one, but I don’t expect to ever need a gun either. If, however, I ever did need an extra magazine, it would be like the gun itself: I would need it very badly. And as the adage goes, no one ever thought after a gunfight, “I wish I’d had a less powerful cartridge,” or, “I wish I’d had less ammunition.” Plus, although I have never lost a magazine, I have found the one in my gun unlocked on occasion.

I have an IFAK in my car, but I do not regularly carry anything for the purpose.

February 19, 2021, 08:28 PM

Nismo

I do have a light on my gun, but I also carry an Olight S1R Baton2 as a hand held light.
It's about the size of a chapstick and fits in the little 5th pocket of your pants.

February 19, 2021, 10:44 PM

Orive 8

I have always (35+ years now) carried a spare mag. I have not always carried a light, but now do most of the time - a small Fenix E12. IFAK in my EDC bag that rides in my car.

February 19, 2021, 11:32 PM

YooperSigs

No light on EDC. Always a spare mag. Always a hand held, high lumen light.
First aid in my vehicle.

February 20, 2021, 04:44 AM

chongosuerte

Always a small light. Always a spare mag.

IFAK in the vehicle.

No WML on my CCW.

February 20, 2021, 07:34 AM

Flash-LB

I always carry a light that's not attached to the gun and spare batteries for it. I also carry a spare magazine as magazines are the weakest point in a handgun.

February 20, 2021, 08:49 AM

josp

Pretty much what everyone else has said. Hand held light, spare mag ( though some rare occasions it’s in the truck, it on me) and first aid kit/TQ in the truck as well.
Weapon light on the house gun and AR, but personally it in my carry guns.

February 20, 2021, 10:16 AM

lkdr1989

Always a spare mag, most of the time a flashlight.

February 20, 2021, 11:05 AM

islandboi876

Greetings, I carry a gen 2 G17, no WML for me and I dont seem to mind. I always have a bright led flashlight (currently a lumintop tool AA). Spare mags I usually carry two, one on my belt beside my weapon (appendix carry)the other either in my bag/in left front pocket or clipped on it if I am wearing my shirt out. I dont seem to notice the weight as I feel balanced and my belt does an amazing job. While having enough ammo to serve multiple attackers is good my main reason to always have a spare mag is due to malfunctions. Sure my firearm is well maintained and I practice regularly, I have witnessed and read enough reports here in Jamaica where firearms have malfunctioned with deadly consequences.

February 20, 2021, 04:36 PM

mark60

Always carry a spare mag, always carry a flashlight, no WML. IFAK in my bag with 1 or 2 more mags, and IFAK in the truck. Currently carrying a Streamlight Microstream but want to get into carrying a bigger light. I started carrying a light when I read that some of the Twin Tower survivors only found their way because they had lights with them. You never know when something as mundane as a power outage might occur and that light can become invaluable.

February 21, 2021, 06:34 AM

copaup

I have WML on my duty weapon and my long guns that I keep at the house. I do not have one on any of the weapons I carry off duty. I'm not planning on clearing any houses off duty and in the event that I need a light there is a single CR123 cell light in my pocket. I always have a reload for whatever handgun I'm carrying. 2 if it's a revolver or 1911.

My edc is handgun, 1-2 reloads, light, knife.

February 22, 2021, 07:05 PM

DennisM

Additional mag = always. It might just be pocket-carried (jacket or jeans) but I figure I've already made the commitment to the gun, two wallets, and a phone... a relatively slim magazine is no big deal.

Flashlight = not always. Always at at work, always on my own time if I think I'll be out after dark, not always for a quick daytime run to the store, etc.

There an extra mag, light, cuffs, and a small trauma kit living in each of our personal cars, bigger versions (or more) in the work car.

February 23, 2021, 02:26 PM

Expert308

quote:
Originally posted by DennisM:
Additional mag = always. It might just be pocket-carried (jacket or jeans) but I figure I've already made the commitment to the gun, two wallets, and a phone... a relatively slim magazine is no big deal.

Two wallets?

I carry one spare mag for my EDC gun, a S&W 9mm Shield. No WML (haven't found an obvious solution for that yet, but it anybody has tried a TLR-6 on a Shield and found it works, I'd love to hear about it - and the holster you use). I normally have a separate light in my jacket or pants pocket when I go out after dark, but I don't usually carry one during the day. I have trauma kits in both vehicles and in my range bag, but I don't have one that's easy to carry on my person (I need to remedy that).

February 24, 2021, 11:41 AM

kidcop

Always at least one spare mag, or reload if I'm carrying a revolver.

And I'm NEVER without a flashlight, which actually gets used on a near daily basis, versus the handgun and reload.

IFAK in car. I haven't found one that could be carried around easily; they're all the size of colostomy bags.

February 24, 2021, 12:00 PM

konata88

This may be an obvious thread to most of you. But it's very informational for me. I'm just a simple guy and not a tactical professional. So, to hear you guys say that a WML would be generally relegated to a duty weapon given situations one may encounter while on duty but not anticipate needing a WML on personal time is valuable insight. Thanks. I've always wondered if my carry gun should have a WML. Now I know - don't need it.

February 26, 2021, 12:13 PM

pulicords

quote:
Originally posted by Expert308:
quote:
Originally posted by DennisM:
Additional mag = always. It might just be pocket-carried (jacket or jeans) but I figure I've already made the commitment to the gun, two wallets, and a phone... a relatively slim magazine is no big deal.

Two wallets?

I carry one spare mag for my EDC gun, a S&W 9mm Shield. No WML (haven't found an obvious solution for that yet, but it anybody has tried a TLR-6 on a Shield and found it works, I'd love to hear about it - and the holster you use). I normally have a separate light in my jacket or pants pocket when I go out after dark, but I don't usually carry one during the day. I have trauma kits in both vehicles and in my range bag, but I don't have one that's easy to carry on my person (I need to remedy that).

Since I first entered LE (back in 1975), I always carried a "personal" wallet (with driver's license, credit cards, etc...) and an "official" wallet with my PD badge and ID (now "Retired"), just as a matter of safety. If I carry a handgun (and I always do), I'll have at least one reload available. Usually my reload will be a higher capacity magazine than the semi-auto pistol that I happen to be carrying, since the larger magazine will usually make IWB concealment of the weapon itself more of an issue.

A small flashlight is usually on my keychain, but I don't use a weapons mounted light for EDC.