Tac-Light for P3AT

Interesting concept and I can see some use for it, I guess.  Personally, if I am dressed I have my small Maglight (with LED and tail-switch conversions) on my belt, on the offhand side - even when I can't carry a firearm. It isn't exactly a tac-light but it works pretty well and batteries are cheap, plentiful and easy to find (you can even get the batteries at some convenience stores.)  I periodically practice 'night shooting' with my carry firearms.  I hold the maglight in my off/support hand while firing.  I'm not going to win any sharpshooting tournaments like that (heck, I'm not going to win any sharpshooting tournaments, anyway) but from ten yards I can keep my shots COM on a silhouette target.  I have to say, though, that using the P3AT in this manner is not easy.  Of my carry rotation, the five-shot .38 snub works best with this method.

I do have a pressure-switch operated light on my HD shotgun (which I think is a little different situation) and could see the utility of a light on a full-size HD pistol but I'm not so sure about a light on a 'pocket pistol'.  My hesitation would be that in order to illuminate something (as in to determine if it is something you need to shoot or not) you have to cover it with the muzzle of the firearm - breaking one of the cardinal rules of firearms safety (not pointing the muzzle at anything you aren't sure you are willing to destroy.)  I would think that this would be especially troublesome in a situation where one might already be 'jumpy'.

For myself, the P3AT isn't something I would grab at night for HD unless there is a full-on invasion and all of my other HD/SD weapons are already empty.  Therefore, the only time I would be likely to have to use the P3AT at night in an SD situation would be when away from home.  In such a less 'controlled environment', I don't want to be swinging the muzzle of a firearm around just to see what is around me or if (for instance) that figure in the darkness is a 'bad guy' or a cop responding to the scene.  I don't have a laser on my P3AT, either, but to me the utility of a laser would be for quick fine-tuning of your aim on an already known target.

 

I'm not a fan of lasers. I spend more time hunting for the little red dot than anything else. I prefer to use my sights.

As for a TAC light on a P3AT. Nope, not for me. I've more or less resolved to myself that my P3AT is a last ditch pistol. Most likely if I need it, my left hand will be on the BG pushing him away as my right hand pushes the pistol into his ear.

Not really, of course. But the P3AT is an up close and personal weapon. If you can't see them already, your done. And if you are going to clear a room, you need more gun.

 

I vote no way for the following reasons:
Holstering options just got MUCH harder
Concealment just got that much harder
Where in the heck would you mount it? Activate it?

The beauty of this tiny gun is it's diminuative size. The reason I like my CT laser is that it adds nearly zero bulk or weight to the gun. It also is indispensible in low light situations. I can actually use it to light my way in zero light conditions. It is Bright!

I have a 130 lumen streamlight mounted on my M&P40 and trying to find a holster has been a PITA!

YRMV

 

I think that the OP's intent was that the theoretical light use something like a single LED or similar bulb (probably something like is what is in those really bright 'Photon' keychain lights or whatever it is they are called) and be housed in a setup like the CT laser - possibly even the exact, same housing. It would be the same bulk as a CT laser, would mount the same way as a CT laser and (if, say, CT made it using the same housing as their lasers) would fit the same holsters as P3ATs with CT lasers fit. It would simply be a light instead of a laser.

 

If I had to pick between a CT laser and a light as the OP described, I would go for the light.
I do still think a hand held "tac light" is a better option. They are very bright and will blind someone in low light conditions. Also you can move the light around more making it harder for a BG to know exactly where you are. You can also use some lights as a striking weapon. The downside of a hand held light would be less support of your weapon and you wouldn't have your off have to open doors and such.

CJ

 

I have two P-3AT's one with and one without the CT laser. I also have fitted pocket holsters for both and normally carry front right pocket. In reality I find myself mostly carrying the one without the laser and reserving the one with as a novelty for the range for freinds to play with.

As for a light, one problem I have is the same as with the laser ... instant on. The 3AT is a self-defense weapon, you are not going to be going in and clearing buildings with a 3AT as your primary. If you have time to plan that (and reason to do it), you will also plan to have a bigger weapon. I have both a Beretta Vertec and a modified PLR-16 that have lights and could be used. The 3AT is more draw when the chips are down. With the CT laser, as soon as you grip the gun the laser comes on, I see the same type of instant activation as the only reasonable way to do a light. The problem is that this does not give you a stealth choice in drawing your weapon. As it leave the holster with a laser or a light blasting, the fact that you are in mid-draw is obvious and any element of surprise you are counting on is lost. As the 3At is pretty much point and shoot without using the sites anyway, usually from only a few feet away, I generally feel that I am better off just using trained instinct, even in the dark.

 

I also carry a mini maglite with the push button and led upgrade kit, another thing i have done is added a string wrap handle (i'll post a picture later).  Long story short, the string goes over your ring and middle finger and allows you to use your hand with out setting your light down/dropping it.  A small like that that is a great thing to have on you all the time.  Also, with a little very basic training, that light can be used as a weapon itself.  Look up kubotan techniques on youtube and you'll see some of the stuff i'm talking about. All that being said, it does sound like an interesting idea. It would seem to me that you could work several bulbs into something that size, which could be suprizingly bright to those not familiar with what LEDs can do these days. And as has already been said, any size issues would be resolved by packing it in the same housing as an existing laser sight. I like the idea though.

 

adding a tac light to a kel tec is like adding an LCD television to a yugo.

Sure you could do it, but why?

Now the laser actually has a practical application for defense outside of aiming. I had a guy break into my house in Florida and I stopped him dead in his tracks without firing a shot with my laser. He knew exactly what I had on him as I brought it across his eyes and stopped on his chest.

 

I just glued a laser pointer and a flashlight to either side. Seems to work well. Pocket carry isn't really an option, anymore, though...

 

The pictures of my maglite as promised

 

You lose your focusing ability, but in this size light, thats not THAT useful anyway.  Haven't had the old bulb in for a while, but if if my memory serves me right, the LED has a larger "shine area" at close range, but the brightness suffers a little at distance.  However, the stock bulb isn't all that bright for very far either.  I think the LED gives a much more consistant coverage in the area it shines, and I like the color of the light better.  Battery life is AMAZING with the LED compared to the regular bulb.  One thing that needs to be done with the push button addition is that the part the bulb goes in needs to be shimmed.  The light in factory condition turns on and off by twisting the bell.  With the push button switch that feature needs to stay ON otherwise you have to do two things to turn the light on.  If anyone needs it, I can post a picture showing exactly where that is, but its pretty easy to figure out if you just play around with it a little.  The kit including both of them is about 10 bucks.  I had an ace hardware order them for me.  I think walmart had just the led kit for sale back in sporting goods the other day for about 6.  Keep in mind this is NOT the factory light with an LED bulb.  They make a factory LED mini mag now, thats not what this is.  This is an aftermarket kit from Nite Ize.  It has three traditional looking led bulbs.  The factory LED only has one bulb, but its a different type.  I have no experience with those, I've only saw them in the store.  I will try to get the old bulb back in and get some pictures showing the difference, if I can.  Not sure how that will work though. Long story short, for using it to see where you're walking in the dark and that type of thing the LED is MUCH better than the regular bulb, if you want to really push the distance range of this size light, you may be better with the regular bulb.