I have to agree about the holsters, especially now the Kydex or molded styles. Blackhawk's Serpa is excellent.

I know lights are a big deal and somewhere there is a picture of me with a flashlight taped to my SAA. Surefire's small lights were a great leap...I still have mixed feelings about hanging them on everyday guns though but where I'm sitting right now there are three within easy reach. One in my pocket where it stays and one on my desk and another a bookshelf.

The thing that I missed was the invention of night sights. When my PD switched to a pistol we ordered night sights and the first night qualifying session was remarkable. People who could barely qualify during the day scored 10-20 points higher at night and the department wide qualifying average went up considerably.

"...a flashlight taped to my SAA."--CeePee

That reminds me of an article (with pic) of Clint Smith on budget HD weapons. The photo was of him with a Rossi Coach Gun that had a flashlight duct-taped to the barrels.

In the 1970s I recall some kind of bullpup semi-auto shot gun with a flashlight permanently molded into the front of the stock.

Seems the idea comes around every now and again, I always figured the person the wielder was contesting with would just shoot at the light even if the light wasn't directly on them. Oops.

"We can show you how to hold a gun and a light at the same time."

That was a High Standard, IIRC. I think it was called model 10A or 10B or something of the sort. It was ahead of its time. Might be a big hit today.

I've handled (though never shot) a few bullpups of various kinds over the years and have yet to see one that I came anywhere near liking.

Very good... the 10A is the one with the flashlight that 10B didn't have one.

I seem to remember a picture of a PH in Africa with a flashlight taped to a shotgun for use going into brush at night searching for a wounded animal

If hunting The Ultimate Game, one doesn't leave a light on, whether or not it's attached to a weapon. I've seen video of soldiers clearing rooms with their lights left on, and couldn't help but think about what good targets they were.

(Trying to teach advanced teachers here, I know ) Quick flashes, followed by immediate movement will allow the user to observe an area, while dazzling an opponent. Flashes were used in an IDPA stage I competed in not too long ago. For safety, the lights were supposed to stay "On" during the actual shooting, but one shooter did "flash" his light a couple of times. Even standing behind the shooter, the light was a little dazzling. I'd hate to think of what it would be like from in front--especially one of the bright "tactical" lights.

I've "flashed" a large number of folks at night. With a 60 lumen or brighter light, you have several seconds to check hands, waist, pockets and still get off the "X". Very effective technique.

As the Marines in Fallujah found out, no white light on weapon, no go inside buildings. The contrast from bright desert sunlight to the utter darkness of a Iraqi building has to be seen to be understood. A good read on that operation is Bing West's book.

Good point. I just remembered once, when I had to step into a dark room on a bright summer day. I was looking for my (black) co-worker. He and his (black) friends were on break in the room, and had the lights off; all I could see were eyeballs and teeth as they grinned at me. It was funny, yet a little discomfiting. We all knew that they had me (whitey, my face shining like a full moon) if they had been up to no good.