MDFI – Low Light Pistol Class

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After a full day of Defensive Handgun II, Steve Fisher of Michigan Defensive Firearms Institute (MDFI) ran the Low Light Pistol class from dusk until well after dark at the Pima Pistol Club north of Tucson in May 2008.

Course overview

  • School: Michigan Defensive Firearms Institute
  • Length: About 3 hours, late evening into full dark
  • Prerequisite: A pistol license or certification
  • Required gear: Clear shooting glasses, a good flashlight with spare batteries, a handgun and strong-side holster, 400 rounds, three magazines and magazine holders

What was covered

  • At dusk: lights, mounts and carry options, then using both weapon-mounted and handheld lights.
  • The light as a tool: Fisher showed how a light is a fighting tool and a distraction device as well as a way to see. A bright light in an attacker’s face in the dark can give you the moment you need to gain control or break away.
  • Strobe drill: students closed their eyes, and on the fire command Fisher flashed a strobe in their faces as they opened their eyes and shot. It was distracting, but nobody had trouble making good hits.
  • Light in your eyes: students shot at a target with a light pointed back at them. Again distracting, but good hits were still possible.
  • Box drill: shot in near-total darkness under a sliver of moon.
  • Compensated pistol: a demonstration with a compensated Glock 23 showed a brighter flash, but it did not stop the shooter from getting good hits, and the flash was too quick to ruin night vision.

Observations

  • Two nights of shooting in the dark ended with zero safety incidents, thanks to experienced students and careful instructors.
  • Many students shot better at night, because the darkness forced total focus on the shot.
  • A student’s night vision device made it possible to photograph the class in the dark.

Takeaways

  • A strobe or a light in your eyes is a distraction, not a fight-ender, for you or for an attacker.
  • Carry a quality handheld light even if your pistol has a mounted one.
  • See the overall MDFI May 2008 after action report.

Originally published on After Action.net on May 12, 2008. Rebuilt from the archived report; the original photos were not preserved. See every class in the Training Log, or share your own training experience.

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