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VMI77 wrote:... I think you're referring to sweeping in a combat scenario, whereas I'm referring to a home situation where others and pets may be present. I don't even like sweeping my dogs with my muzzle, but I agree, there are situations where pointing at what you're clearing is necessary.

It is also pretty straightforward to point the handgun towards the ground about 15 feet in front of you (kind of midway between pointing it horizontally and at low ready). The indirect light emanating like a cone of light will still provide plenty of light to illuminate without pointing directly at a person. You can bounce the light off the floor to still search the room. Then, if it is someone who you really do need to point a firearm at, it is only raising the muzzle a touch to be on target.

This technique allows clearing rooms without muzzle sweeping everyone and everything before you identify the target.

Here is an example:

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As I recall, 70% of self defense shootings occur in low light. I prefer to give myself an edge. My carry weapons have night sights and I also have a flashlight.

In training, I have shot on a dark range with a class of about 20 people. As you recall, the Texas CHL qualification course of fire has targets at 3 yds, 7 yds, and 15 yrds.

On a dark range without night sights, the class missed the entire IDPA-style target about 75% of the time at 3 yards and 95% of the time at 7 yards. When I say "dark range", I could just see what looked like a ghostly outline of the tan target. Could not see my gun at all.

With night sights, the entire class could reliably and easily place the shots on target -- right in the breadbox.

There is a reason that the phrase taking "a shot in the dark" entered popular culture as an expression for having absolutely no idea if the idea being expressed was on target or off target. You have to actually shoot in the dark to realize how true this phrase is.