One bad thing about a laser is showing up just how UNSTABLE my hands are now. Hold it on a target and watch the laser draw a big circle around it.
True, but keep in mind that there's the same jiggling around with your iron sights, you just don't notice it as much.
I found that holding my J-frame close to body down by my rib cage with two hands makes it pretty steady, and reduces the effects of the muzzle flash.
I thought holding my 1911 that way, close to my body, might interfere with slide movement, but so far there's been no problem on that account. However, on the 1911, the laser beam hits the little "button" sticking out on the right side of the slide stop and it gets scattered slightly, but not enough to interfere with the accuracy. I am told that some folks have ground down the slide stop a little, but I feel no need to do so on mine.
The buttons on both my J-frame and my 1911 fall right under my middle finger, and there's no "turning on" action required. As someone said, you pick up (or draw) the gun and the laser's "on." No fiddly-farting around.
In order for you to save ammunition, I submit this data for the CT brand:
Turning the VERTICAL screw CLOCKWISE moves the dot UP
Turning the HORIZONTAL screw CLOCKWISE moves the dot RIGHT
Move the dot TOWARD the group.
That ought to save you at least 20 or 30 rounds and reduce the cussin' a little.
An intial sight setting can be made indoors at home by bringing the dot to where your iron sights are pointing, except offset about an inch to the right (since the laser is offset from the vertical axis of the gun by about that amount). *
One hint is that when you store or holster the gun, make sure nothing's pressing on the button or you will run the batteries down.
Terry, 230RN
* With the CTs on my J-frame and 1911. This may differ on other brands and guns.
ETA: Note the yellow tape on the almost-invisible teeney tiny sight wrench so you can find it when you drop it in the grass or carpeting or range floor. The "on" button is just below the mag release. Note also that the laser points right at the slide stop, but this has not been a genuine problem.