I recently bought a LaserLyte for my SA XD-40 (combo laser and flashlight) and took it to the range to calibrate it. I liked it okay and shot reasonably well with it, but I certainly didn't shoot tighter groups over the iron sights. I bought mine used and didn't pay a lot for it, but considering that some of these units run $$$$, I was wondering about the whole utility of using these laser sights.
I did find the flashlight rather useful, but then I started to wonder about its real-world application, too. Would I want to announce to the BG that I was coming down the hall with my big flashlight leading the way? That might set me up for an ambush. Turning on the flashlight at the last minute for sight acquisition is pretty useful, but that's about it (unless I am missing something).
Back to the laser for a minute. Unquestionably, the laser does have a great deterent function. A BG seeing the laser come across the room surely would wet his/her pants fast. Other than that, I don't see any major advantage on sighting in unless I was forced to draw the pistol off-axis and couldn't line up with my eye.
Some of these laser units cost almost as much than the firearms themselves. I am not adverse to learning new things, but I can't see what the major advantages of this setup are in *real life situations*.
Maybe I am just too "old school"?
I did find the flashlight rather useful, but then I started to wonder about its real-world application, too. Would I want to announce to the BG that I was coming down the hall with my big flashlight leading the way? That might set me up for an ambush. Turning on the flashlight at the last minute for sight acquisition is pretty useful, but that's about it (unless I am missing something).
Back to the laser for a minute. Unquestionably, the laser does have a great deterent function. A BG seeing the laser come across the room surely would wet his/her pants fast. Other than that, I don't see any major advantage on sighting in unless I was forced to draw the pistol off-axis and couldn't line up with my eye.
Some of these laser units cost almost as much than the firearms themselves. I am not adverse to learning new things, but I can't see what the major advantages of this setup are in *real life situations*.
Maybe I am just too "old school"?