Lasers on pistols. Good? Not good? your thoughts?

[baylorattorney]

Such as? I think we've refuted most of the common answers to this here, is there some advantage you are referring to that we haven't covered?

Personally, I can't think of a single one.

The ability to keep your gun on target while moving your head about to scan for other threats. I find invaluable.

 

[baylorattorney]

Also the ability to quickly reacquire your target out of your peripheral vision even while still surmising the situation, you can't do that with iron sights, unless you are a perfect pointer - which you are not, a laser sight is also good for a backup sighting system in case your irons fail as has happened with two of my Rugers where the rear blade breaks, etc. I'm not trying to sell you on them, I'm just saying I wouldn't do without them.

 

[Skribs]

That's really ironic that someone would use the laser for when irons fail. I've generally heard the opposite - irons are there for when optics fail.

The ability to keep your gun on target while moving your head about to scan for other threats. I find invaluable.

I'm pretty sure that before you pull the trigger, you need to verify that you're on target, which means refocusing on the target. I'd rather have to rely on irons to still be near target than a lazer when I focus my attention back on the target. Unless you're focusing on him enough to keep the lazer on him while you scan around...but that doesn't make much sense.

 

[baylorattorney]

That's really ironic that someone would use the laser for when irons fail. I've generally heard the opposite - irons are there for when optics fail.



I'm pretty sure that before you pull the trigger, you need to verify that you're on target, which means refocusing on the target. I'd rather have to rely on irons to still be near target than a lazer when I focus my attention back on the target. Unless you're focusing on him enough to keep the lazer on him while you scan around...but that doesn't make much sense.

Ive heard the opposite too, they don't make back up laser sights. Lol. But I've had the rear blade break on my Ruger MK 2 and Ruger New Model Blackhawk to where they were inoperable out in the field. One broke from a fall, the other got caught on my boot or holster and broke off that way.

With a laser I don't need to refocus to fire. I'm talking about handgunning and not rifle fire.

 

[gym]

I thinka lot has to do with the individual setup. I have had lasers on cheaper guns, "armalaser", and it was really worthless.
When I picked up a LC9, it was the last one, and had the laser on it. I wanted the pistol so I took it figuring I could always take it off.
Surprising enough I sighted it in at home, in my hallway, about 40 feet. I used the doorknob on my front door as the target, and set it up at point of aim.
Went to the range, and fired 2 boxes, and was amazed at how accurate the thing was. I expected the same result as the previous amalaser on the pf-9. This thing was dead on the money at 25 50 and 75 feet. I could not believe how accurate it was. Since I carry that one all the time in my pocket, it's nice to know that I have the option of using it at night when I am out with my dog, or anyware in town. It would have come in handy as mentioned in that movie theatre incident. Even with minimal exposure you could have put the dot on the guys head and that would have been it for him.
I never liked them before this one, and always used night sights. Now I think your carry gun should have a set if you can get someting like the Lasermax or CT. I wouldn't use them as a substitute for shooting a threat quicklly if that came up, in other words I am not going to look for the dot before I fire when my life is at risk, but it has it's place.I couldn't see the bullseye at 75 feet, but knowing where it was, the blurry dark spot, was enough, as long as the dot was on the dark spot of the target, that is where the round went.

 

[k_dawg]

I use a laser to practice on exactly one firearm.
An Uberti "Colt Peacemaker" replica.
Why? I love shooting steel using cowboy loads from the hip draw. It has worked as a great training aid.
It also is soley for 'fun' and nostalgia.

For all others, I find I am slower with a laser than using the sights. If I can not use the sights, point shooting works better than a laser.

 

[481]

As long as the laser does not become something that causes someone to forego the basics and rely on it for everything, I think that lasers are a good tool that assists the shooter in obtaining a higher degree of precision.

Used as a training aid, it can help diagnose a multitude of "sins". Red or green is fine.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I have but one handgun mounted laser. It is a QD Laser Devices for the Walther P99, and it is mostly used to fascilitate aiming when I have an AAC suppressor mounted. I can see some tactical use at night, or low light, but I can see drawbacks, too. It seems to hold a pretty good re-zero from dismount to remount.

 

[gym]

Adressing a prior post where the gentleman forgot to turn on his lasers main switch. That's a poor example of why to have or not have a laser, as you could forget just about anything, including racking a round in the pipe, or flipping off the safety. It should just stay on, if you carry it daily. There is no reason to turn it on and off, unless it's being stored. There are also lasers that use the trigger finger to complete the circuit, thus turning on the laser. Human error is always a possibility with or without accesories.
Also you really should replace these batteries on a schedual weather or not they say to.

 

[MBaneACP]

Actually, I've been ranting about how much I like lasers since I got a CT 1911 Laser Grip the first month they were available (mid-'90s?). Doesn't replace sights or negate the need for a grounding in the basics, but it can give you an edge in specific situations.

Full disclosure...CT has been the "name" sponsor of SHOOTING GALLERY since the show's first season,and I just finished filming CT's new training video with Todd Jarrett, Julie Golob, Dave Starin from GUNSITE and Richard Mann.

YMMV...

Michael B