Simple question: Is it really worth it to have a laser on a pistol?

[Hokkmike]

I have two semi auto pistols. One of which is an Fn FiveseveN. I was going to put a RED DOT sight on it but that requires either a very ugly and obtrusive mounting mechanism or minor modification of the gun, so a laser seems like a better option.

The pistol does have a rail for mounting accessories under the barrel shroud so it seems like a much simpler solution. My initial study indicates that a green laser would preferable to red. Apparently the green has better day time resolution.

But, backing up just a little, the gun does have really good sights on it. How many of you find the addition of a laser really useful?

Your opinion is appreciated.

 

[JR24]

There are situations where a laser is useful, but the majority of the time I find them unnessary.

I wouldn't take a laser off a gun, say it came with crimson trace grips, but I wont pay for one.

Personally a red dot would be more useful in nearly every other situation.

 

[Glock Doctor]

Personally, I find laser sights to be far more useful for training than for anything else. In particular I don't care for pistol-mounted lasers. I tend to draw and fire my pistols quickly; and the addition of a laser hanging on the front of the gun would just slow me down; but, hey at the same time, lasers make for great toys. 'The red dot of death' and all that!

 

[Sam1911]

I really can't imagine what I'd want a laser sight on that kind of pistol for. Some folks find that they manage to shoot well enough with a laser sight on a compact carry gun to make themselves comfortable with carrying it after their aging eyes are no longer able to pick up small carry gun sights.

Otherwise, they're slow to acquire, very slow on follow-up shots, and change the way you work with the gun -- from front-sight focused to "follow the bouncing ball". I.e., peering OVER your sights to try and locate your sight picture which is projected onto something down range. As used by most shooters who buy one, they really break apart the fundamental principles of practical pistol shooting, which are founded upon having the anchor of your sight system located right there at the end of your gun, a fixed distance from your eyes.

Red dot scopes are proving to edge out iron sights, but lasers just can't.

 

[W.E.G.]

I have no use for a laser on a defensive handgun.

If you can't hit it by simply pointing and shooting fast, you are probably going to get shot first, or miss in a defensive handgun situation.

The carefully-aimed, deliberate shot in a defensive handgun situation is a unicorn.

Gimmicks for shooting higher scores in pistol mini-golf are a whole other thing.

 

[pblanc]

I have a Streamlight TLR-2 laser/light combo on my home defense pistol (full-size SIG P320 .45 ACP). I think a laser is potentially very useful in a situation in which it might not be possible to obtain a normal sight picture, such as shooting around the edge of cover, and allows very accurate targeting in dark conditions (better than night sights). For outdoor daylight shooting I think a slide-mounted optic would be much more valuable.

 

[Sam1911]

I think a laser is potentially very useful in a situation in which it might not be possible to obtain a normal sight picture, such as shooting around the edge of cover

While I'd say that shooting around the edge of cover is one of those things that we all should be supremely comfortable with through all the practice time we put in, I can envision situations (however unlikely) where you might be so out-of-position that you just can't get behind your sights, or behind the gun to index it normally.

Such things are, in fact, where laser sigths actually shine (pun!) Good for police SWAT work where use of ballistic or riot-type shields make it difficult to hold the pistol directly in front of you, so you can't normally aim, and also good for military applications using night vision units which can play havoc with normal sighting.

 

[S&W629]

A laser will show everyone how bad you shake when aiming your pistol...

 

[DMK]

I have a laser on three of my SD guns. I think lasers are useful in a very narrow range of situations. Certain awkward positions, very low light situations where you can see and ID the target, but can't orient your sights, etc.

Where most folks get hung up is they think they can or should use a laser instead of the iron sights. A laser does not replace your iron sights, not in practice and not in training.

Train with your irons sights as first and primary. Use your laser as plan B, C or D.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Almost all tactical defensive shooters recommend lasers on pistols. The benefits are extreme, and it gives the shooter more options and flexibility in a dynamic tactical environment. It's one more tool for the toolbox. Don't use one if you don't want one, just know that you SHOULD be using one.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Lasers and red dot sights serve different purposes. Red dots are normally used as the primary sight when installed on a handgun. Lasers are a BACKUP TO IRON SIGHTS in low lighting and other adverse conditions. I have red lasers on several carry guns. The advantage of green is visibility in daylight. Green are more expensive and, from what I hear, hard on batteries. All the lasers I have are Crimson Trace. I would not want the bulk of a rail mounted laser on a carry gun but it would be fine for home defense. I can't imagine any self defense scenario in which a laser would be a disadvantage.

 

[Deputy Dawg2]

I have a Crimson Trace on my 642 revolver; mainly so I could shoot more accurately, with my left hand, after right shoulder replacement. To each his own. Whatever trips your fancy.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

They are benefucial for trigger control training and provide a good option in low light.

But you're then reliant on a battery. I tend not use them much anymore.

 

[Sam1911]

Almost all tactical defensive shooters recommend lasers on pistols. The benefits are extreme, and it gives the shooter more options and flexibility in a dynamic tactical environment. It's one more tool for the toolbox. Don't use one if you don't want one, just know that you SHOULD be using one.

Uh....ok. Using the word "tactical" that many times, along with the other ninja buzzwords makes me assume you're trolling some pretty good sarcasm here, but just in case you're serious ... care to elaborate?

 

[Sam1911]

They are benefucial for trigger control training

That is certainly true. There are some pretty cool drills you can do with a laser sight that help you get your fundamentals right, and see where you're messing up.

But that seems a different sort of angle to discuss that's outside of using them as an actual primary sighting system.

 

[tarosean]

There are some pretty cool drills you can do with a laser sight that help you get your fundamentals right, and see where you're messing up.

So basically lots of dry fire drills. That will help you with or without a laser..

 

[Sunray]

The word "tactical" is a marketing term and nothing else.
"...green laser would preferable to red..." Green wouldn't look right on TV. As mentioned, lasers do not replace iron sights or practice. And all those little, tiny, batteries run down even when the sight isn't in use.

 

[Sam1911]

So basically lots of dry fire drills. That will help you with or without a laser..

Of course, but the laser, pointed at a target on a wall or whatever, can help you visualize when you're botching your trigger press. All "tools in the toolbox," as our buzzword-empowered compatriot would say!

 

[herrwalther]

They can be useful. In low light shooting or in a situation where you cannot align your sights perfectly, a laser is a good guide. It can also help training your trigger squeeze at the range, see how much your laser bounces while aiming at the target and squeezing rounds. The best thing about lasers is it has this high tech gizmo called an off switch. Use it when needed and have it off when you don't need it.

 

[Schwing]

A laser will show everyone how bad you shake when aiming your pistol...

This is one reason I never use them. I suffer from essential tremor so my hands do shake quite a bit. There seems to be a psychological element to it too. It becomes more pronounced when I notice that I am doing it. There is nothing worse than a red dot dancing like it is having a seizure to punctuate it.

For me, I have learned to minimize it by using heavier guns, concentrating on not gripping too tightly and by not chasing the front sight. My experience has been laser sights and red dots just don't work for me.

 

[jmr40]

I really can't imagine what I'd want a laser sight on that kind of pistol for.

I used to feel that way until I bought a used S&W 1911 that someone had installed CT grips with a laser. My plan initially was to swap the grips and sell the ones with the laser. Until I gave them an honest try. I wouldn't want something that was obtrusive and bulky, but you never notice them on this gun.

They are far from perfect. The biggest negative is that since the laser is below and to the left of the bore you can only zero the laser for a specific range. If you try to shoot at distances greater than the range you have them zeroed you'll hit low and left of where the laser is pointing. I zeroed mine at 10 yards and they are effective out to about 12-15 yards. Any farther and the POI and POA is too far off.

They can be helpful in low light, but I'd prefer a weapons mounted light for that. But the laser would be the 2nd best option.

Where I find them most useful is in situations where an unconventional shooting method may have to be used. You cannot always get behind the gun and use the sights. With a laser you could literally shoot around a corner and only expose a very small portion of your body.

I wouldn't want to depend on them as my primary sight. But if you don't mind spending the money they can be useful in certain situations.

 

[Sam1911]

Where I find them most useful is in situations where an unconventional shooting method may have to be used. You cannot always get behind the gun and use the sights. With a laser you could literally shoot around a corner and only expose a very small portion of your body.

I certainly agree, and even pointed out a few scenarios where that's the case. But neither of those would apply to me, shooting defensively, as an armed citizen in the peacetime USA.

And really, stretch my mind as I might, I can't come up with any really realistic common ... uh, plausible, ... actually even any theoretical situations where I'd draw a gun but couldn't get either a body index, gun index, or sight picture. (And then, finding myself in that position, think to activate the laser.) IF the picture is as limited as I'm seeing it in my mind, then adding a laser sight to your gun for such really, really remote possibilities wouldn't make as much sense as, let's say, carrying a life jacket in the car with me on my way to work every day, in case of flooding.

So, help. What situations can be presented in which you'd be likely to need to shoot, but you can't get the gun into one of the common retention positions or a sighting position?

(Remember, we're leaving out police officers shooting around a riot shield they're holding in front of them, and soldiers wearing NVG.)

 

[Kendal Black]

Don't use one if you don't want one, just know that you SHOULD be using one.

I had one on there. I took it off. The laser pip washes out in some lights. It jumps about as it tracks across varying background features downrange. It looks different on different targets: looks very different on auto glass than on the black of a paper target, and different yet on fabric. It attracts cats.

If the laser were always brightly visible and its appearance and apparent movement always predictable, then it would always be more aid than distraction, but I don't see it that way.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

One of which is an Fn FiveseveN. I was going to put a RED DOT sight on it but that requires either a very ugly and obtrusive mounting mechanism or minor modification of the gun, so a laser seems like a better option.

I run a Burris fastfire 3 on the mount from fivesevenreddot.com

As far as I'm concerned, it's like cheating.. and I thought the Five-Seven was like cheating before... Now it's like super cheating. It just takes a bit to break the front sight habit.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

So, help. What situations can be presented in which you'd be likely to need to shoot, but you can't get the gun into one of the common retention positions or a sighting position?

(Remember, we're leaving out police officers shooting around a riot shield they're holding in front of them, and soldiers wearing NVG.)

The only situation I can really think of is if an attacker has knocked you backward over a piece of furniture in your home (likely in the dark). That attacker will very likely press the attack immediately. If there is a piece of furniture partially blocking you from the attacker, you could possibly be aiming in an awkward position, possibly not on your feet. It seems unlikely though.

I suppose if you were drawing a gun and your attacker managed to get a hand on the gun or your gun arm, you could be trying to turn the gun and shoot at point blank range. Though, this seems a little too Hollywood to me. I guess having a dot show you where the muzzle is pointed may help?..........maybe?....... I guess......... Ok, I'm not buying it either.

Honestly the CT marketing videos are pretty silly.