How do you shoot with a laser on your handgun?

[Backpacker]

How do you shoot with a laser on your handgun? Do you extend your arm as you would shooting with sights or bend your elbow and hold it close or against your body?

 

[MCgrease08]

I'm not sure I get the question? Both shooting from a stance with arms and gun fully extended and from retention have their place, particularly in a self-defense scenario, so one should practice both techniques.

I've only ever owned one gun with an integrated laser (Bodyguard .38) and the laser was helpful during dryfire, but not much else.

I always found the idea of lasers on an EDC gun to be silly unless the laser can be activated by a proper grip on a gun. The idea of manually activating a laser in a defensive encounter seems pretty ridiculous to me personally.

 

[Leadeye]

Back in the 80s I mounted an early laser on top of a Desert Eagle, it came with a "squeeze" switch that mounted on the side of the grip. Wasn't much impressed and it was pretty awkward. Things have improved enough that I might try another gun.

 

[churchmouse]

We use the laser to teach trigger discipline mainly. It will show you where your weaknesses are.
I hold the pistol the same as any other time I am using it. Only have 1 with a laser on it that is mainly HD use.

 

[Denny347]

 

[Backpacker]

Only gun I have shot with a laser was a 357 magnum revolver. I held it close to my body and just focused on the dot. Just thinking that if I held the gun at arms length, would I see the dot above the front sight. I'm not likely to buy a laser for my own pistol.

 

[churchmouse]

Only gun I have shot with a laser was a 357 magnum revolver. I held it close to my body and just focused on the dot. Just thinking that if I held the gun at arms length, would I see the dot above the front sight. I'm not likely to buy a laser for my own pistol.

You are not using the sights if the laser is dialed in.

 

[Backpacker]

You are not using the sights if the laser is dialed in.

That's what I needed to hear. Thanks

 

[rhino]

How do you shoot with a laser on your handgun? Do you extend your arm as you would shooting with sights or bend your elbow and hold it close or against your body?

You can shoot pretty much any way you want (safely) as long as you press the trigger without disturbing the alignment of the gun until the bullet exits the barrel.

One of the strengths of lasers is that they allow you options for shooting in positions that are challenging for use of iron sights. Examples would be when you're using a ballistic shield or wearing protective gear that makes aligning the sights with your eyes difficult.

The laser is just another way to verify alignment of the gun with where you want the bullets to go. It is more forgiving of position, but it is equally dependent on good trigger control and follow through as any other sighting method.

 

[NHT3]

You can shoot pretty much any way you want (safely) as long as you press the trigger without disturbing the alignment of the gun until the bullet exits the barrel.

One of the strengths of lasers is that they allow you options for shooting in positions that are challenging for use of iron sights. Examples would be when you're using a ballistic shield or wearing protective gear that makes aligning the sights with your eyes difficult.

The laser is just another way to verify alignment of the gun with where you want the bullets to go. It is more forgiving of position, but it is equally dependent on good trigger control and follow through as any other sighting method.

Unless it's not possible push the pistol out like you are going to use the sights but ignore the sights and use the dot. As CM said, great for teaching trigger discipline well as diagnosing problems. Other benefits aside from strange shooting positions are shooting with both eyes open and it will also let a new shooter know if they are on their heels. At one time I carried a pistol with the instinctive activated laser and it worked pretty well but IMHO that's old school for carry since the Delta Point and other similar optics seem a much better option to me. I have a laser on a 22 that I start new shooters with. I teach them how to use the sights and I've found it's a great tool for getting their confidence up. Instead of sight alignment, sight picture, nose over your toes and trigger squeeze it's reduced to steady the dot where you want the bullet to go and keep it there while you pull the trigger. Less to think about so more hits, hence confidence that they are capable.
[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public” [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Aron Bright[/FONT]

 

[Lumpy76]

Very shaky. Everyone with out one makes fun of me, until I let them try it.

 

[epeery]

Hold it something like this:

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Lasers on guns don't work quite like any of the Hollywood BS you see. Go figure.

They work great when they are dialed in as CM said and they work even better when you practice with them.

Holding that dot steady isn't easy. Most folks I've seen at the range that bring a laser turn it on for a couple of shots. They seem to get self-conscious about doing the "laser dance" and turn it off when everyone can see how bad the dot is moving around. Don't sweat it. Practice with it and watch for it the POI to drift over time.

I have a Lasermax that needs some adjusting every hundred shots or so. It'll shift less than an inch at seven yards (HD Range), but I'll still tweak it a little.

 

[STFU]

I don't. I took it off.

My P220 Elite Dark came with Crimson Trace on it. Could not stand the ****ty grips.
I took the CT off and went back to the solid checked aluminum grips. Much more solid feel.

 

[rarobertson33]

I wasn't a fan of the laser that came on my glock. I had a difficult time adjusting to NOT using the sights. Old habits and all that. My husband though is quite proficient and enjoys playing with the laser.

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Depending on your sight-in distance, my laser is right at the top of my front sight.

This only occurs at 7 yards. Things start changing a lot past 15 yards.

My intention is for use with inside-the-house distances only.

 

[rarobertson33]

Very shaky. Everyone with out one makes fun of me, until I let them try it.

Yes! This. It is really hard to use one if you never had. It is not like those laser pointers you annoy your cat with either!!

 

[worddoer]

I tried a laser on 2 pistols. I found that for me I was slower than using the iron sights as I was spending time "looking" for the laser....THEN after I found the laser, I spent time moving the laser where I wanted it to be. Once I got my draw stroke in better shape, my iron sights are right in front of me once I extend my arms. All I do is fine tuning my alignment.

I know some people love lasers and I can see how they can provide advantages. If I was military or LEO, I would probably have a combo light / laser to have options. But for me for now, just a plain light and irons seems to work best for me.

I have seen the praise for optics on pistols. I tried one once and I will admit my slow fire was more accurate at distance. However, it does seem to be quite a financial investment when you have several pistols that would need the milling and upgrades for this. There also seems to be what I perceive as a sizeable learning curve. If you are going pistol optics, IMHO you should do it on all your defensive pistols or none unless you are consistently shooting weekly with both.

 

[rarobertson33]

Nothing takes the place of a good sight picture. But I do use laser bore sights to center sights, and scopes on rifles.

 

[churchmouse]

Nothing takes the place of a good sight picture. But I do use laser bore sights to center sights, and scopes on rifles.

Winner.