Are lasers worth messing with on pistols?

[The Bubba Effect]

I have been thinking about lasers on self defense pistols for a while and it does not seem like they would be very much help.

To be very clear, I have not ever shot a firearm that has a laser on it.

How do lasers help? Can you acquire your target quicker than with irons/dots?

I can't shake the thought that while I could be looking for the dot on my target, I should just put the front blade on him and shoot him.


I'm not saying this to beat down anyone who has/uses a laser, I just want to know what works.


For this thread, I would like to exclude the possible utility of a laser as a deterrent. I keep a round chambered in my house shotgun and I do not intend to "rack a round" to let the guy breaking in know I mean business. By the same token, I do not intend to put a dot on a guy to let him know I am serious. Its a personal choice, but if I'm pulling a gun, its because I need to shoot.

So, are lasers worth messing with on pistols?

 

[vesan87]

You wouldn't have to raise the gun up to aim it.

 

[Bikerdad61]

I have one on my AR-15 M4 for close quarters shooting and wouldn't be without one. Mine is sighted in dead on at 20 yards. No need to raise the rifle, hit the switchpad, light it up and fire. In the time others would be shouldering a weapon to aim (long gun) I have already identified my target and pulled the trigger. For close quaters situations it does not take an expensive laser to get the job done. Just a good solid rail mount and natual access to the switch. Same scenario would apply to a handgun. Also if your firing from a cover position you may not have the oportunity to take an aim shot, but with a laser you can see where that round is going to land.

 

[MrYesterday]

I have a laser guide rod on my wife's Glock that I wouldn't trade for anything. I know with certainty that in the lowest light conditions she can put a dot on her target and hit it every time even at the longest open distange in our house (60').
It doesn't hinder your training for putting the sights on target in my opinion. Your muscle memory will bring you into the general range, at which point you'll see the target, and laser in your field of view, and can easily bring the two together.
Plus it gives you the benefit of firing longer ranges from retention with accuracy, and from positions other than the standard target stance that you may not have trained for, but need to shoot from in a pinch. Just my .02

 

[Shay]

I'm not a fan of lasers. There is a limited set of circumstances where they do make sense.

Spending $200 for a laser is money that could be better spent on quality training.

 

[jve153]

I toyed with the laser on my bg a bit, and if you have time to turn in on, sure, can't hurt. However its one more button to push when pulling it that I could have pulled a trigger instead.

 

[blamecharles]

I'm not a fan of lasers. There is a limited set of circumstances where they do make sense.

Spending $200 for a laser is money that could be better spent on quality training.

That same $200 laser for my gf would be worth the peace of mind I had that she is more comfortable with her gun.

 

[HandK]

Lasers build lag time!! while your looking for that red dot, a trained shooter could shoot three times! also Like the Sargent in WWII said! Remember boys tracers work both ways!!

 

[MrYesterday]

That same $200 laser for my gf would be worth the peace of mind I had that she is more comfortable with her gun.

That's exactly my feeling. I spent 300+ on the laser guide rod for my pregnant wife, and it was worth every penny in the piece of mind while I'm on the road.
Not everyone is a trained shooter, and I think it's a great item for home defense while transitioning.

 

[the1kidd03]

in my experience, I would agree with HandK for the most part. They came in handy during night operations but only because we were utilizing IR with our NVGs. The visible laser can help as long as you train yourself NOT to rely on it. I mean that in a hostile, high adrenaline situation you dont want to fixate on locating that dot but it is unlikely that one hits their target in the first shot when being endangered and so then the dot can merely assist with "tracking" your shot placement back into your intended target. Again, you do NOT want to rely on them though

 

[3gunshooter]

Learn you sights first. My wife wants one, I personally think It can make you a lazy shooter that just relies on a red dot plus batteries die at he most inconvenient time.

 

[David Rose]

HandK has it right. For a slow shooter it will make them slightly faster or at least feel faster. For a fast shooter it will slow you down. Take the time to become a good shooter instead of relying on this crutch. Use a shot timer to judge your results.

For training purposes lasers have more benefits.

 

[canav844]

Good for training, good for dry fire, good for transitioning between multiple targets, great for times a traditional sight picture is not an option. CT laser grips mean no extra buttons with natural grip and trigger discipline keeps it from being a tell on my location, and will run on one battery, I like the width under my palms un the grip. With a good sight picture the dot is gone behind the front sight. Worth every penny of the $165 I paid for them. Night sights are more important imo and neither replace a white light but if you can afford it then go for it. CT has good videos on YouTube demonstratimg their use.

 

[goColt]

Regardless of whether you use a laser or not you must train with whatever aiming device you use. You should be able to hit your target quickly, with acceptable accuracy and repetitively.

If you do train frequently with it, a laser can give you a speed advantage because you do not have to align the front and rear sites. You place the dot on the target and fire.

However, lasers can also be disadvantage if you do not train with them. They can actually be a hindrance in a self-defense situation and that could be deadly. You may end up spending too much time trying to get the dot just in the right place in stead of taking an acceptable center-mass shot.

Another disadvantage is the requirement of a battery. If the laser is your primary aiming mechanism and the battery fails, you again could waste valuable seconds while your brain figures out what is going on. Again, this could be deadly.

In my opinion, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages and good ol' irons are best.

Remember: Keep It Super Simple.

 

[lowriderjim]

I have three handguns with lasers. I find that when range shooting, hopefully that will be the only kind I will ever do, that I "chase the dot" which inhibits instinctive shooting.

I would agree with some earlier posters that the laser is good for dry fire training.

Another point is that the lasers do not interfere with the shooting of the pistol. the units I have are either built in (LCR, LCP) or into a necessary light attached flashlight (SL2).

 

[clt46910]

I have Crimson Trace on a 1911 and a LazerMax on a Glock. I been shooting a handgun for over 40 years. We are not talking once or year or even once a month but a few times weekly. So I am not a beginner with a handgun.

I got the first lazer about six years ago and the other one about a year later. While the Crimson Trace is much better then the LazerMax in my opinion, I am comfortable with both of them. They are great when you are knocked on the ground and need to shoot from there. They are great when you are trying to return fire while hiding behind something. Either case you will not be able to get a good sight picture with normal sights. Try shooting under your car in the dark. Got a good sight picture with those night sights laying on your side?

Learn to use both, they each work in their place. Just like any other tool, learn to use them.

This nonsense about the battery going bad. Change it once a year when you change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Problem solved.

I have found them worth every penny I spend on them. Could I have spend that money on more training? Sure, but like all skills, training will deteriorate in time. That lazer will still be working when that training starts to fade.

 

[Brando]

I have a Viridain laser for my Ruger SR9. I never carry with it and can't even find a holster to fit it. It's more of a novelty item. It is good for trigger pull practice though. I can see how i'm pulling or pushing when trigger breaks.

 

[wolfman]

IMO most people do not practice enough with a laser to be effective when they need to use it in a stress situation. At ECPR, I see a lot of handguns with lasers, usually a gun the husband bought the wife or girlfriend, and this is one of only 2 or 3 range trips they will have with it for the entire year. Most of the shooters employ what I have come to think of as sort of a skeet shooting technique. They spend what seems forever watching the dot moving back and forth over the target, then when it just happens to pause on the bull, you can almost hear them say "NOW" as they jerk the trigger, then lean forward and peer at the target looking for a hole, because they didn't see it impact the ground and ricochet up into the target base. Gender usually isn't an issue, becuse most of the time, neither the husband or wife can figure out how to hit the target using the laser, even though both are fairly proficient on keeping most of their shots on a 11"x17" target at 7 yds, with the iron sights.

 

[GuyRelford]

I have had way too many students who believe that having a laser on their handgun is a substitute for learning how to use the sights or learning the fundamentals of point shooting. That assumption is both wrong and dangerous, as they quickly learn in my classes.

Having said that, I agree 100% with Shay and a few others - there are a limited number of scenarios where having a laser makes sense. And I have to admit that I have a "tactical illuminator" with a laser component on my nightstand gun, a Glock 21, although it is set to "light only" as the default position.

Guy

 

[IndyGunSafety]

I'll jump on in with the other trainers: Learn to shoot using the sights, learn to shoot from retention, and learn to point shoot.