Any pros and cons on lasers on a handgun ?

[Jimmy10mm]

I bought an all stainless Sig P-238HD and it has proved to be super good. Very accurate at the distance it was intended for and functions flawlessly. The laser is my first and an interesting novelty.

I liked the laser at the indoor range until I went to an outdoor range in daylight and couldn't see the red dot on the target. There is also the issue of not looking at the sights.

I don't want to get into the habit of watching the laser rather than looking at the sights. I'm thinking of selling the laser. So do I keep the laser or get rid of the new fangled gadget ?

[4runnerman]

the laser aids in showing how much wobbel you have in your arm(might turn into a longer wait on a critical shot. Also the bad guy just follows the light back to you(not good)

[HoraceHogsnort]

Break out the popcorn!!

[Eagle0711]

A new fangled gaget to sell for the purpose of making money. I believe that you nailed it calling it a novelity.

Hanging these gagets one a gun until it looks like a Christmas Tree does not make anyone a warrior. It's s deception.

Dedicated practice with you chosen weapon with the proper mind set, and tactics will go a long way to winning a gunfight.

If I ever get into one, I hope that my enemy has one, it will make a good target.

If it helps some ones ego and confidence it will help him just like a placibo will.

[kraigwy]

The thing about a laser is you never know its there unless you push the button.

I use one on my carry pistol. It dosnt work in the bright sunlight but then again my sights are still there. I do 90% of my shooting with the iron sights.

I do 90% of my dry firing with the laser. Its the best tool since the pistol for dryfiring.

People worry about batteries, I change mine when I change the clocks, twice a year, still good, but like smoke detector batteries, a good habbit to get into.

The ideal of the bad guy tracing the laser back to you is Hinky at best. Don't know where that BS came from, but its silly.

Its a tool, used propertly its great. It dosn't replace the iron sights, it supplements them.

It's great for low light situations.

I've been practicing shooting with lasers and mirrors. I'll post the results but its interesting to say the least.

If all else fails, its fun to harass cats with.

[TXAZ]

Ditto on:
Dry firing practice, the wobble really does stand out.
Cheap animal entertainment.

I've tried both ways and find I like the sights, in most instances, better than the laser.
Keep the laser for practice and entertainment, but I'd suggest sticking with the iron sights.

[Philo]

I am not interested in looking cool by buying gimmicks for my gun. I just got a Crimson Trace laser grip for my Browning 9mm Hi Power for two reasons:

1. As a tool to improve my accuracy on the range, and,
2. To make the weapon more suitable for night time home defense.

With regard to the latter, if I hear an intruder shuffling around in the darkness, I can just point the gun towards the sound and squeeze the grip to energize the laser to see who's there. If they pose a threat, I can hit them without taking time to line up iron sights in poor light while I'm shaking with an adrenalin surge.

[cornbush]

I don't like em......they make me look like I've got parkinsons

[Jimmy10mm]

Thanks for the replies. I've decided I'll keep it. I don't dry fire but the nightstand gun for an intruder in the dark scenario convinced me.

[Daryl]

Jimmy,

Lazers can actually be very useful in low light, but don't forget to practice shooting with iron sights too. I have two snub revolvers that are equipped with CT lazergrips, and I wouldn't think of taking them off.

I oft-times use the lazer to practice "point shooting", only without ammo. All I have to do is point the gun at the target, and click the switch on the grip to see where I'm really pointing. It's amazing how accurate a person can get doing this.

Daryl

[Leejack]

I couldn't find a lazor or flashlight to fit my "no-rail" Blackhawk.

No bells and whistles for me. I guess I'm just not cool.

The Duke wasn't cool either!

[Misssissippi Dave]

I have only found a couple of times when they are useful. One is showing someone new to shooting how to aim the sights. Sometimes it helps. The other is letting someone see what they are doing wrong when they are shooting by watching the dot just at the time the gun fires. Other then that I don't have much use for them.

[Ruark]

A few points:

1. A laser may or may not "light up" an intruder enough for you to recognize him. You might just see a little red dot moving around on something that turns out to be your daughter coming home from college for the weekend.

2. If it's dark enough to use the laser, it's probably too dark to use the iron sights. Additionally, if you get in a sudden, life and death, face-to-face shooting situation, it's very unlikely you'll use the sights; you'll point-and-shoot. Using the iron sights are NOT "the other option" to using a laser.

3. People often think with a laser they can shoot more precisely - "nail that sucker right between the eyes." Possible, if you have the right gun and you're good enough (and calm enough), but in general you're still going to shoot for center mass; the laser just helps you acquire it a little faster.

4. For what it's worth, a laser can be very intimidating to an attacker. The sight of that red dot climbing up your chest can be quite chilling.

- Ruark

[insolentshrew]

I would consider it a fun range toy or something to help with practice/dry firing etc. I would not want to use them in a low light situation, I much rather have a bright tactical light to blind someone with and regardless of the tact light, some good night sights.

[cougar gt-e]

if I hear an intruder shuffling around in the darkness, I can just point the gun towards the sound and squeeze the grip to energize the laser to see who's there. If they pose a threat, I can hit them without taking time to line up iron sights in poor light while I'm shaking with an adrenalin surge.

Great way to kill your spouse / child when they are stumbling around getting a glass of water..


Buy a flashlight

[EdInk]

Personally, I don't care for them too much.

[Daryl]

I couldn't find a lazor or flashlight to fit my "no-rail" Blackhawk.

No bells and whistles for me. I guess I'm just not cool.

The Duke wasn't cool either!

Which begs the question; do you shoot a SA revolver because YOU like them, or because you want to be like your movie hero?

I shoot a variety of handguns. SA & DA revolvers and semi-autos. Some are equipped with laser sights, many aren't. It's not a "cool factor" thing, as much as many here would like to make it so.

Sight radius is important in accurate shooting. The longer it is, the easier the gun usually is to shoot accurately. I've seen this statement posted here many times.

A 2" barrel doesn't give much sight radius, but a laser extends the sight radius to however far the target is. It CAN make for very accurate shooting of a short barreled handgun in low light where lack of sight visibility can cause small errors that result in bad shooting.

My larger handguns are not equipped with laser sights, and I feel no need or desire for them on my medium or large handguns. However, I find them very useful on very short barreled handguns at times.

It has nothing at all to do with being "cool".

Daryl

[Poodleshooter]

Lasers are not flashlights.
However flashlights are also not lasers. Seeing and blinding the target does little good if you can't aim.
Try lining up those iron sights while you're illuminating a target downrange. Likely you won't have enough ambient light to do so, necessitating either tritiums or the laser. I shoot poorly with chunky tritium front sights, so it's the laser for me.

A head lamp mounted light can work for iron sight alignment in the dark since the beam is behind your pistol, but it doesn't give you instant on/off capability of a tactical light, and pretty much marks you as well as the target. I still use one because it allows me to go 2 handed with a shotgun or rifle.

[Skans]

If you use a laser you will only end up hitting red dots.

[Cheapshooter]

Good training tool. Great movie gimmick. Red streaks of light everywhere look great on the silver screen!!!

[doc540]

My wife and I both wear corrective lenses.

Our handgun lasers help (but are not a total substitute for sights) with point-and-shoot accuracy, especially in low light.

They have made a dramatic difference in here confidence and sense of security. And that's a good thing.

We have them on her LCP, the nightstand Smith M36 snubbie, and the downstairs Glock 26.

I also have a TLR-2 on my wicked little hurricane zombie exterminator, SBR.

[32 Magnum]

Old military axiom: TRACERS WORK BOTH WAYS!
The same concept with lasers and flashlights. I especially like the idea of wearing a head band with a flashlight on it - nice target.

[brickeyee]

The laser is NOT going to help ID a target.

You can use iron sights in almost total darkness by watching them in the muzzle flash.

Of course that means the first shot is not likely to be well aimed.

It takes practice to line up the sights when using a flashlight to illuminate the target, but it can be done.

The sights will be very black and contrast nicely with the illuminated target.

[geetarman]

I use them but I do not depend on them.

I depend on the iron sights. They have their place but they are not replacements for iron sights.

Geetarman

[44 AMP]

People say that red dot on the bad guy is a big deterrent, and other people say how much the laser shows them shaking. I gotta wonder, in a high stress situation, is that red dot, bouncing all over telling the bad guy you are on target, or that you aren't?

I don't care to rely on things that run on batteries for defense. Not on my gun, anyway. Its personal, has no rational basis, other than Murphy's law, and electronic things seem to more in tune with Murphy and anything else.

Something like Crimson trace, where the laser is unobtrusive, I'm ok with, but I can see where training to watch the dot might not be the best thing all the time.

If its too dark to see the sights, you shoot by instinct (point shoot, use the Force, whatever), but ONLY when you have a positive ID on the target, along with a desperate need. Lights and lasers on defense guns may do some good in the long run, but I feel the potential for tragedy is increased by using them to "see" with. And doing that is a natural tendancy difficult for many to overcome.

Training, and plinking, fine. Serious defensive use? Not me.