Lights or Lasers?

[Ken Campbell]

So tell me Harry, is a light or a laser the thing to add to a fighting sub or carbine?

[Kodiac]

If I may... the thing would be to add BOTH, with 2 seperate switches. The Situation dictates what would be best. Lazers are only some times the best choice. Where as lights are only good if your indoors... All depends on where you and your target(s) are positioned. Nothing can beat weapon handling skills. My favorite set up for my shoulder guns are a taclight and an electronic optical sight. I am not big on projecting a beam to my target... if you project through mist or smoke - you've given all the bad guys a road map to your position. same thing with lights out of doors. Keep your Powder Dry, Kodiac.

[Ken Campbell]

Why are lights only good indoors?

[[email protected]]

Yeah, Kodiak, why not?

Why can't you use them outside, at night?

Personally, I want to check out the Colt Millenium setup for the AR series. It's pretty sweet looking, especially with the hardwired switches.

Adding a laser to it would give you a lot of flexibility...

Spark

[Hilton]

I'm still not sure how this thread belongs on the Full Auto forum, but I'd like to throw in my two cents anyway.

Lasers are a total waste of time and money. Looking at your target takes your focus off your front sight (or dot reticle), where it does the most good for precision marksmanship. If you're so close that you don't need to look at the sights, then why look for a laser dot? Lasers are visible when it's dim or totally dark. If it's a low light scenario, then you really should illuminate your target to identify it. Your white light will cause the laser to wash out, thus negating its utility. If you're in a team situation, how do you tell which laser dot belongs to which operator?

Save your money and the extra bulk/weight, and use a white light and some type of low light sighting system (tritium iron sights, red dot electronic) on your weapon and be done with it.

[Harry Humphries]

Hi Ken,
I can't tell you how often I get this one. I suppose there are a lot of personnel preferences when it comes to visual aid mounted systems.

Shoulder fired weapons as well as hand guns mounted with laser or light works in some, not all, situations.

The laser mounts tend to hit me negatively. They are, after all, subject to mis- alignment due to many causes, i.e. collision barrel mounts mis- align due to heat etc. The concept of a light beam indication on the target forces one to visually focus off the front site and that should be all that is said to kill the argument but the fact of the matter is that the well mounted laser projector, properly sighted in, will adequately indicate the bore axis in relation to desired point of impact. The problems arise when the inevitable mis-alignment occurs, the shooter has no reference to the mis-alignment as he or she is not looking at the front site while acquiring the dot location out at the target surface. Sure this can be done during pre-op or admin time but it sure as hell won't be done during the combat period - trust me. Secondly you need only to be in a room entry once with two or more shooters waving the dot system all over the place. Looks like DISCO and worse - which one is mine? Finally, the ambient light conditions must be favorable in order to see the projected laser dot.

Mounted light systems both in the visual spectrum as well as IR are great aids to low light shooting scenarios. Sure the negatives are there, bulky - position indication - etc., but law enforcement as well as tactical military teams need to identify, positively , the threat level they face before escalating to lethal force. This can't be done in low or no light situations without the use of white light. So why not mount the light on the weapon where it is an integral part of the sighting system? IR mounted systems are excellent with the use compatible optics such as the ITT pocket IR scopes.

Our flat top AR carbines are fitted with GG&G's extended Picatiny Rails with flip up rear site. This accommodates the mount of either an Aim Point red dot optic (Comp M- XD) or Trijicon's Reflex as both are compatible with night vision gear as the reticle will not "Bloom" in the IR. One simply mounts the Pocket Scope at the rear of the rail thereby converting the Aim point or Trijicon optic to night gear. Both optics allow for iron site use as a back up to electronics. I've seen no better sighting combination offering this much flexibility. Try it - you'll like it.

[baffledcan]

The Viridian compact C5L green laser with 100 lumen light is the latest awesome rail mounted unit. It fits subcompact pistols and stays snug and within the lines of the trigger guard. Green is the way as it can be seen in daylight unlike red. This unit also has changable rails and many modes for customizing the light and laser. I paid $299 at a local store, but I think one can get it on line for about $269 or so.

[hoytinak]

Dude....you realize this thread's just over 12 years ago? That might be a new record.

[baffledcan]

whoops! I entered the forum from the other end.

[Irish B]

Wow! I has just turned 12 when this thread was started! With that said i'm against laser sights

[demigod]

Who is "Harry"? And who is "Ken Campbell"??

[Skans]

What you really need, rather than lights and lasers, is a Gen 3 or 4 night vision scope!