DO LASERS ON HANDGUNS MAKE SENSE?
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- Recently, I've heard several new concealed carriers ask about the benefits of lasers on carry guns.
For the longest time, I dismissed a relic of 90s action movie nostalgia.
Then, after being in situations where carrying an optimal EDC wasn't as practical, I realized that there might still be some value here.
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Lasers, Lights and Red Dots 🔴 and all tools in your self defense toolbox. Understanding that you will use different tools in different situations, is key. Having options is a good thing.
Two things I’m surprised you didn’t mention:
1) a laser is a good training device for doing things like seeing your muzzle movement upon your trigger press or the muzzle’s path during your presentation to target.
2) lasers can be visible at times when the iron sights on those little small pistols are not. The he irons can be visible at times when the laser is not visible. They compliment each other well for.
1) I'm not a fan of this personally because it can encourage "prairie dogging", and distracts from learning to read your sights to the same effect.
2) In my mind that falls under the overall sight visibility. With better sights, if there's sufficient light for PID then they'd be silhouetted against the target. (Same reason I don't find much use for night sights outside of a duty context)
I took a force on force simunitions course. In one relatively low light scenario, I had an AR with a light/laser at a low ready. My opponent stepped out from behind cover into the laser beam, and I was able to immediately fire without having to get my face behind my LPVO (which works poorly in low light) or aim. This speed advantage allowed me to get a shot off first and win.
Lasers can also be a useful compliance tool. If I can deter the guy with the machete from attacking me by putting a laser on his chest and not having to shoot, that's a win, and one with less likelihood of jail time for me.
Galloway Precision out of Fletcher NC makes a rear sight dove tail mount for the Ruger LCP Max that supports RMSC style red dots. It's been solid for far...
I carry irons. Prefer red dot on dueling tree. Love the Viridian laser on my deep conceal LCP 22.
I come from the Applegate point shooting perspective...greater than 80% of self defense shootings will be propioceptic points shooting, so I don't sweat sights terribly.
Laser advantages
Breaks up pistol outline
Doesn't snag when pocket carry
Target focused sighting
Ability to aim even without bringing pistol to eye level...from hip or around barricade/ballistic shield.
"Solves" sight radius issue with tiny pistols.
The data from Tom Givens' Rangemaster alumni involved in DGUs show that most engagements take place inside the length of a car.
Getting fight-stopping hits at those distances still requires some visual alignment to affect the important structures.
I used to be a big fan of lasers. Had them on all defensive handguns.
Had a Lasermax guide rod laser for my G19, but the switch would get bumped on, running the battery dead.
Switched to Crimson Trace. Had several Laser Grips, and Laser Guard models. Over time, found that recoil or simply bumping the gun into things while carrying would make the zero drift.
Found that I could induce this problem by simply tapping on the laser housing with my finger repeatedly, not very hard either.
I would not trust the zero on the laser anymore unless verified against the iron sights daily. Since I’m not willing to do that, I got rid of them all.
A rail mounted laser holds zero far better, such as the one in the TLR-8.
The problem with gun lasers is the laser using any color is hard to see during the day or under bright light. A shooter will always be accurate within a given margin with irons than a laser. Guns like the ASP would benefit from using a powerful laser but we has guns of the same size nowadays with micro dots or high vis irons.
i have no use for the Bodyguard 2.0 Smith released this year, however since apparently the slide is just too thin to mount red dots i would probably be persuaded to pick one up if it had a built in laser just for giggles
I would like to see a company make a micro laser that is designed to have a slide cut for it on the side like an optic.
I have a light/laser combo. It was a no brainer. I considered the light mandatory, and I got the laser (green) in the light. i have the option to turn it on or off (light onlty, laser only, both). I think training to the laser is mandatory.. It's never going to zero at the same range as your sights,. So you have to understand where the laser will be based on the range to target. It's also money for "no sights" shots. If I can't get behind the pistol, the laser allows for reasonably accurate shots.
I really dislike those, if for no other reason, it severely reduces holster choices, and pistols that are big enough for a WML are typically big enough for a dot and have sights that are readily upgraded.
WMLs are far from mandatory, and for me, the specialized training they require it time & effort better spent on skills that have broader applicability.
@@TheSuitedShootist The .ideal I have doesn't have that "wart". The laser is internal, so the footprint is the same. I also dislike that, so I choose mine with that in mind
I have a CT laser grip on my 642. As a civilian in a defensive situation under attack, I don’t think you can assume you’ll be able to do a “proper presentation” within a few feet, or if you’re knocked down or injured. The laser allows you to put your gun on target if you have to shoot from a compromised position like one handed from the hip etc. Also the intimidation factor may prevent you from having to fire your gun at all.
Compressed shooting is best done from a repeatable physical index (Thumb Pectoral) to ensure proper muzzle alignment.
Hip shooting was popularized by a genetic anomaly, and had been quantifiably shown as ineffective compared to other techniques.
@@TheSuitedShootist agree. What influenced my opinion was the experience told of a knocked down injured LEO who saved his life by drawing his backup with a laser from his ankle holster and was able to fire accurately enough to end the threat. Didn’t mean to imply that “ shooting from the hip” with a laser is in anyway a substitute for otherwise proper technique.
I have used lasers on various pistols for years. In my experience they don't hold up to extensive shooting very well and are virtually useless in direct sunlight. I do still use them on pocket pistols, where a light or red dot is impractical. I count on the laser for indoor and low-light shooting. I use light gathering plastic insert front sights for daytime use, which work much better for my 73 year old eyes than plain irons. I have such sights on my Glock 43 and Ruger LCR, both sights in green. Tritium sights are just too dim and too slow to find for my old eyes. My larger pistols that can accommodate them have lights and red dots.
I have crimson teace laser grips on a Beretta tomcat and a Beretta bobcat. They make sense on guns that small and because of the factory sights are terrible. I took the tomcat to some classes and the laser did help with shooting from unconventional positions and angles but in your standard shooting position, I don't think adding a laser would be worth the cost of restricting your holster options for most guns.
The weapon mounted light on my home defense pistol has an integrated laser
Since this gun is not optic ready and I was putting a weapon mounted light on it anyway, I figured why not
I mean it beats oll Billy hell out of going and spending another 500 Plus on a gun and then another 3 to 500 dollars on a Red Dot
I may also put a laser on my LCR, and if I were to purchase another LCP 22 I will probably put a laser on that
I started out far sighted to begin with and as I age my visual Acuity right at the end of my arm is becoming a problem, and again I don't see dropping a thousand plus dollars to solve something I can solve with a couple hundred
Have to use laser due to being cross dominant and anyone with a stigmatism can’t use the red dot
I'm astigmatic and run dots on all my guns that'll take them.
There's different degrees, and not all astigmatisms manifest the same.
I too have a pretty bad astigmatism and run dots on my guns. My dot isn’t a circle and is like five times larger to my eye than it actually is, but it’s still easier to hit accurately with at distance.