My friend who is relatively new to guns has been asking me about lasers on handguns. I've always thought the general consensus was that they don't work that well, so I've never looked into them. Are they any good?

Crimson Trace builds red and green lasers the green is easier to see in daylight therefore more expensive.  The  adjustments to zero them require a very small hex wrench that is supplied. There are times when lasers are a good choice and times when they are not.  The up side is they can help a newbie to see what they are doing regarding the movement that the firearm is making while they try to aim and engage the trigger so as a training aid probably worth the cost. They also can be a deterrent --- draw, engage the laser and the recipient sees the red dot on their chest and may be more inclined to comply.  The absolute down side to a laser in a gunfight is like a flashlight the beam points two ways and gives away your location if engaged. Do you need one?  No.   Can it be useful? Yes. Really anything worth shooting is worth shooting with a 300 WM, and distance favors the prepared shooter.

They bounce around too much.

Up ultra close, you should be point aiming

From a distance, youl be looking down the sights anyway

The trigger pull and heft of the pistol are WAY bigger factors in accuracy

If he insists, at least use a green one since they are MUCH more visable to the human eye.


From a rest, I'll admit lasers can boost accuracy a good amount vs just irons.

They also make criminals piss thier pants.

I have a crimson trace CMR-206 on a shotgun.   It works.

I might get one to try on a pistol

Small guns with tiny sights benefit from them. I put a Crimson Trace on a LCP and it improved the aiming. I have a G26 with a TLR6 and don't bother with the laser on it because the sights are adequate.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Your laser is not bouncing around, you are. They are an excellent training tool, work on your trigger pull, the laser will let you know if you still suck.

I shoot my lasered pistols faster and more accurately than with irons.

My G19 w/ CT grips is a beast.

I put a Crimson Trace CMR-206 Rail Master green laser on my VP9.

TINY little thing, and the green laser is bright enough that in the dark, it illuminates everything ahead of me inside the house more than well enough to see a threat, WITHOUT a blinding white light.  

Accurate as a mofo, I think it is an AWESOME device.

Now the Streamlight TLR-2 HL G, that's a very expensive piece of shit.