Lasers ? - AR15.COM

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Posted: 5/6/2004 11:17:40 AM EDT

What do you think about Lasers on handguns?

Novelty or do they have true tactical value?

Personaly I believe that you should not rely on them they can break. I have never considered if they have true tactical value. Under stress how hard is it to find the little red dot.

Posted: 5/6/2004 11:37:07 AM EDT

[#1]

I agree... More show than go. I can fire using the sights or profile of the gun for more quickly with sufficient accuracy than I can find a laser dot bouncing around in front of me.

Disclaimer: I have not practiced very much with a laser so maybe I could get faster. But, then my gun would need a battery for me to use it effectively.

Kent

Posted: 5/6/2004 12:37:26 PM EDT

[#2]

Laser sighting devices are becoming common among L.E.O b/c of the deterant factor. Many times a suspect will comply with commands after he sees a dot on his persons. There are serveral large departments that are OKing the use of such devices like Crimson Trace. They serve more of a tactical purpose than anything. If anything it will make you look like a responsible CCW holder in court if you ever found yourself there. You are responsible for the bullet until it stops so adding something that will improve accuracy ( if practiced with)doesn't hurt. I wouldn't put my life on one though. If you want some reading check out the June/July issue of Guns & Ammo Handguns . There is a decent article on lasers.

Posted: 5/6/2004 3:27:49 PM EDT

[#3]

I have CT lasers on two of my revolvers.

They're great for dry practice and would be a real help if you want to learn to shoot a DA revolver well. I have a light bulb at the far end of my basement that I keep "lit" with laser while stroking the DA trigger.

As far as actual use the laser is slower for me to pick up in daylight than the iron sights. Turn down the lights and the laser is faster.

Posted: 5/6/2004 7:42:24 PM EDT

[#4]

I have a set of CT grips on my Sig P220 as well as a Insight M3 light on it. This is my night stand gun. I think lasers are great for home defense weapons as are mounted lights. In low light situations lasers allow for fast target acquisition. Also lasers can be a deterant and allow you to not even have to fire a shot in defense situation.

Posted: 5/6/2004 8:03:16 PM EDT

[#5]

I never thought of them as a deterant. That is a good point but I think if I pull a gun on somebody I am most likely going to shoot. At least I think I will.

Posted: 5/6/2004 9:04:51 PM EDT

[#6]

Nothing beats a laser for shooting small furry targets at night.

Posted: 5/6/2004 9:55:31 PM EDT

[#7]

A laser is easier to pick up in the dark then your black front sight, should you not have some sort of night sight installed

Posted: 5/7/2004 4:00:15 AM EDT

[#8]

Lasers are great for plinking... put one on a .22 and kill a few beer cans, great fun. But tatically they are dangerous... you may become dependant upon them then if your laser breaks or the battery goes dead or whatever in an actual gunfight you may find your iron sight skills not quite as sharp as they should be.

If you get one, put it on your "toy" or plinker guns, not on your personal defence guns.

Posted: 5/7/2004 7:56:02 AM EDT

[#9]

One of the most telling points in favor of the laser is the overwhelming percentage of people that once disliked them and now swear by them after receiving proper training. Most complaints about lasers come from those who have never used them or have tried to use them without being adequately trained with them. In a nutshell, a quality laser will allow you to shoot faster and more accurately under a variety of conditions and will expand the use parameters of your firearm significantly. And if the laser doesn't work (which is almost unheard of with a quality product, BTW) you have the iron sights still available for use. There is a reason so many high-speed low-drag types mount them on their weapons---they work!

Posted: 5/7/2004 9:34:05 AM EDT

[#10]

Take the money spent on a laser and buy ammuntion....practice, practice, practice...after that you will not need a laser.....

As for the high speed guys using them.....I know some of those guys and have seen their shooting...they don't need lasers

I have seen a ton of those sellers at gun shows hawking lasers as a alternitve to practice.....I just laugh as I walk buy the booth....

Posted: 5/7/2004 9:42:40 AM EDT

[#11]

Anything that uses a battery can't be too good. I think they're more of a gimick for the general public. LEO's may use them to good effect but I wouldn't want one on my gun. You can't use them in fog, smoke, rain all that well so they're more or less useless during those times. I'd rather have good night sights on my carry pistol. Like has been said, on a "play gun" like a 22lr they'd be fun for plinking.

Posted: 5/8/2004 10:01:56 PM EDT

[#12]

They are the sighting system of choice for Mall Ninjas and wanna bee Ninjas.

They are usefull only indoors. Outside the sun is too bright, at night what goods a light if you can't see what the object if you put the light on.

Posted: 5/9/2004 2:12:42 AM EDT

[#13]

I have one on my .22LR pistol. It's a blast! I think for fun value, not much approaches it for the money involved. It came on the gun, but I don't think I'll take it off. If I don't want to use it, I just leave it off and use the sights.

I have noticed it take longer to acquire the target. This has been mentioned a few times, so at least I don't feel too stupid about that.

They also work great if you are using a night vision device that would otherwise prevent you from using the sights. You could probably deal with some serious nocturnal rodents with a cheap russian monocular and a laser. Not exactly a combat rig, but cheap enough.

Ross

Posted: 5/9/2004 5:06:18 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
They are the sighting system of choice for Mall Ninjas and wanna bee Ninjas.

They are usefull only indoors. Outside the sun is too bright, at night what goods a light if you can't see what the object if you put the light on.

Now where did I leave my throwing stars?

Posted: 5/9/2004 9:39:58 AM EDT

[#15]

I have one on my bedside gun for the deterance and intimidation factor. It's good for quick target acquisition, but doesn't do much for my accuracy at any distance. Small flinches produce large movements in the beam at a distance, and it can become pretty distracting. I am much more accurate using iron sights.

Posted: 5/10/2004 9:15:52 AM EDT

[#16]

Lasers are cool.

Posted: 5/10/2004 11:13:52 AM EDT

[#17]

Anything that uses a battery can't be too good.

You mean things like a flashlight, or your car?

Posted: 5/10/2004 11:15:44 AM EDT

[#18]

They are usefull only indoors. Outside the sun is too bright, at night what goods a light if you can't see what the object if you put the light on.

Sigh. That is a perfect example of what I am talking about. A quality laser, such as the CT will work outside as well as inside, including in bright sunlight.

Posted: 5/10/2004 11:32:58 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
They are usefull only indoors. Outside the sun is too bright, at night what goods a light if you can't see what the object if you put the light on.

Sigh. That is a perfect example of what I am talking about. A quality laser, such as the CT will work outside as well as inside, including in bright sunlight.

It's very hard to bust myths. I'm sure he still waits 30 minutes before swimming after he eats.

Posted: 5/11/2004 10:45:51 PM EDT

[#20]

FWIW, I can pick up a laser faster than my irons, I can use it in bright sunlight and I'd like to see any one of you anti laser guys hit a running rabbit on a bouble action first shot consistantly, with your irons.

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