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Do you like Laser's ?
- Thread starter Laketime
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kthom
Member
Yes, actually I do. I have never considered a laser sight as a replacement for regular sights, and the only laser sights I care for at the Crimson Trace Laser Grips and Laser Guard sights. They are activated by taking a regular grip on the weapon. No other action is necessary for the laser to function. I have fired using sights for over 50 years. These days, the sights just are not very clear, but unless there is need to do otherwise, the sights are in my field of view. With that said, I also leaned a long, long time ago to hold my handgun in relation to my body, at eye level if possible, in the same way and in the same relationship to my body so that I can aim it pretty well with my body. Naturally, it is not always possible to have a situation where that can be done when shooting for personal protection.
In those cases, or when light levels are very low or basically non existent, the laser allows me to do business close enough for government work without being able to see the sights. But because I always try to hold the gun as if i could see the sights, and am used to doing that in the daylight as well as in the darkness, the laser just confirms my point of aim. It also allows me to aim well from any position I can manage to point the gun and pull the trigger. The laser dot for me is just another point of reference and if it's not a part of the sight picture, then something is wrong! It is NOT my primary aiming method unless I can't use my primary aiming method!
In my time of diminishing eyesight, the laser dot is a great help to me to confirm my point of aim. It's another tool that is of benefit to me. I always try to have and hope to have my small bright flashlight for use in the hours of darkness, primarily to be able to actually identify my target. I don't shoot at sounds when I can't see who or what is making that sound. I sometimes go outside after dark on my five acres. Sometimes there are loose dogs that roam out from the small town near where I live. On more than one occasion, when one has stopped and barked at me, I have lit up his eyes an face with the laser and yelled at it with full confidence that I can have a good chance of causing the red water to begin to leak copiously from the animal. I also come into range of a wandering skunk during the hours of darkness. The laser allows me to take care of that situation without having to return to the house to get my shotgun. I do not take kindly to animals or people challenging me on my own property! That laser dot is also comforting within the confines of my own home. My wife's personal protection is also so equipped. Both of us feel much more capable with the laser dot in low light than we ever did without it.
We can and do shoot pretty well without a laser. We learned to shoot without one. The laser dots just enhance our ability to actually land our shots where we intend even when it is not broad daylight. Anything that helps us do that is a good benefit and help to us as we strive to be able and willing to protect ourselves if that becomes necessary at any time. That's about the best I can describe why we use and like a laser sight that require nothing more than taking a proper grip on the firearm. Everyone has to decide for themselves what works best for them where ever they are. The CT Laser Grips and Laser Guard sighting systems work very well for us and they improve our ability to do what we hopefully will never have to do. If that time comes, we want every advantage we can have. The lasers are an advantage for us. We don't do much bulls eye or actual target shooting these days beyond our practice for personal protection at the distances normally necessary for that. If I did that kind of shooting, my preference is a good, crisp, sharp, sight picture produced by black sight with no glare at all. Since I can't get that kind of sight picture these days even with good sights, I do the best I can with what I've got to do with!!
In those cases, or when light levels are very low or basically non existent, the laser allows me to do business close enough for government work without being able to see the sights. But because I always try to hold the gun as if i could see the sights, and am used to doing that in the daylight as well as in the darkness, the laser just confirms my point of aim. It also allows me to aim well from any position I can manage to point the gun and pull the trigger. The laser dot for me is just another point of reference and if it's not a part of the sight picture, then something is wrong! It is NOT my primary aiming method unless I can't use my primary aiming method!
In my time of diminishing eyesight, the laser dot is a great help to me to confirm my point of aim. It's another tool that is of benefit to me. I always try to have and hope to have my small bright flashlight for use in the hours of darkness, primarily to be able to actually identify my target. I don't shoot at sounds when I can't see who or what is making that sound. I sometimes go outside after dark on my five acres. Sometimes there are loose dogs that roam out from the small town near where I live. On more than one occasion, when one has stopped and barked at me, I have lit up his eyes an face with the laser and yelled at it with full confidence that I can have a good chance of causing the red water to begin to leak copiously from the animal. I also come into range of a wandering skunk during the hours of darkness. The laser allows me to take care of that situation without having to return to the house to get my shotgun. I do not take kindly to animals or people challenging me on my own property! That laser dot is also comforting within the confines of my own home. My wife's personal protection is also so equipped. Both of us feel much more capable with the laser dot in low light than we ever did without it.
We can and do shoot pretty well without a laser. We learned to shoot without one. The laser dots just enhance our ability to actually land our shots where we intend even when it is not broad daylight. Anything that helps us do that is a good benefit and help to us as we strive to be able and willing to protect ourselves if that becomes necessary at any time. That's about the best I can describe why we use and like a laser sight that require nothing more than taking a proper grip on the firearm. Everyone has to decide for themselves what works best for them where ever they are. The CT Laser Grips and Laser Guard sighting systems work very well for us and they improve our ability to do what we hopefully will never have to do. If that time comes, we want every advantage we can have. The lasers are an advantage for us. We don't do much bulls eye or actual target shooting these days beyond our practice for personal protection at the distances normally necessary for that. If I did that kind of shooting, my preference is a good, crisp, sharp, sight picture produced by black sight with no glare at all. Since I can't get that kind of sight picture these days even with good sights, I do the best I can with what I've got to do with!!
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Roadtrash
US Veteran
To be honest at 70 I've never used one. I learned the old way and it's been good enough for me all these years.
finesse_r
Member
I have one mounted under a 4006 TSW that is by my bed in the night stand. I think in the dark I would be much more accurate with a laser than without.
James&theGiant1911
Member
I have a crimson trace grip guard laser on a XDM 40 I own. Only gun I would really put it on.
I love night sights though and have them on all my concealed carrys
I love night sights though and have them on all my concealed carrys
ordy
US Veteran
I had them on my 642 which is my carry gun. I took them off and replaced them with a larger set of grips that allowed for better purchase. I don't think I need a laser at self defense distances.
I have the built in one in my Bodyguard.380. I hardly use it to be honest.
On the other hand I have a couple of Lasers that my cats go totally crazy over.
On the other hand I have a couple of Lasers that my cats go totally crazy over.
USAF385
US Veteran
Do I like laser's what?........
I have one hanging underneath my nightstand pistol. If something goes "bump" in the night, I goes where the red dot goes.
OLDNAVYMCPO
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
Personally for me a laser on a handgun is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. If there is enough ambient light to identify my target, I can see my sights anyway. If there is not enough ambient light to identify my target then I don't need to be shooting anyway. I have literally spent hundreds if not thousands of hours in nighttime combat training never felt handicapped because I didn't have a laser.
One exception, it would be really tacticool to have a laser mount if I was the star of one of those bang-bang shoot-em-up hi-tech FX movies that are so popular with the younger set.
One exception, it would be really tacticool to have a laser mount if I was the star of one of those bang-bang shoot-em-up hi-tech FX movies that are so popular with the younger set.
cmort666
Member
Except at VERY close ranges, or with long guns (SMGs, actually), I see no point to lasers. Having watched people try to shoot pins using them, I wasn't impressed.
I LIKE night sights. Too bad only my VA Beach Sheriff's Dept. surplus Glock 19 has them.
I LIKE night sights. Too bad only my VA Beach Sheriff's Dept. surplus Glock 19 has them.
Yep.
Pink Floyd, LaWS, and mutated ill-tempered sea bass.
Pink Floyd, LaWS, and mutated ill-tempered sea bass.
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I've never owned one. I have shot guns with them that friends own, but they never impressed me enough to go out and buy one. I still shoot .22 matches with my open sighted M41 and can shoot my Colt Gold Cup better than most who have them.
I only have two rifles with scopes and they are conventional Leupold's.
I only have two rifles with scopes and they are conventional Leupold's.
I have Crimson Trace on my carry M337, Kimber ultra Carry II, TLE RLII, Beretta 92FS and several others. Target acquisition is so much faster for me. For CCW, I can't imagine trying to acquire targets quickly and accurately without a laser, they are much quicker for me. I don't use the guns sights specifically in defensive training, it's more intuitive, point and shoot. With the laser, it is much faster and way more accurate. Especially with my eyes getting older.
Another advantage I've experienced... and I can't fully explain it...
I've been able to improve holding on target using a laser. Practicing with my laser equipped weapons has really improved the anticipated recoil resulting in "drop". I hold on target much better now with or without the laser being on. But it all started with my Crimson Trace on the Ultra Carry II. I've been frustrated over the years not holding well and reacquiring targets on followup shots, dropping and canting to my weak side on single hand shots (mostly heavier loads and larger calibers). I bought the Kimber, put on Crimson Trace Laser Grips and I improved in my first session. I thought it was just a fluke. I tried the other 1911's that I've struggled with (without the laser) and I was very impressed with the same results. I turned off the laser's and my accuracy was greatly improved across the board even down to my M337 with full house loads.
So, for me...it has been somewhat of a training tool that I can't fully explain. I just have better results all around.
Like I say...I can't fully explain it, but somewhere along the line, laser sights gave some advantage I hadn't had before in practice.
Another advantage I've experienced... and I can't fully explain it...
I've been able to improve holding on target using a laser. Practicing with my laser equipped weapons has really improved the anticipated recoil resulting in "drop". I hold on target much better now with or without the laser being on. But it all started with my Crimson Trace on the Ultra Carry II. I've been frustrated over the years not holding well and reacquiring targets on followup shots, dropping and canting to my weak side on single hand shots (mostly heavier loads and larger calibers). I bought the Kimber, put on Crimson Trace Laser Grips and I improved in my first session. I thought it was just a fluke. I tried the other 1911's that I've struggled with (without the laser) and I was very impressed with the same results. I turned off the laser's and my accuracy was greatly improved across the board even down to my M337 with full house loads.
So, for me...it has been somewhat of a training tool that I can't fully explain. I just have better results all around.
Like I say...I can't fully explain it, but somewhere along the line, laser sights gave some advantage I hadn't had before in practice.
Pre 29
Member
They definitely have their place. I'm not training a new shooter to use a laser before they have their iron sights down pat. Great for teaching trigger control while dry firing. I hear folks saying they are just fine with sights and see no place for lasers in defensive situations and I equate this to motorcycle riders without helmets. If you knew that in the next ten miles you would wreck your bike would you put on a helmet? If you knew that tonight someone would do their best to kill you would you want a laser? I would want to do anything I could to tip the odds in my favor.
ibewbull
US Veteran
No, I can not see it outside o need it inside the house.
So we have 4 cat toys.
So we have 4 cat toys.
I don't find them helpful personally. Something else to look at/for other than the target.
At the arms length ranges they shoot the sillouette targets now, I don't even look at the sights. It's a waste of time, you should be able to just point and shoot at that range and that size target.
Others like them and say they help their shooting. Everybodys different.
At the arms length ranges they shoot the sillouette targets now, I don't even look at the sights. It's a waste of time, you should be able to just point and shoot at that range and that size target.
Others like them and say they help their shooting. Everybodys different.
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
I found that for somebody like me with bad eyes & who doesn't live at the range the laser is the bee's knees for quick followups at close range in bad light.
My P220 has a light/laser combo mounted. Works well for what I need it for.
Don't get me wrong... I kneel and worship at the feet of tactical operators who operate tactically & don't need to aim...
My P220 has a light/laser combo mounted. Works well for what I need it for.
Don't get me wrong... I kneel and worship at the feet of tactical operators who operate tactically & don't need to aim...
629shooter
Member
A couple of years ago, I bought a used G17 with CTs on it. I experimented with the laser, and decided it wasn't for me. However, the guy I sold the CTs to thinks they are the best thing since sliced bread.
