Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Lasers, for those who have had/used them, do you still?

I have a Viridian holster activated on my GLock 42, it auto turns on when i draw the weapon (turns off when holstered) and is pretty damn close to the POI (within 2" which is within center mass) of the sights especially within 10-15 yards which is all i would potentially need it for. I carry this pistol and feel it gives me true point and shoot capability within the desired range if i dont have to time to raise the sights to my eyes.

I do not have one for my nightstand pistol, the H&K VP9. I havent determined if i want one for that.

My question for the people here is for those who have had lasers, do you still have them and why or why not?


Here is the GLock 42 with the HYVE tecnologies +2 mag extension (8+1) and the Viridian laser

I have used them in the past, but don't any more. I found that when things start moving around fast (i.e. not on a square range) I'd waste time looking for the laser instead of just point and shoot.

They also point both ways.

I practice activating my laser when I draw. On the range in daylight I can't see it. No matter. I've found I'm a foot right and a foot low on the presentation. I'm dry firing on a regular basis to correct that. I think the laser will justify it self if I ever need to use my gun when it's too dark to see the sights. I'm not worried about the laser pointing back to me. If it gets to that point there's likely going to be lead in the air already.

Lasers do point both ways, especially green ones...Green is bright for daylight but at night it's bright enough to trace the beam, you literally see a straight green line.... red not so much, possible, yes, but not as likely. I'm not talking about walking around swinging the laser every way, which is why I don't have one on my home pistol. In a chaotic situation, when I'm out and about, I will only drawn the gun if I'm firing immediatley, which isn't always the case in the house. I'm just curious if anyone uses these things. There seems to be a large market for them and alot of marketing.....I know the intent is to sell.
Just curious what yall use/don't use and why....

No use for lasers. They slow me down.




Travis

Travis

I felt the same way when I played with lasers that had a button to activate. The last thing I want to remember is "hey I gotta turn my laser on." Hence the one I have being on when I pull it, I don't have to use the laser but it's on if I need it

I found them too slow in the shooting, not the turning on.

I found them slow to shoot too.

I much prefer a red dot sight (like an RMR) milled into the slide. It's not perfect either, but doesn't have most of the downsides of a laser. The shooter still gets the benefit of the little red dot, but it doesn't disappear when your aim wanders off target.

No laser on any of my guns. Tried them while doing force on force training and got shot several times while looking for the little dot and trying to get it placed just right on a moving adversary. It slowed me down and confused my shooting/tactical thinking process. I'd have to retrain my brain and do one hell of a lot of practical use training to get over my hang ups with the laser. Not worth it for me personally.

I have them on most of my carry guns. I don't shoot nearly as quickly if I'm focusing on them, much faster to ignore them. I do find them very useful when shooting from a position where I'm not in a good stance to view the front sight, in low light/darkness, and if I shoot without contacts or glasses on.

I had a Lazermax on my LC9. It was a nice little Laser, but I hardly ever used it. It stayed "off" in the holster and was adjustable, but I think in a tough situation, I would ignore it and just point and shoot. I have two new Pistols now and no lazers on them. If someone made an Automatic "on" lazer, I would consider it. I don't know how that would work, but it is an idea.

Am a convert, as I got old I found I needed a little help in low light. I have C-T grip on my 431PD and a Colt/Lazer-Max on my Govt .380. I have a Rail Master combo light/laser coming for my Walther P22 for night varmint visits.

i kind of agree with the eyesight thing, mine is getting worse. I instantly pick up the red dot as i pull the gun from the holster. different stroked for different folks. Not sure i want it on a gun I do not carry though.

here is some food for thought: Imagine sitting at a restaurant or somewhere at a table, or dark theater. The bad guy is standing their holding the place up and looking at the crowd, if you pull the gun up to aim, you could be scene whereas the red dot on the laser allows you to keep the gun out of eyesight and fire off a more accurate shot vs not aiming at all.... worst case scenario I know, just a thought

Ive bought them and used them from time to time over the years, but have generally abandoned the idea now. I think it encourages bad motor memory.

Have you actually tried that?

Because most people can't hit when they're holding pistols with two hands right in front of their face. I can't imagine hiding the pistol and popping off round with one hand from an awkward position would be any better.

well i havent tried it one handed, but I have a glock 42 in 380 which I think The Real Hawkeye, and any others who have shot one would agree, handles recoil extremely well for a small, light pistol and a 380 isnt a monster caliber anyway. To answer your question I have shot it holding about stomach height at a target about 7 yards out. I easily hit where the laser was showing at center mass, which was significantly smaller than a person. I wanted to see how accurate I would be or wouldnt be if the pistol wasnt drawn to a normal shooting position. I'm not recommending it however, just relaying my experience.

Although I do think that many people shoot too slowly when using laser sights on handguns because they tend to hunt for the beam and use too much deliberation when doing so, both of my usual carry guns have CT lasers on them and I like them very much.

One is a S&W M638 with CT red Lasergrip and the other is a S&W 9mm Shield with CT green Laserguard.

Lasers do not substitute for proper use of sights and I practice with both guns on falling plates regularly. I am able to shoot just as fast with or without the laser with both guns. But you have to do some training to be able to do so.

My eyes are getting to the point where use of the sights on the J-Frame is quite difficult and the laser really helps on that weapon.

One night last winter in AZ I was walking my dog near my house in Green Valley when we were charged twice by a javelina in the dark. Fortunately while screaming and yelling at the javelina, I was able to drag my dog back to the house before any damage was done. I had a G-19 (no laser) with me at the time, but I would hate to have to fire a shot in the neighborhood in such a situation.

Maybe that green laser would be a useful thing to shine in a javelina's eyes to try to discourage the next attack.

heck it might even blind him! that would help! supposedly, pointing a laser in your eye is a bad idea per the warnings on the box, I havent tried it yet to test it!

I have also found that when I wanted to practice with the laser, I had to wait until dusk. I couldn't see it for schist in regular daylight.

About the only time I could see it was in the house at night.




Travis

you are right about that

Green is the one for daylight, you will see Green pretty easily out to about 25 yards, even at high noon.
Red at the same time of day, maybe 10 yards. Inside a range, or inside a building, I have had no problem picking it up anytime of day....