Lasersights for handguns

[jesse]

Hello,
Does anyone have any recommendations for lasersights?

Are they worth it?
What are people's experiences who have them?

I am looking at purchasing one for my G27.
I am looking at Crimson Trace (LG-626 and LG-436)

Your feedback is appreciated.


Jesse

Read More

 

[Point356]

I would put one on the pistol that I kept under my pillow!!


Yes I think they are helpful by reducing time to acquire target.
I prefer Laser/light combos, the strobing feature of most lights can be very disorienting!
Depending on the model and its design aiming the laser can be a practice in futility!

I like this laser/light <broken link removed>

 

[Phillyfan]

I have read, and it makes sense to me, that putting a laser on a handgun can be very useful in improving your grip and trigger pull. The thought is that you can put the laser on a target and watch it as you pull the trigger. Some say they are very surprised how much movement there is, and that they practice by dry firing. Seems like it could go a long way in improving accuracy with all your handguns.

 

[glockguy]

i like this one cept for the fact it makes the gun look somewhat stupid, though i have heard GREAT reviews

<broken link removed>

 

[HalfNutz]

I've got two pistols with Crimson Trace, one with the LaserLyte (dovetails in and replaces the stock rear sight), and one with the Streamlight TLR-2 combo laser/light.

They help my aim. Some don't like them, some do. I'm one of the people that like them.

Check out the video that LaserLyte has of them using their laser mounted on a handgun to drive in a 16d nail. Pretty impressive.

 

[FarmerTed1971]

The LaserMax for the Glock looks to be the least obtrusive... but I'm intrigued to how robust it is.

<broken link removed>

$349 is kinda' steep, but it looks very interesting.

 

[alfack]

I like them, if they don't add excess bulk to the gun. I have the CTC on my LCP. I can actually shoot the damn thing accurately w/o having to look at the gun.

 

[glockguy]

My cousin who is in the military, special forces to be exact, has the pleasure of testing out these lasers. Their weapon of choice is the glock 22. They have tried the laser max and had ok results with it.. He said that the laser max tends to have some issues staying on target and needs some resetting, not all of them but some... they are trying out the Laser Lyte tight now and have nothing but good to say about it so far, so thats one reason why i am considering it. Plus $130 compared to $350 is a little better thats pretty much a new gun

 

[Phillyfan]

I have been thinking about that laser lyte for my XDm, just wanted to wait a little longer to see how it holds up sitting on top of the slide like that.

 

[HalfNutz]

I have been thinking about that laser lyte for my XDm, just wanted to wait a little longer to see how it holds up sitting on top of the slide like that.

That's what I've got mine on.

 

[Phillyfan]

That's what I've got mine on.

OK, you convinced me, just put a bid in on one on ebay. What did you have to do to have it installed? I know the old XD's rear sights had to be machined out a lot of the time.

 

[2gr8dgs]

Jesse, I think crimson trace laser grips are great, but not the ones that wrap around the glock backstrap. I think it makes a somewhat wide (for concealed carry) gun, even wider.

 

[jdub75]

I had a lasermax in my G22 for prolly 7-8 years w/out a hiccup. If they made one w/ a better activation for my M&P's, I'd have one in both of those. I don't like extra crap if I can help it hanging off the pistol.

 

[HalfNutz]

OK, you convinced me, just put a bid in on one on ebay. What did you have to do to have it installed? I know the old XD's rear sights had to be machined out a lot of the time.

The LaserLyte comes with a brass drift punch. I put the laser in the freezer and the slide in the oven at 250 for about 15 minutes, drifted out the stock sights and drifted in the new laser/sights. The new sights come with a set screw to keep them in place once you have them lined up.

The hardest part was not having an actual sight adjustment tool and just having the drift punch. Getting the laser/sight centered took a few minutes.

The stock sights came out pretty easy. I have one of those portable Workmate workbench/vise combos that worked great with it's wooden jaws.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I have Crimson Trace grips on two of my house guns, wouldn't be without them.

 

[Kimber Custom]

I've come to believe that CT lasergrips are essential to a personal defense gun. I come on target much faster. I have greater confidence my round is going where I want it to go and above all my eyes are on the target.

I still shoot iron sight at the range but any situational training has the laser on

 

[Natty Bumpo]

I bought a set of CT's on a whim for a 442 Smith J frame. I find that I can shoot the snubby revolver better at the range without the laser. There is something about looking at the dot rather than the front sight that I cannot get used to. I am perhaps too disciplined in the "focus on the front" sight to be open minded enough to adapt to the CT laser as it is mounted on the revolver. I also find the dot distracting and it slows down my draw and fire time too much when "point shooting" with this particular close-range-only weapon.

I also find that with of the laser beams grip designs, like the CT's, for example, the beam itself is blocked out by the proper placement of the trigger finger on frame. I find that very disconcerting. I default to my training and my finger blocks out the laser. So the kinds of lasers that are mounted in the guide rod area of the auto pistol may have an advantage over the grip-mounted ones in this regard.

I do find lasers very useful for dry firing practice. I bought a CT for my wife's SD pistol, for her use in the home at night. I consider them pretty useful for the occasional, minimally-trained shooter (like my wife) in a low light SD application. I prefer night sights myself.

I will say that the Crimson Trace product is very good quality and I have had no problems of any sort with two sets of CT grip types that I own.

 

[numbnutz]

Personally I think a laser can do more damage than good in a defense situation.

1. being there is the possibility of distracting yourself or getting to caught up with where the beam is.

2. If you can see the end of the beam it usually means that the person on the other end can see the beginning, if you think about the way you hold your pistol the little red dot on your gun is going to give away your dead center body mass. Just my 2 cents- Jason

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I have the LG-626 on a Glock 26 and like it, plus CT has outstanding customer service and they are local (wilsonville). I lost the little allen wrench for adjusting the laser and simply emailed them to ask what size it was. They mailed me 3 extra allen wrenches, 2 sets of batteries, extra pins and cleaning swabs.
It is a good training tool to make sure your POA isn't shifting during trigger pull and is good if you need to shoot from retention without having time to bring the gun up or extend it if you are close enough for a gun grab. It seem to hold zero well and doesn't add noticeable thickness to the gun (it does add a little thickness but hasn't been an issue with my CTAC holster). I do keep using the front sight to shoot from normal shooting positions because I don't want to become dependent on any electrical devices.
I am unsure about the lasermax (other one that I was considering) because if it fails, so can the gun, although I haven't heard of this happening. The rear sight model looks like it could get knocked around too much and adds weight to the slide.

 

[LibertyorDeath]

Lasers need batteries and batteries die.
Night sights are radioactive, they last 15 years or longer.
The laser dot can disappear in bright light.
The laser beam on someone's chest is a good indicator of where the bullet will hit them.
Good lasers are more expensive than night sights or even a Night sight/TLR3 combo.
Even if you have a laser you still should train mostly with iron sights.