Are LASERS on Handguns a Good Idea?

The Mp 2.0 with built in crimson trace is great. No movement like aftermarket add ons.

What distance do you zero the lazer at?

I don’t utilize a laser on any pistol I have or currently carry. However, I have a ton of training with lasers on pistols and actual experience with my taser that has a laser. My short answer don’t use a laser, long answer to follow.

While using a taser is not the same as a pistol, it is very similar in a couple of ways. One, it is fired, and utilized at ranges (less than 20 feet) that almost all shootings with pistols take place. Two, many of my taser deployments were from a holster and very quick in high stress situations, which almost all pistol shootings are. If I ever have time to plan I grab any weapon other than a pistol.

I can only recall 2 times out of over 50 documented taser deployments I have had, that I used or remember the laser. Both the laser was not necessary, but because of extended time on target before deployment I focused on laser.

Bottom line practice good fundamentals, and don’t worry about a laser, it will only let you down if you are counting on it.

I agree with you orthodox shooting situations and no light environment, but don’t think it’s worth having for those limited situations.

I have a laser by Armalaser on my Beretta 92FS. It is unique in that there are two contacts where your middle finger would be on the grip. You do not change your grip on the weapon in the least. If you want to pick up the weapon with the laser off you simply move your middle finger up a little across the trigger guard and it is off. If you want it off constantly, there is a 3 position switch on the bottom which turns it off completely, pulses it when you touch the contacts or turns it on constantly when activated.

Addressing some of the cons…………….why in the hell would you use a laser in DAYLIGHT? That is why you have IRON SIGHTS. Slower than red dots or irons sights, I call total bullshit on that one. As far as giving away your location consider what situations you are likely to be using it. For most lasers, unless the target is within a +/- 20º cone of you, your laser will not be visible. As far as insanely hard to keep zeroed I again call bullshit. Since getting my Armalaser I have probably out 800 rounds through my Beretta. And it is STILL in line with my iron sights at 20m.

No, unless you are a noob.

I tried a GoPro Sessions on a Glock rail to shoot around a corner but the bluetooth to the phone was too much to deal with. The field was too wide also. I want a real corner-shot.

Don't buy lasers. Phasers are coming. Mr. G has been developing them for the last 20 years.
Once they are released to the Big Green Machine the public will see them but you will need some deep pockets.

Next video idea. Dad jokes at the range or in class. Like a compilation of them. Would be great to see. We love the dad jokes John, no matter what anyone tell ya!

I say Lasers are even better for untrained shooters… u want them to hit the target right? . or increase their odds right? Or is self defense ONLY for you experts. Geez… I guess you guys think tech in weapons is not good .. go back to sling shots then…

Personally, I feel they teach bad habits. You're learning to point and chase a dot instead of learning to aim and focus on a sight picture. Sure, they could aid someone in some circumstances, especially a professional… but I think the odds are greater that they get the average Joe killed, especially in the daytime or a well lit area.

Thank you sire!

I just wanna be me, but with a hat pin.

You mean the bullets on target but the lasers off correct?

Draw, Point, Shoot and Pray! These are the 4 things you need to do in a self defense situation but using a Laser in a gun fight is not needed at all, just another expensive piece of junk to add to your firearm. Maybe just maybe if you happen to work in the dark and you need night vision or something like that in a military or police tactical situation, then YES you need night sights or a Laser for your weapon but if you carry a small handgun for self defense only then you will NOT EVER need a Laser on your handgun when you go shopping at K-Mart! Night sights and Lasers are for those who require them for their work but if you feel good and secure having these expensive hunks of junk on your little .380, then by all means go for it and Good Luck!

Basically more stuff the better but best thing is training.

I've got a cheap $15 American made laser on my AK and it has held zero after hundreds of rounds to my surprise. I did have issues with it though and I had to solder it to fix it after a few hundred, but after I did it has been perfect since

Sixth Pro: Escalation of Force/Intimidation

"Recently on the U.S. border with Mexico, a Border Patrol officer was caught with no backup while facing an angry mob of illegal aliens bent on crossing into the United States.

…

It had to be obvious to the crowd that the officer was pointing his firearm at them. They were spread out in front and had an unimpeded view of him. But crowd mentality had taken over.

…

The supervisor's weapon was equipped with a set of Crimson Trace Laser Grips. As he scanned the approaching crowd with his sights, he paused on one of the crowd, stopping the man dead in his tracks.

The young Mexican man looked at the tiny glowing ruby red dot on his chest, let out a yelp, jumped into the air, turned around, ran a zig-zag pattern back to the fence and disappeared under it.

…

A few days later at the processing center, one of the officers recognized one of the first illegals to bolt back when illuminated. Curious as to why the suspect did not respond when he was pointing his weapon at him and why he did respond when he saw the laser, the officer took him aside and questioned the man about his actions.

The illegal alien told him that early in the incident he had the comfort of the crowd. He never realized the officer''s gun was pointed directly at him, and it was only after he was singled out by that red dot, that it occurred to him he could die right there and right then. The sobering effect of being starkly confronted with the fact that, within a second or two, a bullet could enter his body right where that little dot was glowing brought his mortality into crystal clarity and overcame the crowd mentality."

https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/articles/94748-The-great-persuader-The-little-red-dot-of-a-laser-sight-can-stop-the-bad-guy-right-in-his-tracks/

John great works You do I learn a lot? But a laser sucks !!!! It never hold true!!!!! I have try many types and other types of guns. They still SUCK!!!! Red dot 100 times better!!!!!! GO TRUMP!!!!!

Good post but you left out the useful effect it has when you light up the bad guys chest.

WTF is that brick he holds up when he says “red dot!?”

Can I say that I'd rather not?

What…..the hell….is that at 2:47???

I would have designed the laser above the flashlight to keep it as close to the bore as possible.

To his her own. Lasers are good for quick target acquisition or possible low light situations. They aren't for precision shooting, they are soley for rough bullet placement. I place it on the center of the target and I know I'm going to hit it. It's good for shooting from the hip, close combat fighting, or issues aquiring the sights.

If we can put them on sharks then we can put them on guns

THEY SHOULD NEVER BE USED FOR PRECISION SHOTS ANYWAY. THEY ARE AN "ASSIST" GADGET

I STARTED USING "OSPREY" GREEN LASERS. THEY HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY NO QUESTIONS ASKED AND ARE THE BRIGHTEST IVE EVER SEEN. THEY LOOK LIKE IR POINTERS LOL

I feel they create bad habits. People who don’t have a lot of experience tend to look at the dot and not the target it’s actually on.

What's your thoughts are the new surefire ir laser/illuminator? I think its called the xvl2? Steiner has their dbal pl for a while.

Great video John! Would love to see a video of you explaining your thoughts on what to consider when you tell your friends why you carry and why you would appreciate it not to be announced to everyone, you're the man!

I’ve seen strobe lasers. What the heck is that about? 🤨

I agree with your pros and cons. There is another con I discovered in a low light shooting class at an indoor range. They shut down the exhaust system in the range so we could experience gunsmoke in low light. You don't really notice gunsmoke in full light, but in the dark, even one or two shots creates an effect that your flashlight is trying to shine through a thick fog. It also makes the laser look like a Star Wars lightsaber, I'm not kidding. It is very distracting and not conducive to accuracy at all. Along with the other cons you mentioned, that class convinced me to take the lasers off my guns. Night sights and gun mounted lights yes, Lasers, no.

Pro, assailant $#!++!NG themselves when they see the laser light on their chest. LOL

I have a laser on my nightstand gun. I wear progressive lens glasses and I figure if a bad guy kicks in the front door in the middle of the night, I probably will not have time to fumble with eye glasses. Without glasses, sights on a weapon are a fuzzy blur, but that laser dot stands out like a neon sign. I have the ArmaLaser with grip activation. Using a normal grip, your hand makes contact with the sensor and turns the laser on.. About as automatic as you can get.

I also had a laser on a snub nose revolver prior to the ArmaLaser. These were the type in which you had to depress a button to turn the laser on. The button was in the grips and due to my large hands, it was located in the "crook" of my middle finger as I gripped the weapon. Sometimes laser would activate and sometimes it would not. My wife with her smaller hands has no problem with this setup. It now resides in her night stand.

Bottom line, lasers have their place. They are useful in certain circumstances. A low light situation in which the shooter has diminished sight capabilities is one of those scenarios.

John have you had any experience with guide rod lasers? Some say they're cool and pretty accurate, even though theyre expensive, others say its pointless.

What about laser pistols? Pew pew. Thanks for the vid!