Laser - yes or no?

**Bang** · March 20th, 2017, 10:37 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 9mm necked up to .45???

**rice rocket** · March 21st, 2017, 03:45 AM

Originally Posted by Gunsnwater

Smith and wesson 640 with crimson trace laser grip. Love it. Button on front of grip is the way to go. Body guard has horrible button position.

I've held the Bodyguard 38, the laser switch in a great position for me...because I'm a lefty.

Same goes for the ambidextrous cylinder release.

Seems like it was a lefty in the company pushing this whole concept, which I am appreciative of. Reloading...well the cylinder still opens to the left so your hand would still be in the way, but baby steps.

**soberbyker** · March 21st, 2017, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Bang

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 9mm necked up to .45???

Was that meant for me? (not sure because the way I have the forum setting my list goes from the bottom of the page up in numbers so it looks like you are pointing to rice rockets answer but he doesn't mention a .45)

If so I don't understand the question.

**KCJones** · March 21st, 2017, 08:02 AM

I have one on my nightstand gun, mounted under the barrel and the 'on' switch is handily on the right/rear of the unit - i.e. right where the end of my finger is when it's off the trigger (my natural position when I first grab a pistol).

It's calibrated to be accurate at 15' which is about the average "across the room" distance inside my home.

I do have tritium night sights too, but in a 'bump in the night' scenario unless I've managed to first grab and put on my glasses, those will just be glowing blurs. But my vision is fine about 3' out and beyond, so the green dot is easy for me to see.

One benefit is ability to still target if shooting from a non-traditional stance & aim position - I consider it mostly an 'aid' to what will likely be an 'instinctive' point and shoot scenario rather than carefully aimed. My feeling is "put dot on target, pull trigger" is my best option for HD in a scenario where I may have just woken up, may not have my glasses, and despite all the training may not be able to take stance, properly position gun, aim, etc.

I use it at the range periodically to ensure it's still on-target and train with it at short distance/unaimed/quick fire scenarios, but other than that don't use it; So issues of outdoor usage, bright sun, longer ranges, etc. aren't relevant for my usage.

My bigger concern is seeing the target at all, not just 'a shape'... I've checked out some dual laser/flashlight units, but the ones I've tried have been quite heavy out on the end of the gun. Currently I have a small LED flashlight next to the gun for 'weak hand' usage. Plus my wife tends to be unsteady on her feet, so we have motion-sensor 'nightlights' scattered throughout the house and typically I can see well enough just with those (plus they're handy for me to tell WHERE someone is moving about...)

Hokkmike · March 21st, 2017, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by KCJones

My bigger concern is seeing the target at all, not just 'a shape'... I've checked out some dual laser/flashlight units, but the ones I've tried have been quite heavy out on the end of the gun. Currently I have a small LED flashlight next to the gun for 'weak hand' usage. Plus my wife tends to be unsteady on her feet, so we have motion-sensor 'nightlights' scattered throughout the house and typically I can see well enough just with those (plus they're handy for me to tell WHERE someone is moving about...)

Have you thought about one of those super-bright flashlights to go with the laser?

**Xringshooter** · March 21st, 2017, 10:03 AM

There are just soooo many different scenerios out there that you really can't say one sighting system is better than the next. I think the firearm you are going to depend on in any situation should be set up for that. If it's a "house gun" that will be used in the middle of the night, will you wake up and be instantly ready and able to focus on the sights, be they tritium or not? Could you quickly get the red dot turned on and acquire the dot before something happens? Is there enough light to be able to ascertain your opponent to get a laser on the target? My HD gun is a SIG P229 with a TLR-2S, I can momentary on and if I see my adversary I can go to the strobe and that can disorient someone pretty easily and still give me good light for a sight picture.

In a SD scenario, the laser can be helpful in that a person just needs to put the dot on the adversary and you can be in almost any position, with either hand and you don't need to worry about getting a sight picture to shoot. If there is time, say a person is approaching you that you sincerely believe they are going to do you harm, pulling the gun and putting the laser dot on them might just deescalate the situation pretty quickly. However, in any situation, if it does deescalate by using the laser, or just by drawing your gun, immediately call 911 and report that someone has accosted you and you were able to drive them off (you don't have to tell them you pulled your gun!!). Remember, the first to report is usually seen as the victim. The BG that ran away may call and say someone pulled a gun on them and they ran away - then YOU are seen as the aggressor.

I would say tailor your firearms/sights to what you might think the situation will require. That may mean multiple firearms set up differently or a single firearm set up differently each time you are doing something.

**Bang** · March 21st, 2017, 11:50 AM

(Bang) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 9mm necked up to .45???

(Soberbyker) Was that meant for me? (not sure because the way I have the forum setting my list goes from the bottom of the page up in numbers so it looks like you are pointing to rice rockets answer but he doesn't mention a .45) If so I don't understand the question.

Wow! Sorry. Never knew the option of setting a thread on its head existed. I was just playing with the photographic anomaly. The bullet looks fatter than the case in the picture. File me under FAIL

**soberbyker** · March 21st, 2017, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Bang

(Bang) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 9mm necked up to .45???

(Soberbyker) Was that meant for me? (not sure because the way I have the forum setting my list goes from the bottom of the page up in numbers so it looks like you are pointing to rice rockets answer but he doesn't mention a .45) If so I don't understand the question.

Wow! Sorry. Never knew the option of setting a thread on its head existed. I was just playing with the photographic anomaly. The bullet looks fatter than the case in the picture. File me under FAIL

Funny, I noticed that too, I've looked at that shot many times before and after posting it here was the first time.

I have my forum settings so the last post is always at the top of the page as well as showing 40 posts per page.

I just have to read comments like you posted dyslectically.