LaserLyte training devices

[Philbert]

Santa was kind enough to bring me some goodies from LaserLyte:

Trainer Target Laser - TLB-1

Trainer Pistol Full-Size - LT-TT

Trainer Pistol Universal - LT-PRO


I like it so far but I'm not sure that the target is worth the money. The laser is visible on the target as you shoot, so you get that instant feedback. The target records the laser strikes so you can see your grouping after a few shots, if you care about that. It runs on 3 AA batteries.

They sell another target that lights up at random intervals, so you can practice reacting to that prompt. Seems like more fun to me, but I haven't tried it.


The laser itself is this thing



The black plug on the end is made of plastic and screws into the end of the device, you have to turn the screw just enough to splay the plastic just right - too much and it won't fit into a barrel, too little and it will be loose.

The laser is sound activated, it listens for the click of a hammer or striker and then shoots out a laser for half a second or so. It can be activated accidentally while handling it or the firearm, so be careful of where it's pointed.

One slightly annoying thing is that the noise sensor is always on, so you have to unscrew the cap and remove or insulate the batteries after each use - so keep the little baggies that come with it, you can use them to put all the parts back in. It takes tiny button batteries - two sets ship with the device.

Another drawback to the barrel device is that is that the point of aim can be slightly off, and there's no easy way to adjust it. You can try tiny adjustments to the screw, or removing and reinserting the laser, but this is a matter of trial and error, and anyway your calibration will probably be lost when you unscrew the thing to save the battery.

They also sell cartridge-based laser devices that you chamber like a snap cap. These might also be off, I guess, but might be more consistent.

I don't much care for dry firing actual firearms at home, which is why I bought the blue gun. I did a couple of tests just to see how the device worked in a real gun.

First, I tried a Sig P232 Stainless (380 ACP). The laser worked reliably with and without a snap cap in the chamber. With shorter barrels, you might not have space to get both a snap cap and the device in at the same time. With the plastic plug on the end, the overall length of the laser is just over 2 inches. Sometimes the laser would double fire as I released the trigger, because the sound of the trigger reset on the 232 is pretty loud.

It did not work so well with a Smith and Wesson 642 revolver. It does say on the box that you need at least a 2" barrel to make it work, but in reality I think you'd need a 2.5" barrel because even a slight intrusion into the chamber will stop the cylinder from turning. The 642 has a 1 7/8" barrel but the device looked to be more than 1/8" out of the breech when fully inserted. I managed to get it to sort of work sticking slightly out, but oddly it wouldn't fire when the hammer fell, it would fire only on the click of the trigger reset.

With a Glock 19, it worked fine and the point of impact was pretty much dead on. Working the slide after each shot gets old, but I can see it being useful for certain drills. The click of the trigger reset activates the device, so move it off target when doing that.

The training gun is OK, it would be nice if it had adjustable sights. The training gun doesn't have to deal with recoil or be terribly precise, it would just be good to be able to do some gross adjustments to deal with the laser being off by an inch or two.

According to the product's website, "the approximate simulated 5.5 lb. trigger pull has a take up and break action like the real thing but the Trigger Tyme Pistol cannot accept or be fired with any ammunition." I'd say it's about 5 lbs. It's not exactly like the "real thing" but it has enough of a break to require some effort to do while staying steady on target.

One thing that is noted in the manual, which I would like to reiterate, is if you are using this with a real firearm, make sure the laser comes out in one piece! For a 9mm / .38 barrel, the screw is not tightened very far and if you were careless, you might pull out the laser without removing the black plastic bit on the end, creating a potentially dangerous barrel obstruction. I expect this would be less likely with .45 barrels because you'd have to screw the plug further in to get it wide enough to hold the laser in place.

[CHEMICAL]

Their laser bore sighter had the exact same black plastic end on it. You are actually supposed to twist it until it just fits into the barrel and once it's inside twist it a little more to lock it in place. Thanks for the write up, I was wondering about these.

Here's a tip: I have found that to use these things in guns with shorter barrels you can wrap electrical tape around the body of the laser until they fit snug.

[Caspian]

I received the target for Christmas and returned it. Not worth even half of what it costs. Also received this from my awesome wife:
SIRT PRO Pistol
This I feel is worth every penny.

[CHEMICAL]

I received the target for Christmas and returned it. Not worth even half of what it costs. Also received this from my awesome wife:
SIRT PRO Pistol
This I feel is worth every penny.

THAT is something I have been dying to try out!

[Philbert]

I received the target for Christmas and returned it. Not worth even half of what it costs. Also received this from my awesome wife:
SIRT PRO Pistol
This I feel is worth every penny.

That does look good. How's the trigger compared to the real thing?