laser or light...or neither

[kpschmid1]

I've had my xd 9mm sub compact for awhile now and i wanted to maybe buy a laser or light for on the rail. I don't know if it is worth the investment. I just wanted to know what other people feel about it for home defense. I really would like the get the lasermax for the xd, and maybe a cheap light too. but if i spend that much money i should just get another pistol. any suggestions of cheap, but decent lasers and lights would be very helpful.

thanks

[PirateSteve]

If you can hang a light from your handgun, I think it's a wise investment. Lasers are very nice too, but I think a light is more important overall. If you find yourself in the dark, you won't be able to figure out what to point a laser at.

Before you make a final decision though, what are you using your handgun for? If you're carrying it, you'd need a holster that can hold the gun / light combo. If you're going to use it for home defense, it's very wise to have a light along with your gun. If you're just target shooting, go with the laser before the light.

[son of the revolution]

I've had my xd 9mm sub compact for awhile now and i wanted to maybe buy a laser or light for on the rail. I don't know if it is worth the investment. I just wanted to know what other people feel about it for home defense. I really would like the get the lasermax for the xd, and maybe a cheap light too. but if i spend that much money i should just get another pistol. any suggestions of cheap, but decent lasers and lights would be very helpful.

thanks

There's not really any such thing as " cheap but good " , its a fact of life. Do you really want to potentially trust your life to something you got from Cheaper Then Dirt ? Personally I run a light/laser combo. The light itself can be a weapon itself, blinding a potential adversary. One of the drawbacks of using a light for illumination is that, lets say your checking your house after a " bump in the night ", well, your weapon is going to be pointed at whatever your light is pointed at , and that makes some people leery. Much like a laser , a light can also reveal your position, for this reason some people prefer a seperate handheld flashlight like a SureFire that they can hold in their off hand and use seperate from the weapon. There are several techniques to doing this such as The Harris Technique , The Rodgers Technique, The FBI Hold , etc.


A laser also has its pro's and con's. Some are concerned that a laser can in certain circumstances like fog ,dust,etc track right back to you as the full length of the beam becomes visible , showing your opponenet where you are. Personally I think that concern is far outweighed by the benefits , but it is a reality.

A laser will also allow you to ensure that your on target if forced to shoot from an awkward angle/position, if your injured, etc. If your behind cover, a laser can let you get on target without exposing your self as much as if you had to use strictly iron sights. Its also a good training tool, almost like a bio feedback device , with a laser , as you hold on target and acquire your sight picture, you'll quickly see if your hand is trembling the slightest bit , how your breathing strokes effect your point of aim/point of impact , etc.

I actually found a handheld light a couple weeks ago at my local shop that is a super bright LED light , that has a laser built into the center of the lense. It has a crennallated trim ring for use as an impact weapon and a push button tailcap. Depending on how many times I click the cap, I can select from light, laser, light with laser or "strobe light effect ". Its in my pocket every time I leave the house. Its so bright, the other night I was using it to look for something in my bedroom after my wife had been asleep for quite some time ( figured I'd be polite and use my light instead of using the room lights) , well she practically hit the ceiling from a sound sleep just from me flicking on the light, and it wasnt even aimed anywhere in her direction.

Save the money and buy a quality product, to borrow a phrase from one of my favorite manufacturer's . " In a World of Compromise , some Don't"

Hope this helps

[Jettagls00]

I have a laser on my walther and I think it is much better than a light. If it ever came down to having to use it in a defense situation i like the ability to point and shoot and not have to worry about aiming down the sights.

You can always just keep an LED light next to the gun and pick up both. One good thing about the LED lights is that if you shine the light in the eyes of an intruder you will most likely blind them for a few seconds giving you the opportunity to line up the laser and take care of business.

[Lycanthrope]

Neither for home defense.

Lasers are a lot slower for me than night sights and I don't want anything announcing my position. I know the house.....they don't....I want to keep that edge. I'm holing up with the phone and watching the one extrance way to my lair.

If I had to search a house for any reason I would consider a light.....as long as it didn't mess up the balance of the gun.

Lycanlasersareanichesightingmethodthrope

[Kb! Bob]

Nightsights only.....and ALWAYS

[03scf250]

I know the house.....they don't....I want to keep that edge. I'm holing up with the phone and watching the one extrance way to my lair.

If I had to search a house for any reason I would consider a light.....as long as it didn't mess up the balance of the gun.

I agree with this 100% I know the layout in the dark they won't. Besides that they'll be busy trying to get the dog off of them. I do have a mini led light that I have shot with in my left hand by resting right hand with pistol on the back of left wrist. Not quite as accurate as 2 hands on gun but in close quarters will definately be fine.

[24/7dude]

another vote for night sites for home defense.

Laser over the flashlight for concealed carry for reasons stated by son.

[kpw]

Your money would be much better spent on more ammo and training. Hell of a lot more fun as well.
Hand held lights are a lot more useful than weapon mounted lights. Try not to go cheap, good lights pay for themselves in the long run.

[GRIZ]

Nightsights only.....and ALWAYS

You need a light to id your target and then use nightsights to engage.

Gun mounted lights are nice but not essential.

Lasers have their place and AFAIK those places are very few. Many buy a laser thinking it will make up for bad basic techniques.