Lazer grip question

I have spent the last few days looking at, and shooting several models of handgun for CC. I have a question for the experienced shooters on here. How big of an advantage is the lazer grip sighting system? Is it the latest gizmo for the mall ninjas, or is it a real benefit to have? I wonder if things ever got as bad as possible if it wouldnt be better to be able fall back on basics, and live another day. I just have a picture in my mind of the dang thing not working the one time I really really needed it to work. I am certainly not against " new" things, especially when we they work, or improve the way something works. But I have to wonder if the lazer is not a "shortcut" for people unwilling to spend the long days and hours attaining proficiency in worst case conditions? I spent a lot of years in an Army Ranger battalion, and we never trained anything on clear sunny days- we always trained in the dark, and usually in the rain or snow. We also faced many simulated equipment failures to replicate what will happen in real life. So anyways is a lazer grip something I should be looking at for a first CCW/defense pistol?

I have mixed feelings on them, I got to try a pair out the other day and they were pretty slick.

I tend to look at it like this, I wouldn't mind having them especially if I had to shoot from non-standard shooting position where point shooting or sighted fire was a no-go.

I also found a pretty good article on the matter that was worth the read.

Looking at lasers: Myth and-Reality

Even if I had them, I would still spend most of my range time using sighted fire / point shooting only using the laser sparingly unless I was totally wowed by them.

I don't think they are a gimmic and as we all get older our eyesight WILL degrade if even a little making them a very attractive option for some.

I agree I wear contacts and I know I like the comfort of having laserlyte rear sight on my Glock if I need that quick left hand shot or low light conditions. To wake up out of a dead sleep and focus on sights is very hard I set an alarm to test this theory and I could not focus on my sights but I could see that red dot like nobodys business.

I have 3 sets of Crimson Trace Laser grips.

I think they are great for very fast target acquisition .

They need to be sighted in for the distance that you plan to shoot them.

Then they are right on every time.:smt023

They are not a toy (if you buy the high quality lasers).

The older my eyes get the more I like them :rolleyes:

My .02

:smt1099

Older eyes and lasers are good things. You do have to practice with a laser the same as you do with a scope on your rifle. You will not miraculuosly become a bulls eye shooter with one but you will with practive be able to find your target more efficently and youcan use it to practice your draw and pointing. i like them.

RCG

I use CT Laser grips on three of my carry weapons.

In my opinion, a person who carries a weapon needs every advantage he can get, and if training is approached with the right attitude, this type of laser sight harms nothing, and may actually give a person the edge they need to survive certain types of attacks. At 58, my distance vision is still almost perfect, but my sights are blurry, without glasses, so the laser is ideal for a situation where my glasses have been knocked off, dropped, or just forgotten.

I do nearly all my live-fire practice with iron sights, so as to not become dependent on the laser. The only practice you need with the laser is holding it stationary on the target throughout your trigger squeeze - no different from the trigger control that is required using standard sights. This can be accomplished quite well with dry-firing exercises, and doing these excercises with the laser will improve your trigger control when using iron sights, also. I shoot a few shots with the laser, just to confirm that it has not 'lost zero,' but other than that, I only do dry-fire practice, because I want to keep myself disciplined to default to the standard sights.

Good information.

I have CT 405s on both my S&W snubs. One for my wife's and one for me. I like them for a couple reasons.
They ease the felt recoil due to their design (nice at the range) and yes for target acquisition you can point and shoot, or you can point and shoot with the laser full well knowing where things are headed. The batteries need to be changed annually whether they need to be or not. Most models except the least expensive have on/off switches for practice in the off mode. Otherwise mine are on full time and they get excercised each night about 10:00 pm, they have NEVER failed to light up in 3 years.

Go to the Crimson Trace website, read the FAQ, watch the video. They are definetely not a gimmick.

My SP101 DAO came with the Crimson Trace built in and for Xmas the wife got me the slip-on CT for my XD40. It fattens up the grip quite a bit but this is the home defense gun and I like having it.

You still want to go to the range and practice with the open sights just so you don't become dependent on the lasersights. They run on batteries, so they could go dead at the worst time. As the eyes get older the lasersights become a big help, but when you are at home. NOTHING BEATS A 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN..... That is from a Instructor's knowledge.

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Originally Posted by coolram04

You still want to go to the range and practice with the open sights just so you don't become dependent on the lasersights. They run on batteries, so they could go dead at the worst time. As the eyes get older the lasersights become a big help, but when you are at home. NOTHING BEATS A 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN..... That is from a Instructor's knowledge.

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10-4 on the shotgun. We have one on BOTH sides of the bed in our house! lol