Does a laser help you shoot better?

They teach bad habits.

Use the laser at home. Pick a spot on a wall. Something you can focus on, and dryfire while the laser is pointing at the dot. It'll show you how poor/good your trigger pull is.
Though a dime on the front sight will do that.. for 10 cents.

On the range, it tends to teach you to limp wrist and use a poor grip/stance/breathing.
 
msnively said:
They teach bad habits.

Use the laser at home. Pick a spot on a wall. Something you can focus on, and dryfire while the laser is pointing at the dot. It'll show you how poor/good your trigger pull is.
Though a dime on the front sight will do that.. for 10 cents.

On the range, it tends to teach you to limp wrist and use a poor grip/stance/breathing.
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree with you. You learn to put the red dot where you want to shoot with a laser, and think the bullet will magically go there, but really there is no substitute for proper shooting discipline: stance, grip, front site, front sight, breathe, squeeze that trigger and wait for the bang while you are on that front sight.....a laser makes you lazy imo. That is not to say it doesn't have a place, but not for any shooting I'll be doing any time soon.
 
They are extremely helpful while using nods since you will not be able to focus on your pistols sights at all and an IR laser or Red dot are the only way to be able to aim the handgun. Any other time they aren't super useful for most people because they try to use them to circumvent proper pistol marksmanship technique.
 
Talked with one on the guys at a range/gun store years ago. He was telling me how they had a lot of second hand lasers for sale. It seems that guys would come in and spend gobs of money getting a crimson trace, or other laser installed on their guns. Then on the range the laser would show how shaky they actually were, with it moving all over the target. The more they concentrated on the laser rather than the target, the more it would jump around. Many brought their guns in a few weeks after to have the lasers removed

They do have their place with proper training, but are intended more for the quick off-hand shot that has to be made. They are not a substitute for trigger time, and good habits
 
Bought one of those cheap Chinese jobs for dry fire practice with my P226 - helped a lot there with my trigger control.
 
BillD said:
Bought one of those cheap Chinese jobs for dry fire practice with my P226 - helped a lot there with my trigger control.
Click to expand...

That's actually not a half bad idea, I might give this a try actually. Probably give a better indication of how much the firearm actually moves when squeezing the trigger.
 
Necro thread revival.

I've recently been considering getting a laser. Crimson Trace probably.

I've got Diabetic Macular Edema in both eyes. It's treated monthly with injections. My dominant left is still 20/20 with contacts. My weaker right eye is screwed though. There's a patch at my point of focus (actually very slightly offset high right) about the size of a loonie held 18" in front of my face, with severe distortions, overlapping and blind spots. Outside that patch the vision is still crystal clear. Yesterday it tested 20/70 with contacts in. I can only see letters on the eye chart by finding a sweet spot outside the bad patch but close enough to the point of focus to read.

Up 'til now my shooting is unaffected. But I think the day is not far off when it will be. My depth perception is definitely suffering. So I'm thinking a laser might buy me some extra years of shooting.
 
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Apart from militatry applications (and we're talking IR here), lasers aren't practical.

Even the steadiest of hands can't hold a gun without some shaking (the body isn't made for absolute steadiness), with iron sights it's pretty much non-apparent, but the laser makes it jump at you and distract you, not good. The "dark shooting" argument is invalid, if it's too dark to see the iron sights, you're not seeing what you're shooting at well enough to make a proper shooting decision, this is where a light comes in and then the laser is useless because now you can use your iron sights.


A pistol light is what you should be getting if you think you might need a laser.
 
There are light conditions where the sight gets washed out and it is not practical to use you own light or it just doesn't work . If you need to shoot around a shield you also want to have a laser.
 
The only thing I have found a laser good for is demonstrating how badly people unintentionally sweep the range when handling :eek:

M
 
Just shot a lights and lasers match. Illumination only when actually engaging the targets, otherwise darkness. 120rds pistol @ 10m. in various matches. Hand held light; weapon mounted light; weapon mounted light and laser. 40rds rifle @ 100, 75, 50 and 25m. Prone, sitting, kneeling, standing. 160 rounds total. Shot 150 5s, 10 4s. 790x800, 96 Vs. Same targets as used in daylight. Groups and scores not much different than in daylight.
A laser is a very effective aiming device. It is also a very effective training device. A weapon mounted light is also very effective.
 
For most the money you spend on a laser would be better spent on one of the following:

1. An instructional CD from a recognized trainer. Bob Vogel has one out for IDPA, there are others for all the sports.
or
2. Personal Instruction from a local instructor on the basics then 1. above
or
3. Ammunition and practice then either 1, or 2, above.

If you have to spend an inordinate amount of time learning how to use a laser you might be better off spend in the same amount of time learning how to use your iron sights. Aside from very limited - almost none - civilian applications I just can't see spending money on a laser.

Just an opinion and remember you didn't pay for it.

Take Care

Bob
ps Fun to drive your house cat crazy chasing the laser on the floor though....don't ask!
 
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