In short, I only care for CT grips, and out of those, I don't care for their Glock options, and their HK option is not relevant to me (and I also don't care for it). My 1911s have it, and I hope CT makes something grip-activated for P30.
In short, I only care for CT grips, and out of those, I don't care for their Glock options, and their HK option is not relevant to me (and I also don't care for it). My 1911s have it, and I hope CT makes something grip-activated for P30.
They certainly help for little guns and low light when properly used.
The key is proper usage. I've seen too many people think the laser is a substitute for fundamentals and fail with it.
For the Glock users, anyone try the LG 436? My brother has been running one and likes it. I've yet to break down and get one, but I may have to liberate it from him and try it for a while. It seems like it would be the ticket for a laser on a Glock if you're not running a light. All of the other CTC designs either make the gun too fat for my hands or have wandering zero issues.
From running the Armed Movement in Structures (AMIS) coursework I can tell you that what I see during the low light portion is that lasers and WMLs offer a decisive advantage in a low-light structure gunfight, when the technology is understood and used appropriately. My friend Claude Werner, who was the chief instructor at the Rogers Shooting school for 5+ years audited my coursework this year for peer review and watched several of the final FoF evolutions. His remark was that a laser allowed an average to better than average shooter the ability to make hits on partially exposed targets that he would have had a hard time making on a good day. That coming from an orthodox Mod-Iso/sighted fire instructor at his level tells me something as to the value of lasers.
I can't imagine not having one on a housegun.
Did CT help you at all with zero issues? I've ran their grips since 2006, multiple units. I had one die after 4 years of use, but never had issues with zero. All of them were mounted on 45 ACP 1911s, with attendant recoil and concussion.
About a week ago, during low-light portion of pistol class, I had to turn my off. Part of it was to practice without it since not all my pistols have them; part of it was that it was making things so easy that I didn't feel challenged.
"For a moment he felt good about this. A moment or two later he felt bad about feeling good about it. Then he felt good about feeling bad about feeling good about it and, satisfied, drove on into the night."
-- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy --
Attempting to use the WML as an aiming reference rarely works out well. It would only be useful as an aiming point at the sort of ranges where you're trying to shoot someone who is literally on top of you.
As for lasers themselves...like SouthNarc said: You can make shots with a laser that you couldn't make with any other sighting method. Once you figure them out they are much faster and much easier to use than traditional sights. I can shoot faster and with greater accuracy using a laser in low light than I can with irons in bright light.
Lasers can help tell you where your POI is wandering over the target, and identify flinches.
One thing to keep in mind - as soon as the gunsmoke hits the air, the laser can be traced directly back to you. If there's one assailant and there's already a hole in his chest before the smoke hits the air, not an issue. But if there's more than one, or if you miss, it might be an issue.
Praise be to the LORD my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
-Psalm 144:1
The only scenarios I would use a laser in are times when it is impossible to get to full extension to get a sight picture. If you're arm/head is trapped, or if you're in a severely confined space like a closet or a cave. Though I don't place much value on the practice of unsighted point shooting, I still feel confident in my ability to get hits without a laser in this arm/head trapped, can't make a full press out scenario.
Personally that narrows it down to spelunking, and as I do very little of that, I see no need for a laser.
There might be use for one on a long-gun in a maritime setting, doing DMR work from a helicopter while another team is inserting, or something similar, purely as an intimidation factor (as the laser will be off with high-angle shooting), but, personally, I never take the stance of posturing being an acceptable tactic.