Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews
  • Guns
    • Rifles
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Specialty Guns
    • Custom Guns
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
    • Rifle Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
      • Night Vision
      • Thermal Vision
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
  • Gear
    • Ears & Eyes
    • Knives
    • Apparel
    • Tactical-Gear
    • Storage
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
    • Less Lethal
  • Lifestyle
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
    • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range
    • Training
    • First Aid
    • Pop Culture
    • History
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews
  • Guns
    • Rifles
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Specialty Guns
    • Custom Guns
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
    • Rifle Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
      • Night Vision
      • Thermal Vision
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
  • Gear
    • Ears & Eyes
    • Knives
    • Apparel
    • Tactical-Gear
    • Storage
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
    • Less Lethal
  • Lifestyle
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
    • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range
    • Training
    • First Aid
    • Pop Culture
    • History
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews
No Result
View All Result
 
ENTER TO WIN > Free Gun Friday for your chance to WIN the SIG Sauer P320 AXG Legion and Black Hills HoneyBadger Ammo

A Laser Sight for Home Defense, Does it Make Sense?

Caleb Giddings by Caleb Giddings
February 2, 2023
in Accessories, Lasers & Lights
0
A visible laser sight is a valuable tool for home defense
1
SHARES
3.7k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

I saw a post on Facebook the other day by a Gen Z gun owner talking about how no one should use a laser sight for home defense or self defense. It blew my mind, because I realized that in my lifetime we’ve gone from weapon mounted lasers being highly regarded by serious professionals to being viewed as fudd-tier garbage. How did that happen?

A Brief Look into the Past of the Laser Sight

Visible laser sighting systems have been around for a really long time. The first time a lot of people saw a laser sight would have been in the first Terminator movie in 1984. Laser Products Corporation, which later became Surefire, custom-made the laser fitted to the 1911 used by the Terminator. 

Obviously, the military was developing laser technology for all sorts of uses. On the civilian/concealed carry side, the biggest driver of laser technology was Crimson Trace. Crimson Trace started business in 1994. Eventually they launched their product that changed the defensive laser sights market: the Crimson Trace Lasergrips. By this time Surefire had become Surefire, and was also producing laser aiming devices. But the Lasergrips were the most influential product for civilian consumers.

Visible Laser Sights in the Early Global War on Terror

Fast forward a few years and it’s the mid 2000s. The GWOT is in full swing. Very serious people who shoot bad people in the face professionally at attaching Crimson Trace Lasergrips to their M9s and Sig P-series pistols. The Crimson Trace laser sight designed for J-frames allows shooters to make far more precise hits in compromised lighting conditions than regular small revolver sights. 

The Ruger GP100 with Lasergrips is a good choice for home defense

In 2008 I get invited to a media event sponsored by Crimson Trace to demonstrate the utility of Lasergrips in a civilian context. Taught by professional shooter Todd Jarrett, I’ll say that it worked. I certainly understood that in certain contexts, a laser sight made sense.

What Advantages Do Visible Laser Sights Have?

Interestingly, a visible laser aiming device has many of the same advantages as a mini-red dot sight (RDS). It allows the user to utilize target focus aiming. In side by side tests, users with lasers have faster first hits and more precise shot groups than users with just iron sights. 

That’s not to say that a laser doesn’t have drawbacks. The greatest drawback is that lasers aren’t visible in all lighting conditions. Outdoors in direct sunlight, many visible lasers are hard to see. The advances in green laser technology help this somewhat. However, a visible laser will be inferior to a red dot sight in direct light.

So What Happened?

But if visible lasers, and especially the Crimson Trace Lasergrips were so good, what happened? How is that if you post about your new laser aiming device on your defensive firearm, people will tell you that lasers are pointless fudd-garbage?

Two things, I think. The first is that the technological development on red dot sights outpaced visible lasers significantly. If you buy a Beretta 92 and put Lasergrips on it, those grips are pretty similar to the ones you could have bought in 2009. Red dot sights have gone through a revolution and are reliable, plentiful, and easily understood. And as mentioned above, the drawback of losing the laser sight in bright light isn’t a concern with a decent red dot sight.

The second thing that happened was that lasers became the victims of their own marketing success. People would buy a laser sight, regardless of the brand because they believed it would fix their fundamental marksmanship problems. For instance, I was in a class around 2011 where the gentleman on the line next to me had some kind of micro-compact 1911 clone and an off-brand Chinesium laser. Each string of fire he’d center the laser on the target, and then FLINCH so hard you could see the dot drag itself low-left before the gun went off. He couldn’t understand why the “laser didn’t work” because he didn’t have the marksmanship skills to realize he had a wicked flinch.

As a result, the current generation of gun owners has entered a space where defensive handguns have mature red dot sight technology. Meanwhile, visible laser sights are associated with a lack of fundamentals and poor quality guns.

Using a Laser Sight for Home Defense

The Viridian E-Series Green Laser sight is visible up to 2 miles in darkness.

Are laser sights good for home defense? Yes, they’re fine. Let’s list some of the benefits again in case you missed them. A laser allows you, the shooter, to keep your eyes on the threat. Lasers allows for faster target acquisition and faster follow up shots. It allows you to fire accurate shots in diminished lighting conditions. It also allows you to fire accurate shots if you’re in a position where you can’t see the sights, like laying on your side.

Here are somethings lasers won’t do. First and foremost, a handgun laser, just like a red dot sight, will not fix fundamental flaws in your marksmanship. If you flinch, if you have a bad grip and no recoil control, a laser won’t fix that. Secondly, a laser won’t “give away your position” in a home invasion. Unless Navy SEALs are sneaking through your house, you yelling “I have a gun and I’m calling the cops” should have already given away your position. Third, a laser won’t scare your target away. If you believe that, you probably believe that the sound of a pump action shotgun scares bad guys into pooping their pants. It doesn’t. 

Lastly, a laser won’t ID your target. It doesn’t cast enough light to be a substitution for turning the lights on, or using a white light. Plus, if your laser is on something, that means your gun is pointing at it. I’m pretty sure there’s something in the 4 Rules about not pointing guns at stuff you don’t want to kill.

Lasers are Still Viable

There are quality laser products on the market, and as mentioned they do offer advantages. In my opinion, they’re best employed on guns that for various reasons cannot mount a red dot sight. Small revolvers and other types of small frame pistol, 1911s, many Berettas, etc are all perfectly reasonable platforms for products like the Crimson Trace Lasergrip. Surefire’s combo light/laser products are also excellent choices, albeit a bit more bulky than the Lasergrip. 

I recognize that this article is a little bit “old man yells at clouds.” However, I was shocked to discover that an entire generation of up and coming gun owners had no idea about the work that went into developing visible laser sights, or their benefits for shooters in many situations. 

Didn't find what you were looking for?

CLICK HERE FOR COMMENTS

RELATED POSTS

Chinese silencer fakes comprise a major problem for law enforcement and shooters.

Fed Up With Fakes: Feds Take on Chinese-Made Silencer Knockoffs

The X-Vision Optics Impact 300 Thermal Scope TS300.

Long-Range Detection with X-Vision Optics Thermal Scope TS300

The modular PWS BDE 556 Suppressor performs in testing.

PWS BDE 556 Suppressor: Modular Can Built for AR Use

The Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44 FFP Riflescope.

The Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18×44 FFP Riflescope

Load More

WATCH NOW: TACTICAL-LIFE’s RELOADING ZONE

Discussion about this post

FEATURED POST

Chinese silencer fakes comprise a major problem for law enforcement and shooters.

Fed Up With Fakes: Feds Take on Chinese-Made Silencer Knockoffs

The ads appear on social media sites advertising firearms silencers and, for many, the price seems just too good to...

Read more

TRENDING

New Jersey LEOSA, federal law

Big Court Win for New Jersey LEOSA Permits

...

The Dicken Drill is named for Eli Dicken who saved many lives in the Greenwood Mall

The Elisjsha Dicken Drill

...

U.S. Secret Service adopts Glock G47

FIRST LOOK: Glock Just Very Quietly Unveiled the New Glock 47 Pistol

...

Police Sidearms, police duty pistols, Handguns, America's Largest Police Departments 2018

Police Sidearms: The Handguns of America’s 10 Largest Departments

...

PICK A CATEGORY

TACTICS & TRAINING SPOTLIGHT

CMP surplus ammunition.

CMP Surplus Ammo Coming Soon in M2 Ball, .30 Carbine & More

Some big news for trigger pullers recently from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. A wide selection of CMP surplus ammo will...

TACTICS & TRAINING SHOWCASE

Active School Shooter Training: 14 Key Points to Consider

Active School Shooter Training: 14 Key Points to Consider

Tactical Reload Semi-Auto Pistol Step 8

5 Strategies For Effectively Completing a Tactical Reload

The Colt CBX Precision Rifle ushers in a new era in colt bolt-gun offerings.

FIRST LOOK: Colt CBX Precision Chassis Rifle Ready to Compete & Win

Fact vs. Fiction 5 Myths Gunfight Survival lead

5 Common Myths on How to Survive a Gunfight

Standing Your Ground Castle Doctrine lead

Understanding Stand Your Ground Laws and Castle Doctrine

long distance shooting tips

Long-Distance Shooting: 5 Must-Know Tips For Spotters & Shooters

IMPACT Experience Events.

IMPACT Experience Events Redefine Your Long-Range Shooting Limits

Enhance your shooting precision skills in a course with Modern Day Sniper.

Sniper Skills: Taking Your Shooting Precision to the Next Level

Once you find a carry gun that works for you, get another for a spare. These “hammerless” S&W J-frame lightweights are M340 M&P with Hogue Bantam grips, top, and a M442 Airweight with Crimson Trace Lasergrips, below.

10 Commandments of Concealed Carry

AMMO SPOTLIGHT

The Rock River Arms RBG-1S.

Rocking Out: Going Long Range with the Rock River Arms RBG-1S

Spotter up. Steel silhouette at 1,075 yards. Half-value wind, hold right edge. Send it. The shooter presses the trigger, and...

site logo
Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun news, gun reviews and gun magazines for gun enthusiasts, military and law enforcement

Tactical

  • tactical-life.com

Magazines

  • Tactical Life
  • The Complete Book of Reloading
  • Guns of the Old West

Facebook

  • Tactical-Life Facebook
  • Guns of the Old West Facebook

Twitter

  • Tactical-Life Twitter

Self Defense

  • PersonalDefenseWorld.com

Magazines

  • Personal Defense World
  • Combat Handguns

Facebook

  • Personal Defense World Facebook
  • Combat Handguns

Twitter

  • Personal Defense World Twitter

Shooting Lifestyle

  • BallisticMag.com

Magazines

  • BallisticMag.com

Facebook

  • Ballistic Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Ballistic Magazine Twitter

Alpha Lifestyle

  • SkillsetMag.com

Magazines

  • Skillset

Facebook

  • Skillset Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Skillset Magazine Twitter

Instagram

  • Skillset Magazine Instagram
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
© Athlon Outdoors, All Rights Reserved.
You use of this website constitutes and manifests your acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and awareness of the California Privacy Rights. Pursuant to U.S. Copyright law, as well as other applicable federal and state laws, the content on this website may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, without the prior, express, and written permission of Athlon Outdoors.

Manage your GDPR consents by clicking here. Manage your CCPA consents by clicking here.
No Result
View All Result
  • Guns
    • Rifles
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Specialty Guns
    • Custom Guns
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
    • Rifle Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
      • Night Vision
      • Thermal Vision
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Gear
    • Ears & Eyes
    • Knives
    • Apparel
    • Tactical-Gear
    • Knives
    • Storage
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
    • Less Lethal
  • Lifestyle
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
    • competition-shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range
    • Training
    • First Aid
    • Survival
    • Pop Culture
    • History
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Contact Us

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.