All posts tagged Laser lights

Red dots, laser grips and how to improve your shooting skills!

crimson trace laser gripsI won’t talk to you like your an amateur and need to have trigger control explained to you but there are many people stopping into our store that have lasers on their guns but still don’t understand how to use them in a defensive manor.  All firearms and accessories are tools that you deploy that can improve your ability or impeed on it.   There are plenty of things you can attach to a firearm that  you think might make your more accurate but many of these devices can slow you down if you don’t train to use them.   We have several Navy Seals stopping in our store with their Glock 17 handguns and use Viridian laser light combos and they speak highly of using the green lasers.   One of the main things they talk about is identifying targets in low light.  For instance, 6 guys break into a house to clear it and lasers come in handy as pointing devices.  Instead of hand gestures or spoken words, a tap of a laser on a wall means “shoot here” or “move here”.

You do have to be very careful about attaching lasers, lights and laser light combos on your gun because I’m a big believer in having holsters for every handgun that you use defensively.   I have sold many of the Desantis Rail Dyers to guys that has the Crimson Trace Laser grips on their firearms because in the event they had to use their Glock 17, Beretta 92FS or Sig 226 late at night, being able to easily re-holster your gun gets easier if you use a holster device like this.   Lasers should be used as on/off tools just like white lights, they can give you away in some situations and make you a target, or they can be tremendous assets to help you win a fight.

Top

Always a debate when it comes to lasers and lights on firearms

crimson trace laser grips for saleThere have been many advancements on firearms and the biggest changes we have seen in the laser 2yrs are with the Flashlights we sell.  Surefire and Streamlight have had several upgrades of the same flashlights and what a G2 Flashlight is now is not anything like what it was 8yrs ago.  Battery life is also improving and this year we saw the first ever  solar/battery powered optics.  Lasers is just about everywhere now, on law enforcement lights like the TLR and the Viridian laser light combos.  I have found good use for the Crimson Trace laser grips on my smaller sidearms.s

If you have a little .380 or even a revolver the laser grips add more comfort to guns where regular sights really are really worth much.  Once you go small on a firearm the side radius isn’t going to do much more than point and shooting will and the Crimson Trace laser grips for sale are going to be a bonus.  Confidence in what you carry is very important and lasers, if trained properly, can be deployed the same way you would use a flashlight.  A constant on with a laser may not be a good idea for home defense because it can give away your position but like all devices, training to  use it properly is important.

Top

Weapon mounted flashlights

I’ve sat in on several IDPA events with flashlight stages and watched people drop their flashlights left and right, while trying to engage targets.   There are better ways to retain a firearm in your hand without having to mount it to your gun.   The Section 8 Tactical device called the URD, Ultimate Retention Device is IDPA legal and a good option for those that still do not like having to mount a flashlight on a handgun.   I realize that putting a flashlight on your defensive pistol will most likely mean having to get a bigger and bulkier holster if you are carrying it, but for a gun safe gun, especially something that is being  used in your home, train to use a flashlight in whichever way you feel most comfortable.

I’m not a big fan of pressure switches being used on flashlights because I’ve seen them become another accessory that will snag on something or fail on  you.   Flashlights can have batteries fail and the bulbs can burn out, and having to worry about another connection isn’t my cup of tea.   Streamlight flashlights have a very popular handgun option called the TLR-1 and TLR-2.   One has a flashlight and the other has the light and a laser mounted in it.   Each has their place in defensive applications, but anytime you add an accessory to a firearm, it’s another thing that can fail on you.

Top

Knives, bullets and white lights

There are things that we never leave home without, our wallets and keys for the most part.   If we are CCW holders, we always leave with our guns, a knife can come in more useful than your firearm at times and even more useful, is a white light.   People seem to think that when you hear get a white light for your gun, it means mounting it, but there are other alternatives.   Section 8 Tactical makes a nifty light holder called the Ultimate Retention Device.   This device comes in real handy since it’s not weapon mounted and really doesn’t tie up your hand.

In the last few weeks, I’ve been in the car on camping trips and for fixing flat tires, but times I forgot to bring my flashlight with me.  Recently I took a Streamlight Scorpion LED and tossed it in my car with a Section 8 TacPac stocked with batteries.   With modern LED technology, battery life has been extended dramatically, but it’s good to always know you have backup batteries around for the just incase scenario.  I personally see very little practical difference between Streamlight flashlights and Surefire flashlights.   The Streamlight scorpion works well on a carbine or shotgun and it’s also small enough to fit in your pocket, but not too small to lose.

Top
Page 1 of 1