Laser for Home Defense Hand Gun?

[ArmyCop]

I have a laser/light combo for when my handgun's on the nightstand.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[user]

I like a combination: TruGlow TFO nightsights (good in any lighting conditions) and Crimson Trace Lasergrips. Use the sights for initial target acquisition, only use the laser for last second precision targeting. Make sure the part of the home most likely to be where Badguy's going to have to come through, living room, dining room, Great Hall of whatever, is illuminated all the time - a seven watt flourescent bulb's good for that. You want to be able to identify your target without becoming a target. So if you shine a flashlight or laser at Badguy, he's likely to shoot you before you can do anything. Same thing with chambering a round in the gun - don't make noise, don't shine lights. Identify your target clearly from behind cover or concealment if there is no cover.

[Dihappy]

Lasers are NOT a gimmick - they are a tool.

The first rule of having a laser on any weapon is to be proficient WITHOUT the laser.

But like a light, lasers are a tool. They allow you to do several things -
1) you can fire with out looking at your sights - around barricades, that sort of thing.
2) they back up your sights.
3) they DO give of some illumination - I have used laser pointer pens to find stuff in the dark so I dont wake the wife or baby.
4) people with aging eyes may find it easier to find a red or green glowing dot than thier sights.
5) they make great training tools.

Its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Well said

[skysoldier29]

I have both a light and laser on my night stand pistol. I have weighed the pros and cons of each. I personnaly don't use the laser much to as I can point shoot much better with night sights as I can with a laser. A laser / light can give away your position in the home, but it will also aid you in aquiring your target if you need to shoot if you don't practice it. As for the light, I think any HD gun should have one. 1 it will allow you to clearly identify the threat so you will know if you need to shoot or not. As for lights, some people don't like them so do. Just sit in the dark and let your eyes get adjusted to the dark, then take a good bright tac light and shine it in your eyes and see how well you can see once you're done. It most likely will give you the tactical advanatage by screwing up the BG night vision and allowing you to either escape someplace more safe, or he/she might even give up. Bottom line "If you can't see, you can't fight." If you have noticed that must tactical teams SWAT / Military do use weapons lights on their weapons. Just make sure that you practice a lot with what you plan to use for defense. A weapons light does change the weight, and feel of a weapon, and you are going to want plenty of trigger time with the new equipment. Also practice, practice, practice with it as if the batteries are dead. Do not rely on anything 100% that takes batteries.

[boatail]

My home set up is pretty simple, I have a glock 21 on my nightstand and a walk in closet in my bathroom in case I need to run and hunker down. In there, I have my 12 guage, a revolver and enough ammo to make a small European country envious.

I have seen a lot of pros and cons on this, but would it make sense to get a night laser sight for the nightstand glock? My bedroom is VERY dark, and the potential BGs would be coming in from the media room which is pretty bright, even at night, due to the A/V equipment. Would the laser light give up any advantage I would have with me being in the dark and them in the light, or would the laser off set that?

Curious what you all thought and appreciative of your comments.

You've had plenty of suggestions on the laser/light subject. I just wanted to caution you on keeping your powder dry and the rust off your weapons if they live in your bathroom where its damp most of the time. Maybe a dehumidifier in the closet? Just a thought..

[retsupt99]

In my home at night, with an intruder, I don't want a laser, I want a 120 lumen SD light. By the time the intruder's eyes adjust to the flash, he'll see the second flash...but will hear not sound (light travels faster than sound).

[Ram Rod]

what you want is a light, not a laser. A laser will do nothing to ID or illuminate your target.

Exactly. Now...the combo light/ laser is an excellent alternative. Love my M-6. Best of everything IMO.

[monk]

I'll just bring up one thing I haven't read on here yet... Using a flashlight at an arms length away from your body, with the practise shooting one handed...

[Bob O]

I have thought about this a lot. My conclusion is both a hand-held light AND laser sight for HD bedtime use.

The light is preset for strobe and its highest power (250 lumens). This will more than light up the area and the target as well as disorient and blind the BG with the strobe.

In the weak hand it can be held away from the body and moved around while the gun can remain on target in case the BG tries to use the light as a target to hit you. With the light in the weak hand you can search without sweeping your gun muzzle all over the place and the muzzle doesn't have to point in exactly the same direction as the light.

With a gun mounted light the tendency is to keep focused on the sights while sweeping the gun around. This makes it very hard to search and actually see clearly what is being illuminated peripherally. It also violates the "Don't point your gun at anything you don't wish to destroy" rule.

The wrist strap allows the light to be released and the weak hand used for other purposes as necessary without actually totally losing the use of the light.

The laser allows you to hold the gun in any position and still aim very accurately. You don't need your gun, hands, and forearms in front of your face blocking your view.

The laser on the gun is an ArmaLaser which stays off then turns on automatically when the finger is inserted into the trigger guard, so you don't need any additional time to switch the laser on and it also eliminates the BG from seeing the laser until you are ready to fire.


Bobo

[oneshot]

I like a combination: TruGlow TFO nightsights (good in any lighting conditions) and Crimson Trace Lasergrips. Use the sights for initial target acquisition, only use the laser for last second precision targeting. Make sure the part of the home most likely to be where Badguy's going to have to come through, living room, dining room, Great Hall of whatever, is illuminated all the time - a seven watt flourescent bulb's good for that. You want to be able to identify your target without becoming a target. So if you shine a flashlight or laser at Badguy, he's likely to shoot you before you can do anything. Same thing with chambering a round in the gun - don't make noise, don't shine lights. Identify your target clearly from behind cover or concealment if there is no cover.

While I can see USMC's point,

I tend to agree strongly with this ideaology above

Not saying USMC would disagree,


Behind every successful man there is a woman, behind every unsuccessful man there are two.

[skysoldier29]

I have thought about this a lot. My conclusion is both a hand-held light AND laser sight for HD bedtime use.

The light is preset for strobe and its highest power (250 lumens). This will more than light up the area and the target as well as disorient and blind the BG with the strobe.

In the weak hand it can be held away from the body and moved around while the gun can remain on target in case the BG tries to use the light as a target to hit you. With the light in the weak hand you can search without sweeping your gun muzzle all over the place and the muzzle doesn't have to point in exactly the same direction as the light.

With a gun mounted light the tendency is to keep focused on the sights while sweeping the gun around. This makes it very hard to search and actually see clearly what is being illuminated peripherally. It also violates the "Don't point your gun at anything you don't wish to destroy" rule.

The wrist strap allows the light to be released and the weak hand used for other purposes as necessary without actually totally losing the use of the light.

The laser allows you to hold the gun in any position and still aim very accurately. You don't need your gun, hands, and forearms in front of your face blocking your view.

The laser on the gun is an ArmaLaser which stays off then turns on automatically when the finger is inserted into the trigger guard, so you don't need any additional time to switch the laser on and it also eliminates the BG from seeing the laser until you are ready to fire.


Bobo

I don't like having a light in my other hand. If you have to move something or use that hand for something, you will not have the light on target. As for a weapons light I'm a big fan of them and scanning with the weapons light. When clearing a room or house, you shouldn't be looking anywhere that your gun isn't pointed.

[Skippys]

you can get remotes to keep by the bedside that will turn on multiple lights in the house with a single push of a button.

mr. BG would be quite surprised and somewhat disoriented when a lamp in every room in the house lights up at the same time.

add a recording of a barking mastiff to the mix & he'll need to change his underwear when he gets home.

[Audacia77]

I have a 1911 with night sights, a set crimson trace handgrips and Surefire E2D. I have a son and family over enough that I will always ID the target and check the back drop before ever taking a shot. So, I always use a flashlight. The night sights and laser are just icing on the cake.

I try to train as much as my budget allows and as often as the wife lets me. But, I do the best I can to keep my basic marksmanship sharp, and am trying to become proficient at point shooting. All the gadgets and gizmo's don't mean much if you don't practice the fundamentals.

I definitely like the Crimson Trace grips. They allow quicker follow up shots and sure act as a good mind fiddle for a BG you have to bead. But, lasers do work both ways. I have found that if you index your trigger finger a little higher than usual, you'll be able to block the laser. Just throwing that out there for some of you folks.

Just a suggestion to the high power flashlight/strobe guys. Next time you wake up in the middle of the night to use the head or grab a midnight snack, grab your flashlight and hit it a few times. That much light can cause a blast back effect off those pretty white walls, partially blinding or reducing your vision in the process. Not knocking HiPo Lights (I have 'em, too), just throwing it out there as something to consider.