Red Dot vs Laser or both

[Mr.Cip]

Would anyone install a red dot optic and a laser on the same pistol?

[FNGGlock]

What do you want to use it for?
Each one has benefits.
Also a laser/light combo would make more sense than just a laser.
I have red dots or laser/light combo on pistols, but not both.
For HD and things that go bump in the night I prefer the laser/light combo. As you look at the potential target and no need to aim, just point and the laser will show where you will hit. Makes it easy to work at odd angles and compact holds.

['ol shooter]

The two handguns I use for home defense both have laser grips, the day gun has a green and the night5 gun a red.

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

I'd only recommend a laser to someone who has a physical impairment that prevents them from attaining a sight picture, or if someone was doing shield work for law enforcement. Having a laser with a red dot optic makes it difficult to shoot confirmation level 2/flash of color on a target since you'll have multiple things on the target, and both the laser and optic will have their own zeroes.

I say simplify it, and just use an optic. WML is not needed for CCW, but should be strongly considered for HD. Anyone who says aiming is not required is a recipe for disaster, and I'd like to see them post their shooting at various distances.

[Snoopy47]

you'll have multiple things on the target, and both the laser and optic will have their own zeroes.

The is the main argument against both.

A laser is really for close range indoor stuff. Outdoor the sunlight will wash the laser, and having two different zeros at different distances will diverge the farther they get. If it's important to differentiate them in a life or death scenario then simplicity should win the day.

That said, having three lasers on (one each side of the grip, and then one under the rail) could make a cool Predator effect.

[SDM44]

I have a TLR-8A with the green laser on my Glock 19, but have had this setup for about 2-3 years now. I recently put on a RDS in the past year and really like shooting the G19 with that setup. That said, I rarely shoot with both on at the same time unless it's in low light where I'm using the light. You can easily disable the laser and run the light only (or vice versa). When shooting quickly at night on multiple targets, I've found the green laser to help get my bearing and the red dot gets on target faster, that's also probably me just getting older in my years.

Realistically, I wouldn't mind going to a slightly slimmer TLR-7A 'light only' setup with G19 and RDS, but since I already have the 8A then I can turn the laser feature on/off when I desire.


EDIT: BTW, if you do run both at the same time, pick a distance you can zero them both in at because beyond that or up close they're not going to overlap (but will still be vertical with each other).