Why would you NOT want a laser?

[speedrrracer]

Laser points both ways(in the dark)

Sure, but assuming that there's a gun on the other end of the laser (or flashlight, or etc) is a great way to fall into a trap.

Most of the time you will wind up staring at the laser and losing situational awareness and peripheral vision. "Chasing the laser" is not useful in most situations

This. It's much, much faster to move your eyes to your target, then move the sights (or laser, I suppose) and break the shot once the sight picture is sufficient. Too many people get hypnotized watching the red dot, like those pet cats on YouTube.

[omgwtfbbq]

Depending on the gun/laser combo, it's one more button to push/thing to worry about when deploying the weapon in a high stress situation.

As others have said, tracking the laser with your eyes is hardest than tracking the targets center mass. If you train and have proper body mechanics, the gun's front sight is going to go where you eyes are looking.

The most legitimate argument for a laser in my eyes for for point shooting or shooting from the hip. Even in these situations, if you train, and if you trust in your brain's ability to communicate the target area to your body, you can still score effective hits from close range.

[thenaz11c]

My .02 cents on the issue.

Lasers have a place in shooting in both training and real world. For training they are a great way to show if a person is flinching.

For real world I see a lasers place as being used when you can not get your eye behind your sights. Be it you have a set of NVGs on or some other form of face mask/protection that makes getting a rifle or pistol into a natural placement in front of your face difficult at best.

In this way a laser is kind of a helper with doing reflexive fire. You bring your weapon up, point it at the target and instead of doing a quick look over your sights you hit the laser, if the dot is on the target you pull your trigger.

As far as lasers pointing both ways, focusing on the laser or chasing the dot around, thats all true if your leaving the laser on constantly.

In the end a laser can be a good thing if you have the right expectations for it. It can help with training, it can help with some types of shootings but it is not a replacement for your sights nor is it a shortcut around proper shooting technique.

[11HE9]

If you can see the beam they can see you holding it.

I work with LEO types.

Not one of them has a laser on their "work gun".

[The Gleam]

Why would you NOT want a laser?

You'll burn your eye out, kid!!

[1911su16b870]

+1

[M. D. Van Norman]