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74novaman wrote:They're distracting and I hated how I had a tendency to chase the laser around the target when I tried to use it.

I sold the only pair of laser grips I had. I can see how they might be useful with plenty of training, but I prefer not to use them.

Edit: One more thought.....take any advice your SEAL friend gives you about civilian carry issues with a slight grain of salt.

No doubt those guys have tons of excellent training and have nothing but my respect. But, the problems and scenarios they trained for and faced are for the most part vastly different than what most of us average guys in Texas are ever going to face. Doing something one way or another just because the SEALs or the Army or the police do it is the first step on the road to failure for most CHL carriers, IMO. Different set of problems, different skillsets/tools needed for success.

My .02

Good points, 74novaman. Self defense shooting and training has about as much to do with military/police training as hot-rodding has to do with top-fuel drag racing...

Capture/Arrest/Apprehension of a SUSPECT or PERP is a different animal entirely than stopping a THREAT by an armed citizen. We get to disengage and "get out of dodge," as a first option, or at any point in the encounter...they don't have that luxury. If the threat turns and runs when I pull a gun, I get to put the gun away, make a police repot, and move on with my life...

It's really a question only YOU can answer. I've seen numerous individuals who shoot better with a laser, and numerous individuals who are hampered by the laser.

It's also situational. I once put a laser on a J-Frame, set up on a bench, and shot a group at 25 yards that I could never have pulled off with iron sights. (sub 2", some shots touching).

I also used the same gun, same ammo, and same laser in an IDPA match, and with the laser couldn't hit the broad side of a barn...I'm talking total misses on full-size targets at sub-7 yards. Flicked the laser off, ran the scenario agian, and both reduced my time, and kept all the shots in the "hit" zone.

For *ME* a laser is an excellent training aid (dry fire, etc.), and is an amazing sight for slow, precision fire. It's a HUGE distraction and hinderance for my combat shooting.

I'm not opposed to lasers. I like them in certain situations for certain tasks, and dislike them for others. I like them on small carry guns (J-frames, LCR's, etc.), and think that they can be extremely effective tools, especially for the "100 rounds a year shooter" who CC's one of these guns--the laser allows you to see impact points, while focusing on those impact points (think focus on the threat--which is what we're likely to do in a fight), rather than breaking the threat-focus and moving to the front sight. On the other hand, for the "100 rounds a week" shooter, that front-sight focus may be more ingrained, and thus the distraction of the laser is either no help, or a hinderance.

All that to say...try one. Try it at the range, and if you get a chance, try it in combat-based scenario (like an IDPA/IPSC match), and see how they work for you. One thing about it...you'll either love it or hate it--I've seen very litte in-between in that aspect.

There are enough of us out there with laser-equipped pistols, I'm sure you'd be able to round someone up who'd let you try one...if you're anywhere near Houston, I can sure enough accomodate :)