Thoughts using laser as bedside gun

[MJR]

Looking to add a Streamlight TLR-7 or TLR-8 to my 19X for bedside use. What is thoughts of using a laser on a bedside gun?

[Jusme]

Looking to add a Streamlight TLR-7 or TLR-8 to my 19X for bedside use. What is thoughts of using a laser on a bedside gun?

The downside of a laser, is that it does not illuminate your target. In a dark environment, all you see is a red dot. Also, it points right back to it's source, in the dark, showing potentially armed BG where to aim. The only thing I would put on a gun would be a flashlight, or something that will illuminate a potential target. JMHO

[RPBrown]

Looking to add a Streamlight TLR-7 or TLR-8 to my 19X for bedside use. What is thoughts of using a laser on a bedside gun?

The downside of a laser, is that it does not illuminate your target. In a dark environment, all you see is a red dot. Also, it points right back to it's source, in the dark, showing potentially armed BG where to aim. The only thing I would put on a gun would be a flashlight, or something that will illuminate a potential target. JMHO

[rssecurity]

I agree on the flashlight, but I would think to use it more as a weapon than to illuminate the target. I shine a bright light in your eyes when they are adjusted to the dark, you're going to be blind for at least a few seconds giving me an advantage. A lot can happen in a few seconds. That includes target identification.

[bbhack]

I have a green Crimson Trace under rail on a Sig P220. Bounced off a white wall or white ceiling, it illuminates the dark room, but not enough for 100% identification.

Go green, day or night. If you have not sampled a green LED in bright sunlight, do so. Amazing. Red disappears in bright light.

[shooter76blue]

TLR-8 is a flashlight with a laser. If you are going to use it on a bedside weapon, I think it would be a good choice since you are getting the best of both worlds. Although a laser can identify location, so does a flashlight. And if you are using it inside your home, red or green does not make much of a difference...

[ELB]

Laser and/or flashlight on the gun makes for a more complicated gun. If you are going to add one or both, dial in lots of practice using them so, among other things, you don't inadvertently activate a laser when you meant to do the light, vice versa, or … accidently fire a round when you meant only to activate the light or laser.

I think 19X in one hand and flashlight in the other is much simpler and easier to train and keep straight under pressure (and I can directly illuminate things without pointing my gun at them). That's the combo I use at home and everywhere else. The only time I've thought I might like a laser is on my Shockwave.

[oljames3]

Laser and/or flashlight on the gun makes for a more complicated gun. If you are going to add one or both, dial in lots of practice using them so, among other things, you don't inadvertently activate a laser when you meant to do the light, vice versa, or … accidently fire a round when you meant only to activate the light or laser.

I think 19X in one hand and flashlight in the other is much simpler and easier to train and keep straight under pressure (and I can directly illuminate things without pointing my gun at them). That's the combo I use at home and everywhere else. The only time I've thought I might like a laser is on my Shockwave.

I highly recommend low light training. I found being able to try a variety of hand-held and weapon-mounted lights was very useful in considering how to use a light with my gun. Conducting live firing at night with hand-held and weapon-mounted lights was a great learning experience.

In central Texas, KR Training is offering a low light class on 13 OCT, from 6-9pm. https://krtraining.com/KRTraining/Classes/at_oneA.html

[bblhd672]

Last night I read an article by SGM Kyle Lamb in the August Guns and Ammo about this subject. It is not available online unfortunately.
Best takeaway I got was: 1. Have a gun mounted light. 2. Have a second light with a bungee cord on it that you can hold in your hand in case of failure of light on gun. He didn't say anything about laser use.

A couple of G&A articles I did find:

How to Choose Lights & Lasers for your CCW:
http://www.gunsandammo.com/gear-accesso ... nd-lasers/

Handheld Flashlight Techniques Are Essential Skills For Personal Defense
http://www.gunsandammo.com/tips-tactics ... z5OGPhbsYE

[Jose_in_Dallas]

Definitely go with a weapon mounted light (WML), but I'm not sold on using a laser. I had a Crimson Trace grip laser on an Officer size 1911 that I really never used and seemed more gimmicky than useful. But I do like having the ability to use a WML one handed if I had to, like if I'm pointing my gun at someone with one hand while calling 911 with the other. Try juggling doing that while holding a flashlight.

Guess I'll get more experience with this later in the year when I take a low light class or two. As far as the laser, to each their own. If you can get an advantage using it then go for it. But for a bedside gun, definitely have a light on it.

[Jose_in_Dallas]

Last night I read an article by SGM Kyle Lamb in the August Guns and Ammo about this subject. It is not available online unfortunately.
Best takeaway I got was: 1. Have a gun mounted light. 2. Have a second light with a bungee cord on it that you can hold in your hand in case of failure of light on gun. He didn't say anything about laser use.

A couple of G&A articles I did find:

How to Choose Lights & Lasers for your CCW:
http://www.gunsandammo.com/gear-accesso ... nd-lasers/

Handheld Flashlight Techniques Are Essential Skills For Personal Defense
http://www.gunsandammo.com/tips-tactics ... z5OGPhbsYE

This! Whenever I go walk the dog at night I always have a backup of some kind even if it's not ideal. Weapon Mounted Light and a handheld flashlight. No WML, a good Surefire handheld and some sort of small single cell flashlight just in case the main one goes dead.

[Mike S]

Definitely go with a weapon mounted light (WML), but I'm not sold on using a laser. I had a Crimson Trace grip laser on an Officer size 1911 that I really never used and seemed more gimmicky than useful. But I do like having the ability to use a WML one handed if I had to, like if I'm pointing my gun at someone with one hand while calling 911 with the other. Try juggling doing that while holding a flashlight.

Guess I'll get more experience with this later in the year when I take a low light class or two. As far as the laser, to each their own. If you can get an advantage using it then go for it. But for a bedside gun, definitely have a light on it.

Agreed that visible lasers on a handgun are more gimmick than utility. An exception to this would be awkward shooting positions, such as underneath a vehicle where getting a sight picture might be difficult. Other than limited circumstances, it's better to build good fundamentals to allow instinctive indexing of targets (using your sights).

ETA:. And also echo what others have said about having a good light with you, regardless of time of day. Weapon mounted, hand held, or both.

[Jose_in_Dallas]

Agreed that visible lasers on a handgun are more gimmick than utility. An exception to this would be awkward shooting positions, such as underneath a vehicle where getting a sight picture might be difficult. Other than limited circumstances, it's better to build good fundamentals to allow instinctive indexing of targets (using your sights).

ETA:. And also echo what others have said about having a good light with you, regardless of time of day. Weapon mounted, hand held, or both.

And when I say gimmicky, that's just been my experience with it. It would almost be more of a deterrence to keep from shooting someone when they can the beam on them.

I've never did any training that focused on shooting with a laser, the few classes I have taken have always focused on getting a good sight picture. When I've shoot with the CT grips, it's always been in an indoor range and it always seemed like I spent more time looking for the laser beam rather than getting my sights aligned and shooting. I'm sure that was due to lack of practice. Not sure if the time taken to focus on the target and take a shot would have gone up or not shooting outdoors.

[Liberty]

Looking to add a Streamlight TLR-7 or TLR-8 to my 19X for bedside use. What is thoughts of using a laser on a bedside gun?

The downside of a laser, is that it does not illuminate your target. In a dark environment, all you see is a red dot. Also, it points right back to it's source, in the dark, showing potentially armed BG where to aim. The only thing I would put on a gun would be a flashlight, or something that will illuminate a potential target. JMHO

I have never been crazy about mounted flashlights in the home. While in most situations a flashlight could be a good defensive tool.. But around the home, the homeowner should know his way around his house better than any home invader. Darkness may be your best friend. I keep a few (5) little flashlights around the house. One is always in reach. But I would be real judicious about using them when investigating a potential home invasion.

As far as Lasers go I haven't used them much , But it is the green lasers that are bright iven under some pretty bright sun, They are the ones that will show a visable beam. The red ones will not unless there is a lot of smoke or dust in the air.
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[Maxwell]

My EDC has a laser so I'm a believer. As far as a flashlight I think I prefer to have it separate in most instances. for "bumps in the night" I can walk the house with my light and hole the gun down at my side. the upside of the light on your pistol is that in an emergency wake up and need to shoot situation you only have to hold one thing. So let me know how that works out, please.