Guide rod laser sights

[Lumpy]

Pros and cons? Sounds like the cat's meow to me, especially if you want a package that fits in a conventional holster. But rail and grip designs continue to sell so there must be something to them.

[mmcnx2]

They are great.... the bad guy gets a great line of sight on you and extra plus is if the thing fails you most likely have become so dependent on it you can't hit the broad side of a barn without it, making you basically defenseless.

If you can't tell I'm not a fan, learn to shoot with standard sights and point of aim, it will server you better in a defensive situation than anything else.

[jshuberg]

Your guide rod is necessarily loose in the frame, meaning that your dot is going to vary significantly shot to shot. There's also no way to zero it, so the best you can get with it is kinda close.

I'm not a fan of lasers. The common belief that they are an accurate aiming device is way overblown, especially on pistols.

Learn to use your iron sights. They are significantly more accurate than a laser can ever be. Not only from the ability to hold zero, but also from a height over bore standpoint.

[10-32 Solutions]

Lasers definitely have their advantages, but on a handgun they are a bit more limited than on the carbine. Where they are very very good on a handgun is if you're in an LEO capacity and working a shield where you have a difficult time to use your sights. I do like a Crimson Trace on a snubby revolver as well. There are practical applications for them. However, quite a few pistol lasers are poor in quality or cannot maintain a good zero. Some block the use of a weaponlight, which to me is much much more important.

A negative I have observed is a number of people thinking the laser dot is from a Taser, and they act accordingly. Another is that there usually are not good switches that turn the laser on and off efficiently like I can on my carbine. While I equip all my carbines with a laser of some sort, I'm not going to like them for the majority of handguns.

I'm not very concerned about following the line of the laser back to the handgun. You need particles in the air for that to happen, and that's just not very common prior to pulling the trigger. At the distances most people will be using a handgun and a laser, you're already at what's considered a close range, and thus already readily seen. Same as when using a weaponlight. You're already seen from that.Tactics and techniques in low light have evolved over the years, and some of the equipment has followed suit. Height over bore is also not as much of an issue with handguns as it is on carbines that have a 2.5" height over bore. Even with a guide rod laser that is a fraction of an inch below the barrel, the difference is minimal for self defense purposes and appropriate target zones. It does become more of an issue with height UNDER bore with some of the ones mounted on the frame rails. With that said, the quality just isn't there for the lasers in the guide rods. I've known some guys that have used them, and they eventually have removed them for various reasons. If you're looking for something to aid your aiming, the red dot optics that many are using on their handguns would be a much better option, albeit a bit more expensive that a quality laser.

[xd ED]

My anecdotal $00.02:
Having watched numerous shooters (attempting to) use lasers, it seems typical that the shooter initially does a reasonable job of acquiring the target via point/ index aiming. They then start watching the colored dot twitching around the target center and invariable begin ever increasing 'correction' inputs, and are soon off paper on at least 2 sides of the target. I don't doubt that this can be corrected with training, but it must be realized that using information taken from the target - vs the front sight is a completely different feedback / input response.
I suspect any SD shooting situation I may be unfortunate to experience, the proximity of the intended target would make any sights/ sighting system unnecessary.

[LarryFlew]

Another 2 cents: If you do go with a laser sight set it up so that it is typically unseen by you when shooting. Put it just below the normal sight on target. That way you can use it but you won't start depending on it. Have CT lasers on 2 carry guns and never see them unless it's too dark to see the sights. You can still practice with them but not if you are trying to use your regular sights. Great for the time you may not be able to see or use the sights such as falling to the ground, too dark or quick acquisition of target. Probably more helpful at learning to steady your handgun on target than actual use as a sight.

[20mm]

The 100 watt guide rod lasers are best. Make sure to wear appropriate eye protection.

[Lumpy]

I was wondering specifically about guide rod sights vs other laser sights, not the whole laser debate.

[jshuberg]

You can't zero it, and it's going to vary with POI wildly. Don't waste your money. If you feel you need a laser get a crimson trace, TLR2 or something similar. They will still lose zero with usage, but nothing compared to a guide rod laser.