Pros and Cons of Laser Sights Featuring TRUGLO

Ah the laser sight, iconized by Hollywood and pop culture alike as the say-all, end-all of shot placement. “Just put the dot where you want the bullet” is how they are often sold, but is that entirely true? I mean if lasers were the only aiming device needed surely they would have become stock features by now, you know like iron sights. Don’t get me wrong, many, MANY situations demand the guidance of an unbending beam of light but it’s important to be able to identify them so you can be sure that you are training correctly. So let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of lasers as we examine two very prominent models – the TRUGLO SightLine and MicroTac.

So let’s get the bad out of the way first. For starters, make sure that your existing holster will accommodate a laser or be sure to have a replacement on hand. Given the inexpensive nature of holsters these days this one is almost a non-starter, but it’s important to mention. If you are already carrying some sort of weird or obsolete platform this is speaking loudly to you. The Micro Tac is a good fit for this situation, as it is superbly streamlined and might not even interfere with some soft or universal holsters. Once we’ve figured out how to carry it, next comes learning how to use it. For starters, it’s not “point and click”. You MUST still apply proper fundamentals and snap a shot off the same way you would if you were using any other sight. Also before you can fire that shot laser sights must be powered on in most cases, so be sure that this can happen easily and instinctually with a natural grip. The same way that you can reach your magazine release without breaking your grip you need to ensure that you can do the same with your laser. The SightLine is good for this because it comes with a mounting plate that lets you put it wherever you need to hit it,

regardless of where your Picatinny rail is. After we realize how to shoot with a laser we are going to need to zero it, and being that it is so far from the bore that zero is going to be very sensitive to distance. This brings me to my last point; they are typically slower than iron sights or even point shooting. For that reason, it’s best to zero them for bad breath distances, as the further you are from the target the harder it is to find the dot and put it on what you want to hit. 

No, onto why you should get a laser- in a word, realism. Shooting at a range is not like shooting in real life. Very seldom are you going to be square to your target with your arms perfectly extended. In fact, there is a good chance that you will already be involved in a struggle and this is the best selling point for a laser, awkward shooting positions. Laser sights shine (sorry) in situations where you can’t get a proper presentation or sight picture, also they are invaluable when you can’t get your head in line with the gun and are forced to fire from the hip or in some sort of twisted position from the ground. Lasers are also one of the best options for low-light scenarios, as they are the most visible sight option and even give off a bit of ambient light, slightly illuminating the scene. Lastly, lasers are great for training. It’s hard to convince a new shooter that they are flinching, of that their natural arc of movement is not as detrimental as they might think. However, having a constant indicator of their unspoiled point of impact is often enough to illustrate your point.

Final thought? Well, being that the cost is low and the weight addition is negligible, in many ways it doesn’t make sense NOT to add a laser to your carry gun. Know that it means that your holster might need to be replaced or amended but that’s a small price to pay for the added security. Should shooting with a laser be the only way you practice on the range? Hell no, that would be foolish. Having a laser should only be a backup plan, it shouldn’t ever be the only way that you can aim your weapon. So in closing, there’s no replacement for a good sight picture but it’s good to have a laser just in case the scenario calls for it. It’s like they say in the Boy Scouts…”Keep two in case shit gets messy.” (I may have misquoted that)

For the simplest, brightest laser solutions visit TRUGLO.com