Check this laser/light out!

[torquen]

Originally Posted by Cuda66

If you don't practice with it, what's the point of having it on a defensive weapon?

I most certainly wouldn't hang anything on my HD pistol without having thoroughly vetted it first...

After getting the laser sighted in "which was very easy" and shooting at several different distances I feel that the accuracy is perfect for home use distances. The biggest gap I would have between a intruder and myself would be across the living room. If I can get the laser on the person they are dead meat. But what I bought this unit for more than anything was the light. I don't want to shoot the wrong person.

Its not to hard to flip a switch down. I have shot another 25 rounds through my 45 with this on. So now I'm at 50 rounds. Still holding perfectly tight.

But what everyone has to remember is that all of the laser/light units are a electrical device. You can shoot 10,000 rounds with your unit attached. Proving to yourself that it will hold up. But then the unit could very well not work after the next shot. So if your trusting your "life" on something such as this then you need to go out and learn how to shoot first. Its just something to "help" assist in a crappy environment.

[Cuda66]

Originally Posted by torquen

After getting the laser sighted in "which was very easy" and shooting at several different distances I feel that the accuracy is perfect for home use distances. The biggest gap I would have between a intruder and myself would be across the living room. If I can get the laser on the person they are dead meat. But what I bought this unit for more than anything was the light. I don't want to shoot the wrong person.

Its not to hard to flip a switch down. I have shot another 25 rounds through my 45 with this on. So now I'm at 50 rounds. Still holding perfectly tight.

But what everyone has to remember is that all of the laser/light units are a electrical device. You can shoot 10,000 rounds with your unit attached. Proving to yourself that it will hold up. But then the unit could very well not work after the next shot. So if your trusting your "life" on something such as this then you need to go out and learn how to shoot first. Its just something to "help" assist in a crappy environment.

Except that you won't be used to reaching for the switch to flip down; you won't know how it'll effect your grip, so you don't know how it will effect your shooting. Speaking of effecting your shooting--are you certain that your gun will function 100% with it attached? Some pistols don't like lights on them, and get downright finicky...I wouldn't consider 25 rounds near enough to confirm this. PS--were those rounds what you use for HD, or cheap plinkin' ammo?

Are there different switches for the light and laser? If so, how well are you going to be able to differentiate between the two under stress? Sure, you can say it's easy here on the interwebz...but if you haven't practiced it, how do you know?

As for getting the laser on target...I've seen plenty of folks at various ranges have the purty red dot on the bullseye, and miss the target completely. Don't pretend like it's a sure thing, because I guarantee you it's not.

And, well, I've probably put over 2K rounds through my G34/X300 combo. Some even in low light, so I can actually understand how to effectively use the light...and with my chosen defensive loads, too, to make certain everything is copacetic. I've also found out that it makes a wee bit of difference as far as recoil goes--there's less, and I can get rounds off faster. These are all things I found out about my pistol in my hands...only by putting rounds downrange.

[Farawayone]

I think for a Home defensive weapon it will be fine, one thing people have to remember is most people will not even come close to or even imagine popping 1000's of rounds through a gun, hell I hate cleaning mine but I shoot it, only because I'm require to do it. I think as long as he checks the batteries regularly he should be just fine... my question is the laser on target?

[Cuda66]

Originally Posted by Farawayone

I think for a Home defensive weapon it will be fine, one thing people have to remember is most people will not even come close to or even imagine popping 1000's of rounds through a gun, hell I hate cleaning mine but I shoot it, only because I'm require to do it. I think as long as he checks the batteries regularly he should be just fine... my question is the laser on target?

Ye gods...if you don't want to shoot it, and only do when you HAVE to...yikes.

Personally, if I have something that may require me to effectively employ it at some point to save my life--I will practice with it, and as often as possible. It seems ridiculous to me why anyone wouldn't.

[ObsceneJesster]

For $75 bucks I think you made a good buy. Most companies like Surefire, Streamlight and Phoenix overcharge because of there name. When it comes to regular LED flashlights, you can get a knock off Ultrafire for $25 bucks which gives you 600 Lumens. It's Surefire counterpart will cost you $250. Guess where they get there LED's. The same exact factory in China. A lot of people also don't know that Sony and Samsung both get there LCD's and LED's from the same factory in China. Trust me, I'm all for buying name brand. I have a $1200 set of Nike forged irons and $800 invested into Taylormade Woods.

If you can't afford or don't feel the need to buy NAMEBRAND. I'm not going to knock you as long as your happy with YOUR purchase.

I hope everything works out for you with your laser light combo. Hell, let me know how it holds up after a couple more rounds and another month. I might buy one just for shits and giggles.

[TSiWRX]

^ The components may be the same, but are other steps of the manufacturing process up-to-snuff?

There's also the wildcard of knowing that you have years upon years of data to bank on, with the known names: that their items have survived true trial-by-fire, and that should something go wrong, all it takes is one phone call to rectify the situation.

Certainly, one could easily say that with the "knock-offs," should one break, it's easy to buy a replacement, since it's so much cheaper....but what if the breakage occurs at the worst possible moment?


-----


I agree with Farawayone, in that I don't think that most people will put thousands of rounds through a gun "just because."

But at the same time, as with Cuda, I have trouble relying on something that I am not confident in, 100%. I have put well over 2000 rounds through my XDm9 in the now going on 10 weeks I've owned her (my range bag is loaded up for tomorrow, actually; my SR9c, which has been in my hands now for 3 weeks or so, has seen 1000 rounds, and my XDm9 3.8 Compact, at the same duration, has now logged approx. 1300 rounds), and I feel strongly that if one's to trust their and their loved-ones' lives to a firearm, such dedication is necessary.

Like Cuda said, it wasn't until after about 250 rounds-through that I figured out that something wasn't quite right with my LaserMax Uni. I'm now at over 500 rounds with my Insight M6 - and guess what, he's right again: the weight of the unit was throwing me off enough that I grouped considerably worse than I usually would. Again, this took somewhere between 50 to 100 rounds to figure out, and then another 100 or so to correct. And this all costs a pretty penny, too, as it's not just with range-fodder: for my peace-of-mind and to self-validate, I simply *had* to repeat the procedure with my chosen SD/HD ammo.

And again as Cuda highlights, proper utilization of the device in the dark and under stress: that's something that, as someone who has engaged in mil/tac-sim in recreational airsoft, I know I will need practice on. I recognize this need - and fear it enough - that I have already signed up for (read: paid) training on this very subject.

I agree with torquen - it's a mechanical device, and it just might well fail on the next trigger pull or even as it is just switched on the next time. But at the same time, I also firmly believe that as a mechanical device, its durability and reliability needs to be properly validated.

My lasers are sighted-in at 7 yards. But in all honesty, they're there more for the intimidation factor than anything else: I actually shoot much faster and better, when using the ironsights. Maybe my coming training will help me exact more utility out of the laser (possibly allow me to take my eyes off the front sight a bit more, to allow for fuller situational awareness? I dunno?), but for the time being, without training, the light's there for me to verify my target (and to aid me, if I had to let go of my primary light), and the laser is more for show.

[Cuda66]

Originally Posted by ObsceneJesster

For $75 bucks I think you made a good buy. Most companies like Surefire, Streamlight and Phoenix overcharge because of there name. When it comes to regular LED flashlights, you can get a knock off Ultrafire for $25 bucks which gives you 600 Lumens. It's Surefire counterpart will cost you $250. Guess where they get there LED's. The same exact factory in China. A lot of people also don't know that Sony and Samsung both get there LCD's and LED's from the same factory in China. Trust me, I'm all for buying name brand. I have a $1200 set of Nike forged irons and $500 invested into Taylormade Woods.

If you can't afford or don't feel the need to buy NAMEBRAND. I'm not going to knock you as long as your happy with YOUR purchase.

I hope everything works out for you with your laser light combo. Hell, let me know how it holds up after a couple more rounds and another month. I might buy one just for shits and giggles.

One little, teensy difference...

When your cheap Chicom craplight goes toes up, you're out the cash.

If your Surefire ever has an issue, they fix it. No questions asked.

(Oh--and it's more than just the LED emitter--it's how everything is put together that matters more--properly attached connections, quality switches, little things like that)

[TSiWRX]

^ Looks like I'm late with my Ninja-edit - Cuda and I made the same points.

[ObsceneJesster]

Originally Posted by Cuda66

One little, teensy difference...

When your cheap Chicom craplight goes toes up, you're out the cash.

If your Surefire ever has an issue, they fix it. No questions asked.

(Oh--and it's more than just the LED emitter--it's how everything is put together that matters more--properly attached connections, quality switches, little things like that)

I'm sure there is more than just a teensy weensy difetence like higher grade aluminum, better batteries life. The list goes on. But if someone doesn't want to spend $250 on a light there is always a $25 option just as bright. I think the person buying the $25 light isn't expecting $250 performance. If they are...Well then there just being stupid. In the end though, these popular companies are charging a lot more than what there product is worth because of name recognition. They pay all that money to advertise then they need to recoup from our wallets.

Buy what you can afford and don't be ashamed. Expensive name brand **** breaks all the time.

[Cuda66]

Originally Posted by ObsceneJesster

I'm sure there is more than just a teensy weensy difetence like higher grade aluminum, better batteries life. The list goes on. But if someone doesn't want to spend $250 on a light there is always a $25 option just as bright. I think the person buying the $25 light isn't expecting $250 performance. If they are...Well then there just being stupid. In the end though, these popular companies are charging a lot more than what there product is worth because of name recognition. They pay all that money to advertise then they need to recoup from our wallets.

Buy what you can afford and don't be ashamed. Expensive name brand **** breaks all the time.

Just as bright really shouldn't be a consideration when one is looking for a light that they're going to hang off their weapon--if it's for something more than show, that is. Durability, reliability...those are prime considerations.

And as you said, yes, SF's can fail. Which is why Surefire's warranty is:

"Batteries need to be replaced, bulbs burn out. Beyond that, if it breaks, we fix it". And they live up to it.

Again, let's see if Hu Giv Fook at People's Factory #123456 will fix your cheap light when it fails.