Laser sights?

[So Flo]

OK team, I have the Crimson Trace grips on my new S&W 1911.
I took it to the range yesterday and discovered it to be my most accurate pistol using the iron sights.

I am new at the laser sight thing and found it to be a bit more effort to bring on target when simply trying to hit a mark on the paper. I suppose the whole point of the laser sights is to be able to come up on a target in low light or less than perfect conditions and know that the muzzle is generally on what it is you want to shoot. However, when I was coming up to sight in on the paper target, lining up the red dot on top of the front sight post required just a bit more effort than I wanted to give.

I found myself wanting to shoot with the irons only, but knew that the only way to become comfortable with them is to use them. I only put 100 rounds through it yesterday, so that certainly is not enough to make a final decision on anything...the gun...the sights, etc.

Does anyone else have laser sights and did you find the same situation when you first started using them?

Thanks for your input.

[slowburn]

They give the BG a line right to you...I wouldn't have em on mine...just my .02

[Delija]

SoFlo, I think I had the red dot sight on my .22 when you shot it.

It really is the same (effectively) as a laser sight. Although there is no way to line up the iron sights with the dot.

However, I don't see why you are trying to do that. If the laser sights are set up so that POI is where the dot is, then all you need to do is put the dot on the target. Right?

I have only fooled around with the laser sight on a dummy Glock in the store. It was one of those lasers inside the guide rod, so there was very little parallax involved. The sights on that toy gun would line up with the dot pretty much anywhere in the store. (Delray).

Maybe I'm missing something. But it seems that you can either sight in your new gun using the adjustable laser sight, or sight in using the iron sights (if they are adjustable). Or both. Only if both are sighted in individually would you expect the dot to be lined up with your iron sights (at whatever SAME distance you sighted both in). Seems like a lot of work.

I find that because on my .22 having the red-dot so high above the bore axis, it's just too much trouble to sight in at different distances. So I pretty much shoot at a constant 50 feet (limited really by my eyesight).

The iron sights on that Ruger are adjustable, but since there isn't the same kind of parallax issue with the iron sights, (they are real close to the bore) they are good enough at all indoor range distances. (75 feet max here...which is too far to see a small target for anyone).

If I want to get dime size groups at 50 feet I can do it with the red dot (from a rest). With the iron sights, I don't believe anyone can be that precise. The size of the dot (on a red-dot or on a laser sight) is a big factor when you are shooting those dime size targets.

Of course with a .45 you are never going to be that precise anyway. A .22 with a seven inch barrel (and long sight radius) and a .45 with a five inch barrel are not going to compete fairly shooting at tick tacs.

Your grip sights will have some parallax issues...all sights have elevation issues and I have to assume the grip sights have some "windage" parallax to overcome (adjust). Very little, but it's there. And since I know you are shooting indoors (at least when you're in Palm Beach County), you'll find that with the laser once you get it sighted in really well, you'll do what I do....shoot at pretty much one distance. Remember, the closer you are to your target, the more corrections you need to make with an adjustable sight.

Hope this helps.

Oh, and also I always felt that the red dot (or a laser sight) is really the ultimate night sight.

One thing the laser has over the red dot is if God forbid you ever need to point your gun at someone, they can see that dot on their shirt. The red-dot is only visible to the shooter. Psychological advantage?

I don't know if any of us is really likely to ever put a sight on another person. If we need to point a loaded gun at someone, we'd in all likelihood need to be pulling the trigger. Not waiting for them to see by a dot on their chest that they are "owned" (to the max).

Great for cops though.

Peace and good dieting,
D.

[Delija]

Originally Posted by So Flo

....certainly is not enough to make a final decision on anything...the gun...the sights, etc.

.

HUH? What's not to like about the gun? Isn't it a S&W 1911?

Khaghaghutyun (Armenia),
D.

[So Flo]

Delija, the book that came with the sights shows to place the dot over the top of the front sight post for the most accurate shot placement. You are right in that wherever the dot is the shot will be close, and for what they are designed to do, that is probably perfect.

I think what I was trying to do was to shoot a 1 or 2" group at 7 yards, but I am not necessarily capable of that on a repeated basis from a 1 or 2 hand standing position without a laser, so...I guess my mind told me that the laser sight would make me "super shooter" in one fell swoop!!!

Overall I am extremely pleased with the gun, my comment about the jury being out is that I still only have 100 rounds through it and I am never really comfortable with a pistol until I have around 500 rounds through it...including a couple hundred JHP's to make sure there are no feeding problems.

This is probably the nicest (or right next to my Para) pistol I own. I just haven't become comfortable with the laser yet. We'll see how it plays out in the near future.