LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

I was idly thinking about a torch for the GLOCK 34, but I figure a laser might be more fun and teach me to develop a more steady hand. What are your thoughts on LaserMax? I found the catalogue here and they look ok. I'm not sure how the guide rail laser mounts and what changes it makes to the pistol though.

http://www.lasermax.com/about/reqCatalog.php

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

I was going to post basicly the same thing but for Crimson Trace. Which would be better at night? Laser or a bright light?

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

I was thinking that...

Light totally gives your position away but allows you to dazzle anything close up, and make your way through dark hallways, bushes etc. It will help provide you with a sight picture by illuminating the target.

The laser will not help you navigate around the place, doesn't give your position away too badly, does not allow you to identify the target properly, but will put the rounds pretty much on target without even having to use the sights.

Ideally you'd have the choice of both, but I guess it is very much horses for courses and what you believe you will need for certain situations. For CCW a compact laser system might be very handy, for LEOs it might be quite useless and a torch could be better.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

Streamlight TLR-2 is what I decided on for my G19. Can't conceal carry it with the holster I currently have, but I can get the best of both a strong light and a laser out of it. I do like it a lot. I am going to order a new holster so I can conceal carry it still if I wanted to with the TLR-2 on. Even though it is a little bulky with it on.

http://www.alteredbeasts.net/Glock37wTLR2.jpg

Above is a pic of one on a G37.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

+1 on the TLR-1 light...

-1 on any pistol mounted laser...looks cool in the movies but not practical in a self-defense situation...won't usually work outdoors (in daylight), too slow to deploy, might not light when you need it most, might get misaligned if you accidently bump it, etc. It might be okay for practice...IMO.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

You say it won't work outdoors? I can see the laser on this quite clearly outdoors in daylight at 50 yards out. Also my dog got ahold of my glock (unloaded, was just aligning the laser) and went to town on it and the laser was still aligned. Since I have dropped it a couple times and when I went to the range the other day it was still aligned. It seems to me if you have it on the rail tightly then this isn't a huge issue.

I did buy this one though more for home defense and not as much as for being used outside so I do like it alot.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

Crimson Trace and other automatically or instinctively activated lasers are very helpful in darkness, when stress kicks in, and in other situations where obtaining a normal sight picture is difficult, especially with pocket pistols. On the other hand, bulky rail-mounted lasers with switch activation are mostly good to impress the easily impressed at the range, though some also support a remote pushbutton pad that helps make them more practical.

The LaserMax rail-mounted red laser is slim and almost useful, especially with its option to switch between pulsed and steady beam. In my experience, it's visible in daylight, but not consistently or reliably. The daylight-visible green laser is similar in size, but for some reason supports only pulsed operation. I haven't tried the internal guide-rod lasers, which would seem most convenient, but which apparently cannot be adjusted.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

extremist......my experience is similar to yours. i have a crimson trace grip mounted laser on my m&p and want an intruder to see that red dot bouncing around on his chest. he'll know what's coming next.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

laser question....lets say it's pitch black and you can't see squat. you move the laser around. does it give off enough 'light' to tell when it's on someone. In other words, does it illuminate the 'object' enough to tell that you've found a person?

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

Not normally. A laser is a very coherent focused beam, this allows for great distance and light intensity (wave/particle duality thing with light). If you by chance got them in the face or eye, say as opposed to black clothing, you will see more reflected light.

In saying that, conditions in real situations are very rarely pitch black, once your eyes adjust to night vision, you can normally see quite a bit, and at least make out shapes.

The laser source in a very dark situation shows up very clearly and can make you a target also, particularly if there is dust etc. around which shows the beam and source. This is why it's better to have a laser that can be turned on and off easily as required.

Re: LaserMax gear, worth considering?
 

My main point with lasers on weapons...you should be training yourself for rapid acquisition and putting effective hits on target with your iron sights, not wasting time looking for that little red dot...

The best action pistol shooters will tell you, "front sight, front sight, front sight".

A friend had probs with the Lasermax model he installed on his Glock 23. Bought it used at a gun show, paid $300, then he found out there was no windage or elevation adjustment and he was 3 feet off target at 25 yards.