Lasers on rifles

10996 Views 27 Replies 19 Participants Last post by yzergod, Dec 8, 2008

GotSig?

Discussion Starter · Jan 26, 2008

Maybe its just me but i honestly don't see the point of having a laser on a rifle, maybe im not tacticool enough OR im not seeing the actual benefit. What do you guys thinks?

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

windwalker

· #2 · Jan 26, 2008

Useful close in

Out to 50 its quicker then ACOG and good intimidator. The green dot tells the smart ones its time to go to the GrayBar Hotel for awhile

GeoJAP

· #3 · Jan 26, 2008

I will never put one on any of my firearms. A light or a laser. They add weight and are one more thing to fiddle with. Night sights or an Aimpoint red dot work perfectly well, if necessary. I'm not on a SWAT team and lasers/tac-lights strike me as the pinnacle of the mall ninja creed.

I didn't see a "Hell no, are you nuts?!" option in the poll.

windwalker

· #4 · Jan 26, 2008

Each to his own

I wanted this rifle for fun shooting and set it up to be a serious SHTF Rifle too, I put TA31RCO on gg&g mount so it could come off quick to go to BIUS, laser for fast close in, SureFire M900 to identify at night. The 556 is already heavy, 8oz more is nothing for another option

xrocket

· #5 · Jan 26, 2008

The poll doesnt work for me. I'm in the minimalist camp,

That's just me. I respect any and all personal choices others make when it comes to each persons self defense and the use of firearms.

donkeykong

· #6 · Jan 26, 2008

Re: Each to his own

windwalker said:
I wanted this rifle for fun shooting and set it up to be a serious SHTF Rifle too, I put TA31RCO on gg&g mount so it could come off quick to go to BIUS, laser for fast close in, SureFire M900 to identify at night. The 556 is already heavy, 8oz more is nothing for another option

It doesnt matter what other people think...

Just look at all of the 556 pics on this site... are any two guns in the same configuration.

Your rifle looks great, I hope you enjoy.

DK

45acp

· #7 · Jan 28, 2008

like geojap, i am also not on a swat team. but i don't think you need to be, to get some benefit from a couple lightweight add-ons. on friday nights at a local indoor range, we do close-quarters drills with the lights both on and off. for that, i keep a surefire mounted to the rifle, so i actually have developed an instinctive use of the light along with live fire. and since power blackouts are a prime time for looters and burglars to go out and play, i feel really good about having it on my rifle.

so i have to back windwalker on this one. if i ever do actually need to pull it on someone who has broken into my home, i like the idea of the disorientation from a 120 lumens bulb in his face, as he hears the sound of a 77gr hollowpoint slamming into the chamber. i would much rather have to end an encounter of that nature by mopping up urine, than blood.

as for lasers, i wouldn't trust any of the civilian-market models as a 100% reliable point of impact tool. and i certainly don't plan to spend the same price as my rifle for the real deal. but, that said, i believe that anyone who is doing Bad Things will have a very profound 'what the hell am i doing?' moment when they notice a laser dancing back and forth between their eyes.

sorry if i tend to get a little wordy, when a topic really strikes a nerve.

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MAN 1

· #8 · Mar 12, 2008

I respectfully disagree. I have a Green laser on my weapon to assist with CQC, or room clearing. Even in the dark a laser will light up the immediate zone around your target, enough to identify, and at the same time give you instant feed back on weather you are on target, and roughly where, before you and your target feel the concussion of a Hornaday TAP round leaving your muzzle to do its job, besides, it assists in follow up shots, and is an all around good training tool. I am not an advocate of only using a laser, however I truly believe it is very useful when you have a gallon of adrenaline running through your body and tunnel vision from your sympathic nervous system taking over your body.

Besides, just like the other guy said, it sends a clear message that you’re not going to F#@& around with the person that is attempting to kill you or rape your wife and kids.

PFC FNG

· #9 · Mar 13, 2008

Lets try to keep this civil and leave the wife and kids out of it.

Pat H

· #10 · May 1, 2008

If it is an IR laser/illuminator that you are using in conjunction with NVG's doing short range work great, or I could maybe see potential if you are operating on an APR or SCBA. Otherwise it's just a toy IMHO.

windwalker

· #11 · May 2, 2008

I think that was already covered

With the SWAT Team comment above, lol. IR is great, but don't get caught, strictly a no no for civilian use. Funny this came up again, After having/practicing with my 556 for awhile, total change in set up. 551/SureFire 520A hand guards, Marcolmar 551 style flash hider(great improvement over the cheap/junk Sig A-2 style flash hider). Put the laser on my 870, more useful there at night and no weight problem.

ftboomer1

· #12 · May 3, 2008

I put a post in the optic page about the ISM-V that I just got for the SIG. I like having the co-aligned laser/red-dot quite a bit. I have not shot it yet but I hope to soon.

I have had a Benelli shotgun for many years but I finally decided to get a marine stainless 590 for the "piss the pants" factor. The Benelli is extremely capable, but it does not have the same intimidation factor as the 590. This seems to be the same as the laser. The red-dot is probably what I will use for most plinking but in the "freak out the creep" department, that laser is nearly unbeatable.

tvchance

· #13 · Jun 18, 2008

GeoJAP, as a Police Officer, I think a light is more important than a lazer or even optics (If push comes to shove, you have serviceable iron sights). But if you cannot identify your target because of darkness, you shouldn't engage it.
I'm not completely convinced of the need for a lazer. I suppose it could be used for engagement at very close quarters or as a back-up to "downed" optic or to ID a "bad guy's" location to others on your team.

KobraKommander

· #14 · Jul 8, 2008

maybe if you can't hit the broadside of a barn then the laser would be good to have. I have always thought lights and lasers and stuff would make you more of a target in low light than they helped.
It's kind of like the whole ACOG thing, a lot of folks will pay insane amounts of cash for something they think makes them look cool at the range as opposed to actually having a legitimate use or need for it. I guess you call that the "mall ninja" syndrome.

jimicricket

· #15 · Jul 8, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

Lasers can improve response time and accuracy in the dark.

I have the Sig 556 SWAT with a folding stock. I have a green laser set to zero at about 10 to 15 feet. Mounted on the right rail, it has a remote pressure switch mounted in a rail cover designed for a pressure switch.

With this configuration I can identify and target within a second. The weapon can be fired from my side with the stock folded or extended. I do not have to pull the firearm to my shoulder to accurately engage the subject.

Accuracy is paramount when one is engaging an invader who is in one's home with their family or in a multi-family dwelling. Because you are shooting a 5.56 over penetration potential is minimized so long as you hit the invading (arguably sub-human) target.

I will use any tool available to minimize the chance that I will miss my target. It matters where every projectile goes when firing where peoples lives are at risk.

To me the total weight is hardly a factor for my 556 even with a 3 watt light on the left side rail as well. My first maneuver when picking up the firearm is to properly sling the weapon to my body. Even without a sling in a home invasion scenario I think that adrenalin will help me compensate for the total weight of the rifle.

This is my 2 cents on this discussion.

Nonetheless, minimalism has its own advantages to those attuned to that methodology.

Jimi Cricket

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anubismp

· #16 · Jul 10, 2008

My personal liking of laser mounts on rifles is for night time through NVGs. You can play around with the eotech mounts etc if you want but I like a laser that can give me instant sighting without any extras. I agree with Jimicricket for zeroing distance as this is mostly an urban set up.

tvchance

· #17 · Aug 2, 2008

I don't know if anybody has already mentioned this but a laser could be useful on any long gun if you were wearing a gas mask, making a normal sight picture difficult/impossible to obtain.

loganpass

· #18 · Aug 2, 2008

This one of my hobbies these days and only a hobby. Hang a chandelier on your 556 if it tickles you. This is about having fun. Personally, If the SHTF I'm headed to my Church to be with my family, screw the toys.

jimicricket

· #19 · Aug 3, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

loganpass said:
This one of my hobbies these days and only a hobby. Hang a chandelier on your 556 if it tickles you. This is about having fun. Personally, If the SHTF I'm headed to my Church to be with my family, screw the toys.

:!: I hope that you find what you are looking for within the walls of your church. But, I have to disagree with your perception of what you think of as a toy. These things of which we speak are not toys. If these things are treated as toys then the gravity of the responsibility of being a firearm owner is lost. This is a dangerous line of thinking. I hope that nobody treats firearms as toys, especially where their family, friends and children are concerned. One who takes light of these responsibility might be praying for forgiveness from the manifestations of regret. :!:

loganpass

· #20 · Aug 3, 2008

Hmmm, don't remember suggesting that they should be treated as toys, only that they should be treated as a fun hobby. Rather than debating whether a laser is necessary, debate whether it would be fun to have one. It doesn't require justification! I've been a soldier, Deputy Sheriff, and owner of many class 3 weapons, probably for more years than you are old so I have a pretty good handle on the gravity of firearm ownership as well as the dark side of life. Do yourself a favor and quit taking yourself so seriously. BTW you're the one with an AK armed cat in your siggy, not me. Now let's not derail this thread any farther, Okay?

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