Green Visible lasers... Are they useful?

Matt Landfair

Matt Six Actual
Staff member
Administrator
I have an OTAL-A vis green laser. For my purposes I like it a lot. Lots of uses of a laser on a rifle. I especially like green since I pick it up easier than red.

Maybe someday I will get some form of MAWL.
 

Gambit Zeta

Newbie
I can see them being particularly useful in a team environment. Bill Blowers talked about visible laser applications a bit on this video -

I can only speak on my personal use of visible lasers. I prefer them as a secondary aiming device over irons since your able to immediately "deploy" them in the case that you can't use the primary sighting system in a particular situation. There was this one time in a local two gun match where my Aimpoint was at a lower setting that it ought to have been and it washed out. I knew I left my laser on so I hit the button and immediately engaged the targets using that instead.

It also helps me when I have to shoot in tight spaces where I can't shoulder the rifle. I can "shoot from the hip" or over the shoulder with some degree of precision. Much better than "point aiming" when your trying to make good positive hits while minimizing the risk of collateral damage . It removes the guesswork and I can fire with confidence.

I'm sure there's much more uses for it for civilians but this is all I can contribute regarding this matter. I'm wrong about anything please inform me. I'm just a regular dude looking to learn so I'd like to hear criticisms/additional input if anyone has one!
 

Arete

Regular Member
I looked at lasers on a pistol as a con and not a pro, due to failures with 3 out of 3 Lasermax models our folks had.
LAV turned me onto the CTC LG's in about 2006. I tried them for awhile, then dismissed them.
Later on, I gave them another go and found that, for me, there are situations in which they are useful.

IMO, yes. Esp in lowlight, or in unorthodox shooting positions. If a shield bearer, definitely.
Use the sighting system that you see first. Sometimes, it will be irons (bright sunlight, distance), sometimes, it will be the laser (indoors, lowlight, or when the irons cannot be in your eye-target line).
Switchology can be a deal breaker or maker. You have to figure that out. The rear activation lasers work pretty well.
Do you shoot with gloves? Depending on thickness, or hand size (sausage fingers), may block the beam.
 

Fatboy

Established
I do not use a laser in my current job. In my past life, lasers were used extensively for everything from escalation/ de-escalation, use of force, and target marking.

We used a mix of mounted IR/ Vis lasers, hand held pointers, and (my personal favorite) vehicle mounted "glare" lasers that were daylight visible at a few hundred yards. Like Bill said in the video, they were great for marking rooms etc. We also used the flood illuminator to light up rooms from the outside. As a side note, the filters with shapes embedded were great to tell your laser from your mates.

When it comes to rifle shooting with lasers, I consider them to be a multiplier, especially when you have a good parallel zero. Co-witness is fine also, but you have to be aware of the limitations and funkiness at different distances from your zero distance. I would love for my department to buy lasers like a Mawl or similar but I just don't see room in the budget any time soon.
 
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