Laser sights and Flashlight / Laser combo

[wilddog]

Here is my issue, I am wanting to put a green laser on my Taurus 24/7 OSS (.40 Cal.) The thing is I don't know much about them. I do however, know I want to get a green due to their visbility. The light thing is an option I would like, but not necessary. Here is one I found, I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me out with some selections that have been proven trust worthy. Thanks a million in advance.


http://combatoptical.com/catalog/Night-Hawk-Pistol-Green-Laser-Sight-With-Pressure-Wire-Switch--439.html

[tombogan03884]

Crimson Trace "will not make a green laser in the foreseeable future"
The reason for that is because they eat batteries and are more sensitive to getting banged around.
On top of that "more visible" makes YOU easier to spot as well.

[wilddog]

Any advice on which laser to look at? Red, green, purple to be 100% honest it makes little difference. I have just seen the Green in along side the red and the difference is amazing. This is a home defense weapon so using light discipline is not an issue. Once someone is in your house all shit has broken loose anyway.

[tombogan03884]

Go with red. Unit cost is quite a bit lower, batteries last longer, units are more durable, and less sensitive to temperature, and in low light the viability thing will not be relevant.

Copied from another thread:

First allow me to address the hype of green lasers. A lot of laser manufactures are hyping green as the 2nd coming of laser sighting technology. Marketing buzz phrases like "50 times brighter than red," "Day Visible," "Brighter under all conditions," etc.... and they look pretty cool on TV right?

Green laser do one thing semi well and everything else pretty poorly. The one thing they do better than red is they do appear brighter. Power regulations are the same for both colors (can be up to 5mw) so we are talking about a difference of color only and that green is more sensitive to the human eye to see. Under sunlight green is easier to see than red, but all lasers regardless of color mute under bright sunlight, green is no exception. The brighter the sunlight the more the laser will mute until it is visibly useless to the shooter, the difference is with a green laser more bright sunlight is needed to mute it then red.

The problem is being the color green is easier for the human eye to see, under low light conditions (the conditions you are much more likely to need to use your laser equipped firearm in self defense) green offers some very real disadvantages. Under low light the green laser will splash off the target terribly making it difficult to discern the dot. Also under low light conditions the green laser itself is visible, one nice line from shooter to target. Finally under low light conditions the green laser will illuminate your surroundings (this is especially true inside buildings) like a green LED flashlight.

Furthermore green lasers are an IR diode with a chip that brings the color down into the green spectrum, because of this green lasers are 10 times less battery efficient than the current red. Also green diodes are much more fragile and more prone to temperature variations than the long proven red diodes.

To summarize, green lasers are currently not a good "all purpose" laser like the current red lasers are. I am personally of the opinion green lasers should be used or selected only for specialized tasks or missions where engaging bad guys under sunlight will be likely. Green is more of a specialized usage laser choice like IR than a good every day carry, all purpose, what you want on your gun 24/7, color choice like the red is.

As to the question at hand....

Will Crimson Trace ever make a green laser?

I have learned to never say never in this industry but at this time no. Until technology moves forward enough to eliminate problems like green diodes being fragile, being susceptible to temperature variations, and the battery drain problem, it likely will not be until these hurdles can be overcome.

[fightingquaker13]

I know nothing about lasers. I've never used one and I haven't stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently. However, I am pretty good at counting money. The extra $300 plus you'll pay for a laser equipped gun (god knows how much for the green) will buy 1300 rounds of 9mm at my range.  Given the fact that that hand gun accuracey is achieved by sight picture, grip, trigger control etc., none of which comes naturally, I'd have to say that putting a thousand rounds down range will make a LOT more accurate than any laser. As a bonus, the skills don't need batteries.
fighting quaker13

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

I know nothing about lasers. I've never used one and I haven't stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently. However, I am pretty good at counting money. The extra $300 plus you'll pay for a laser equipped gun (god knows how much for the green) will buy 1300 rounds of 9mm at my range.  Given the fact that that hand gun accuracey is achieved by sight picture, grip, trigger control etc., none of which comes naturally, I'd have to say that putting a thousand rounds down range will make a LOT more accurate than any laser. As a bonus, the skills don't need batteries.
fighting quaker13

If you have the $350 for CT grips it is well worth the money. In an SD situation there is a very good chance you will NOT be in a "good firing position", (just knocked on your butt for example) or you will be focusing on the threat, not the sights, perhaps your vision is not that good, (bifocals). In all of these situations the ability to put the red dot on the target from whatever position you may be in could save your life.
Secondly your statement that
"  Given the fact that that hand gun accuracy is achieved by sight picture, grip, trigger control etc., none of which comes naturally, I'd have to say that putting a thousand rounds down range will make a LOT more accurate than any laser"
is only partly true. Pistol accuracy is GREATLY influenced by sight radius ( the distance between front and rear sight) Therefore a pistol with a 6 inch barrel seems more accurate than the same model with a 2 inch barrel. HOWEVER, laser sights negate that seeming advantage. When sight radius is removed from the equation accuracy is the same regardless of barrel length.

[fightingquaker13]

Thanks for your post, Tom. Food for thought. I'll try renting a laser equipped Glock (cover your eyes Haz) next time I shoot. However, if I get hooked, I swear to Christ you owe me a case of Sierra Nevada.
fightingquaker13 

[Hottrockin]

http://www.viridiangreenlaser.com/

[Big Frank]

The green laser beam that people can see going back to your pistol seems like a bullet magnet to me. DUCK. INCOMING.

[Hottrockin]

The green laser beam that people can see going back to your pistol seems like a bullet magnet to me. DUCK. INCOMING.

I agree, yet disagree.  Each situation is different.  If you’re gonna be in a shootout, then its laser off.  However, if you have some distance to work with and a potential attacker who may be armed with a knife coming down a hallway then it could perhaps be a BIG intimidating factor in which he turns and runs.  Laser on, muzzle pointed doesn’t always = shoot.  I do understand your point of view though as well and agree, when on, it does lead ya all the way back to the source.