Is a laser helpful?

[chuckman]

As I train with pistol I am noticing I am getting sloppy, especially beyond 10 yards, groups opening and pulling shots low and left. I don't recall having this much trouble; but then, it's probably been an incrementally slippery slope. This time of year being what it is I don't have the greenbacks for a class, so I am thinking about getting a laser (I think it is a trigger control issue, not a sight picture issue, but I don't know). Would this be helpful, and what type of laser/trainer to get?

[matemike]

I would try to borrow one first. Whether it's a friends or you rent from a local gun shop and see if it works for you. Might be your holy grail.

Most likely it is the trigger control issue that you suspect, and not the sight picture. Is everything completely blury at 10 yards?

I think if you can keep it accurate at close range, but just get sloppy at longer range, then it seems like practice could fix that. A laser could help prove all that if you aim it at 10 yards and see it creeping or wiggling before the shot.

YMMV

[Ironman8]

There are some well respected guys on here who use lasers on their carry guns...and by default, train with those lasers...so I know that some will say that it is helpful.

IMO, a laser "can" be a tool, but most people just end up turning it into a crutch. I don't personally like to use them because I know I'll end up looking for the dot rather than focusing on my sight picture. With a laser, I actually feel slower getting on target (and getting first round hits) and don't shoot as accurately overall, but that's just me. The shortest/best way I can explain it is that a laser causes me to "oversight" the weapon, thus making me slower.

*The only caveat to the above statement is that I haven't trained extensively with it...mostly because my first impression was that it didn't help me at all, rather it hurt my performance.

However, I think that if you want to use it solely as a training tool, then it might be beneficial. It sounds like you're slapping the trigger or just anticipating recoil due to where your rounds are hitting.

If you wanted to use a laser for a training tool, install it and zero the laser a few inches below your iron's POA. When you shoot for groups, get your normal sight picture through your irons and ignore the laser. Have someone stand next to you and watch the laser for movement just before you break your shot. This should help diagnose exactly when/where you're moving while breaking the shot...or if you are at all.

Of course, the cheaper way of doing this that will get you the same effect is "ball and dummy" drills (my personal favorite for trigger slapping/recoil anticipation problems), dry/live fire with a coin/case on your front sight (my second favorite), and of course regular dry fire. You don't even necessarily need a partner for these.

Good luck.

[vandal5]

Not sure what price point you are looking at but I would think a class and a quality laser would be pretty close in price. For me personally I would get more out of a class but may be different for you. Like the previous poster said you could try to rent or borrow one.

[RamadiDoorkicker]

IMO, a laser isn't what you need. Go back to the basics and focus on your trigger control, breathing, grip, sight picture...A laser is a tool that only needs implemented in low light scenarios. Otherwise, it becomes habit to look for the dot rather than acquiring a good site picture....

[Magic_Salad0892]

I used to run lasers exclusively, and now I refuse to run a gun with one, because of percieved disadvantages that I'm not willing to deal with.

They usually break.
When the laser comes off target during recoil cycle my eye naturally tries to "find" it again, which slows down my follow ups.
My CTC lasers couldn't keep zero.

[ChocLab]

They usually break.
When the laser comes off target during recoil cycle my eye naturally tries to "find" it again, which slows down my follow ups.
My CTC lasers couldn't keep zero.

Thank you. Your comment just saved me some money.

[Magic_Salad0892]

Thank you. Your comment just saved me some money.

I'm glad I could help. But I do recommend finding somebody who shoots with a laser (preferably the gun you prefer using) and shooting it a little bit, and seeing if it works for you.

[Keith E.]

chuckman I second the "borrowed" laser recommendation. I've not run one enough to comment on their effectiveness but they do seem to have their place(s).

Now back to your "pulling shots low and left" concern. That can sometimes be the result of the sympathetic tightening of all fingers when working the trigger finger for right handed handgun shooters. Dry fire and the aforementioned "ball and dummy" drill are good ways to diagnose a situation like that.

Keith

[Warp]

I don't like lasers. They deviate from the fundamentals since you don't focus on the front site. Handguns are all about the front site and pressing the trigger smoothly. You start training otherwise, and I don't see how you have not screwed up your fundamentals. What happens when the laser breaks, the batteries die, you take it off the gun, or you use a different gun that doesn't have a laser?

I certainly wouldn't use it to fix problems with your fundamentals. If your groups are opening up and/or you are shooting poorly, start from the ground up and fix that which is out of line.

Low and left is very, very common for right handed shooters, especially new/novice/inexperienced/poor shooters. Low often comes from anticipating recoil and pushing the gun down, left often comes from a poor trigger press where your right hand twists/torques inwards as you tighten.

Go back to dry fire drills, ensuring the sites don't move as the trigger breaks. Also ball and dummy drills.