Handgun Lasers On Concealed Carry Guns – Worth It?

Laser Sights for Concealed Carry Handguns - 3 gun lasers that work for CCW

In a dark alley, in the middle of the night, that's when a concealed carry handgun comes in real handy. There's a delay from the moment a to being on target that can mean life and death. What's better than having a nice red dot illuminating the area where the first round is going?

Handgun Laser Sights - The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

    There's a definite advantage to having a concealed carry handgun with a laser sight. What about the detractors?
  • REALLY BAD: Improper calibration
    Just because a laser is pointing in a straight line doesn't mean the trajectory of the bullet follows. Unlike rifles which have lasers that can be calibrated for precision, very few of the pistol and revolver lasers have calibration features.
  • BAD: No training experience
    Worse yet, an inexperienced shooter may decide that just because the laser seems to be pointing the same direction of the barrel that the two will align. Spoiler alert: they don't. That's something that's first determined at the range.
  • UGLY: CCW incompatibility?
    Many companies that manufacture concealed carry holsters aim for the general market. That means for hard case polymer , it may not accommodate a laser sight. If it doesn't fit in a concealed carry holster, a carrier may not take that pistol.

The good news?

The Three Laser Sights That Get It Right

LaserLyte - Engineered for Precision

This is a system of laser sights made for popular handgun models such as the Glock 17, 19 and XD. What's good about this system is they allow multiple configurations - rear, front, and even side. Because they only cover some specific firearms, they are able to ensure each one is configured closely to how the gun fires. Best yet? LaserLyte has training tools to get a beginner used to drawing on target. Take a look at their Website HERE

Viridian - Green Means Go

Viridian has staked their claim on the visibility of green light versus the classic red dot laser systems. Built to accommodate a variety of popular handgun models, Viridian offers its customers a surprising amount of support in getting used to using its system of laser sights. One thing can be sure - green light shows up much better in daytime conditions. Best? For those wooded and shadowy environments, it still shows up bright. Take a look at their Website HERE

Laser Max - Red or Green Dot Speaks Universally

A universal language is having a laser pointed dot centered on target. Laser Max manufactures lasers for both military and defense firearms as well as concealed carry firearms. Practical, good placement of Laser Max's systems is what keeps this solution useful. More importantly, in many of the firearms, the laser placement is on the spring assembly right below the barrel. That makes calibration and training a lot easier. Take a look at their Website HERE

CCW Lasers - Are They Worth It?

Indisputably, gun sight lasers for CCW pistols are invaluable if proper training and calibration steps are taken. When the lights go out or reaction time needs to be measured in milliseconds, having a laser dot sight on target is priceless.

Take a look at our large selection of

Do you have a laser sight assembly on your favorite CCW? Why or why not?
Tell us about it in the comments section.

About The Author

James England (@sir_jim_england) is the contributing editor for Alien Gear Holsters. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and private defense contracting in Afghanistan.

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