You might encounter some of the more persistent myths and misconceptions when selling lasers. Thanks to the Internet and gun range banter, some things just get passed on without anyone stopping to think them through.
- A laser will give away your position!
A laser is intended to be a defensive tool that improves your odds of hitting a threat on which your brain is fixated. Rarely does a home break-in or mugging involve Ninja games where good guys and bad guys sneak around in the dark trying to spot each other’s laser beams. If you have drawn a gun, you’re already in a gunfight and the laser is the last opportunity to sight align with your target before pulling the trigger.
- Fixed sights will always work, and lasers are a crutch.
Fixed sights are great. They’re nearly impossible to break and very consistent. In low light conditions, they are harder to use. Even Tritium night sights that glow in the dark still force the user to bring the gun up for a proper sight picture. When identifying a potential threat, your eyes are focused beyond your sights, and a laser allows you to aim without bringing your attention back to the iron sights. A laser will also allow aiming from unconventional shooting positions where your gun is not positioned at eye level.
- The batteries will run out when you most need them.
If you don’t believe in the slightest bit of preventative maintenance, this could be true. We rely on electronically powered things all day, every day. A need to change batteries once in a while shouldn’t prevent us from using a tool with significant benefits. Today’s lithium batteries have a shelf life of a decade or so, and there is little risk of batteries fading over time.
- Lasers are fragile.
Today’s laser products are incredibly durable. Depending on the make and model, you can find lasers capable of being submerged 50 feet underwater. Guide rod lasers work for years while being subjected to the recoil forces of your handgun. Even rail- and grip-mounted lasers absorb recoil forces with each and every shot, yet they continue to function.
