Handguns lasers
Dhurdle - You covered some excellent points, sounds like you have gone through the same things I have. The fist laser I got was a under barrel mount and the first thing I noticed is that unless your target is standing at the exact point you sighted it in on it will be either low (if closer than sight-in point) or high (if further away). I started with the TLR 2, which I ultimately ended up with on a shotgun, which is a good unit, just not on a handgun for me. I now have 8 different Crimson Trace (CTC) lasers on various sidearms and am very pleased with them. I have had some over 10 years and have had ZERO problems with them - and I carry open, in a dusty environment, 10-12 hours everyday, day in, day out. One advantage to the CTC that are grip mounted (beside the dead on accuracy) is the fact that you can easily cover the source of the laser with your trigger finger so that it does not give away your location or telegraph that you are fixing to come around a corner. Lasers can be invaluable tools for training as well as self defense as you can use them in dry firing to see if you have a 'pull' during trigger pull and to deteremine sight picture is proper. I have two XD (NOT Ms) w/ CTC on both - one is the 9mm sub-compact, the other the .45ACP compact, and both. for me, provide all the additional grip points I require (of course this will vary from individual to individual)in a grip. Also, when using the grip mounted CTC it leaves your rail open to use with a weapon mounted light if you so wish. CTC is suppossedly working on a green laser system to go with their red, but have not heard how that is progressing. LaserMax (which makes a laser that replaces the guide rod in different models) is good for accuracy, but the short comings I have found with it it is same with any that is not grip mounted - it takes a seperate motion to activate and once it is on, it is on. I firmly believe that in the high stress situation of self defense with a side arm adding another thing to remember to do is a detrement. When I have cleared my holster, with a propler grip, the CTC is activated and ready to go - no switch or button to remember to press - it is designed to activate as soon as you have gripped the weapon proerly. One thing that I must stress is that if you do go with a laser system, that yo still must train WELL on your iron sights so that it is still natuarl to go to them if for some reason your laser fails you. I have green lasers on my Ars and they do view better in a bright sunlight situation, no doubt. But according to FBI stats, over 75% of all self defense situations occur in a low light locale, so the majority of the time the red laser will serve it's purpose just fine. Good luck with which ever system you decide on!