Some things were meant to be together, like peanut butter and jelly, but a pocket pistol and laser? There is a great irony in the fact that the handguns carried most by citizens for personal defense are also inherently the most difficult to shoot. Yes, when we are standing around in the gun shop we all talk about custom M1911s, Glock 22s, Sig Sauer P220s. But when it comes to what lawful gun carriers are actually concealing, it often boils down to compact revolvers and subcompact auto pistols. The sales figures alone will prove me right on this.

Increase Accuracy with a Pocket Pistol and Laser Combination

Over the years the pocket pistol has experienced popularity with the concealed carry crowd, due to its easily concealable size. For this reason, many manufacturers have entered the arena with a pocket-sized pistol.

However, the issue with pocket carry pistols is the short sight radius. As we all know, a shorter sight radius decreases the pistol’s accuracy and target acquisition rate. Not to mention, some pocket pistols have a double-action operation with long trigger pull. So, the thing that makes pocket pistols so popular, is also the thing that hurts them most.

As a result, some firearm manufacturers took the initiative and released pocket pistol models with a laser attached. Companies like Ruger, Smith & Wesson, SIG Sauer, and Walther got in the game early on. But over the years, after-market lasers made it possible to add a laser to many popular firearms.

The Trigger Guard and Grip Laser Solution

Although there are many rail-mounted lasers on the market, they require a pistol with Picatinny rail to attach to. As a result, pocket pistols were pretty much left out in the cold. So, a solution was necessary for the smaller pistol models. This is where the trigger guard laser came into play. In addition, laser grips filled the void for small pocket revolvers as well.

Thanks to companies like Crimson Trace, LaserLyte, LaserMax, and Viridian, most pocket pistols on the market can be upgraded with a laser. Even the tiny little North American Arms .22 MAG can be outfitted with a laser grip. It’s an exciting time to be alive.

Reality-Based Training

If all of your practice is on the square range in daylight, it is difficult to truly understand a laser-aiming device’s benefits. Read the FBI statistics on Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty. You will see that the majority of felonious assaults on cops take place during hours of darkness.

Does this mean every attack occurs in poor light and up close? No, of course, it does not. However, if you find yourself in ample light with distance between you and your attacker, that is a rare case, and you are ahead of the game.

Pressing the trigger during a deadly force encounter is not a simple task. We, the good guys, play by a set of moral and legal rules. As such, we must be absolutely sure of our target and what is around it. We must have as much mental clarity as we can muster and be sure that we are doing what is absolutely necessary. Morality or legality does not handicap the bad guys—that’s what makes them the bad guys.

The most important tool in a fight is the brain. Once your brain has given you permission to fire your weapon, you need one other indicator or “Go Code” that tells you the weapon is properly aligned with the target. That Go Code can be a clear front sight, indexed on the threat. Should you be unable to discern a clear front sight, this is where the laser shines (forgive the pun).

The Laser Redundancy

Laser sights are not meant to replace standard sights—they are an emergency redundant system. If you can see your front sight clearly, that is your Go Code. If a laser red dot appears on the target and that’s the first thing you see then that becomes your Go Code.

Also, it must be understood that lasers are not a replacement for good training nor are they some type of mystical bullet guidance system. The bottom line is this, get the best equipment you can afford, train with it and know your limitations. If Lasergrips on a compact gun gives you an added level of confidence and comfort I can’t see that as anything other than a big plus when your life is on the line.