I still remember when some of the first lasers for handguns came on the commercial market. At the time I was working for the late Col. Rex Applegate, and he received several handgun lasers to test. As was usually the case, the job of testing was passed along to me, and I reported my findings back to Applegate. At the time, I thought that lasers on firearms were more of a gimmick or for that matter, just plain ol’ toys. No one made holsters for handguns with laser – simply because the lasers were so big – it wasn’t practical to carry a handgun with a laser mounted on it.
Well, times change, and product improvement and technology have produced some very small lasers for firearms. I no longer think of lasers as mere toys to play with. I sincerely believe that, lasers can aid a shooter under the right circumstances, especially low-light shooting. I’ve been testing some LaserLyte products for about a year and a half now, and I’m amazed at just how small, and effective their products are.
One of the first products I tested wasn’t a laser. Instead, it’s a very small flashlight that they dub “FlashLyte”: that mount on the Picatinny-style rail on a handgun’s rail (semi-autos). Now, the FlashLyte isn’t designed for law enforcement or military use. Instead, this product is designed (and priced) for the home owner to use on their “bedroom gun.” You know what I’m talking about – the gun you keep handy in your bedroom, should you hear a bump-in-the-night.
The FlashLyte is a triple-cluster of LED lens engineer to pump our 25-lumens of bright light at your target. This is more than enough light to light-up the living room in most homes. Additionally, the FlashLyte will also temporarily blind a suspect if you point it in their eyes. I’m not aware of a smaller flashlight that can be mounted on a handgun, than the FlashLyte. It takes but a minute to mount the FlashLyte on your handgun that is equipped with a Picatinny-style rail, and your good to go. If you have a bedroom gun, then you really need some sort of illumination source to go with it – and what better place to have a light, than mounted on your handgun?
When I heard from my friend Laura Burgess who does the PR/Marketing for LaserLyte, that they had a laser mounted in the rear sight for handguns, I thought perhaps she had had one too many drinks. In short order, a sample of the Rear Sight Laser from LaserLyte arrived at my front door – it was for a Glock 19 and other similar Glocks. I couldn’t believe how darn small the RSL was. It only took me a couple of minutes to remove the factory Glock rear sight, with a brass punch and plastic hammer, and install the new RSL in its place.
The RSL is now available for several popular handguns, with more to come. What I like about the RSL is that, it’s easy to mount, easy to zero and easy to use. As you draw your handgun from your holster, you simply place your thumb on the activation switch on the rear of the RSL and it turns the laser on. Additionally, there is a constant as well as pulse mode. The pulse mode is activate by pressing the activation switch twice. And, studies have shown, that a pulsing red laser seems to be more intimidating than a steady laser for some reason. I tend to agree. the RSL has a 1-hour constant on, and a 2-hour pulse battery supply. What’s not to like here?
Several months ago, I received the LaserLyte K-15 Kryptonyte Rifle Laser for testing. I mounted it on my MGI Hydra modular rifle, that has a quad-rail forearm. Again, it was quick and easy to mount, just a couple screws and I was in business. Now, if you’ve never used a green laser, you’re in for a a treat – they are much brighter than red lasers on – and you can see them under most daylight conditions. I’m a firm believer is the less-is-better, when it comes to mounting things on my AR-15 style rifles. Any more, I’ve seen people with so much gear mounted on their ARs, that the gear weighs more than the actual rifle does. I’m getting older, and I just don’t want to pack any more weight than I have to on a firearm. So, I’m particular about what gear I add to my ARs.
I like the K-15 Kryptonyte, and I have to chuckle at the name. Everyone knows that Kryptonite can kills Superman…and if you see how bright the green laser is on the K-15, you’ll know that whoever is pointing this laser at you means business – that the bullets are gonna hit where the light is aimed. I zero all my lasers for 25-yards, on rifles or handguns, as I believe that’s a reasonable distance to use lasers at. I know, I know, lots of companies advertise that their lasers can be seen at a mile away. Okay, good for them, but I can’t hit a target at a mile away. I think lasers are best used for close-in CQB distances.
The K-15 has a constant “on” switch on the rear of it. There is also a momentary on feature, that is used with the 10-inch long tape switch, that I mounted on a vertical fore grip. I would like to see LaserLyte include a vertical fore grip with the K-15, as I don’t see many people using the momentary “on” switch just stuck on the fore end of an AR or other similar rifle. I mounted my K-15 on the top rail of the quad-rail on my Hydra. You can mount it on any of the four positions if you desire. The K-15s super-bright green laser gets your attention, even in bright sunlight. And, the battery lasts for up to six hours. I just think that my Hydra looks super-cool with the K-15 mounted on it, and it’s a useful addition if you ask me. BTW, LaserLyte just came out with a coyote brown K-15 – the standard model is black.
One thing to keep in mind with any green lasers is the fact that, they don’t operate in temps below freezing. So, if you live and work in a climate that has temps below freezing, then you might not want a green laser mounted on your firearm. I’m not sure of the science involved in the making of a green laser, but I understand that advances are being made in this regard concerning the temps at which they will operate.
I also tested the V2 laser, and this little gem mounts on the Picatinny-style rail on your handgun. And, it can also be mounted to a quad-rail on a rifle, but it’s real purpose is on a handgun. The V2 is a true subcompact laser, too. I haven’t seen anything smaller. The V2 is activated by a small red button on the rear of it – and it can be turned on in a split second. I really liked the V2, and I’m gonna see if I can’t beg a couple more samples from LaserLyte for some of my other handgun. the V2 is small enough that it will allow holstering in many ballistic Nylon holsters, too. There are several other lasers for handguns from LaserLyte, however, I haven’t tested them, so I’ll refrain from commenting on ’em here, other than to say, I’m sure they are top-notch if they are like any of the other products I tested from LaserLyte.
Whenever I mount a scope on a rifle, I use the Laser Bore Sighting System from LaserLyte. This neat little device allows me to get my scope on paper at 25-yards, and more often than not, I’ve been dead-on with my scope after using the Laser Bore Sighter. this system consist of a laser device that you stick in the end of your barrel, and you turn it on. Aim your rifle at the special target that is included with the system, and place it on the bullseye, then adjust the crosshairs of you scope, to match the laser’s red dot on the target. More often than not, when I head up to my shooting spot to live-fire the rifle, the shots are hitting exactly where the crosshairs are aimed. It’s a very quick and easy system to use. However, you must remember to remove the laser from the end of your bore before firing live ammo, if you don’t you will blow your gun up – simple as that. The Laser Bore Sighting System has saved me a lot of money in ammo, and the darn thing just works simply.
What I like best about LaserLyte products is that they are affordable. And, compared to the cheap imports that sell for less money, the LaserLyte lasers work as advertised and will last a long, long time. I’ve tried some of the cheap Chinese imported lasers that cost $25 and they are junk, don’t waste your money on ’em. Get something from LaserLyte that will suit your needs and work when it’s supposed to work. Lasers aren’t just “toys” any longer. They are a worthwhile addition to your firearms. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio