Laser sights are different from any other sighting. They emit a laser dot on the target. With a properly tuned laser, all you need to do is put the laser where you want to hit your target and pull the trigger.
Laser sighting systems can be invaluable for shooting in low light situations or shooting from positions where you can't establish a good sight picture. Laser sights are an awesome addition to your carry gun. To ensure that you get the right one, we've listed some of our favorites.
Some are for serious carry, others for hunting, and some for training. Check out our list below.
PRODUCT
DETAILS
Products
Crimson Trace Rail Master
Crimson Trace Rail Master
Tacticon Laser Sight
Tacticon Laser Sight
Viridian C5L-R
Viridian C5L-R
Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight
Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight
Sightmark ReadyFire Red Laser Sight
Sightmark ReadyFire Red Laser Sight
Sightmark TLR 6
Sightmark TLR 6
Olight PL-2
Olight PL-2
Crimson Trace LaserGrips For Glocks
Crimson Trace LaserGrips For Glocks
Best Pistol Laser Sights [Tested Choices]
1. Crimson Trace Rail Master- Best Laser Sight
Crimson Trace is one of the original names in handgun lasers. They've been producing lasers forever. As a company, they have pushed the concept forward in many ways. This includes a variety of different mounting solutions.
The Rail Master is their near-universal option for mounting a laser. If you have a handgun with a Picatinny rail, then the Crimson Trace Rail Master will work with your gun. This teeny-tiny rail mount system is perfect for almost any gun.
The Rail Master fits on the smallest guns as long as it has a Picatinny rail. The Rail Master features two paddles for ambidextrous on and off function. It's quick and easy to turn the laser on and off in a flash.
The laser is very bright and easy to see. It is perfect for concealed carry and home defense. The Rail Master is very small and popular enough that companies make holsters to accommodate it and your gun.
It comes with all the needed tools to adjust it including the wrenches for tightening it down and zeroing it in. It is quick and easy to adjust. You can quickly zero the Rail Master to your gun.
The Rail Master comes with four different inserts to allow you to match the laser to your gun's rail style and length. The Rail Master is true to its name and has an answer for any gun with a rail. The Crimson Trace Rail Master sets an excellent standard for stand-alone laser systems.
Crimson Trace Rail Master
The price of Crimson Trace Rail Master varies, so check the latest price at
2. Tacticon Laser Sight
When it comes to choosing a laser for your handgun, you need to choose a well-made, high-quality option. Select an option you can bet your life on. Purchasing anything less is NOT an option.
An $18 laser isn't one I'd suggest for concealed carry. The product description even lists the unit as being better suited for paintball and airsoft. The Tacticon Laser sight is perfect as a cheap training tool.
The Tacticon Laser sight is perfect for dry fire training. When dry firing, you can track your trigger pull based on how steady the laser remains. When you are dry firing, you can use the laser to measure any flinching or flaws you make per trigger pull.
For $18, you have one helluva good tool to measure your progress. Without the laser, it's hard to see your flaws and measure them. The Tacticon provides you with a cheap, easy way to train and improve your dry fire experience.
The laser attaches to any standard Picatinny rail system. You can turn it on/off with the press of a simple button. It's easy to install and remove and is perfect for dry fire training. The unit is very light and will not disrupt or change how you handle your weapon.
It's an excellent learning tool and an even better training tool. For the price of a couple of boxes of ammo, you can get a lot of progress in trigger control and accuracy.
Tacticon Laser Sight
The price of Tacticon Laser Sight varies, so check the latest price at
3. Viridian C5L-R - Best Pistol Lasers
If you are already thinking about adding a pistol laser sight, why not add a light to it? The most popular laser setups are often light and laser combos. You can double your potential within the same rail space.
The Viridian C5L-R is one of the first to do this. The R stands for red. The laser also comes with a green laser as well. The C5L is a combination device that gives you both a laser and a light with the ability to see both your target and where you are aiming.
The light packs a 100 lumen light on top of a five mW laser system. The light has a constant on as well as strobe mode to blind your opponent. The light is very small and compact. Viridian also produces a holster that accommodates your weapon and C5L.
The Viridian C5L can change to different modes such as laser only, strobe only and laser and light. The laser by itself can last for 20 hours on continuous use. The light and laser combo can go for 75 minutes.
The C5L is a compact combination of laser and light but functions on a wide variety of handguns. This includes full-sized guns as well as subcompacts. The C5L is also surprisingly affordable for what it does.
The C5L presents a spotlight style light pattern that makes it easy to see your environment. C5L is small enough for concealed carry and powerful enough for home defense.
Viridian C5L-R - Best Pistol Laser
The price of Viridian C5L-R - Best Pistol Laser varies, so check the latest price at
4. The Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight - Laser Sight For Pistols Without Rails
If you are looking for an affordable laser system that works with an affordable gun, I have the solution for you. The Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight is a super small laser light that fits a Taurus PT1111. The PT111 can be tricky to add a laser to because the rail is so short.
The good news is the Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight doesn't need your rail system. All it needs is your trigger guard. The Viridian Essentials Laser has a unique mounting procedure that allows you to mount the laser to your gun without the need for a rail.
The good news is the Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight doesn't need your rail system. All it needs is your trigger guard. The Viridian Essentials Laser has a unique mounting procedure that allows you to mount the laser to your gun without the need for a rail.
This laser system is very small, supremely small, so it won't interrupt your ability to conceal your Taurus Millenium Pro PT111 handgun. It is also very lightweight. You'll barely notice its presence on your gun. This ensures your gun won't be thrown off balance by the presence of a laser.
The Viridian Essentials Red Laser sight has small, but ambidextrous controls. A little red button gives you instant activation of your laser sight. The buttons are positioned exactly where your trigger finger rests when not on the trigger.
This makes it easy to instinctively activate the laser and get on target as part of your draw stroke. With enough practice, you'll be able to make turning the laser part of your draw stroke without a second thought.
Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight
The price of Viridian Essentials Red Laser Sight varies, so check the latest price at
5. Sightmark ReadyFire Red Laser Sight
High-quality lasers are expensive admittedly, but I like to toss in one budget option when I do these articles. The Sightmark ReadyFire is a budget option designed for full-sized handguns. This laser system is commonly for sale for less than 50 bucks.
The ReadyFire laser system mounts to any Picatinny rail system and can be used for most modern guns. The ReadyFire isn't a sight I'd use for self-defense, but it's a step above a training laser. The ReadyFire is perfect for hobbyist guns used for sport shooting and for fun.
Slam it on a gun like the SIG Mosquito or M&P 22. Then, you have a fun edition to a fun gun. They make teaching new shooters quite easy. Beyond that, you can even hunt small game with them.
As it gets a little darker, you can confirm where your sights sit via the laser. The ReadyFire emits a bright red laser that's easy to see and easy to zero. This affordable laser system has ambidextrous controls and weighs only 2.3 ounces.
The fact that it is lightweight is important. The less a laser weighs, the better it balances your weapon. This 2.3-ounce unit ensures you can point and aim your gun forever without issue. For less than 50 bucks, you can get a fun little laser for target shooting, hunting, and training.
Sightmark ReadyFire Red Laser Sight
The price of Sightmark ReadyFire Red Laser Sight varies, so check the latest price at
You can also check out Hunting Mark article on the 'Best night sights for glock'.
6. Sightmark TLR 6
If you own a small handgun that lacks a rail, like the Glock 42/43 models or the 1911, then I have a solution for you. Actually, I have a solution for you even if your small gun has a rail system. The solution is the TLR 6 by Streamlight.
The TLR 6 is one of my favorite lights. I keep it on my P365. This is another combo system that fits both a light and laser into one small system. The TLR 6 fits the most popular guns and is remarkably easy to use.
It has three different modes including light and laser, light only, and laser only. The TLR 6 is ambidextrous and has a button on each side for quick, easy activation. These two buttons allow you to swap modes in a flash.
The TLR 6 light is a 100-lumen crystal clear white light that provides a room-filling amount of light. It casts a wide spread of light and works very well for both concealed carry and home defense.
The laser unit is as bright as it legally can be and is absolutely eye-catching. The TLR 6 is quick and easy to zero and can be easily attached to your weapon. It's well designed, easy to use, and perfect for a concealed carry handgun.
Sightmark TLR 6
The price of Sightmark TLR 6 varies, so check the latest price at
7. Olight PL-2
If you want a full-sized tactical light that's complete with a laser, then the Olight PL-2 is for you. It's also one of the cheaper options for full-sized handguns and is very well made. While I wouldn't use this light and laser combo for police or military work, it would be a great choice for day to day carry or home defense.
The PL-2 is a big weapon light that only fits full-sized weapons. The PL-2 is extremely bright and shines a blinding 1,200 lumens. It can blind an opponent and give you a momentary advantage.
The PL-2's laser unit sits below the light but shares control with the light. The PL-2 has three settings including light only, laser only, and light and laser combined. The PL-2 has ambidextrous rear controls that are easy to reach and access for both right and left-handed shooters.
The Olight PL-2 is a powerful tool that combines light and laser on a full-sized handgun. This set up easily allows the operator to own the night. The Olight Pl-2 is powered by two CR123A lithium batteries that offer about 100 minutes of battery life when used with combined light and laser.
The Olight PL-2 is one of the most affordable weapon light on the market. The combination of both a light and laser allow it to pull double duty.
Olight PL-2
The price of Olight PL-2 varies, so check the latest price at
8. Crimson Trace LaserGrips For Glocks
Glocks are by far some of the most popular pistols on the market. They are carried for self-protection, duty, and defense. They are trusted due to their simple design and reliable nature.
The Crimson Trace Lasergrips are the perfect Glock laser if you want to keep your Glock small and lightweight. The Lasergrips fit onto the rear of your Glock's grip with ease and are perfect if you do not want to purchase any kind of fancy holster.
Because the grips are attached to the rear of the gun, you don't have to hang anything off the Picatinny rail. This low profile set up allows you to use a standard holster and keep a laser on your gun. The grips are also remarkably lightweight and will not throw your gun off balance in any way.
The Lasergrips feature an instant activation feature. This means as soon as you grab the gun, the laser is on. This makes it a no brainer and eliminates any user failure when it comes to activating the laser.
The Crimson Trace Lasergrips are designed for easy use. When it comes to self-defense, the last thing you want is anything remotely complicated. The Lasergrips are an excellent tool for concealed carry.
They have barely any footprint compared to laser systems that have a rail mounted lasers.
Laser sights are interesting systems. They allow you to see where your shot is going to land visually. Lasers can be invaluable for self-defense, training, and even low light hunting.
Crimson Trace LaserGrips For Glocks
The price of Crimson Trace LaserGrips For Glocks varies, so check the latest price at
Seeing Red
Laser sights are interesting systems. They allow you to see where your shot is going to land visually. Lasers can be invaluable for self-defense, training, and even low light hunting.
Having a good laser system on your gun can be an excellent idea when it comes to home defense pistol and concealed carry. These systems can be invaluable for low light shooting. They are very simple to use.
Having one could mean the difference between landing your shot and missing. It's not a replacement for standard iron sights, but an add on that works with your iron sights and as a backup. Just remember a laser is a device that you must train with.
If you pick the right product, train with it, and develop your skills, you'll be unstoppable.
If you are an avid shooter and want to take part in upcoming 3-gun competition, then must checkout our guide on best 3-gun scopes.