Anyone here have tips or trick to using a laser as an aiming device?

[Mod90]

I am considering using a laser as an aiming device. Anyone have any tips or tricks i can or should use?

[Night_Raider_]

I don't like them, but mine is a little underpowered.  I've got it mounted to the TS-45 at the moment, but I'm going to replace it with the 4x Centerpoint that came with my Prowler next time I get the chance.  I'm sure others who know more about it will chime in later, but I personally don't use them because the dots are too hard to find in bright lighting.

[Mod90]

Well I'll be using it in the jungle, with lots of tree canopy for shade in the daytime so visibility won't be an issue.

[condor22]

I use a crimson trace railmaster/red laser.  The red laser dot should line up with iron sights as that's how I zeroed my laser.  Once the laser is zeroed, you can shoot from the hip without ever using the iron sights! As stated, the laser red dot is quite useless in bright sun light, but works well in thick forest and very good in subdued light or cloudy days.

 From what I read the green laser doesn't have the red's faults, they just cost more.

[Mod90]

Well my plan was to zero the laser to poi at 50 yards, so anthing out to that distance should hit no more than 1" low. Should make for easy & fast target acquisition with less chances of a miss.

[cpt_sfc]

I have used lasers for about20 yrs  or so, At close range it will be off the amount of offset from the axis of the bore. Sight in for 50 yds it will hit POI but will be under or higher in between. The laser is straight the arc of the pellet is not. the slower the pellet or the curve of the trajectory the more it will be off. If you set up paper targets at 5 yd increments and aim at the bull each time this will show you the POI over / under at ea distance. ( it may be off l/r depends on mounting) I have had a lot of different brands, but I only really like them for close up Quick reaction needs. I carried one way before they were popular. The range officer would not let me qualify with it for years. Then all of a sudden wa-la everyone wanted one. I too like Crimson trace but most good ones are pricy.

[Mod90]

Thanks for the insight. I already cinsidered that poi would be higher or lower depending in range.

I am actually thinking of mounting it atop the breech where the scope would be. That might allow for me to sight it in at say 50 yards, & since the pellet is being pulled downwards from the moment it leaves the barrel i should in theory have a poi thats no higher than the dot but would be lower at different points between muzzle & poa. The dot would most likely be useless past its singular zero point. Which i wouldnt mind because I wont be taking shots past that distance anyway.


When it gets here i have a lot of testing to do to verify or disprove this idea in very little time.

[mobilehomer]

Most lasers have windage and elevation adjustments, so just as a scope, you will have two zero points. Close zero as the pellet rises and far zero as it drops back down.

[cpt_sfc]

Even powder burners start to drop as soon as the bullet leaves the barrel. BUT that is not how guns work. Air guns even more so. Picture a rainbow and someone has fired a big bullet (that you see) at it on a shallow angle you see the bullet pass thru one side on a shallow angle arcing up then at its apex starts down as it continues on it way to the other side then cuts thru the other side of the arc. All pellets/bullets are fired up ward to defy gravity, but gravity always wins. Distance from the center axis of the bore, height of scope ,laser, etc will affect this arc. It is simple to place targets at known distance to the 50 yd mark so you will know where the pellet hits ea one. then you will grasp the idea. But at close range they are very effective.

[Mod90]

That may be true, but still take a look at what I discovered via chairgun.
So with the scope zeroed to the barrel, & the laser zeroed to the scope, with a scope height od 2.12" & the laser height of 1.5" over the scope, it seems possible to zero the combination & have a singular point where pellet, crosshairs & pellet will cross each other in flight.
Velocity is actually 1145fps with H&N Sniper Magnum 15 grain pellet, I just put the gun over the chrony to find the actual velocity. Only real unknown variable in the equation would be the height of the laser over the scope, since I don't actually have it in hand yet.

Blue line is the laser
Red is pellet trajectory
0 on vertical axis is line of sight through the scope

[mobilehomer]

This is why we don't zero to the barrel. Zeroing to the target will allow near and far zero. The only difference between lasers and scopes, as far as trajectory, laser emits concentrated light, scope gathers light. Light travels in a straight line. It is a little more complicated than my explanation, but the end is - all adjustable sights are aligned to the target, open, optical or laser.

[cpt_sfc]

True it will cross twice , I did not say sight in with the bore I said mount laser as close to the axis of bore as poss same reason why scope high above bore creates more error with canting. The simplest way to know what it is going to do is sight the rifle in at 50 yds and then shoot at known distance. It is why when they sight in an m-16 at 25 yds they sight it in 2 inchs low so it will Hit the man sized target at 360-400 yds. You can zero the laser to the sight , I always did that , but even with a crimson trace there is a difference in POI with The offset of the laser verses the sight line at very close and far away.  There will be a big variance from the 50 yd and 5-10 only way to know is do it. This is not theory as I have put well over 500,000 rounds down range w lasers. I ran an Army range and a police acad, range for about 11 years combined. Only try it no need to hash out theory.

[Rob112o]

What's ur intended target, paper or pest?

[cpt_sfc]

I forgot to say aim at all the targets with the laser first, then mark holes then scope. That will tell you the difference .
Good luck You will have fun w/laser.

[mobilehomer]

Well my plan was to zero the laser to poi at 50 yards, so anthing out to that distance should hit no more than 1" low. Should make for easy & fast target acquisition with less chances of a miss.

My NP2 .22 with JSB 18 gr. at 22fpe is 3/4" high at 20, on at 40 and 4" low at fifty. I don't know what you are shooting, but 1" low is just a little optimistic. Compared to a PB, a pellets trajectory is more rainbow than gentle bend. Everything is more pronounced with the slower velocity, drop, drift, yaw and energy loss. Sight it at 20, then see where it hits at 10 yard increments.

[LeadBreakfast]

I have one, it is highly effective for pests at night. Up certainly not the most accurate way to go about things. I much prefer lighting up the area first and using a scope, if at all possible. My light and laser are on a tape switch, very good for a quick night time reaction shot and not much else.

[longhunter]

if you plan on hunting with it, be sure to check your state's DNR laws, before you head out. I know in Wisconsin, it's against the law, to hunt with a laser.

[Mod90]

yeah i plan on hunting with it.
its all perfectly legal.

[Rob112o]

Yea I've used a laser on my 1322 before and you gotta be quick. I've only tried on squirrels and birds and they see the dot.

[floydlong]

Used a green one on my 2400 KT with RWS Super Point pellets to dispatch pigeons on the roost mostly under 10 yards. Shoot from the hip. Much fun. Shot many pairs that the mate never moved. Have a TKO on the 2400 and its whisper quiet. Oh, and I mounted it on the receiver as a scope. Worked very well but most of those buildings were dark. Didn't try in daylight. Had a Cree light mounted under the barrel set on low. The laser dot was still very visible. Can't think of many more applications for lasers other than night or reduced light pesting at under 12 or so yards.