Hi Shawn -
Thanks for the professional response. I always enjoy talking with other industry people.
You sound like you have shot lasers pretty extensively. I'd like to hear more about that.
re: competition. Lasers are not allowed in IDPA and IPSC is a day game. You know that. I do know that Todd Jarrett and Rob Leatham both use and like our product for training/personal use.
You seem pretty well connected, give them a call and ask them yourself what they think about our product.
We do have a long list of agencies who all agree that lasers are an advantage in the real world including: Units from ALL branches of the US Armed Forces, LASO, Orlando PD, Singapore PD, Las Vegas Metro, Austin PD, North Miami Beach, Tampa PD SWAT, Virginia State Police SWAT....
(Shawn - If you would like to contact representatives from these agencies, let me know. I'll put you in touch, Might be an interesting read on your web site)
I was drawing a parallel to the sighting system. You can say "soft focus" or "target focus", but both lasers and red-dot sights put the sight on the target. That's what makes them faster than irons.
That's where it stops. So you can like red-dot sights all you want. Heck, I'll even play along and agree (for sake of discussion) a red-dot is faster and more accurate. But my real concern with handguns and the application of a laser is Law Enforcement and Civilian Self-Defense, not playing games. When a red-dot sight is suitable for those application, let's talk.
I have shot both laser and red dot pretty extensively and have not noticed more of a tendency to "magnify movement" with a laser. The pistol is pointing where the pistol is pointing. The dot is going where the pistol is pointing regardless if the dot is on the pistol or the target. A laser has no magnification so I don't quite understand your point, nor have I experienced it.
Now a shooter will appear to be moving more comparing a laser to iron sights. Irons are a much coarser aiming device than a laser, so irons actually mask the movement that is really there. Lasers reveal a shooter's true wobble. Most shooters find it surprising to see how much they are actually moving when aiming. After that, they (again normally) settle in and move the pistol less. Making them a better iron and laser shooter.
You said it yourself, "...experienced and competent shooter KNOWS exactly where to expect the sight(s)..."
(sorry if I'm out of context here) BUT that sure sounds like a training issue, not a laser issue. Any experience shooter will know where their sight is, whether its a laser or a red-dot or irons. Again, this is a training issue.
Tell you what Shawn. You are located pretty close, only one state away. Heck, I'll even come up to Washington. You know where the Firearms Academy of Seattle (FAS) is? That Marty Hayes' place in Chehalis, WA. Marty runs a real pro facility. 360 bay, low-light house, etc... I'll even buy all the ammo. You just come with an open mind OK? Are you up for that?
I'll address your final point, which was that money will be better spent on training and ammo.
I would never advocating substituting a laser for training. However, as you know Shawn, shooting is a perishable skill. This means, "use it or loose it."
So you spend money on training and ammo and you get some additional skills. Without continuing training, with time, you will degrade again. Quickly. I know if I take a couple weeks off, I have lost some speed.
So its not an either/or training/laser. I am saying that an equally skilled shooter with a laser will do better than an equally skilled shooter without.
Anway, I hope you will take me up on my offer to shoot. If we can't make it there, I'm sure you'll be at SHOT right? We'll be training with Orlando PD, so we'll have some access to good facilities. Would you like to join us?
Look forward to meeting you in person.
Best regards,
-Z
