Does anyone have a laser sight or know of someone who does?? I was interested in buying one for my Mini-14 (the ones that go one the barrel) just wondering how big the dot is at like 100yrds?? I was looking at one of those aim shot ones.....it is in shooters magazine......can u see them during the day?? it is 85$$

 

Are you SURE that's a laser sight? At that price I'll bet it's a Red Dot. Anyway, I like the Red Dot sights. I have them on my 10/22 and Taurus M62. I would NOT put a laser sight on a rifle - BUT that's just me. You go ahead and try it. You might be happy with it but I doubt it. I'm 60 years old, been a firearms instructor for 20 and a shooter and realoader since the mid 1950s, so I know a "little bit" of what I'm talking about.

 

I agree that lasers are impractical for rifles in most situations. What you're describing does sound more like a red dot sight (which appears as the same type of dot a laser might project when looking through the sight).

True lasers don't work well in bright sunlight, and the ranges that a rifle will shoot they become too blurry and dim to do you much good.

 

Good laser sights suitable for rifle work are quite expensive. A good one will retail for well over 400 dollars. In the daytime it is rated at only 30 yards or so. In low light however that range increases dramatically and it is visible over 400 yards away with the scope. If you use an infrared low light scope or NVGs you might want to invest in the IR models if you can acquire one. One extremely important aspect of a laser light is the mount. In my experience the cheap ones that clamp around the barrel simply will not hold a zero. Finding a good mount for the Mini-14 might be a problem too. The best mounts I have seen are for the AR-15/M-16 style of weapons and HK rifles.

You really get what you pay for in my experience. I have an inexpensive model on my little Ruger 10/22 that has been fully modded with folding stock, barrel shroud, flash hider and all of the cosmetic stuff and it looks impressive as hell. I have it mounted on an accessory rail on the scope mount and it works ok out to 20 or 30 yards I guess. Like most things on that gun it is just for looks though. I wouldn’t use it on a serious rifle.

I’m not currently using the expensive LDI one I have for my AR-15 style rifles. The main tactical rifle I carry is an AR-15 type in the M-4 configuration mounted with a Trijicon ACOG sight. Much more practical than the laser sight to be perfectly honest about it.

All in all lasers are limited usefulness on a rifle unless you willing to spend some serious cash for one. Even in that case more than likely it will end up sitting in a box somewhere in the closet just like mine is.