L.A.S.R - Laser Activated Shot Reporter Training Software Hands on Test (Video)
Dry firing is just about the most boring thing you can do in firearms training. The problem is that dry firing also happens to be one of THE BEST ways to drastically improve your shooting. So, how can you make dry firing more exciting than watching paint dry and avoid feeling like you’d rather be doing literally anything else?
Get instant feedback on shot placement and time during your dryfire practice using your home computer, a webcam, any targets, and any laser training aide. LASR is easy to use and packed with features so your dryfire practice can be more fun and more effective.
L.A.S.R. App is a Great Investment You Can Make for Your Dry Fire Practice
What if I told you that you could set up actual targets, shoot something from your training gun beyond just hearing the sound of the striker or hammer falling, and actually get split times, groups, scores, and more? The L.A.S.R. (Laser Activated Shot Reporter) App does just that! L.A.S.R. works by using a webcam, as well as your phone, tablet, and laptop-integrated cameras, to watch targets that you specify. It is looking for laser impacts, and when it sees an impact, it records the location, splits times between impacts, and emits a hit or miss sound effect.
You can literally set up any target you want, as long as it isn’t super reflective. Simple printer paper, cardboard, and standard printed targets all work great. If your target is primarily black, you may encounter some issues with the camera being able to see the laser impacts, so keep that in mind.
L.A.S.R. App Turns Dry Firing into a Very Fun and Beneficial Training Exercise
Instead of using your EDC gun and aiming at light switches or other small objects around your house, when using the L.A.S.R. App with any laser training aid of your choice, you can use any target shape or size, up to twenty individual targets. Plus, if you have L.A.S.R. X, you can set up several camera angles for multiple room engagements.
You can use SIRT laser training pistols, laser emitting bullets, the SIRT AR bolt for your AR-15, or literally any laser device of your choice. I personally use a SIRT 107 pistol because it perfectly replicates my everyday carry gun.
You can also use gas blowback laser-emitting pistols, as long as you purchase the L.A.S.R. advanced camera. Another advantage of the advanced camera is that you can use infrared or visible lasers. Using an infrared laser would force you to stay in your sights and shoot correctly rather than looking over the sights and point-shooting with the visible laser.
You would only be able to see your groups after you finished shooting, by looking at the recorded hits displayed on your screen. I know, “If you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying,” but this is one of those times when it’s best to try your hardest to ignore the laser and only rely on your sights.
One important note about using gas blowback and infrared options is that you will need to purchase the L.A.S.R. Advanced Camera, which is currently listed at $150, as of January 2022.
L.A.S.R. is Packed with Features and Fun Activities to Make Dry Firing Great Again
Want to train with your own gun and not bother with the additional cost of a laser training pistol like a SIRT? No problem.
Want to use any targets of your choice without limits? Check.
Want to keep a record of split times, total times, draw stroke times, and any other type of time you can think of? Yeah, L.A.S.R. does that too.
What about multiple shooters for some multi-player head-to-head action? Guess what, L.A.S.R. has that feature built-in, as well!
You can also participate in challenges and community-created scenarios, such as steel challenge stages, qualification shoots, and more.
L.A.S.R. not only works with standard laser training aids – if you have L.A.S.R. Classic, it is also capable of working with recoil laser training aids, such as the KWA ATP airsoft pistol with a laser conversion kit. You can also use gas blowback AR-15 style airsoft guns.
L.A.S.R. Classic Optional Add-On Plugins
Target Templates Plugin $24
“The LASR Community includes a user-driven library of target templates that can be used with this plugin.
This plugin includes a variety of pre-formatted target zones with sub-zones for various common targets, including IPSC, IDPA, bullseyes, FBI-Q, and much more! In addition, with the Target Scoring Plugin, you can assign different points or penalty values to the sub-zones to set up realistic courses of fire, with instantaneous and automatic scoring customized to your liking.
Additionally, this plugin includes the ability to create your target templates for any target you can imagine. They can be simple shapes or complex multi-zone targets. You can also download templates made by other users from the LASR Community and upload your own for sharing.” – lasrapp.com
Target Scoring Plugin $12
“With this plugin, you can customize and save points and penalty values for different targets, enforce scoring standards, and much more. This plugin works well with the Target Templates Plugin, allowing you to assign different scoring values to different target zones.” – lasrapp.com
Quick Save Plugin $6
“With this add-on to the LASR Classic software, you have more options for saving your targets and timesheets for later review, including one-click saving, one shot on a special purpose (remote control) target, and automatic exporting of your target/timesheet to an image that can be emailed or posted to your social media sites.” – lasrapp.com
Custom Sounds Plugin $12
“This plugin for LASR allows you to add your own sound files for LASR to use for any of the following sound options: Prepatory Command, Start Signal, Par Signal, Hit Tone, Excess Hit Tone, Backdrop Hit Tone, Target Downed, Reload Called, and Target Nicknames. You can use any .WAV sound files, whether you record them yourself or find them on the internet, and can be any length or content you desire, including verbal instructions for a particular course of fire, or just the gunshot hit tone that you prefer. The LASR Community Library also offers you the ability to share your own sound files and download sound files from other users.” – lasrapp.com
Shooter Watch Plugin $36
“Recording yourself shooting is nothing new, as many top shooters have been recommending it for years. The Shooter Watch Plugin for LASR seamlessly brings that ability to your dryfire practice with the added benefit of being fully integrated with the LASR software and all other plugins. The LASR Shooter Watch Plugin lets LASR use a second webcam to watch you, the shooter, so you can see what you’re doing right or spot deficiencies. Position the camera wherever you want to capture those key moments in your practice and watch the recording while checking your results.” – lasrapp.com
There are currently two different versions of L.A.S.R. available – L.A.S.R. Classic and L.A.S.R. X. The L.A.S.R. Classic version is only for Windows operating systems, but it allows you to use recoil training aids, as long as you have the L.A.S.R. advanced camera. The L.A.S.R. X is a mobile-friendly version that can be used with any smartphone, tablet, or PC. The biggest advantage of L.A.S.R. X is that you can link multiple devices together to create some very dynamic room-clearing scenarios. L.A.S.R. X is also available for $15 per month if you don’t want to shell out the $299 for a lifetime license.
If you’ve read this far, you’ve likely come to the same conclusion I did. Why aren’t all those plugins included in the base software as a complete package? Another good question is, “Why is there no discount if you purchase the bundle?” Whether you buy them one at a time or all at once, you’re going to end up adding $75 to your total. Not cool, in my opinion.
Overall though, the L.A.S.R. App is a really great option to seriously up your dry fire game and ultimately become a better shooter.
Here’s a hypothetical cost if you go all-in with L.A.S.R. and want to use a gas blowback pistol:
- L.A.S.R. Classic = $249
- All of the L.A.S.R. Plugins = $75
- Gas Blowback Laser Pistol = $500 (You can get one for about half that price if you do the conversion yourself.)
- L.A.S.R. Advanced Camera = $150
- SIRT AR Bolt = $150
Your total would potentially come to $1,124 or $1,011.6.50 if you use the 10% off discount code TWS10 at checkout at laserapp.com. For about the cost of a decent handgun, you can buy yourself unlimited ammo, unlimited targets, and unlimited scenarios to train with your AR and handgun, without having any ongoing fees or additional costs over time – no range rentals, no ammo to buy, no chance of hearing loss, no chance of lead poisoning, and no chance of any type of firearm-related injury from poor safety habits, ricochet, or other factors.
OR the cheapest and most cost-effective way to get started with L.A.S.R. is going with a monthly subscription to L.A.S.R. X for $15 per month and picking up a laser bullet of your choice for your specific caliber. L.A.S.R. just happens to have a package deal for L.A.S.R. X and a bullet of your choice for a total of $75 plus the $9 per month subscription.
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In case you missed the giant discount code, you can save 10% off your entire order at laserapp.com with the code: TWS10 at checkout. :)