If you are like a lot of suburban or urban gun-owners, you know that getting to the range for practice can be a chore.  Your busy life sometimes makes it difficult. And until recently, ammunition prices have discouraged you even further.  But you know you need to practice basic firearm fundamentals like muzzle discipline, grip, presentation, sight-alignment, trigger-squeeze, and training your dominant eye. Fortunately, you can do that in the comfort of your own home without frightening your neighbors with the sounds of gunfire and the sight of muzzle flashes.

Enter the LaserLyte Trigger Tyme Training Pistol (TTTP).

LaserLyte makes a full line of training aids for many different firearms.  But let’s start with something really basic.  The TTTP costs a measly $40. It’s about the size of a Glock 19 or similar striker-fired pistol.  If you have smaller hands or prefer training with a compact pistol, LaserLyte makes a compact model as well. The beauty of this training pistol is that, unlike other “blue gun” training aids, this trainer has an actual trigger you can squeeze and basic sights similar to those found on modern striker-fired pistols. Because it’s a trainer, you don’t have to lock it up in a safe. You can leave it lying around the house without worrying about a child or other unwanted person finding it. Mine just sits next to the pile of remotes in the living room.  I find myself picking it up and practicing trigger squeeze or my grip whenever I feel like it.

Pros:

  • Good build quality.
  • Comfortable to grip for extended periods of time.
  • Simple but consistent trigger pull with a well-defined break.
  • Inexpensive

Cons:

  • Trigger reset is unlike anything you will encounter on a real firearm.
  • Sights are not removable or adjustable.

As a complement to the TTTP, or possibly the other way around, Laserlyte offers the Universal Pistol Laser Trainer (LT-PRO).

This unit retails for around $85 and is designed to be mounted in the barrel of nearly any 9mm through .45 caliber handgun. It is powered by three small hearing-aid batteries and is sound activated. The click of the trigger on any firearm activates the laser to send out a short pulse of laser light. The biggest benefit the laser provides to novice shooters like myself is it gives you a visual indication of how much you are jerking the trigger. When used with the TTTP, a user can look down the sights, pull the trigger, and actually see the laser dot moving across whatever backdrop it is pointed at. Your goal is to get that dot to remain as still as possible while you complete a full trigger squeeze.

The LT-PRO is not perfect though.  There is no on/off switch. You use a tiny plastic disc to interrupt the contacts between the batteries and the unit. It’s cumbersome and not something you want to attempt unless you are in a well-lit room indoors. If you leave the unit on overnight your batteries will be dead. So make sure you stock up on hearing aid batteries. Fortunately, those are not expensive. But the fact that you have to use a proprietary battery instead of something more common, more powerful, or better yet, rechargeable is unfortunate.  This is not a knock on LaserLyte.  This device has only been shipping for a few years. It is more a wish list of features I would like to see LaserLyte incorporate into future versions of the product.

Pros:

  • Universal fit works in most 9mm through .45 caliber handguns
  • Durable aluminum construction

Cons:

  • No on/off switch. Disabling the unit can be challenging.
  • Batteries are tiny and have only a few hours of run time per set.
  • Because it is sound activated, background noises can prevent it from functioning correctly.

In conclusion, I can think of no good reason not to pick up the Training Tyme Pistol. It is an inexpensive way to teach new shooters proper fundamentals without adding the risk of using a real firearm to the process. LaserLyte’s Universal Laser Trainer can also be a really useful and fun device to add to your training regimen, especially when used with some of LaserLyte’s other training aids.  But even by themselves, both devices will help make you a better shooter without costing you a single round of ammunition.