To avoid the time consuming process of high vacuum bakeout of laser tubes, we have constructed a variety of lasers which utilize a small mechanical forepump and a slow flow of the gas medium through the laser tube. No stringent requirements are placed on the vacuum integrity of the system; the gas flow rate (2–20 scm3/min) is sufficiently low that the use of commercially available tank gas is economically justifiable. The chief advantage offered by the flowing system is that laser operation can be obtained within minutes after exposure to the atmosphere; thus, the operator has access to a wide variety of operating pressures, gas mixtures, etc. A helium‐neon laser at 6328 Å and 1.15 &mgr;, helium‐cadmium at 4416 Å, and helium at 95 &mgr; have been successfully operated in this manner. The ease of operation in these three cases suggests that a wide variety of gas lasers can be constructed in this manner.