All posts tagged Crimson Trace

Your lasers shoot straight but your bullets never will

Lasers have been around for a long time and there are plenty of stories out there with credibility that involved Law Enforcement using them on firearms and then removing them because they were a liability.  With each accessory you put on a firearm, there is always a chance that it will fail or snag on something or change your perception of  the way you are engaging a target.  Although laser grips can have their advantages, you have to train to use  them properly. If you are looking for that dot to exactly where you want it to be you are wasting time and giving your opponent an opportunity to get his sights on you.  I have done enough testing and evaluations with new students to know that the majority of individuals act a certain way when given laser grips, they slow down when engaging targets.

For those of us that have taken Carbine Courses, we know that the AR15 his a very  high sighting picture and in a home defense or hostage situation, you better know your point of impact or something catastrophic can occur.  Crimson Trace Laser Grips have really picked up for the concealed carry market and they fly out of the door for those carrying pocket guns.  The reality about most pocket guns is the sights are never used.  Some guns like the Rohrbaugh R9 come with and without sights, why… because at certain ranges and certain calibers you train not to use them.  If you using laser grips for carry purposes, you are better off training to use it as a highlighter for low light threats but you must always be aware that your point of impact changes over distances.

 

 

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Gun holsters and gun sights

One thing that I have heard more and more lately during defensive training courses that I have sat in, is a warning about changing sights  on  your guns and making changes to the holsters you already own.   The infamous spinning handgun is something that is going to occur on your favorite CCW gun if you haven’t paid any attention to the friction you have on your holster.   Even if the gun can clear the holster, a slight angle alteration and the front sight will catch on the holster and flip forward as you try and pull it out.

I’m definitely not against replacing your gun sights, I’m actually all for it, XS gun sights are great defensive gun sights and putting Crimson Trace Laser Grips on your pocket gun or your new Ruger LCP is something that is working quite well for others and sometimes it really good to just be observant to others when it comes to guns and gear.  A small cut or notch on your gun holster might be necessary if you change your gun sights.

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Laser grips finally being accepted?

I remember when they first started showing up in law enforcement circles and then there were the debates about how cops were getting show because they were not using instinctive shooting skills and worry about trying to get the dot on target and ended up getting killed.  I can’t name a story to back that up, but with my experience in shooting and training on the firing line, I believe that it is true.  I jumped back into the laser grip world with my Smith & Wesson Model 637.   There is a place for laser sights, but it really seems to have caught on with smaller pocket guns than duty guns.

I think it’s not a debate that getting hits on target is more important than taking your time and trying to get the perfect hit.   In the real world one stop shots are not a reality.   Crimson trace laser grips are pricey, but i can’t complain about battery life.   I’ve put clost to 1000rds through my Smith & Wesson j-frame and I have not had to change a batter yet.  The real advantage I see with having a laser like this on a carry gun is to get a little bit more range out them and be able to use them in low light situations.

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Don’t expect a do it all gadget on your firearms

I saw a recent night fighting test where they basically showed how night sights become useless as soon as a flashlight gets turned on and the glowing dots won’t help you in low light conditions depending on your flashlight gun techniques.   The whole flashlight thing on handguns is a debate in itself because there are so many things to consider.   There are flashlight retention devices like the Section 8 Tactical ultimate retention device that have helped improve grip and freeing up your hand to open doors or do magazine changes, but it is true that it’s not as steady as a flashlight mounted on the firearm.

Night sights are nice, but who would get into a shoot out in their home without turning on a light or using a flashlight?   One thing to consider are Crimson Trace Laser grips for home defense because not only can you tell depth of a target in low light you can also get better cover and still know where your gun is pointed.   There are some really good defensive training DVD’s coming out an Massad Ayoob will be going over using laser grips in home situations.   I highly recommend using lasers on home firearms as well as flashlights, I think those are far more practical and advantageous than using night sights.

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Those little .380s

The .380 has now become one of the most popular CCW calibers.   I guess so many people are now being awakened to gun rights that gun manufacturers are catering to their desires for smaller concealeable weapons.   I’ve seen what the .380 caliber can do and in all honesty, the caliber is really a minimal caliber and you better do some real good thinking on how to effectively engage a target when you are carrying such a weapon.   It still amazes me that to this day, 90% of the people I know that carry a firearm have had ZERO formal training.   I would say that considering the fact that people are bigger today than they were 100yrs ago and that crack cocaine, PCP and other street drugs can make people bolder and stronger than ever, you better know that firing on a target until it’s down is something you better know about and not expect a one shot stop.   I’m sure I may be pissing off a few “experts” in CCW, but if I am going to carry such a weapon, I’ll have the gun unloaded on target A and expect to be moving and reloading for the expected follow up shots.

There was a shooting in the Phildelphia area in the last decade where a female police officer was killed by a bg with a .380, but it was a point blank direct hit to the head.  I hate to be so graphic, but that’s about what you’re going to have to expect this caliber to do.   I have heard of bullets not penetrating the cranium and a full magazine of .380 holding 6-7rds should be expect to be used on a target.   I’m starting to see some laser companies putting lasers on these small gun which IMHO may be a good idea to help in low light shooting.  Crimson trace laser grips makes them for Walther PPK pistols which are one of my favorite .380 guns.  I realize that many who carry a CCW may not consider themselves at high risk, but for anyone  in a high threat or high risk job, should seriously consider a larger caliber.    Depending on  your body size, Kahr and Kel-Tec make some nice pocket 9mm that are closer to what I would consider to be minimal calibers for defensive use.

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Weapon mounted flashlights

I’ve sat in on several IDPA events with flashlight stages and watched people drop their flashlights left and right, while trying to engage targets.   There are better ways to retain a firearm in your hand without having to mount it to your gun.   The Section 8 Tactical device called the URD, Ultimate Retention Device is IDPA legal and a good option for those that still do not like having to mount a flashlight on a handgun.   I realize that putting a flashlight on your defensive pistol will most likely mean having to get a bigger and bulkier holster if you are carrying it, but for a gun safe gun, especially something that is being  used in your home, train to use a flashlight in whichever way you feel most comfortable.

I’m not a big fan of pressure switches being used on flashlights because I’ve seen them become another accessory that will snag on something or fail on  you.   Flashlights can have batteries fail and the bulbs can burn out, and having to worry about another connection isn’t my cup of tea.   Streamlight flashlights have a very popular handgun option called the TLR-1 and TLR-2.   One has a flashlight and the other has the light and a laser mounted in it.   Each has their place in defensive applications, but anytime you add an accessory to a firearm, it’s another thing that can fail on you.

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Tools and accessories and practical uses

There are plenty of things I’d love to throw on an M4 that would be fun to try out, lasers, grenades, IR, night vision ect.  but the reality is I really don’t need those, and with how much battery usage I would be using, I don’t really want to have to tack on another accessory that is gonna fail on me when I should really just operate with out it.    Battery life can vary depending on the type you use, but there have been big improvements in the last couple years.   The problem I see with people using lasers outside of their homes is that the laser is set for where the POI is at a fixed range and people that are less trained don’t realize that it’s not really going to improve your accuracy.

Rifle offset on the AR15 is something that needs to burn into a novice shooters head.  I can’t think of too many other firearms that have an offset like that and for close range fighting, especially in a hostage situation, you can easily miss your opponent and hot the wrong person.  Laser Grips Laser usage at close ranges, that are adjusted for POI within close ranges can be a help if you are using your home defense weapon, but for using lasers outside of your home, the bullet won’t hit where the laser dot is and is really just a guide.

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Rifle offset and laser setup

crimson traceI have had an above average level of firearm training, but I am very much aware that I’m no expert.   I think anyone that claims to be an expert tends to have the wrong attitude and will eventually fall victim to complacency.  There is a pretty well known youtube video of an “expert” showing students about firearms as he ends up putting a bullet into his foot in front of a class of school kids.   One of the most important things I have learned about close and personal fighting with firearms is rifle and pistol sight differentiation.   On a rifle you can shoot a bullseye at 300yds with your ACOG, but at 6ft, you might end up putting a bullet 3 inches over a bad guys forehead due to the barrel and optic offsets.

Laser grips are no different when it comes to knowing that you will still have an offset. Most laser grips sit high above the grips and off to the right side of a pistol.   This will give you a windage offset and will be something you will have to put some serious thought into before you set your zero.  I’d recommend thinking about this while measuring rooms in your home and knowing the distances you may be defending yourself in, and then taking the firearm to a range for zeroing.    I personally prefer laser grips that turn off and on with a grip button and do not need to be switched off and on.    Like lights on a firearm, sometimes it’s a liability to always be projecting something from  a given position.

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Defensive training with laser grips

crimson trace laser gripsI was not a big fan of putting flashlights on rifles until I started working in the field and realized that having a light on a rifle was the most practical thing to have with a firearm after having bullets.   It may sound funny to hear such a simple observation, but it’s true.    How many times during the day do you think you’ll need to pull a firearm for defense in your home and how many times do you think you may need it at night?  Most criminal activity occurs in low light and not having a light means not identifying your target.

Lights and lasers as they say, can go both ways.   The bad guy can see them and you can see them.   I put a crimson trace laser grips on my S&W and I believe I have increased the effective range and accuracy of the firearm by atleast 25yds.  Heck, I may attempt to hit targets out to 100yds with it and see how well it does.   I don’t think I’d ever use a 38 special at that range, but it’s always nice to know that it’s possible, but let’s be realistic.    Many novice shooters may feel more confortable knowing that the little red or green dot is approximately where the bullet is going to go and giving them this comfort level as opposed to spending 20hrs or more to teach them to be a bullseye competitor.   There are times where someone needed to acquire a weapon for self defense and sending them for 20hrs of training wasn’t practical.

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Lasers on J-Frames

Crimson Trace laser gripsI’ve often noticed that some of the most experienced shooters I know that you would imagine could probable carry a Argentine FAL concealed actually all carry very small and lightweight firearms.   The J-Frame seems to be the number one, but I have been noticing that there are a few very reliable autos being made by Ruger and Kahr.  I understand the need for training, but there have been drawbacks to many of  the snub nose revolvers I have fired.  Number one, they tend to have terrible triggers and the sights are so small they are hard to use.   I’ve put plenty of lead downrange, but I have done tests with 5 shot revolvers and the difference between double action trigger pulls and single can be significant.   If you’ve only got 5 rounds, you have to make every round count.

After several attempts at buying another pocket auto, I had a convesation with the salesperson that said everyone he knows that is carrying a J-frame is now carrying it with  Crimson Trase Laser Grips.   I’ve seen a lot of pocket lint on firearms and I would have to say that it is something I would be concerned about if I was carrying an auto, I believe the revolver has an edge in this regard.  A laser grip will add on another $160-$200+ to your gun, but if you prefer to carry a revolver.  Adding on a laser will increase your effective range and possible give you and intimidation factor if you ever had to pull it.

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