Hi,
I'm fairly new here and am not sure if this is the correct place to post this question. I want to get a laser site for my S&W 642. I have looked around some and have seen sites costing from $15.00 on up. Does anyone have any experience with a laser site on a J-Frame?
I saw a Crimson Trace but does your finger get in the way of the laser? I held my 642 and it does not look like much room for it. My hands are not real big but not small either. Then I saw Lasermax and theirs comes up above the frame which would solve the finger problem.
They both seem good.....I would appreciate any help!!

Thanks,
Chuck

Laser is OK for training in controlled environment but IMO not worth much for fighting.

#1, if you can hit it with the laser, you don't need the laser, just pull the trigger.

#2, Bright daylight may keep you from seeing the laser on many backgrounds/surfaces.

#3, After a shot is fired in a closed space, that laser beam will mark your position as well as it will mark your target due to smoke in the air.

#4, You have to turn the laser on to make it work. To me, the pressure switches mess up your grip when you try to use them and add too much **** to think about when you are busy trying to stay alive. A constant on visible light laser is a no-go. IR spectrum laser with night vision equipment is a different deal.

#5, A tritium front sight is excellent for the fight. If you can find the end of your pistol, you can hit your target out to 10 yards or so when the world is darker than a Communists heart.

If I were to spend money on a gizmo, it would be the tritium. No batteries, just use it but be careful, as it too can give your position away.

Dan Cash

While I do not run them currently on my 342PD, my Wife does run them on her 342PD. If your after the best compromise that will allow carrying the gun by all methods, recoil absorption, and the ability to stay hidden I'd vote for the Crimson Trace #405 for a J frame. JOMO?

Crimson Trace Lasergrips - LG-405 for S&W J-Frame

Watch this DVD, then decide. I have had CT lasers on all my guns for the past 6 years. The newest one for the 642 is the LG-405...well worth the money.

DVD, The Art Of Survival Laser Tactics :: Crimson Trace

My wife recently bought a 642 with CT grips, she liked it in the gun shop and thought it would help her with quick aiming.
She has since realized that to engage the activating button on the front of the grip she has to change the way she grips the revolver and ends up pulling the muzzle to the right when squeezing the trigger because of the different grip. When she grips the gun normally and uses the iron sights she is dead on target.
I am unable to activate the laser with any type of normal grip myself. I have fairly large hands and my wife has small hands and this does not work well for either of us.
I think a larger activation button might help but I am unable to find out if that is available.
Try one out somewhere before buying and pay attention to how you grip the gun to activate the laser and if it causes you to move off target.
As far as a finger blocking the laser that has not been a problem.

I love the CT on my 686. For a night home defense gun, it is in my opinion, perfect.

My wife has Crimson Trace on her 642 and I have them on my 21. Our main purpose for them is in case of a home invasion at night. We are older and we think it would aid us in getting our shots on target. We both have CCW's and we go to the range and practice in low light contditions. Younger people with better eyesight may not realize the same gains as we do.

That's my problem...I'm an Old Fart...54 and my eyes are not young for sure. It only gets worse too as I have noticed. I have to focus on the front sight and kind of hope I have it on target good. The target gets very,very blurry. I know you are supposed to focus on the front site but still...I remember being able to see the target clearer than now. Anyway I think I will try a pistol that has one first and see what happens.
Thanks,
Chuck

I had bought a used 60 J-Frame as my CCW, because of my bear paw hands I couldn't shoot it well, I brought it back to the gun shop I bought it at and traded it in for a new light weight J-Frame with the CT on it.

I again couldn't shoot that one very well because of my hands but I could shoot it better. My problem was I couldn't get the CT sighted in, (I am left handed), well after talking with CT a few times they admitted to me that revolvers with CT's on them don't work very good for us left handers.

I ended up going back to the gun shop (I do a lot of business and get him a lot of business for him so he treats me good) and trading that one in for a M&P 40 FS, than I bought a CT grip for it and it works great, that is now my CCW. I also have other guns with CT's on them and those work great also.

CT is a great company, they back there product, they treat there customers real good. Heck they even send out batterys to me now and than at no cost to me.

Well long winded answer but I hope it helped. Bottom line is I think you will enjoy a CT lazer.

I have a set of LG-405s on my 340PD. While I mostly use them for for training purposes in my CHL classes, I really like them for my own use. They allow "aimed" fire from (mostly) behind cover, they are good for verification of POI in point-shooting training, and the laser aside, they feel good, absorb recoil well, and conceal well. My only complaint is that they don't make a set that is compatible with a Skyline ClipDraw.