Seriously considering a laser, probably a Crimson Trace, for my 9 full size. Anyone running one? Looking for input.

I have one but I shoot at a limited range of 30' or ten yards it is OK but I usually shoot without it, as currently sighted it is good enough but not real precise and the movements of the laser take some getting used to, and when I tried adjusting them I goofed up and lost one of the screws and had to send the sights back to CTC and they came back fine but needed some tweaking.

If you can get them from E-Bay or Amazon for a good price then that is the best route as this is what I did.

Most people either like them or wished they had tried something else.

They fit the backstrap and feel like a medium sized backstrap which is what I use. They will fit in most all holsters as if it were a standard weapon.

If I were awakened at night without my glasses all I would need to do is put the laser on the problem and neutralize it, so what if I am a little off target!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

Regardless of all the positions for/against lasers, your reason for them is one of the best I've read. I have night sights, and wear contacts during the day. At night, no contacts. I can still make out the tritium sights, so I can be somewhat on target, but the sights are a bit blurry (I wear a reading contact and a distance contact during the day - and use my reading contact eye to view my sights).

A laser would certainly reduce the time needed to acquire a target.

Syrupmaker - I went to a gun show where they had the CT installed on M&P compacts. For me, the CT felt real natural since the laser turned on automatically when I used my normal grip. So that's a plus. But they are expensive at $299 NIB. Although CT only costs about $180 if purchased from S&W with the gun (e.g. 220070 model comes equipped with CT).

-T

I installed a Crimson Trace on my LC9. I like it so far. I really like the pressure activated switch, it feels natural when you grip the gun. I've had other lasers where you had to think about pressing the switch which takes away from accuracy IMO.

i personally would only go with the CT.. i see no point in a laser that I have to turn on first.
What I like is you dont have to line up the sights to acquire target. If you are mid draw and holding pistol close to chest pointed out, laser is good to go..
With that said, I'm waiting for the price to come down to the same level as the other CT gun models. $300.. um..

T-Bone,
Interesting, especially since I wear bifocals mostly and my contacts are set up the same way. I dry fire a lot, do the CT grips come with an off switch? Any problems holding zero?

I also wear bifocals (actually noline bifocals) and if awakened as I stated in an earlier post I would have to rely on the red laser dot on the target as my eyesight is very poor without my glasses but with a laser kinda like a shot gun just point in the general direction but with the laser you see pretty much where the bullet will go!

That is easy enough for me, hope this helps in your decision!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

Just be aware that if you are left-handed and use a high thumb grip, your thumb will block the laser diode. Crimson Trace is aware of the problem, but they have no plans to make a left-hand model. Their solution is to tell their customers to change their grip. I've been shooting handguns for over 50 yrs, and they want a grip change instead of making a model to satisfy 16% of their customer base. NOT a customer-friendly company.

I have 2 on house guns. They are worth their weight in gold. Not just faster on target but great snap shooting practice.

I have CT on my 4 1911's, my Sig 220, my Glock 21

my Ruger MKI

I have lasers on my muzzle loader, compound bow, and circular saw as well.
I LOVE 'EM!!!

Ned

Yes, there is an on/off switch. Check out this video.

I cannot address if the laser becomes misadjusted.

-T

Have CT on my 9c and love it but little hard to see in bright sunlight

I have CT grips on my M&P9C, LCP, Colt New Agent and Colt Defender Plus - I don't rely on them, but is a great tool for improving my target acquisition and my patterns are much smaller.

Wow. Thanks for the input! Looks like I'll start making plans for a set.

CT's gone to the much more visible green color laser for their tactical rifle laser. I can't help but wonder if despite the ' Crimson' name conundrum, if they won't eventually go to offering a green laser option for hand guns. They do make a fine product, but for shooting coconuts out of tall trees on a cloudless Florida day,(among other daylight purposes) nothing beats a green laser, IMO.

I own a number of Crimson Trace lasers and would not any other brand.

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NRA Bene Life, SWCA 2372

I have CT on my M&P45FS and I really like it. Holds zero after a 250 round range session just fine. There is a switch so the laser can be turned off when desired. Gun can also be held with a relaxed grip so laser is off and doesn't give your position away then comes on when you take a firing grip. I find the CT grip size to be between the medium and large S&W grips.

If you do purchase you will need to add laser practice to your training. It is easy to get caught looking for the dot instead of aiming.

I have red and green lasers and prefer green. I hope that CrimsonTrace makes green an option on their pistol grip lasers, as they're making a dandy green laser (with built in grip & tactical light) for tactical rifles already.

AR-15 & M-16 Rifles - Manufacturer - Products


My eyes aren't that bad. (yet) I can watch TV, even sports, from 10-12 feet away, no problem, epec. in the morning, but nonetheless, I wear no line TRIfocals.


TruGlo TFO's in green are so bright that I can raise my gun, align the three dots and get a bead on my target after waking up in the middle of the night--without my eyeglasses on.


My green laser puts a large sized dot on any target. Outside at night, it looks like a solid beam of light--really awesome--like I'm calling Batman (the Green Hornet?) or something. Makes my red Insight laser look puny. Some idiots have been getting attention for aiming green lasers into jets and airplanes high above, from the ground. The FAA will persecute and levy stiff fines on whoever they catch doing that.

I have a CT on my snubbie. Its solid. I use a rail attached light/laser on my full size M&P9. If I got the 9c for carry I would absolutely add a CT. Note, I think the CT looks better fitted on the M&Ps than the Glock or Xd.

I have the CT on my snubby 442. I just got into shooting about a year ago. My first gun was a full sized 9mm, a SD9.

After taking a few classes and getting my CPL, I bought the 442 to carry. When I first got the snub, I was a bit discouraged. I was just begining to feel like I could hit an attacking barn side if nessary with the 9, but the snubby was a whole new ball game.

While the snub was on order, I bought a set of the CT grips with the rubbery part that helps a bit with the recoil. Following the advice from this forum and the instructors, I turned it off for range sessions.

One day after a particularly bad range session I was talking to the gun smith at the range about how I did not feel much confidence with the snubster. He suggested I stop worrying about 1 inch groups and think a bit about combat effectiveness. Long story short, I started adding a few cylinders of point and shoot with the laser on to my practice routine. I often shoot better shooting quickly with the laser on than I do aiming carefully with it off. That probably says more about my lack of skill than it does about the advantages of the laser, but there it is.

Although I still drill with the laser off most of the time, it help me feel more confident about my carry gun.

Oh, and you can't forget the James bond scifi cool factor. :-D

Snubbies are tough to shoot. I got better when I quit aiming. Point and shoot. A laser sure helps and makes a small self defense pistol much more effective.

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Same here, I was never a big laser fan but as I age and my eye sight gets a little off. I'm starting to like them.

Just following up... I shot with a buddy today. He had his rail-mounted green laser on his full sized non M&P gun. Way cool It was $50 on amazon. I believe it was this one. In case the CT price is too steep.

Anyway, I am a laser fan now that I've tried them out. I prefer iron sights at the range, but for home use, they're great... as others have stated, gives the option of keeping the gun close to chest. I'll probably pick one up soon, but a compact laser.
-T

I have a Ruger LCP, and I shot it using iron sights and liked the weapon but not the sights. i started using the left side of the frame and could hit consistently that way. i added a CT triggerguard laser. That thing is great! It can be adj. for windage & elevation so i was able to put the dot where I wanted. In the sunlight- worthless, in hte dark/low-light priceless. I don't need it in the light 'cause I can see to use the sights(left side of the frame). But when the lights gone and all I can see is a fuzz target, I can still get an accurate shot! A great workable tool!

The CT lasergrip that came with my M&P 40 FS has a separate off switch that will keep it off if you don't want the grip button to activate it. Mine hasn't lost its zero.

I have the CT grips on 4 of my 1911's.No problems holding zero.

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JR

"A laser would certainly reduce the time needed to acquire a target."


This is the exact reason I have lasers on both of my carry guns.

I see there are people out there with the same issues as I have wearing bifocals. I think I will start looking for a laser for my SD9. Any thoughts on one for SD9?

Ed

My S&W snubby has a Crimson Trace. I can finally hit something with a snubby!

And from any position; prone, sitting, standing, dazed, wounded...if I can hold that dot on the target, there will be a .357" hole in it.

My M-9 has one too.

The local cops have them on their duty handguns.

So I give a thumbs-up.

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Fuego

Si at least as far as this forum goes with people with both good and poor eyesight especially without glasses or visual aids the laser is a good thing to have mostly at night when the laser is really easy to see regardless of color of laser.

Get one and turn it off during the day and at night turn it on and be prepared (boy scout motto)!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

I have a CT on my kahr CM9.

They are nice, but night sights will go on my M&P

I use the sight picture 100 percent on my kahr, kind of a waste to be honest

Yes, and it drives me nucking futz. If I wear glasses the sites are clear as a bell and the target is real blurry. If I take the glasses off the target is clear and the sites are real blurry. I think I just need to get longer arms. Because each year it gets worse.

I have the CT on my 9c and think it is great. I have one on my full size 9 HD gun. I really want one for my 45c and they do not make one. They do now make the one for the rails but that means holster modifications or new holsters..not an option. As someone said they do not seem to be very customer friendly when it comes to new products suggestions. With the way the M&P's are selling I would think CT models for all of them would be in the plans.....

They need to listen to customer feedback and drop the price a bit.

CT are good but overpriced. Several LaserLyte units have worked well for me and are more reasonably priced. I don't necessarily want to change grips, just add a laser to some pieces.

I'm right handed, but I want the nonexistent left handed model. I'd rather have the laser on the other side of the gun because my finger would always be blocking the beam. Im not touching the trigger until its time to shoot, its way too light for that, at 3 pounds or so.