Activating your Crimson Trace Laser ...

Does anyone offer an extension for the button that activates the Crimson Trace 405 laser on a J frame. By that I mean when I draw the revolver it activates 90% of the time. The other 10% while not a malfunction, it is that my finger does not hit the activate button hard enough to push it in to turn the laser on. If I squeeze harder it will work but I do not feel comfortable squeezing harder with my fingers on the grip. I hope I am making myself clear here. The whole point of a grip activated laser is it should turn on when you grip the weapon. Is it just me?

I would imagine I could attach a pieceof leather to it but not sure it is foolproof.

Iamarmed said:

Does anyone offer an extension for the button that activates the Crimson Trace 405 laser on a J frame. By that I mean when I draw the revolver it activates 90% of the time. The other 10% while not a malfunction, it is that my finger does not hit the activate button hard enough to push it in to turn the laser on. If I squeeze harder it will work but I do not feel comfortable squeezing harder with my fingers on the grip. I hope I am making myself clear here. The whole point of a grip activated laser is it should turn on when you grip the weapon. Is it just me?

I would imagine I could attach a pieceof leather to it but not sure it is foolproof.

Click to expand...

I don't want the laser constantly activated when I establish a grip. I want to make a conscious decision to do so . . .

If I'm being captain obvious, I apologize in advance.

I've got CT grips on my compact 9. It has two switches. The on/off switch should only be OFF when stored. The other switch is a pressure switch and only does anything when the above switch is ON. Squeezing the grip activates the laser. Both are on the back edge of the grip.

Am I missing something in the question?

smokindog said:

If I'm being captain obvious, I apologize in advance.

I've got CT grips on my compact 9. It has two switches. The on/off switch should only be OFF when stored. The other switch is a pressure switch and only does anything when the above switch is ON. Squeezing the grip activates the laser. Both are on the back edge of the grip.

Am I missing something in the question?

Click to expand...

Yes you are. I said the laser activates 90% of the time I grip it. The other 10% it may not activate because it seems as if I am not putting enough pressure on the button (possibly my grip position) not enough pressure fromo my4thfinger I guess that is why I wantedto know if there was anextension as it would thenturn on 100%. However I want the laser to come on without having to work at it 100% of the time. It is a 405 laser and has the on off switch. There is really no reason to turn the on off switch off. I never do. It does not wear down the battery.

Just added:

Not sure what laser you have. Mine is the 405 and when you squeeze the grips there is a button on the front of the grip that must be depressed in ordertoactivate the laser, not just squeezing the grips the button must be depressed and it is in what one would consideer a natural position to do so it just does not for me.

Muss Muggins said:

I don't want the laser constantly activated when I establish a grip. I want to make a conscious decision to do so . . .

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I see things just the opposite. I want it on with no conscious decision and want it off with a conscious decision. Different strokes for different folks.

I don't have that problem but i've seen it on an older guy who had poor flexibility in his fingers and couldn't reliably bend his finger around the grip to activate the button. I suspect he just wasn't gripping hard enough with a squeezing/wringing his fingers around the grip rather than pinching side to side.
I've also seen it when the batteries were low.
You might try building up the button with some duct tape or gt5000 rubber grip but the better solution may be some strength training with one of those grip squeezer thingees. Having a stronger grip on the gun can only help your shooting.

APS said:

I don't have that problem but i've seen it on an older guy who had poor flexibility in his fingers and couldn't reliably bend his finger around the grip to activate the button. I suspect he just wasn't gripping hard enough with a squeezing/wringing his fingers around the grip rather than pinching side to side.
I've also seen it when the batteries were low.
You might try building up the button with some duct tape or gt5000 rubber grip but the better solution may be some strength training with one of those grip squeezer thingees. Having a stronger grip on the gun can only help your shooting.

Click to expand...

I believe you have nailed it. While I am older I have a relativity firm grip. however my middle finger gets a kink in it when I make a fist and sort of locks and I now believe that is the issue. I have tried several draws and presentations with my left hand and the laser activates 100% of the time. It is actually comical when I make a fist and then open my fingers. All of the fingers open except the middle one and I have to either move it with my other hand or just exert more pressure on opening that finger. So I believe it is just that because of lack of flexibility I do not always put enough pressure on the button. I believe by adding and making it bigger (the button) it will work. It is definitely not my hand strength just the flexibility. It is not painful it just locks closed and I believe when closed it does not exert the pressure on the button all the time unless I force the finger to do so.

thanks for the input.

Iamarmed said:

I see things just the opposite. I want it on with no conscious decision and want it off with a conscious decision. Different strokes for different folks.

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I'd rather not give away my position in the dark unless I'm ready to do so. A lid for every pot . . .

Muss Muggins said:

I'd rather not give away my position in the dark unless I'm ready to do so. A lid for every pot . . .

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I believe we both want the same outcome. We are just approaching from two different directions. I do not want it activated all the time unless I decide obviously. You do not want it activated all the time if you decide. However if I do present I am more than likely in a very precarious situation with not a lot of time to decide. But again we both want the same thing. That is to come out of the situation unharmed.

thank you for your response much appreciated.

Muss Muggins said:

I'd rather not give away my position in the dark unless I'm ready to do so. A lid for every pot . . .

Click to expand...

Either would I and so I went with a viridian laser/light instead of the Crimson Trace for that reason and others .. It has an easily accessible button(s) on both sides of the unit that activates it .. I don't want the green beam of light flashing around the room giving my location away .. until I'm ready to point it at something .. its also multi use as it can have the laser on or the light on or both ..

The Viridian can also be used on multiple weapons unlike the Trace where your limited its use to one pistol ..

I also like to be able to coax it on or off with a slight bit of pressure, but if you're wanting it on every time and it's only coming on 80% of the time,
Practice will make perfect.
Get some snap caps and practice your grip and trigger pull until you get it to activate 100% of the time.
It's not the device, it's how you're using it.

Iamarmed said:

I have a relativity firm grip. however my middle finger gets a kink in it when I make a fist and sort of locks and I now believe that is the issue.

Click to expand...

Iamarmed:

Welcome to the Forum. What you describe may be a condition known as "trigger finger":

Trigger finger - Mayo Clinic

You might want to consult a certified hand surgeon for an evaluation and possible treatment. I have suffered trigger finger to multiple fingers on both hands over the years. Some times the situation was resolved without surgery, but I've also had a couple of surgical releases as well.

Good luck,

Dave

Jessie said:

I also like to be able to coax it on or off with a slight bit of pressure, but if you're wanting it on every time and it's only coming on 80% of the time,
Practice will make perfect.
Get some snap caps and practice your grip and trigger pull until you get it to activate 100% of the time.
It's not the device, it's how you're using it.

Click to expand...

Obviously I can coax it off if I desire. However I do not want to have to coax it on. I want it to be on when drawn without coaxing. If I want it off, I am very capable of not having it come on. The same can not be said for it being on with a quick presentation 100% of the time. BTW. No one said 80%. I said 90%.

The whole purpose of the grip activation button being on the grip is to have it on when you draw your weapon and not have to think about turning it on (one less thing to worry about under stress). There are other less expensive options for that if that is what I desired. However if you want to think about not turning it on is a different matter entirely. Trigger pull has nothing to do with my activation of the laser. At that point it is a done deal. Honestly I am not new to this but am new to lasers. I did a lot of research before deciding on one for my J frame.

As far as practicing my trigger pull I go through at least 50rounds/week on my carry weapons and dry fire them another 200 times a week. I have a the distinct advantage of having a range on my property which is only about a half hour from my home.