I recently installed all green truglo tfos on my shield and I am considering adding a crimson trace or armalaser as well. I know CT offers a green laser now so I was wondering whether a green or red laser would work better with my all green sights (figured the red dot would contrast w my front sight = no confusion, but like the fact I can see the green laser at outdoor ranges better). Just curious to hear from anyone who has experience w grip activated lasers on the shield.

Also could anyone tell me what model of tuckable desantis holster fits the shield w a laser and also has an extra mag pouch on the front? Saw a picture of one but can't find it on their website

too much thinking man. Go with whichever color, it wont matter.

If I'm going to shell out ~$300 for a laser I'd rather overthink it than under think it

I've got a red laser (InSight) on my older model BG and a LaserMax green on my 40c.
When using either (seldom), I don't look down the sights, but rather where the dot is on the target.
I think either would be ok.

What im saying that it probably doesnt mattereapecially at your distance. Ive heard green does better overall, and id do green since its my favorite color. Basically it doesnt matter, pick red or green, whichever color scheme you like.

For me, green lasers are cool and add a wow factor, but that's about it. I know they have technical advantages like being brighter but I just put a Lasermax guard on my Shield 40. I got it for $75 maybe and the laser is BRIGHT. I really don't see why I would need anything brighter, but you obviously need to evaluate your needs and what could constitute the need for a green laser. Or if you just like green better and want to shell out at least $150 vs $75.

Here's my brand new Shield 40, just finished the last of my customization today when my Pearce mag extensions came. For what it's worth, aside from being bright, I love the way the Lasermax looks, the activation switch is in the perfect spot (and not too soft, plus definite 'snaps' into place, although without the sound). I also love the ambidextrous design of it, even though I'm not a southpaw. It works out perfectly that my index finger can activate the laser, and when I'm gripping the gun I keep my thumbs forward and can easily manipulate my left thumb to press the opposite side back into place to deactivate (middle position is off).

My one complaint is a common one, especially with the Pearce extensions forcing my hand a bit higher up on the grip... the flash (or seam) at the bottom of the part that meets your middle finger on the grip can be bothersome. They intelligently designed it so that in that area it isn't half/half on either side, but a single piece that bridges the whole trigger guard, but it still had a seam. I took a file from a pocket knife to it for all of 10 seconds - didn't impact how it looks at all, and smoothed it out. Don't feel a thing now. Most people do this with sandpaper - I didn't have any. I just went for a few seconds at a time, wiped away what came off, and checked it until I was satisfied.

+1 on the lasermax. I like the option to set the laser to strobe aswell. For me, I find it easier and quicker to pick up when it is flashing.

Regarding the activation switch. I can turn mine both on and off from the same side. Mine doesn't need to be pushed back over from the opposite side.

For the price and fit/finish, it was an easy decision for me.

I have CT-red for the Shield; after sold the LaserMax. I also have ArmaLaser for the PT92AF. They both are great with "auto-on" feature but Armalaser cost less.

How do you turn the LaserMax on and off from the same side? Also, how do you turn the strobe on? Do I need to move some pieces around on the internals before fastening it together?

Honestly I have no idea about the switch. Everything I read before buying it said it had to be used from both sides. When I received mine, I just installed it normally, and noticed that it worked from the same side. It doesn't click in when you turn it on, it just pushes in and then resets itself. The first one I received was way out of alignment so I sent it back and they sent me another. The second one activated the same way. I don't know if it's a newer model and they addressed that or not. But it is nice using the same finger for on/off.

For the strobe, I push it to turn on. Then I push again and hold for 10-15 seconds and it switches to strobe. Although I don't know how that would work if you have to push from the opposite side to turn off. So lasermax may have a new model out now to allow that to happen.

ETA: I purchased mine from amazon the week before Christmas (2014).

I have a Crimson Trace Laserguard on my Shield. I like the instant activation when I grip the gun. I plan to use the iron sights during the daytime and the laser at night. I did not see the need to spend so much money on the green one, when any color laser rules the night.

I purchased mine from Amazon, as well, about a month after you. This is the specific product: http://amzn.com/B0080R1XCY (the one that says by LaserMax and is Prime eligible). Mine wasn't perfectly in alignment, but I got it pretty close using the instructions. Took it to the range today and made the final adjustments to zero - dead on now. I'm really curious what is going on with yours. I'll say this, I still like the ambi activate/deactivate for the reason stated previously (using my trigger finger to activate, and left thumb to deactivate in a thumbs forward grip). Still, obviously if there's a way to tinker with it to get it to activate on one side only and to pulse I definitely want to find that!

FWIW, GREEN IS THE LAST COLOR OF THE SPECTRUM TO DISAPPEAR IN LOW LIGHT. IT IS MORE VISIBLE AT LONG DISTANCE, ALSO…..

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Joe. Im not sure that is correct. White or blue or purple i think is better?

Also, with that button there, any of you hesitant on using it? I could think that you would go to switch it on in a home defense self defense situation but end up pulling your trigger. Even easier under a modified trigger

Not at all. The button to activate the laser takes a lot less pressure than a trigger pull does, in a perpendicular direction no less. Plus, if you keep your finger off the trigger and either along the top of the frame or right across the trigger guard, given how small the Shield is, chances are your index finger tip will rest right on the laser activation button by default. Me personally, I don't have small hands but I don't have big hands either. I could squeeze my pinky onto the Shield 40 without the extended mag (uncomfortably, and aside from bridging the floorplate and the frame of the gun it would overhang), alternatively between the Pearce extension on the 6 round mag and the laser guard taking a tiny bit of space underneath the trigger guard, my fingers are crowded. It's still best for me to focus on holding the grip with 2 fingers, and stabilizing with my pinky, rather than gripping tight with all 3, if that makes sense. Anyway, I mention it only because you do not need big hands to easily reach the switch while holding the gun in any situation where you're not about to fire.

And to add one more thing, if you are about to fire and have your finger on the trigger without having had a chance to activate the laser (for whatever reason) it's really a simple move to hit the switch with your left thumb, and takes less fine motor control than operating a safety easily.

Does the laser max stay on once you activate it or does it require constant tension?

Guess it would help to note I'm interested in training for the central axis relock system of shooting due to my left eye dominance/right handedness and want to learn how to fire accurately from the high position w my carry piece

Lasermax stays on. Push button to turn on, push button to turn off.

Hmm. I had a bodyguard 380 and never felt safe touching the laser button
It is in the opposite direction, but your finger autonatically curls back. And in yhe heat of things you might curl your finger back too far

I acquired a whole drawer full of various lasers only to decide that if I ever really needed to defend myself quickly they were just something that takes one more nanosecond. I have decided that simple is best.

$300 will buy a thousand rounds of practice ammo.

I've tried many different lasers and the big problem with them is I find I don't concentrate on trigger control. I always expect the bullet to follow the laser and forget about trigger pull. I prefer to just use the sights or shoot instinctively.

I have the red CT on mine and I'm happy with it. I read that green is better in bright light, but I got the CT just for low light situations, so I feel comfortable with that.

My personal opinion on the activation of the laser is that I do like the pressure switch because there is less to think about. However, I do wish there was a "master switch" on the CT that I could turn off while at the range. At the range, I want to practice without the laser and use the fixed sights sometimes. I like to practice with both sighting options. But the "always on" laser is distracting to me when I want to use the fixed sights. So I plan to start packing some black electricians tape on my range trips, so I can black-out the laser when I want to.

For the Desantis holster, I have the Tuck-This II pictured below. It is comfy, but thicker than kydex. I will likely try a kydex also to see which I like best for EDC.

In addition, I have a Recluse pocket holster that I like a lot. It totally hides the gun profile. But it can look like a paperback book in tighter pants, so it won't work for me all the time.

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Green 100% easier to see in daylight/longer distance

Not sure why I can't attach more than one pic using the phone. When I attach the second pic, it overwrites the previous. Very frustrating. So I apologize for multiple posts, but here is the Recluse pocket holster.

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I have a green Viridian laser on my 40 Shield and a red CT laser grip laser on my 40c and can say that the green laser has a slight advantage in that it is easier to see and has a slightly longer range. From my experience, if everything else was equal, I would choose the green laser.
With that said I think it depends on how you will be using the laser. I don't think there is any laser that is really that effective in bright sunlight, so if you're thinking of using it in that scenario, I think you'll be disappointed. If you intend to use it like I intend to use mine, and that is in low light home defense situations, I don't think it really matters which color you choose. Either will be effective and will be easy to see in low light situations in relatively close ranges.
I think it's more important to choose on the basis of how easy it is to use. My Viridian for example requires nothing but to take the gun from the holster. It activates instantly without any thought whatsoever. It does require a certain type of holster for that to work. It also has an on/off switch so you can turn it off when you don't want it on and conserve battery power.
My CT laser grips on my 40c also requires no thinking necessary to use it. Just grip the handgun and it activates. It also has a master on/off switch.
Using a laser on the Shield brings up special considerations. As much as I like my Viridian, it can be a problem finding a holster that the instant on feature works with, although there are more and more out there. The CT for the Shield has the pressure switch that you activate when you grip the gun. For me that is a little awkward, plus you can never turn it off as there is no on/off switch.
If I didn't already have my Viridian, I would look into the Armalaser for my Shield. It activates by just gripping the gun, so no thought is required, and it doesn't have the awkward (for me) contact switch like the CT. It does have a master on/off switch to turn it off when you want to. No special holster is required like on my Viridian. And a big plus is that you can change batteries without removing the laser from the gun and therefore risk sighting changes. To me the ArmaLaser seems to incorporate just about all of the major features of a well thought out laser. If it were available in green, it would be just about perfect. But as I said before, the color isn't that big a deal if you plan to use it in low light, close up circumstances.
I don't have any experience with other brands, although many of the characteristics that they have, they share with the brands mentioned.
Everyone has to make up your own mind. I can only say that if I were looking to add a laser to my Shield, I would strongly consider the ArmaLaser.

@stevemac thanks that's the one I saw I currently have a sof tuck and like the idea of the extra mag pouch attached to the holster

I got a LaserMax from Amazon the first of December and mine does on/off from the same side also. For those of you that have LaserMax's how are they doing staying zeroed? Mine stay's "close enough" but it doesn't stay dead on.

From what I have read, green is easier to see in daylight. Red is cheaper.

I will stay with Crimson Trace products. I like the instinctive activation. I have a lasermax on my Mustang, and I prefer laser auto on.

Armalaser TR4 hands down everytime. I posted a bunch of videos of my armalaser TR4 and Direct comparisons to the Crimson trace laser which fails in the videos at the range, if you're curious about the TR4, give them a watch, might help you make up your mind.