Crimson Trace For a J Frame ?

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Hey Everybody,

Are CT Grips worth the money ? Thinking of installing them on a 640, not sure of their value ? Jim
 
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I have the 405s on my J frame and like them. Good for practice IF indoors. Hard to see the at least for me in the daylight. I think they will work great in a darkened room. I believe the LG-405 is discontinued.
 
To me the J frame is for concealed, then up close and personal defense. At most it's the front (orange) blade pointed at center mass. Nothing else but a controlled grip and trigger pull required. I want nothing hanging off the weapon. But then I've been doing it that way for a real long time. YMMV, and that's OK too.
 
The red laser is easy to see in daylight, as are the iron sights. That said you are most likely to need to exercise self defense in relative darkness. Be aware that some jurisdictions prohibit lasers on firearms, notably Chicago. However, it is usually an add-on charge for unlawful use, and not necessarily applied to CCL holders.
 
I have the Crimson Trace LG-405 and LG-305. The LG-405 is very slim and makes the J frame easy to conceal. But I found it painful to shoot because it's so narrow that it concentrates recoil into a small part of the palm of my hand. The LG-305 is bigger and more comfortable to shoot. But I can't always reliably press the button due to the way the grip fits in my hand.

Crimson Trace also makes the LG-350, but I haven't tried one. They also make a LG-350G with a green laser. Green lasers are visible in daylight.

Whether it's worth it or not is something that you would have to decide for yourself. Perhaps you could check the store's return policy before buying one.

CDNN currently has the Crimson Trace LG-105 on sale:

 
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If they are intended for concealed carry, make sure to get a compact model of the grips. Beyond that, they have a practical use if you want to take advantage of them. They are simply another tool, you have to practice with them to learn the advantages and limitations. Some people will insist they are just a useless toy while others swear by them. Take what you read with a grain of salt.
I have found them useful in low/no light with a hand held flashlight. You don't have to look for sights while you have a threat in front of you. With a proper grip the red dot appears where you point the gun.
If you wear glasses and are unable to see the sights without them, then should you somehow find yourself without the glasses the laser is a benefit.
The best part about CT laser grips is they add little to the bulk of the gun and you don't have to use them in a given situation. Just ignore the dot. You can also turn them off for practice if you want, if nothing else it saves battery life if it is too bright to see the dot.
They won't perform magic, but can be very useful if you use them to your advantage.
 
I have a 360 Airweight which used to be my EDC. After the movie theater shooting in Colorado I bought the smaller Crimson Trace grips simply because in a situation like that you may be lying on the floor and not be able to get behind the sights without exposing yourself. The laser allows you to see the point of impact when you are out of position and wish to maintain cover. I still train with the standard sights but in the right situation the laser may give you an advantage. I would never choose to go up against a rifle with a handgun but sometimes the choice is not yours to make and any advantage at your disposal is good.
 
I see very few pluses and many minuses on having a laser, red dot or flashlight on a 2" carry gun that will most likely be used at close quarter distances. I have seen too many fail for one reason or another and for civilians I find that they create more issues than they solve. I have repaired a bunch of them for friends and they can not even give me a valid answer as to why they even use them on EDC's.

The company's making them have done a great job in promoting, selling and "creating" a need. Now a SWAT Cop who might have to actually take long distance shots would IMO have more legit reason to have one, but still would IMHO be better off in shooting with the basic sights on the pistol. They are very accurate for an officer who knows how to use them!
 
I see very few pluses and many minuses on having a laser, red dot or flashlight on a 2" carry gun that will most likely be used at close quarter distances. I have seen too many fail for one reason or another and for civilians I find that they create more issues than they solve. I have repaired a bunch of them for friends and they can not even give me a valid answer as to why they even use them on EDC's.

The company's making them have done a great job in promoting, selling and "creating" a need. Now a SWAT Cop who might have to actually take long distance shots would IMO have more legit reason to have one, but still would IMHO be better off in shooting with the basic sights on the pistol. They are very accurate for an officer who knows how to use them!
Very well said, but makes too much sense for many to accept. And never suggest someone should improve their shooting skills instead of using toys to compensate.
 
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