what do u guys think on crimson trace grips on a

kimber70

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I have a smith and wesson model 649 ...is it worth the $$$$ to put some on ???
 
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sights

learn to use your gun with the iron sights. I never have depended on electronic sights, I know they are better than they used to be but seems like every time I depend on electric systems the battery goes dead and your sight are always there for you.
Bill Jordan used to shoot aspirins from the hip because he practiced.
 
I feel Crimson Trace grips really look like junque on a classic stainless J-frame such as the 649.

Yes, I know they're practical, and yes, I do appreciate their "point shooting" enablement, and I do in fact have five sets of them on other of my J-frames.

I won't put 'em on my 649, though; I feel like the old Bodyguard "humpbacks" are kinda special; mine deserves nice compact rosewood and cocobolo grips.

YMMV, etc.
 
I have a Chiefs special. I bought a ligher version BG28. It was not the same gun at all. It had a laser sight I really liked . It has to be turned on with your finger or off hand. The gun didn't hold up for me so I traded it for a 637. I like this one and just bought the crimson trace grips for it.

David
 
Absolutely Crimson Trace grips are worth it. The sights on J-frames are almost non-existent and with the laser you just point and shoot. I'm older and in the middle of the night when I can't find my glasses....I can easily see the red dot on any target. Consequently, any and every gun I carry has a Crimson Trace laser on it, mainly revolvers (Shield, M&P9c, and 5906 as well.)
For the J-frame, get a LG-305 if you want to shoot it a lot. The grip is a little longer and you can fit your pinky on it. For ultimate conceal ability, get an LG-405 boot grip style which is the smallest by far but tougher to shoot with.
 
Absolutely +1 for Jhawk412's advice. A CT grip is the easiest way to put an adjustable sight on a J frame so that your selected load shoots exactly where you aim the gun. And if you ever need to actually use the gun in earnest it's more likely to be in less than perfect light - where the red dot will probably be a big advantage in making accurate shots.

As for dead batteries - new CT grips come with lifetime batteries. You get a new pair every year if you call and ask for 'em. But I've found that they actually last a lot longer than a year, so I have several years' supply on hand. (Pssst - don't tell Crimson Trace.) And in my experience the batteries don't just wake up dead one day, they slowly run down and the red dot gets dimmer. So if they were working the last time you checked, they're almost certain to work for the duration of whatever gunfight you get involved in today.

As for their utility, I had occasion to use my CT equipped 638 in a BUG gun match at our club. (Shoot what you carry at multiple targets per stage, but with a 5 round maximum in each stage and no reloads on the clock - IOW, very J frame friendly.) While I had had the laser grip on the gun for several years and had practiced with it on many occasions at the range, I found that at the start of the match I reverted to my IDPA habit of lining up the iron sights before firing a shot. It was a slightly overcast day and the ranges were short, so I was aware of the red dot floating around out there, but under the pressure of the clock wasn't picking up on it as the aiming point. By the third stage, though, I was starting to focus on the red dot, and by the fifth and sixth stages I was using it exclusively. The result was that I was getting the gun on target before it was even half way up to eye level, and was taking shots as soon as the dot was where it should be. My speed was better, my accuracy was better, and most of all my confidence in the placement of each shot went way up. I could not have been more pleased with the results, but the lesson I took away is to PRACTICE UNDER PRESSURE if at all possible.

That match was shot with the 405 boot grip, and it was NOT very comfortable to shoot. I have since put a 305 grip on the gun and it is MUCH more pleasant to practice with. The 305 grip does add a bit more bulk, but the gun is always carried in a holster, not a pocket, and the slight extra bulk makes no difference in concealment in MY context. YMMV, of course.
 
My bedside revolver wears a set. My 50+ year old eyes do not focus on the front sight as well without readers, and I do not wear those to bed. The CT's allow me to focus on the problem.

LaserSnub.jpg
 
The more I've been in the shooting sports, the less fond I've become of battery-operated optics, lasers, etc. I would much rather be proficient with irons than rely on something that could shut down or fail when you need it most.
 
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Laser sights are slow, unreliable, bulky and make you look at the wrong thing.

They are poor efforts to avoid the training and practice needed for handgun proficiency.

Sort of like buying 'air Jordan' shoes imagining that they will make you a basketball player. Great for the merchant, not likely to get you a pro ball contract.

Just my opinion, of course.
 
Don't like the looks of the CT, but they are extremely effective. Next time you are at the range with your snub, bring the target inside 5 yards, lay the gun on the table and practice grabbing it and shooting off two shots from waist level. It isn't as easy as it would seem. The laser makes a world of difference. If you ever have to use this gun, you almost certainly are not going to be using the sights on it. You will be using it within 10 feet probably shooting from below the chest, and almost certainly on the fly. Laser helps tremendously.
 
Yeah, I believe in laser grips on my J-frames. I experimented with other brands, but have now settled on the LG-405 model for my air weight J-frames, and the LG-105 for the all steel J-frames such as my Model 649 humpback.

Regards,

Dave
 

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I have a 442 and installed the 405. This I my EDC and every advantage to make it easier to hit the target justify the expense. Make no mistake this is not a substitute for practice! Practice & training is most important than all the ginglebells!.
 
I have about 5 or 6 CT grips and I think they are great. I just wish I could see them on sunny days.
They do exactly what they are supposed to do and they do it very unobtrusively . I can`t for the life of me understand why some folks are so adamantly opposed to them.
Jack
 
Most self defense take place in low light.
I agree the sights are needed and I need to be good with them. BUT with a laser sight, the gun does not even have to be at eye level.

What is the difference in 105 and 405? Do they make 205 and 305?

David
Edit: I went to the crimson trace website and read all about all of them.
105 poly grip standard
305 extended grip rubber over poly
405 compact grip rubber over poly
 
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I put a lg405 on my 640 pro and couldn't be happier. Makes it easier and more comfortable to hit the target.
 
On a gun carried for defensive purposes, Crimson Trace grips are ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! Their value for competition, target shooting, hunting or plinking is questionable. For a J frame, I prefer the LG-105 over the others. It mimics the Uncle Mike's Boot Grip, a longtime favorite of mine.
 
I have LG 305s on my 442. It is the softest shooting, most comfortable rubber grips I've used on a J frame. AND it provides you an additional means of aiming other than the iron sights. I'm a big fan!

There is no downside to them if you realize that there are times when iron sights might be preferable or necessary.
 

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