Crimson Trace vs. LaserMax

Ozman

Ozman

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Putting aside the argument of whether lasers on handguns are good or bad, what is the general opinion of the group here on these two brands/approaches to the same problem?

I know Mr. Arbabi fancies the Crimson Trace, and after trying it out at Four Seasons on a Glock I can see why. Anyone tried both?

As always, thanks,

Steve
 
I have CT on my SW1911PD and i love them. The gun is accurate enough without them but you can x-ring every time with the laser. Now i have never shot a lasermax so i cannot give an opinion on them. But as far as lasers on hundguns i am all for them.


Richie
 
The only thing I don't like about CT is how the darn things always seem to want to multiply.

I just purchased a slightly used CT for my almost new G23C. This means I have five CT Lasergrips now. When will it end?
 
Should the CT grips project a clean dot? The CT grips on my SW1911 seem to be scattering the beam, and it's not very bright, either.

Comments?
 
dwarven1 said:
Nope, not yet. What would I clean it with; alcohol on a Q-tip?
Click to expand...

The manual should tell you. I don't have one of mine close. If you don't have the manual call CT and they would probably ship you one.
 
More than a few of us who hang around our local store have CTC lasers and they seem to work well for all of us.

My FFL does not think highly of the LaserMax units. He thinks (as best I can remember) that units installed in the recoil guide rod are subject to stresses that make them less reliable that CTC units. Since he designed guns for Colt and has studied the subject few people we know have been able to argue against his points.
 
I'm in a bit of a quandry. I'm married to the greatest wife of all time. (A title given any spouse who not only accepts the other's obsessive and sometimes expensive hobbies, but enourages them)

So my wife, for my birthday, meant to indulge me with a set of CT lasergrips for my carry gun, a G27. But it seems when she went to order through Cheaper Than Dirt (where we have the membership and accompanying discount), they told her there was no such animal. (Which of course, is wrong, they do make it, but just don't seem to carry it at Cheaper than Dirt, which is very different from telling her that the part doesn't exist) So they sold her the LaserMax instead. At about $100.00 more than the CT unit...

Not wanting to seem the least bit ungrateful, I happily installed the part in the gun this afternoon. But based on what I had read beforehand, seen firsthand at Four Seasons, and confirmed through this page and others, that the CT really is the superior piece of hardware. And as Darius has so sagely has stated, this is not the type of equipment that "second best" is something to trust your life with potentially.

The wife will understand. She's the Queen of Returns herself, so I think I'll call Cheaper Than Dirt and see what they can do.

Thanks for the input guys. I appreciate it.

Steve
 
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Another reason I like Crimson Trace is the fact that they give a discout of roughly $130 per set to all NRA Instructors.

Ken
 
After extensive shooting, you may notice a degradation of beam quality or "beam spread". This is the resule of fouling on the lens surface. This is normal and can be easily cleaned with the includd cleaning tools or a small cotton swab diped in isopropyl alcohol or window cleaner. Dry the lens iwth a clean swab. When cleaning the lens do not touch lens with any sharp objects.
Click to expand...
- Crimson Trace owner's manual.

Yup, alcohol works well. Nice bright and tight beam now.

First time I ever heard two boxes of ammo referred to as "extensive shooting", though. [smile]
 
I meet steve today as he was explaining the problem with the laser grips his wife bought him. I was able to interduce my self to him and told him I read about the issue on the board. We had a nice conversation as he was buying his new grips (I will not say wear). But thanks to the board I was able to speak up and interduce my self.

Fred
 
Addicts, like alcoholics, go to meetings and feel guilty about their behavior (or at least claim to). Junkies are like drunks, neither of whom need any stinking meetings or feel the least bit guilty.

Ken
 
Cross-X said:
Hooray, he's one of us, a gun addict!
Click to expand...

Man, I feel like I've really "arrived"!

I did in fact pick up a set of CT's for the G27 while I was back at the Collector's Gallery. I had only visited there for the first time yesterday afternoon to purchase a Surefire M4 they had in stock. I ended up having to go back today because when I tried to light up my entire neighborhood last night I found the lamp it was loaded with to be defective. I ended up making a semi-impulse buy on the Lasergrips while I was back there. The LaserMax was will go back to Cheaper Than Dirt on Monday.

Thanks for all the input. It mirrored what I had seen on a few other trusted sources. Clearly I now need more guns to justify more Lasergrip purchases.

Nice to meet Fred today and very good of him to introduce himself.

Thanks again.
 
What about for southpaws...

I'm in the market also but have heard that in a combat LH grip the laser gets blocked on the CT's. I've played witha few and have noticed the same. Any lefties with CT experience?
 
I'm right-handed, but just tried my S&W 66 with both one- and two-handed LH holds, and the laser was unobstructed either way. The only way I can see that this would happen would be if your right index finger were held along the frame, i.e., where you'd keep your trigger finger in the ready position with a right-hand hold.

Ken
 
I'm debating which one to get. The Lasermax costs more but it's inside the gun. This means that it's more accurate (right underneath the barrel) and doesn't get in the way. Crimson Trace adds bulk to the gun in the grip. The laser is on the side so it gets in the way when drawing from the holster, concealed carry or not. The Crimson Trace laser is also blocked by the index finger when not on the trigger. The user may want to control when the laser comes on, but for Crimson Trace, it comes on whenever you grip the pistol. So far the only advantage that the Crimson Trace has is it's lower price.
 
I've had both CT and LaserMax....my vote is for the LaserMax. The BIG issue I have with the CT grips is that the laser is projected right along the path where I place my finger on the frame for the "safe position". Therefore, I would need to adjust the placement of my finger, which is all muscle memory now and automatic. Second, the CT has to be sighted and adjusted. The LaserMax pops in easy, the button to activate is right where I place my trigger finger, the laser pulses (much easier to located and see), and it is always accurate.

Now that being said, not all LaserMax units are equal. On the subcompact and some compact models, the battery cap is a flimsy piece of rubber and not secure. The result is that the cap can slide off and the rod can tilt in the slide. The ones I have for my G22, G33, P220, and P229 are all great. The one for my P239 was a POS and I would not recommend it.

In summary, I would say go with the LaserMax, but call them first to ask if the cap is the screw on type or just the rubber piece that slides over the end.
 
I have a Lasermax in my Sig Sauer .40. It has 500 or so rounds through it since installing the laser with out a problem. I am a south paw and I like that you can activate the laser from both sides of the gun.
 
One other point on LaserMax.....you really need a custom holster (Kydex, Serpa, or some custom leather). Otherwise, the holster can engage the laser and burn out your battery. It works great on my Serpa, CrossBreed, and the custom leather for my G33, but is horrible with my kind of generic leather band holster.
 

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