LCP with a Crimson Trace

[Badgersmilk]

Just picked up a Crimson Trace for my LCP on Ebay ($103 bucks!  ).  This is the fist laser sight I've had experience with, so bear with me.  

Things I've never heard anyone talk about with a laser are:  In anything but full daylight the laser immediately washes out any kind of night vision you may have had (your eyes adjusting).  So your iron sights (VERY hard to see on an LCP to begin with) are now useless.  

If I zero in the laser with the iron sights at 15 feet, the laser's off zero A LOT at 20, or 10 feet!  Caused by the distance between the iron sights and the laser's point of projection.  Only five feet causes a notable problem.  

Target acquisition IS SUPER quick!  The Crimson Trace adds a teeny bit to the size of the grip, and noticeable weight to the muzzle.  NICE!  

To further prove my laser newbieness.    Another thing that I can't help noticing all the time is either I've got Parkinson’s disease, or people in movies have the steadiest nerves in all the world!  I hold this thing with both hands with a rest, and still see the red spot twitch a little bit!  

Over all, my impression is the laser would be IDEAL for hunting!  But is illegal in every state as far as I know.    And for concealed carry, I'd say it's a nice addition, and (thanks to movies) adds some measure of intimidation in your favor in some situations.  BUT, it does add another possible point of failure (dead battery or whatever) to a situation where failure isn't an option! For home defense?  Useless.

ALL JUST MY THOUGHTS!  Enjoy developing / sharing your own!  


Sorry about the crapy pic..  Dropped my good camera the other day.  

[Solus]

The zero on that laser can be adjusted if it does not suit you.

However, the LCP and other "pocket" .380s were not designed for work past "up close and personal".

The laser works fine for SD in and out of the home within it's range limits.  Should the laser fail, you are no worse off than if you didn't have one at all, and when it is working, you have a much better sighting system for the unusual targeting positions in which you are likely to find yourself at those ranges.  You would be lucky to do much sighting past "indexing" and the laser will be a benefit there.

I'd not be using the LCP should I find myself needing to clear my house and any light you might carry for that job will have a greater impact on your night vision.  The laser on any gun is not a "Stealth" device and should stealth be needed, you will be keeping all lights out, including your laser.

And the laser is a great training device.  You don't need a live round grouping to see how close you are holding.  Contrary to what some may say, the laser does not make your grip wobblier, it just shows, real time, how wobbly your grip always is.

An interesting aside.   Ask a woman to point the gun with the laser on and note her degree of steadiness.  Then you do the same.  Most women will have a noticeably less wobbly grip than most men as they have better fine motor control. 

You will find that your LCP will be the gun you carry most.  It should not be your only carry gun in many situations, but you will find you can have it with you from the time you put your pants on until you take them off again.

You will enjoy it.

Take care

[WIshooter]

http://proarmspodcast.com/2009/03/01/018-crimson-trace-laser-grips-and-laser-sights-review/

A link to Massad Ayoob and friends talking about crimson trace.

The thing that I found most interesting about the podcast, was Massad's take on how to zero.  IIRC he advised to just line the laser up parallel to the barrel.  For example if your laser sits 1.2 inches bellow the barrel, point of impact would be 1.2 inches above the dot.  If low right, just live with point of impact being a bit high left.

Obviously you will not have the precision at a given distance, but it gives you much greater consistency across all distances.  You will not have a "co-witness" with your iron sights though.

They used to have a video attached to the podcast that provided a good example of this.  Using a J frame with crimson trace (which has an offset of low and right) they were able to make hits on steel plates with high regularity at long distance.  I believe 50 yards or more.  Not that your going to be shooting a small 380 at distance, it just shows the concept.

I have no real world experience with laser grips myself, but I had always wondered how one would deal with the mechanical offset of a laser. 

Good luck 

[Badgersmilk]

http://proarmspodcast.com/2009/03/01/018-crimson-trace-laser-grips-and-laser-sights-review/

A link to Massad Ayoob and friends talking about crimson trace.

The thing that I found most interesting about the podcast, was Massad's take on how to zero.  IIRC he advised to just line the laser up parallel to the barrel.  For example if your laser sits 1.2 inches bellow the barrel, point of impact would be 1.2 inches above the dot.  If low right, just live with point of impact being a bit high left.

Obviously you will not have the precision at a given distance, but it gives you much greater consistency across all distances.  You will not have a "co-witness" with your iron sights though.

They used to have a video attached to the podcast that provided a good example of this.  Using a J frame with crimson trace (which has an offset of low and right) they were able to make hits on steel plates with high regularity at long distance.  I believe 50 yards or more.  Not that your going to be shooting a small 380 at distance, it just shows the concept.

I have no real world experience with laser grips myself, but I had always wondered how one would deal with the mechanical offset of a laser.  

Good luck  

Thats a BRILLIANT IDEA!!!  I hadn't thought of it at all, but expect no less from Mr. Ayoob.  

THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP!!!  

[kmitch200]

If I zero in the laser with the iron sights at 15 feet, the laser's off zero A LOT at 20, or 10 feet!  Caused by the distance between the iron sights and the laser's point of projection.  Only five feet causes a notable problem.  

How far off could it be? Two inches? No big deal.
You're not trying to shoot good groups in an SD situation, you're trying to get good hits.

[Sponsor]

[Badgersmilk]

How far off could it be? Two inches? No big deal.
You're not trying to shoot good groups in an SD situation, you're trying to get good hits.

Tolerance stacking.

[kmitch200]

OK, let me ask, if you get sight/laser zeroed hits at 15', are you still getting center mass hits at 20. or missing completely?