Laser & Lights

The idea of aesthetics is a bit of a strange concept for people who think of guns solely as tools to hunt with or protect yourself. But going all the way back to Sam Colt when he introduced his first revolver, the Colt Patterson, in 1836, the way a gun looks has always been almost as important to the owner as how well it can do its job.

If you are a fan of another famous Colt, the 1911, the aesthetics and look of the gun are part of what you love. Custom grips have always been a booming side industry in the 1911 community and everyone from rock stars to presidents to Nascar drivers have commissioned custom 1911s to both treasure and carry. Crimson Trace, maker of the world’s leading lasergrips, has recognized this market for some time and we have heard for a while that a custom, high-end series of grips was on its way for this class 100 year old and still popular pistol, the 1911.

If you aren’t familiar with Crimson Trace Lasergrips, you have probably been hiding in a cave for ten years, but I guess you could also be new to guns and shooting and not have encountered them yet in your travels. The Crimson Trace system is the most unobtrusive and professional of all the handgun laser devices. A Crimson Trace replaces the factory grips of the gun, integrating a red laser on the side of the grip that is activated by your fingers around the front of the grip. Several firearm manufacturers now even offer Crimson Trace lasers standard in many of their models. Crimson Trace Lasergrips are pricey, but they are the choice of most professionals.

The Master Series from Crimson Trace, MRSP $399, was created so that you no longer have the choose between aesthetics and function with your favorite 1911. These gorgeous rosewood grips that you see here on an STI Shadow have a Crimson Trace laser in them. The two 2025 Lithium batteries for the laser fit into both sides of the replacement grips and are protected from electrical connection by plastic panels on the frame. For those who carry a 1911 this was a long time coming and it is no surprise that they are listed as “Out of Stock” on the Crimson Trace website at present. I’m sure if you look around you can find them, but you may have to wait in line.

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LaserMax Guide Rod Lasers https://www.lasermax.com/ by Thoughtful Reader Let’s just get something out of the way. I’m not a “gun guy”. I don’t frequent forums and discuss the finer points of this firearm or that, nor am I concerned with the incessant caliber debates. To me, the gun I carry is just a tool, like [...]

Even though there were little .380 pistols on the market before it, the introduction of Ruger’s LCP set off a .380 buying craze to such a degree that there were localized ammunition shortages. These guns are now so prevalent among the concealed carry crowd that shooting schools are, for the first time I can recall, teaching specialized little gun tactics and courses. There are a lot of benefits to such a compact defensive package, but as with many things in life, to get something you have to give up something.

When you think of laser sights, you think of Crimson Trace. A pioneer in civilian and law enforcement aiming tools, Crimson Trace has earned its place at the top by providing high-quality products at reasonable prices for a wide variety of firearms. Now, when I say ‘reasonable prices’, I don’t mean cheap. A decent laser sight for your pistol has been a decision that would set you back a few hundred bucks easily, making it a hard purchase to justify for a lot of folks. For 2013 however, Crimson Trace has created a new model line to address the market for a lower-cost but fully functioning laser sight. At a list price between $129 and $149, or roughly the price of a good set of night sights, you can now equip your self-defense handgun with an easy-to-use laser. it is currently available for all Glock and Springfield Armory XD/XD-M handguns, as well as the Ruger LCP and most Smith & Wesson and Taurus J-Frame and small revolvers.

Most coverage of concealed carry guns focuses on thin, polymer framed autos that try to pack increasingly larger rounds into smaller packages. Revolvers are treated as antiquated. But Smith & Wesson hasn’t given up on the wheel gun, and the new M&P Bodyguard with an even more effective Crimson Trace laser is making a compelling case for the old-school five shot.

I almost didn’t write this review because there have already been two reviews of the Colt Mustang here on GunsAmerica already. But this gun is very different from the others because for one, it is the shortest barrel that Colt makes for this gun, at 2 3/4″. But more importantly, this gun came with a factory Colt branded LaserMAX mounted on the gun. There were very few of these put out, but currently there are a few for sale on GunsAmerica right now, though I don’t know if they still will be by the time you read this. More importantly though, this LaserMAX accessory is being sold separately, by Colt, Midway and others, so if you have a Mustang Pocketlite, you can put this Colt branded nifty laser on your stocking stuffer list for Santa.

Springfield Armory has a dedication to concealed carry. They’ve now taken that to the next level with the Crimson Trace Laser Guard. What do you get when you put a laser on a compact powerhouse like the XD-S? Even more speed and assurance. Read our review.

The Laserguard Pro is new for 2016 and currently available for the Smith & Wesson Shield series of pistols

The Performance Center Ported Shield in 9mm takes the highly popular Shield CCW pistol and adds numerous upgrades. Read on for the full review.