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Review: Crimson Trace LG-417 LaserGrips for GLOCK

By on October 29, 2012 in Guns, Tactical Gear

There was a time when I would have said that handgun mounted lasers have limited utility for the civilian shooter. That opinion was very much a product of the crop of lasers that were available at that time. The market was flooded with junk that didn’t work. They were bulky, burned through hard to find batteries quickly, and required extra steps to bring them into action.

Then, Crimson Trace (CT) came along and changed everything. Their lasers always seemed to be integrated into the host firearm, always took easy to find batteries, and always had what CT calls Instinctive Activation. So, when CT offered to let me check out a few of their products, I jumped at the chance. The subject of this review will be the LG-417 LaserGrip for Gen3 GLOCKs (stay tuned for a review of the LG-405 for S&W J-Frame Revolver and CMR-201 IR Rail Master).

Overview

The LG-417 is part of the CT’s LaserGrip Series. LaserGrips are designed to either replace or wrap around the grips of many of the most popular handguns on the market and integrate in such a way that they change the handling characteristics of their host as little as possible (in some cases, LaserGrips actually improve the handling characteristics).

The one piece LG-417 wraps around the grip of the GLOCK and fastens with a single screw in the “beaver tail” area of the grip. The wrap around design places the activation button, a small rubber covered nub, on the front strap of the grip where it is automatically activated by the middle finger when the GLOCK is held. This design also allows the 2 CR2032 batteries to be placed on either side of the grip which forms a sort of palm swell.

The LG-417 features an on/off button that is deeply shielded from accidental contact.

This is CT’s lowest profile LaserGrip for GLOCKs yet. It is actually low profile enough that it will fit in Safariland SLS and other security holsters. The laser module sits on the ejection port side of the GLOCK. It is placed lower and closer than previous versions that mounted on the backstrap only. The older backstrap mounted versions are still offered and that is a good thing because they work with a wider variety of GLOCKs.

Observations from Use

I will start these observations out by saying that I tried lasers from several different companies while I was testing the CT LaserGrips. The lasers from Crimson Trace are the only ones I saw that turn the laser on just by gripping the firearm. Crimson Trace calls this Instinctive Activation. Lasers that do not have this feature are toys. I have no use for a laser that adds a step to my draw stroke.

The activation switch is located on the front strap so it is activated when the GLOCK is gripped.

I think that the 2 biggest takeaways from the time I spent with the CT LaserGrips so far are how they excel in low light and how they have changed my training. There have been other lessons learned which I will talk about, but these 2 have been the most revolutionary for me.

I’ll touch on how they have changed my training first. The training value of these units is off the charts. I have been using them to augment my dry fire training in two main ways: improving trigger pull and improving the ability to move while shooting. The laser shows you very graphically what your sights are doing in relation to the target as you pull the trigger or move. I like to place a photosensitive night light (the kind that turns off when the ambient light is bright) on a wall that I can dry fire toward safely and then dry fire toward it. If I can keep the night light turned off throughout the entire travel of the trigger, then that was a good trigger pull. Even if you never carried a set of LaserGrips or took them to a live fire range, they could earn their keep just during your dry fire regimen.

The CT LaserGrips are good for more than just training. They are amazing for low light. I tried the LG-417 with all of the pistol lights I could get my hands on (Surefire X300, Streamlight TLR-1, Insight M3 and WX-150) and it worked perfectly with all of them.  The combination of white light, laser sight, and quality night sights gives you tremendous capabilities in low light and some good redundancy. The laser greatly increases my confidence in low light. I can engage targets measurably more accurately and more quickly.

The LaserGrips are also a great aid when trying to shoot from non-standard or retention positions. The laser really helps get good hits if you are knocked to the ground on your back or side. It is also allows you to place aimed shots from retention positions rather than just relying on indexing.

I found that it is best to approach the LaserGrips with some discipline. You do not want to change the way you present the handgun or start searching for the laser dot instead of using the sights. You will still need to present the handgun in such a way that the front sight can be brought into your vision and aligned quickly as this will still be your fastest and most consistent way to get on target. You can watch the front sight onto the target until the laser dot becomes visible ON THE TARGET. Only then should you switch focus to the laser dot and you should still be looking over your sights. Having a laser is not a license to forget about your sights and I’ll tell you why.

Imagine for a moment that there is a target placed in front of a large white wall like you might find in your home. If the laser dot is not on the target, it can easily be tracked on the white wall and moved until it is on the target. However, this is not always the case in the real world. Now imagine for a moment that the same target is placed in the middle of a large, empty field. There is nothing on either side of the target to use to track the laser dot. Your only hope of getting that laser dot on target quickly is to use the sights first. You must discipline yourself to use the same sighting and indexing methods that you have already trained before transitioning your focus to the laser dot. Once you have the technique down, the transition is easy, fast, and seamless.

One person that I spoke to about the LaserGrips questioned the battery life. These run for about 4 hours on a set of batteries and if you think about it, that is an eternity since they only turn on when you gripping the handgun. The LG-417 also has a kill switch that can be used to turn off the laser for those times when you want to practice without it (which should probably be most of the time). It will take you a long, long time to go through a set of batteries with normal use. If you are using the laser properly, it is easy to transition to the sights if the batteries give out on you at an inopportune time.

Speaking of batteries… it should not be overlooked that CT builds their LaserGrips to take common, proven batteries. In fact, they usually take batteries that many shooters keep on hand. In this case, the LG-417 takes 2 CR2032 batteries that are quite common and very reliable when purchased from a manufacturer that makes them in the US.

The laser can be difficult for me to see in bright sunlight.  I have a form of color blindness that makes seeing the color red a bit difficult so I confirmed this with other shooters as well. Just a little bit of shade makes the laser much more visible, even on bright days. CT is working on green versions of the LaserGrips which should be even easier to see in full sun light.

The LG-417 does add some bulk to the both the front and the sides of the grip so shooters with smaller hands will want to test one before they buy. The extra bulk is a complete non-issue for my medium to large hands.

The durability of the LaserGrips appears to be excellent. The laser is well protected and the housing seems to shrug off impact. No amount of recoil, holstering, or manipulations seems to be able to move the laser or affect the laser adversely in any way.

Wrap Up

It is no secret that I often have things sent to me for free so that I can review them on here on JTT. One of the best compliments I can pay a review item is to spend my own money to purchase more of the item that I reviewed. After spending time with the LG-417, I bought another CT LaserGrip for my carry gun and I plan to buy others as funds allow.

The LG-417 improved my training. It improved my confidence and performance across most lighting conditions.  I am sold on Crimson Trace LaserGrips and I can’t wait to see the green versions.

Check out the LG-417 LaserGrips on CrimsonTrace.com.

Disclosure: Crimson Trace sent me these LaserGrips to review, free of charge.

Tactical Handyman: Cat Tail/Throw Lever – 2 for $20

By on October 27, 2012 in Tactical Gear, Tactical Handyman

Cat Tails are rings with a protruding lever that clamp onto the magnification adjustment ring of an optic to make it easier to turn so you can move between magnification ranges quickly. They are very handy for jut about any magnified optic but they are especially useful on the low power variable magnification optics that are so popular in tactical shooting and 3 Gun Competition.

Typically, these Cat Tails cost $50-60 for one since they must be precision machined from aluminum to fit an individual optic. However, you know that when the Tactical Handyman comes around, you aren’t going to pay $50-60. I’ll show you how to get 2 of them for around $20.

The secret is a product that is designed to hold fishing reels on a fishing rod – Breakaway Nylon Coasters (NC-1 Universal). I first saw this handy hack posted on the Sniper’s Hide Forum by a user named strat81. They are somewhat like a cross between a hose clamp and a cable tie. You simply wrap the nylon cable around your optic’s magnification ring, turn the knob until it is tight, and then trim the excess cable. It is that easy.

They can be purchased directly from Breakaway.

Law Tactical Gen 2 AR Folding Stock Adapter

By on October 26, 2012 in Guns, Tactical Gear

Have you ever thought it would be nice to have a folding stock on you AR-15? I suspect that most of you have and you are not alone which is exactly why Law Tactical makes their AR Folding Stock Adapter.

The AR Folding Stock Adapter is a hinged mechanism that can be installed between the lower receiver and receiver extension (buffer tube) on any standard AR-15 lower. It allows the stock to fold to the bolt release side of the receiver. Due to the nature of the AR-15 recoil system, it should not be fired while the stock is folded which is potentially a very large downside to this adapter since there is nothing to prevent the user from firing.

The Generation 2 AR Folding Stock Adapter will be released very soon. It features several improvements over the original version including:

  • Lower profile housing
  • Redesigned hinge system with steel shoulder bolt
  • Enlarged steel locking lug
  • Adjustable hinge tension (holds stock in folded position)
  • Steel locking latch
  • Quick detach sling attachment point
  • Adjustable steel bolt carrier extension
This stock adapter has me dreaming of a lightweight bug out rifle that fits in a backpack and deploys in seconds. Check out the Gen 2 AR Folding Stock Adapter at LawTactical.com.

Review: Chameleon Sling from Interstate Firearms Training

By on October 25, 2012 in Guns, Tactical Gear

Chameleons are able to change their appearance to blend in to their surroundings. This attribute is a great advantage for the chameleon as it tries to catch lunch and avoid becoming lunch. The Chameleon Sling from Interstate Firearms Training is able to change its configuration to suit your current situation. It can be used mounted to armor in a number of different configurations or as a stand alone sling. This flexibility is a great advantage for the user who must adapt to a variety of gear configurations depending on the situation. The ability to change to suit your surroundings an asset to lizards and slings.

The Chameleon Sling looks like a pretty typical single point sling at first glance.

Overview

The Chameleon Sling consists of three basic parts. There is a long elastic (bungee) section that has gate clips at each end, a short connecter that ties the sling to your rifle, and an adjustable webbing section that is used to convert the sling into a standalone single point sling.

The bungee section consists of tubular webbing sewn over heavy duty shock cord. It provides plenty of elasticity without bouncing like a spring. The steel gate clips at each end allow this sling to be attached to many different types of attachment points but PALS webbing is the most likely attachment point. The weapon attachment point is attached to this bungee section via a metal ring that allows it to move freely from end to end. This is one of the secrets to why this sling works so well (more on this later).

This free-sliding weapon connector is one of the secrets of the Chameleon Sling’s success.

My evaluation sample came with an ITW MASH Hook as its weapon attachment point. This is the only version currently available but other attachment points like snap shackles and QD sling swivels will be available in the future.

These are made for Interstate Firearms Training by Jones Tactical so you know they are well made. The stitching is beefy throughout and all the webbing ends are neatly melted to prevent fraying. This sling looks like it will last forever.

These gate clips are the key to the versatility of the sling. They allow it to be attached to your gear in a variety of ways.

Observations from Use

There are several different configurations that the Chameleon Sling can be utilized in. I tested several.

The Chameleon Sling works very well as a standalone single point sling. It is much like any other single point bungee sling that you have used with one notable exception: the weapon connecter is free to slide along the length of the sling. That doesn’t sound like a big deal until the first time to lower the rifle to free your hands for other activities and the rifle slides to the side (the lowest point on the sling) rather than straight down in front of you. It’s like magic. Rather than dropping down where its swinging mass might threaten your… bits and pieces, it drops safely to your side and out of your way but still immediately accessible. Anyone who has been smacked in the junk before while using a single point sling will appreciate this.

I utilized the Chameleon Sling on this AK for most of the testing.

Sling plates from Echo93 work perfectly with the MASH Hook equipped Chameleon Sling.

The Chameleon Sling shines brightest when it is attached to a plate carrier in a wrapped-around-the-side kind of method. You simply attach one of the gate clips to some webbing on the front of your plate carrier and one to the back so that the sling wraps from the front of your plate carrier to the back under your support side arm. You can adjust the fit by moving where the Chameleon Sling is attached. In this configuration the sling allows the rifle to fall to the side and out of the way when your hands are not on it. It acts as its own weapon catch in a way since you can tuck the butt of the rifle under the bungee section of the sling to stabilize it. I am not certain that Interstate Firearms Training Intended that to happen but it is extremely useful.

One of the many configurations for the Chameleon Sling that you can try.

There are other possible configurations like just using the short weapon connector section to tie the rifle to your rig or routing the bungee section over both shoulders. Both work but are overshadowed in their usefulness by the wrap around method.

I spent a lot of time with the sling and I did identify a few gripes. The steel gate clips that are used on the bungee section work but they are large, heavy, and have some sharp edges where the pivot pins are peened. These edges tend to catch on the sling webbing like Velcro. The hardware works as is, but I can’t help but think that there might be some better hardware options out there. A concept this good might even merit some proprietary hardware.

The other gripe is that I that I would prefer a shorter webbing section for use as a single point. I am not the smallest guy in the world and I would prefer to be able to adjust it a bit smaller when being used as a standalone sling. The webbing offers a ton of adjustment but doesn’t quite go as small as I prefer.

The Chameleon Sling is GREAT in this wrapped configuration. This is its bread and butter.

Wrap Up

I didn’t want to send this one back and that is about as high praise as I can give a gear item. I don’t always like single point slings but this one does it for me. This sling is different than anything else out there that I know of and the concept is so clever that it easily overcomes some small downsides. I will be picking one of these up for myself.

Interstate Firearms Training is working on a website but it is not up and running yet. You can check out their Facebook Page and order your own Chameleon Sling on TacticalDynamicsFirearmsTraining.com.

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