I also have used a Lasermax for my glock. I really enjoy it!
Lasermax is nice because it doesn't affect the exterior appearance of the gun. Which makes it more compatible for holsters and doesn't provide an extra snag point for clothing. It has a manual switch to turn the laser on and off. This is good and bad (depending on how you look at it). The manual switch allows the user to have it on when he or she wants it on. RE: at the range you can turn it off when you want to use your iron sights. However in a defense situation you do have to turn it on if you want it on. In other words you have to establish some muscle memory in time crises situations.
I don't have a Crimson Trace, but have played with them a little bit. They seem nice in the sense that you don't have to worry about a switch to turn on, just grip the gun. Though I have heard of people who wish they could turn it off while practicing at the range. With Crimson Trace you have to use their replacement grips... for my glock it would be a user installed grip since the handles are solid polymer and not able to be disassembled.
One more thing...Crimson Trace is a solid beam, while Lasermax has a rapid pulsating beam. The pulsating attracts your eye because our eyes are sensitive to movement; it allows for faster target acquisition (If you have been hunting you experience this first hand).
Some would say it comes down to preference between the two. I have looked at both their website and both offer good info on the product. I encourage you to check those out.
Let me know if you have any more questions about it.
(No I am not a dealer, but have done lots of research about these when I was looking to purchase)
I haven't handled the LM's for the Glocks....but like them for their ease of operation. I have shot a S&W 1911 with laser max and loved it. Very "natural" feeling and instant "on" feature without adding any additional steps to the defensive process. Probably better in an emergency.
From what I have read and gathered, b/c I was interested in laser sights also, Crimson Trace aren't the best for Glocks.
#1 They are only held in by the trigger pin and they have the ability to shift minutely on that hinge point and throw off the accuracy.
#1a To go along with prior statement, I have heard of people's trigger pin falling out, or becoming loose and on the hinge of falling out and thus they either juggle their weapon or drop it entirely.
#2 If you aren't shooting anything, then your finger should be off the trigger and along the slide rail. Problem is, the laser beam's path is also along the slide rail, so in essence, you are blocking the beam.
Remedies include: Curling your finger to let the beam pass through or find another location for your finger when not on the trigger. People have also said that they can use their finger to regulate when they use the laser. Finger along the rail blocks the laser beam, move finger or curl it and then the beam passes through.
These above reasons have steered me clear of them.
Lasermax is a great idea and I like it alot for the fact that you don't have to find other holsters to accomodate a rail mounted laser and that everything is internal. I like the switch to turn it on and off, but as stated previously, it is another thing to think about and do in a stressful situation.
I had read a couple times where people's guide rod had shattered with the Lasermax's and it froze their weapon. Now, how recent this was or if this was a defect from LM and they have it corrected now is something I don't know. And for this reason, until I receive clarification, I will steer clear of them.
Another company, Armalaser, has been generating buzz and I have seen them mentioned numerous times on different forums. Don't know much about them, except they attach to the trigger housing and have a sensor that turns it on when your finger enters inside the trigger guard. But again, then you have to find a new holster to accomodate it.
Take it for what it's worth. Just what I have come up with researching.
If you aren't shooting anything, then your finger should be off the trigger and along the slide rail. Problem is, the laser beam's path is also along the slide rail, so in essence, you are blocking the beam.
I have also wondered about that on Glocks or any gun. Problem is that all the guns that I have been able to try that are fitted with Crimson Trace are are not Glocks so I am unable to test it out...and I won't drop money like that with out being able to see it in action first (at least when I have suspicions like that). On the guns I have tried, I have not been able to block the beam.
Thanks for commenting about the adjustment of CT lasers, as I forgot that note. That is one thing that I don't like either... I bump against something while my gun is in the holster in it knocks the CT out of place.
Those are great points! Sounds like lasermax might be the better product if its reliable. The worst thing that could happen is if your laser sights made your gun malfunction :frown: I shot a S&W 642 with CT grips and I did block the beam with my finger often. I also seemed to struggle with the grip activation.
I also find that I block the laser on my CT grips, but a slight adjustment of my finger placement fixes that.
CT is considered to be *very* reliable. The military uses CT's. They also have a "free batteries for life" program, just write that phrase on the warranty card when you send it in.
I've read where Massad Ayoob reccomends placing the tip of your index finger on the trigger guard instead of along the frame for quicker shots, which would also prevent blocking the laser.
A couple of other things to consider is switch access under duress. I found the CTs to be difficult to activate on my Sig 226. Others don't have that problem, e.g. P95 has had CTs on his Sig 226ST for a while and doesn't have any problem with them.
OTOH, the LM's switch is small and could be easily missed under duress. We read about NOT using the slide catch lever to release the slide in SD situations because purportedly it is easy to miss. This may also apply to that small LM switch.
My wife has a CT on her Glock 26. I agree with all of the "pro" and "con" comments above regarding trigger finger position, grip, etc. She has found, in addition to the above, that:
The CT enhanced her grip on the Glock - the slight buldges it added fit her hand very nicely, conforming to her grip very well, thus improving her groupings, and
The lack of a "off" switch can make iron sight work distracting without a lot of practice. Additionally, the laser can get "lost" in bright light (outdoors) with a red background (reddish dirt) behind the target - that made "plinking" at cans a PITA.....
Other than the above comments, she loves hers. I may try a Laser max on mine, because I would really like the on-off switch and the lack of a change in holster fit.
One more thing I remembered about L-max: My very first holster was a soft unmolded IWB (until I could find a better one that I liked). Later on when I got my L-max I tried it out one day. After an hour I checked the gun and found my laser on. The on switch had been pushed in by all my movement... sitting, standing etc. If you have a soft holster this could become a problem of running down your batteries. I don't normally carry IWB so it is not a problem for me, but it you have a soft IWB holster I could see it as something to consider.
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