without the need to purchase the laser sight unit separately.
Tradeoffs T e guide rod models seem to be more prone to breakage for obvious reasons of heat and the stress put on them inherently by their po- sition in the fi rearm, but they have the least mechanical off set at about one-half inch. T e trigger guard models are easy to mount, but prohibit the use of standard holsters and their off set is about 2 inches. T ey are prone to losing their zero after sustained fi ring. T e same can be said for rail-mounted units and they tend to get clogged with powder from the muzzle blast and require frequent cleaning to maintain their projec- tion ability. T e mechanical off set of these units can be from 1.5 inches to 2.5 inches, depending on whether they are only a laser model or a light/laser combination. Finally, the back strap replacement mod-
els that are made for the Generation 4 Glock (or back strap additions for the Generation 3) and the Smith and Wesson M&P models do allow for the use of the holsters already avail- able. T e actual laser is mounted a good dis- tance from the muzzle and they also appear to be the most durable of all the diff erent varia- tions. T e replacement grip panel laser for a 1911-style pistol also falls into this category. As with most good things, there is a trad-
eoff . T ese models have the most compli- cated mechanical off set issues. T e Crimson Trace used in this test is not only off set under the bore axis but also to its right. T at means that the shooter may have to compen- sate for two diff erent directions while fi ring outside of the optimal range.
The Test
According to the paperwork, this Crimson Trace model, which came from the factory with a Smith & Wesson M&P 40c, is zeroed at 50 feet. However, we found ours much more comfortable at 21 feet (7 yards) with our chosen test rounds, Federal 155-grain HST. T e POI/POA was almost spot-on at that distance no matter who was shooting it. Since 7 yards seemed to be the sweet spot, we tried 3 yards and 15 yards to compare the POA/POI diff erence.
At 3 yards, the bullets consistently struck about 1.75 inches off at the 11 o’clock posi- tion. At 15 yards, the bullets struck at the 5
34 The Police Marksman Jan-Feb 2014
The Crimson Trace laser sight offered with many Smith &Wesson M&P Compact models adds very little girth to the grip and still allows for use with readily available holsters.
o’clock position about 2 inches from point of aim. I wanted to test at 25 yards, but that is nearly impossible in normal daylight. In dry-fi re, backyard testing, I would estimate a bullet impact of about 4 inches from POA at the 5 o’clock position at that distance. Coming into this test, I would never have believed that the Crimson Trace would have performed so well. I really expected to see much more disparity between the POA/POI anywhere outside of the optimal range for the laser sight. I decided to perform an im- promptu test for the average shooter. Crim- son Trace seems to market their products, at least mostly, toward regular folks. T e closest thing to that in my shooting party was my wife. She was a reserve sher- iff ’s deputy almost two decades ago, but has received only a little training since then. I asked her to participate. T e test would be to start from the low ready position and fi re fi ve rounds inside the qualifi cation ring at 7 yards as quickly as possible. One relay would be with the laser-assisted grip and one without. She fi rst tested the pistol with the Crimson Trace grip. Her overall time was 3.72 seconds with an average split time of 0.740 seconds. T e fi ve-shot group was a whisper over 5 inches. Sans laser, but with some more practice, her time increased to 4.66 seconds and a split time of 0.932 sec- onds. T e fi ve-shot group was about 9 inches and not as well centered. T ere can be little doubt that these little gizmos can improve a shooter’s ability to hit the intended target
with increased speed and accuracy. Lasers and other tech gear have infi ltrated our world and will continue to do so. T eir quality has also become better with time. I once thought that lasers were mostly for people who couldn’t shoot well. My thoughts have changed on that topic. As reputable companies like Crimson Trace continue to put out quality products like the one tested here, laser sighting systems will continue to become more relevant in the market of self-defense.
Where my opinion hasn’t changed is that
offi cers who could potentially be using fi re- arms for serious social work. T ey need to know how their equipment will perform under varying circumstances, including the potential distance of their encounter. T at is the basis of adding a laser-aiming device to your pistol. T e mantra is, and always should be, to Test Your Equipment. If you choose to bring a laser into your defensive battery, know where it will hit at various dis- tances and practice. PM
Warren Wilson is a Lieutenant with the Enid Police Department in Oklahoma. He is a former SWAT team member/leader and has been in law enforce- ment for 17 years.
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