I’d never previously considered LaserMax for serious use. We have them as a sponsor now and I took a look at their page. The first thing that caught my eye was a Glock laser system:
Hmmm… looks good in theory.
Any thoughts? Any experience?
I don’t have the Sabre, but I do have the CT on a G19 (also one on a G23). Its mounted in the same location as the Sabre. It has maybe 5000 rounds downrange with it mounted, and its still on the original batteries. Very tough, but does seem to veer off zero occasionally. I now have lasers on 3 guns, and I think they should be on on any gun that has a light mounted. They’re indispensable in the dark.
The Sabre and the CTs are similar except the Sabre sticks out pretty far behind the slide (whale tail) and then extends upward and out on the side. The design reduces the bulk on the grip and moves the laser above the extended finger but adds “junk in the trunk”. The cons of the CT is battery location that adds bulk to the grip and the laser is almost inline with a safe finger, but the pro is a much lower profile design. The Sabre also has an off switch and the CTs don’t.
Just to be clear, I have experience with lasers, specifically the CT for the Glock 19. I am not a fan of that particular offering by CT.
I’ve only handled a prototype, so some of this info may be out of date:
[ul] [li]The “whale tail” was huge and I didn’t find it particularly comfortable. I believe it would detract from CCW/plainclothes use.
[/li][li] It relies on a similar attachment method as the Crimson Trace, and thus may be susceptible to the same loss of zero issues.
[/li][li] The fact that you cannot block the beam naturally with your index finger is a minus not a plus. It makes light discipline more difficult.
[/li][li] Master power switch is a huge improvement over the CTC design (which lacks this feature).
[/li][li] The inclusion of a momentary switch makes it the only viable LaserMax pistol laser.
[/li][li] I don’t recall how (or if) it’s adjustable for zero.[/ul]
[/li]
I’ve got CTC’s on my G17/T and they are lousy. CTC is supposedly introducing a new design around the SHOT’09 timeframe. Between the current CTC and the Lasermax, I’d have to go with the Lasermax.
Thanks Todd; just by looking at it and reading the description, I had largely the same impression. This may be a viable stop-gap solution until (or if) CT releases an updated offering.
Sabre is completely adjustable for windage and elevation. Whale tale size was reduced from prototype you saw.
Production models should be out in 60 days or less
Very interesting - may I ask where you got your information?
As a lefty, I shoot with my thumbs high. I wish these lasers were more lefty-friendly.
I’m interested in learning more about these as well.
The CT wouldn’t work for you either then. If you persist in maintaining a “thumbs high” grip then your only option is a guide rod mounted laser or a laser attached on the rail under the barrel, neither of which are IMO as effective.
What issues do you see with the guide rod laser?
[ol][li] When they break (and they do break sometimes), the gun shuts down. You’ve replaced a critical and dead-nuts simple part of your gun with a complicated electronic device.
[/li][li] Separate step to activate and deactivate. Easy to do when playing at the range, much harder to do on demand under stress. Even harder to do 1-handed.
[/li][li] The blinking beam is harder to track when shooting rapidly. The reason LaserMax uses the blinking beam is due to the tiny batteries they can fit in the guide rod laser. The blinking beam uses much less power, so lasts longer.
[/li][*] Most models cannot be zeroed.[/ol]
[/li]
Yeah, what he said.
Are the models like say the Streamlight TLR-2 any good, where you have the laser mounted on the housing of the light? I’ve wondered if one of these, though less ideal than the grip-mounted CT’s, might be a good plan B for us southpaws.
Issues with light-mounted lasers:
[ol][li] Switching is not reflexive. You need to make a conscious move to turn it on and turn it off.
[/li][li] You need to set up the light/laser switching in advance. Either the activation switch turns on the light, or the laser, or both. Going back and forth from one mode to the other is tough, especially in the dark under stress.
[/li][li] The laser is so far beneath the bore that offset/parallax becomes a genuine problem.
[/li][li] Your light and laser share one battery, one mount, one set of electronics … if something goes wrong, you lose both pieces of equipment simultaneously.
[/li][*] If you want the benefit of a laser while you carry, you need a holster properly set up to support the large light/laser combo.[/ol]
Todd G I am a Lasermax employee. Thats where I get my information from. for the new Sabre product. Also the blinking pulsed at 10-12 pulses per second on the guide rods is scientifically proven to attract your eye to it during stress full situations when your eyes dialate and the eyeballs flatten out. Humans are attracted to movement, It is easy to turn them on one handed and because they are not squeeze activated they do not come on when you are in the middle of drawing it out of you holster in a dark room. They are completely water proof and can be thrown off a three story buildilng with out breaking or loosing alignment. The guide rods are made of aircraft alluminum, with steel heads and a plastic battery cap most have a greater strength than the OEM guide rods.
I’m not the one who asked, but thanks for answering. And, thanks for sponsoring the site!
I understand the argument for the blinking laser. It doesn’t play out in real life in my experience. It’s worth noting that carbine lasers used by LE/mil teams don’t blink. It’s probably a minor point and may not affect everyone, but if you are trying to track a sight for fast shots, having your sight (be it a laser or your rear sight) blinking in and out of existence makes things more difficult.
Absolutely agree that one benefit of the guide rod is that you can avoid red light ADs. Different CTC Lasergrips are more or less problematic. The last set of M&P Lasergrips I received are almost impossible to keep OFF when gripping the gun, unless the master switch is toggled. The question is whether that advantage is worth the trade-off when you are drawing the gun in a reaction/defensive mode and want the beam on immediately without adding any time or motion to your draw.
I would recommend placing this information in your sig line and in your profile.
[/li]
Good info. I have never used one.
Welcome SGTMAJ, and thanks for sponsoring the forum.