Crimson Trace LG-660 Lasergrip for the Smith & Wesson M&P Auto Pistol

Crimson Trace LG-660 Lasergrip for the Smith & Wesson M&P Auto Pistol

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn

October 6th, 2007

Used to be, I didn’t care for laser aiming devices on handguns at all. That was back when they were add-on, cheap junk lasers that were awkward to use, and mostly just got in the way of things. For the past few years, however, I have come to be a believer in Crimson Trace Lasergrips on my fighting handguns. CT Lasergrips are built into the handgun’s grip, and cause no holstering problems, nor are they hard to use. CT puts the activation switches on their Lasergrips where the laser is activated by just grasping the handgun normally.

Those who have been watching the pistol market during the last couple of years have noticed that the new Smith & Wesson M&P pistols have made a big splash in the plastic-framed pistol market. I have reviewed a few of their various M&P pistols on Gunblast, and have replaced my personal Glock Model 19 with a new M&P 9mm. There is nothing at all wrong with the Glock, but after shooting the M&P, I couldn’t go back.

A few months ago, I saw and handled the prototype Lasergrip for the Smith & Wesson M&P auto pistol, and immediately asked for one for review. They are now in full production, and the finished product has exceeded my expectations. The M&P Lasergrip is fully self-contained. The batteries and the activation switch are both contained in the Lasergrip unit. There are no wires or pressure pads attached anywhere on the pistol. You simply replace the S&W grip insert with the Lasergrip. If you take your time, you can use up about one minute installing the Lasergrip on the pistol, and no tools are needed at all, except for the small Allen wrench provided for adjusting the laser beam to hit the target.

On a fighting handgun, I want every edge that I can get to help me to take out my opponent as quickly as possible. To quote the legendary Bill Jordan, in a gunfight, there is "No Second Place Winner." He was right about that.

In a gunfight, it is your responsibility, and it is also to your advantage, to account for the placement of every shot that you fire. Even professionals like trained police officers miss a lot more than they hit in a gunfight. Contrary to anything else that you have been told, when the shooting starts, you WILL be focused on the fellow that is shooting at you. On the target range, standing squarely and focusing your eyes upon the front sight is pretty easy to do, but that paper target or steel plate isn’t shooting back. If it was, your eyes would be wide open and focused upon the target. In a low-light situation, you can sometimes not even see your sights, but can see the target. With the Crimson Trace Lasergrip, the red dot will be seen on the target, which will be the object of your attention at the time. You simply point the weapon towards the target, holding the red dot where you want the bullet to land, and squeeze the trigger.

Another advantage of a laser sight is seldom mentioned in the press; that is for handgun owners who wear contact lenses or eyeglasses. Awakened suddenly at night by someone crashing through the door rarely allows the luxury of putting on one’s glasses, much less installing a set of contacts. When suddenly jolted from a deep sleep, you will be lucky if you have enough time to grab your handgun. The attacker has had plenty of time to plan the invasion; you have maybe a couple of seconds to react. You grab your weapon and swing it towards the intruder. With the Lasergrip, you can keep your eyes on the target. Even a person with bad eyesight can see someone crashing through their twelve feet away, but most likely can’t see even a good set of tritium night sights. The red dot is right there. Nothing to align. No switches to activate. Just point the weapon and go to work. In situations such as this, using your handgun as the defensive tool that it is, the Lasergrip is an advantage. It is an advantage that might give you an extra second or two, and might make the difference between winning and losing in a gunfight.

Where legal, the Lasergrip is also a handy tool for some types of hunting, especially where the action is fast, up close, and in the dark, like hunting wild hogs, bear, or cats at night. The red laser is easy to see against an animal’s hair, and makes shot placement much easier and quicker in low light.

I really like the Crimson Trace Lasergrip for the M&P pistol. It is about the same size as the medium M&P factory grip insert, offering a slight palm swell on each side of the grip, and it feels very comfortable in my hand. I like it much better than any laser that is incorporated into the spring guide rod. It is much easier to use, quicker to activate, and it doesn’t screw around with the gun’s internal parts. There is no fumbling around feeling for the switch; just grasp the weapon, and the laser is "ON". The Lasergrip adds almost nothing to the gun’s weight, but adds a lot of speed and versatility in aiming the weapon in low-light situations.

Check out the new LG-660 Lasergrip for the Smith & Wesson M&P auto pistol online, along with the extensive line of Lasergrip products, at www.crimsontrace.com.

Jeff Quinn