FOG HORN 2015

Twobirds Flying Publication

Copyright 2015, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Crimson Trace LG-919 Master Series Lasergrip

FOG HORN 2015

Twobirds Flying Publication

Copyright 2015, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Crimson Trace LG-919 Master Series Lasergrip

By: Sal Palma

It’s no accident that anytime one debates

weapon lasers, the name Crimson Trace

Corporation (CTC) dominates the discussion. In

comparative reviews, CTC products, like the

Laserguard®, Rail Master® Pro™ and the

company’s Lasergrips® are consistently ranked

in the top five. The reason for that success

hinges on plain talent. CTC is not just an

innovator, for innovation sake, they add real

value with every product they make. You won’t

find fluff in any of their offerings. By that I

mean, they all enhance the shooter’s

experience in a measurable and meaningful

way.

CTC Lasergrips®, for example, have

revolutionized the handgun with such impact

that gun manufacturers now include them with

their many offerings. However, that market

position has not been without its challenges,

and those revolve around holsters. With

shooters making a rapid transition from Level 1

leather holsters to the more secure Level 2 and

Level 3 Kydex tactical varieties, finding a holster

that will accommodate the laser housing on the

pistol grip has been a challenge for both the

company and its customers. This is a story that’s

about to change with the introduction of the

Master Series Lasergrip from Crimson Trace.

In this review, I take an in-depth look at the LG-

919 Master Series Lasergrip for the 1911 pistol

in your life.

The Master Series Lasergrip is a combination

fashion statement and performance

enhancement for what would otherwise be

your plain Jane 1911. Crimson Trace uses G10

and select natural woods to create a visually

stunning grip that incorporates a laser aiming

module. That said, what excites me most is its

precision micro laser lens, which makes Level 2

and Level 3 holstering less of a problem. But,

before getting into holstering I’ll touch on the

electronics package.

Crimson Trace LG-919 Master Series Lasergrip 2015

Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

CTC’s Lasergrips are surgically clean. A heavy

duty flexible copper trace connects the two

CR2025 power sources with a rubber molded

pressure switch located on the front of the grip.

The trace then supplies power to the laser’s

electronics package, which is embed in the grip

and in turn drives, via a single wire running in a

dedicated channel, the laser. It could not have

fewer components and still function. It’s an

important point to make because in performing

routine maintenance on your pistol, you’ll be

removing the grips regularly and the last thing

you’ll want to see is a wad of loose wires.

Crimson Trace also includes two Mylar panels

that sit between the pistol’s frame and the laser

grip acting as dust covers; keeping unwanted

dirt and debris from the power source and grip

electronics. The combined effect of a surgically

clean design and the dust panels ensure

standard setting reliability and durability.

All of CTC’s Lasergrips provide what the

company has trademarked as “Instinctive

Activation.” It’s undoubtedly marketing lingo

but what it means operationally, and this is an

important differentiator, is that once you

establish your grip the laser is active. As long as

the master switch is in the “ON” position, you

come out of your holster with the laser ready to

be placed in use. This is a huge tactical

advantage.

So, why do you need a laser on your home

defense or conceal carry pistol? The only

acceptable reason is for fire control when the

situation or circumstances prevent you from

using your iron sights.

Aiming lasers do not replace your primary

sighting mechanism, they supplement it - a

point that I will harp on with a few more

sentences.

The only time you align your laser sight with

your iron sights is when you’re confirming zero;

with CTC Lasergrips, this is a procedure you

perform once; thereafter, your laser backs up

your iron sights.

Here’s how I use a laser.

1. In low light conditions where I can’t see

my front sight post.

2. When firing from a covered position

where I can’t bring up my sights

without exposing my torso.

3. Firing from a disabled position, where

injury prevents me from presenting my

pistol.

4. Firing in close proximity to the threat

where extending would create a

retention problem.

Crimson Trace LG-919 Master Series Lasergrip 2015

Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

Some folks may also see a laser functioning as a

deterrent and I won’t argue the point; however,

in my humble opinion, if you need to pick up a

firearm to discourage someone, they constitute

a threat that needs to be incapacitated.

Alright, so we’ve established some very good

reasons why you need an aiming laser. Next, I’d

like to look at the practical aspect that should

guide your decision to Lasergrips and not the

alternatives. The best way to reach that

conclusion is by looking at the alternative.

This is a common tactical arrangement, but how

practical is it for conceal carry or in home

defense. Moreover, how feasible is it when

your pistol lacks a Picatinny mounting rail? Do

you buy another pistol that’s equipped with a

rail system? No! You’ll gain the tactical benefit

of an aiming laser by installing laser grips and

CTC Lasergrips are the only game in town.

Besides being a handsome grip, the Master

Series LG-919 uses a precision micro laser lens

that is fully adjustable for wind and elevation.

It’s housed in a low profile and compact housing

that solved, at least for me, the holstering

problem.

Earlier laser grips used a laser housing that was

longer and larger, and while they didn’t present

a problem when using Level 1 holsters, the

minute the shooter transitioned to a Level 2 or

Level 3 Kydex holster, the grip’s laser housing

would not fit the holster.

This was not an impassable constraint, but it did

require the shooter to manually flair the holster

at the right spot with a heat gun to create room

for the grip’s laser housing.

The new micro laser lens takes that issue off the

table, for most of the major Kydex tactical rigs,

while concurrently supporting an ambidextrous

thumb safety.

The two photos above show a very nice fit with

the G-Code RTI tactical holster. This is a huge

plus for the LG-919 especially in military and

tactical LE circles.

Crimson Trace LG-919 Master Series Lasergrip 2015

Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

By the way, the LG-919 Lasergrip is designed to

be fully compatible with the CTC Lightguard, so

that old 1911 you’ve had sitting around longer

than your wife can easily be brought into the

21st Century with functional and highly reliable

equipment. Both accessories have independent

ON/OFF switches and both feature instinctive

activation. That’s what I call a win-win scenario.

I’ll close my review of the LG-919 Master Series

by discussing ergonomics.

Recognizing that pistol grips are like shoes or

underwear, what is comfortable to one may not

be comfortable to others, I found the slight

palm swell designed into the LG-919 G10 to be

superbly comfortable. This grip is hand filling;

allowing the pistol to sit solidly in the hollows of

your palm providing an excellent grip. I think

we’ve all had experience with pistol grips that

fatigue the hand and the subsequent

deleterious effect on shooter performance. You

don’t get that with the LG-919, at least with

these hands.

So, for me, when you combine grip size and

shape, with texturing and its G10 material you

end up with a winner and that is precisely what

Crimson Trace has achieved with its Master

Series LG-919 Lasergrip G10 – A WINNER!

-SP

Manufacturer Specifications

Material G10

Attachment Grip Replacement

Activation Location Front Activation

Sighting Factory Sighted at 50'

Master On/Off Switch Yes

Battery Type Two #2025 Batteries

Laser Battery LifeOver Four Hours

Laser Output 5mW Red Laser

Activation Mode Pressure Activated

Laser Visibility Approx .5 Inch Diameter

at 50 Feet

Wrench Size 0.028

User Adjustable Windage and Elevation

Finish Textured G10 Grip with Rubber

Overmold Activation Pad

Installation User Installed

Warranty Three Year Limited

Warranty

Color Black

Dot Size Approx. 0.50" at 50'