Revisiting Crimson Trace Review

Many of you read my review last year of the CT LG-431. If not, you can visit it here.

With my pictures of the new paint job on my LCP, I am receiving new questions about the LG-431 and I wanted to address those as well as some of the controversy surrounding laser grips, as well as talk batteries.

First, a few questions:

Does the Laser Grip affect your grip?

No, not at all. I do not feel any difference in the grip of the pistol. The button is the only piece under your hand anyway, allowing you to activate the laser when correctly holding the pistol. I have even seen it correct the grip of two shooters, as it will not light without proper grip. Effectively, tattling on you if you're not holding the pistol correctly.

Does the Laser Grip work in daylight?

That depends on the light, the distance, and the battery. Red lasers don't work as well in bright sunlight as they do in low light.

The Crimson Trace website states :

Under bright sunlight, the dot can be seen up to 15 yards away. Lighter-colored surfaces reflect laser light better than darker surfaces. The lighter the surface, the brighter the laser dot will be and the farther away it can be seen.

Why do I need a laser?

You don't NEED a laser. It may; however, shave seconds when seconds count. I've especially noticed this in situations where people are practicing. The LG helps to tell them that their sight picture is correct, it tells on them if they're limp wristing or pulling down on the firearm with the trigger. It also allows for a faster draw and more accurate shot from the hip in a self-defense situation when taking the time to aim may cost seconds.

Understand, though, that a laser runs on batteries and batteries die. Never rely solely on the LG, as you still need to know how to shoot with the sights on your firearm in case of battery failure or device failure in an intense situation.

Next there is much controversy on Laser Grips. Many people have a problem with laser sights on a self-defense handgun. They worry about us becoming lazy, not practicing with sights, and then not being able to aim and shoot in the event of a mechanical or battery failure. That's why it is important to train and practice with and without your laser.

If I am wearing my Flashbang holster, I can draw and fire accurately in less than 3 seconds with my LG-431. I hope to make it to the range soon and take some video to show you!

Finally, batteries, the LG-431 takes #357 batteries, which are not really very expensive. I found out today; however, that Crimson Trace offers customers a free battery every year. Why? Because they care about their customers and they want to be sure that you have a fresh battery in your laser grip every year! You can read more information on their website here.

I still love my CT and I think you will too!!

Cornered Cat Review

I don't know if you know this, but I LOVE to read. Really I just love it! So I was excited to find a book about women and concealed carry. The book is The Cornered Cat: A Woman's Guide to Concealed Carry. To be honest, I have read the book three times one after another. I do not want to miss anything. If I listed every section in the book that I highlighted, oh my gosh, this blog post would be FOR-stinkin-EVER. One of the best lines that I highlighted; however, is this:

The predator might attack or walk away without attacking, a choice utterly beyond our control. But that does not mean we have no power at all. We do have the power! The power to limit the number of opportunities we offer to the predators among us, and the related choice of how we respond if violently attacked.

The chapters in this book cover so many important topics like Foundations, Safety, Legal Questions, Social Issues, Finding a Firearm, Holsters, and so much more. Women's firearms have come quite a ways as far as holsters and concealed carry wear since Kathy wrote this book, but please don't let that discourage you. No matter if you already carry or if you're just thinking about it. Or maybe you just found out that your mother, sister, daughter or friend has started to carry concealed and you want to understand better. No matter where you are on this scale, this book is a great read for you. Also, if you're like me and carry a book reader in your purse, it's available at the Kindle Store!!!

Thanks, Kathy, for an amazing book and for all you do for women's firearms!

What If You CAN'T Carry?

So you train, you train and you train. You test, you sit through the ten hour class, and you get your plastic. You find the right handgun, the right holster, the right accessories. You take self-defense classes, knife classes, and the right knife, tactical gear and more. You observe all of the social rites of passion, and more. Then it happens, you get a new job. You are perfect for this job, you work for this job, you are stoked about this job....but.....the handbook states that you cannot carry a firearm or knife. What do you do?

Can you carry a pen? I thought so. Can a pen be a self-defense tool? It can if it's one of these

This right here is a Schrade Tactical Pen. It doubles as a Kubotan. Okay, okay, I hear ya asking, "Hey Lady, what the heck is a Kubotan?"                                                   

Here's what Wikipedia has to say: The Kubotan (sometimes erroneously spelled as Kubaton or Kobutan) self-defense keychain is a close-quarter self-defense weapon developed by Takayuki Kubota. It is essentially a derivation of the yawara (柔^?) stick, usually 5.5 inches (14 cm) long and 0.56 inch (1.5 cm) in diameter, slightly thicker or the same size as a marker pen. Attached with a keyring for convenience and concealment, the Kubotan appears as an innocuous key fob to the untrained eye, although it may be considered an offensive weapon in some jurisdictions.  Its popularity began in the mid-1970s when Kubota first brought the weapon to the attention of the LAPD and began schooling female officers in its application. It is often touted as extremely effective in breaking the will of unruly suspects with painful locks and pressure point strikes. Because of that the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the 'instrument of attitude adjustment'. In some law enforcement and security circles it is known as "The Persuader".

Another source states:

You can never go wrong with any strike using the kubotan. You simply need to hit as hard as you can because the material used in creating the kubotan is sufficient to aid your every blow. Furthermore, if you have attached keys at one end of the kubotan then you can also swing it to the face of the opponent which can scrape into his flesh resulting in extreme pain.

There are tons of videos out there that show you different ways to use a Kubotan. This isn't the typical Kubotan, as it is not a keychain, but an actual, working, writing pen. It's purple too!! I have also ordered this one (two, actually, one for Cowboy and one for me)

It is from Colt and has a built-in LED flashlight. Multi-function tools make my heart happy. When I can find a willing participant for a video, I hope to show you some of the uses for a tactical pen. Until then, know that you don't have to be completely unarmed if you have to go to a place, or work in a place where guns and knives are not allowed.  As long as you have your pen, you have a defensive tool. Just don't loan this one out. Clip it to your lanyard or in your pocket when you're not using it. You don't want this one walking off.

Be safe, be strong, and remember YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Lady