I feel like Crimson Trace laser grips have been a huge selling point for a lot of people. Some people swear by them, and others think they’re overly gimmicky garbage. But are Crimson Trace grips worth it?
I mentioned it before that my favorite handgun and CCW of choice is a Sig Sauer P-229.
This thing is gold. I’ve never had it jam, never had any issues whatsoever. Every time I pull the trigger it says, “BANG!” I love it.
The stock grips were awesome when I first got it, but a great gift from my father-in-law came soon in the form of Crimson Trace LG-329 grips for Sig Sauer P228/P229 handguns.
I was all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I get these grips and immediately installed them.
Installation
Installing new grips is probably the easiest upgrade you can do on any firearm. It also has a giant ROI for most firearms.
The Crimson Trace grips, of all kind; not just the kind I got, are insanely simple to deal with.
Simply unscrew the screws holding your current grips.
Take the grips off. Put on the new Crimson Trace grips.
Screw the grips in place.
Now you have your new grips installed.
Comfort
The Crimson Trace grips are a bit thicker than the stock ones that come on most handguns.
It makes sense though. The grips now have wiring and a laser light built it in. It’s not like those things don’t take up any space.
I love the feel of the grips. They’re rubber and offer good traction. Even if you have wet hands, getting a handle on the new grips is easy.
I don’t really know when you would have wet hands while shooting…maybe a weird apocalypse scenario or something…
Anyway, the grips are super comfortable when handling the firearm.
The downside of them is that they are thicker.
Wait! Josh, you just said the thicker grips make them more comfortable. How is that a downside?
Easy, if you’re like me, you would only invest the $200+ on laser grips for your CCW. Having the grips be thicker, even though it’s a small amount, makes it a little more difficult to conceal.
Luckily, I live in Texas, and printing, even open carrying, is legal and nobody really bats an eye at mild print like that. It’s just personal preference that I want the only people that know I’m carrying to be me, my wife, and a potentially close friend or family that know I only go out while carrying. I don’t really go out drinking, so I rarely go to bars where it is illegal to carry.
I prefer my whiskey and beer in the privacy of my own home.
Function
Even though the comfort makes the Sig a little thicker, I can just wear looser shirts. I have a custom cross draw belt that I will wear sometimes, but the belt loses some function of holding my pants up because I have to skip a belt loop.
I also have a custom Kydex holster I got on eBay for less than $25. I like to use this with my normal belt a lot of the time.
The Crimson Trace grips don’t change the fit of my handgun in any holsters is what I’m getting at.
They’re very intuitive to activate as well. There is a button on either side of the grip, making them ambidextrous, which presses naturally with my middle finger wrapping around.
I have bigger hands though, so if you have small hands this could be a problem.
Crimson Trace solved it with their new grips. The button to turn on the laser is on the front of the grips under the trigger. That way any size hand can activate it.
Accuracy
I guess it is kind of important to know if the laser is even accurate.
Right out of the box, the laser was spot on for up to 15 yards for me. I didn’t really have to adjust them at all.
However, I know not everyone is this lucky.
There are two small pinholes that can be used to sight in the laser for extreme accuracy from whatever distance you desire.
Worth it?
Here is the real question, are Crimson Trace grips worth it?
It’s a tough call because the grips are roughly the price of a cheap new gun. You could probably find a Mosin Nagant for cheaper than some of these grips.
I think getting some Crimson Trace grips for your CCW is a good idea, especially if you wear glasses or contacts and have even a mild possibility of getting your vision obscured. Having a laser helps just add another layer to your accuracy.
It does take some practice to be able to use the Crimson Trace grips effectively though. Just like with any gun, you need to practice with them. I like the feel of thicker grips, so Crimson Trace is right for me.
The only person that can truly know if they’re right for you, is you. I suggest finding a friend that has some, testing them out, then getting some if you like them.
My father-in-law is one of those guys that doesn’t like rubber grips at all. Crimson Trace, at this time, only has some wooden grips for 1911s. My dad, on the other hand, loves all rubber grips. He feels they offer a better grip and feel than wood. My mom and wife have the same feeling on rubber grips and enjoy the feel of them.
We all agree that wood looks so badass though. Once Crimson Trace gets some wooden laser grips for Sig Sauer P229s, I will be purchasing those. That’s a promise.