What Distance to Zero Crimson Trace On J-Frame?

[Gewehr3]

Greetings,

What would be the ideal distance to zero a crimson trace (LG-105) on a S&W 638 J-frame?

I am currently using .38 spl 148 gr wadcutters, but I plan to switch to CorBon DPX 110 gr. P+.

Thanks.

[lcarr]

I zero them at 15 yards. Indoors, my range is only 50 feet; outdoors, I can't see the laser well much further than 15 yards in bright sunlight. My irons are zeroed at 25 yards.

Lincoln

[CCT125US]

Well that would depend on the purpose of the laser....... I might guess that it is for self defense. If that is the case what is the most likely distance that you as the shooter feel confident to use that laser? Are you the only user of the laser equiped pistol? If it is for home defense / bedside gun what is the furthest likely distance it could be used? Also if you can achieve hits on close range high probability targets by index firing you may zero at a further range to take low probability shots. There is no one good answer to this question since it is an idividual decision based on the users own criteria. Keep in mind the laser is probably dropped and offset from the bore so only one distance will match exactly with POA and POI... the deviation will then vary based on distance. You can find a happy middle and call it good if you know what your criteria are. In general my CTC grip on my Glock 26 will keep hits on 6in disk from 15ft to 50ft since it is dropped and offset from the bore. My P30 with TLR2 will keep hits on a vertical 3x5 from 3 to 25yds because it sits directly below the bore and is not offset.

[GJM]

Alternatively, leave the laser parallel to the bore, and while you never have an exact zero at any one distance, you have a close relationship for a long way. That is how I have the CT on my M&P set up.

[ToddG]

I zero them at 15 yards. Indoors, my range is only 50 feet; outdoors, I can't see the laser well much further than 15 yards in bright sunlight. My irons are zeroed at 25 yards.

This is exactly what I do.

I'm within an inch out to 15yd, and at 50yd the laser is off by 3-4" which is well within the margin of my group size at that distance.

[Up1911Fan]

The CTC's on my LCR are zeroed at 15 yards with my carry ammo. My practice ammo shoot's within two inches of my carry ammo.

[Chuck Haggard]

I lock the gun down and zero the dot to the irons at the 25. If I ever need to make a longer shot I won't have as much angular issues, which would come with being zero'd at much closer range.

[Lost River]

My 442 w/ CT grips is zeroed at 15 yards. Under 10 yards I usually don't get a fine sight picture, just look over the front sight and focus on a smooth DA pull, when shooting fast.

If shooting slow, I will try to get a good iron sighted sight picture, backed up by the laser (during good lighting conditions).

Low light, I really rely on the CTs primarily, and once again, focus on a smooth DA pull.

As far as I am concerned the CT grips are the single most important piece of extra gear you can have for the little J frames.

A zone hit ratio went WAY up when shooting at distance in low light when I got my first set years ago.

Speaking of wadcutters, last week I loaded up 500 145 grain double ended wadcutters, using 2.3 grains of Clays for shooting in my 442. Not only for practicing with my BUG, for work, but also for small game (jackrabbits) hunting with the 442.

MINOR THREAD DRIFT>>>>

I consider rabbit hunting with handguns "performance on demand" practice. The big desert jacks don't care if you mashed the trigger or fumbled your pocket draw with your Centennial model, or other cool guy pocket blaster. They will simply haul ass out of the area and laugh at you when they are safely out of range. ;)



These guys stuck around too long:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/125-1.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/125-1.jpg.html)


They were taken with a short barreled Old Model .357 Flattop. The gun is a pretty rough old thing but is special to me due to help from gunwriter John Taffin, who helped me get it in shooting order.


Back on topic,

Here is a pic of my old 442 and a stingray pocket holster made by my friends at Milt Sparks. Plus my really old and worn down Surefire.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/001-19.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/001-19.jpg.html)

[Chuck Haggard]

You carrying lead flat nose in your pocket blaster?

[Lost River]

Those are actually old +p Winchester Silvertips. I can see where they do kind of look like LFNs. I would not hesitate to carry full wadcutters pushed by a heavy charge though. In my experience full wadcutters are very effective on critters of all sizes. The large meplat does serious damage when it smacks flesh.

In fact my elk load, a 310 or 320 grain cast bullet is a wide flat nose, and quite similar to a wadcutter on the front end. They cut big deep holes in animals and have excellent penetration.

[Rich]

Well that would depend on the purpose of the laser....... I might guess that it is for self defense. If that is the case what is the most likely distance that you as the shooter feel confident to use that laser? Are you the only user of the laser equiped pistol? If it is for home defense / bedside gun what is the furthest likely distance it could be used? Also if you can achieve hits on close range high probability targets by index firing you may zero at a further range to take low probability shots. There is no one good answer to this question since it is an idividual decision based on the users own criteria. Keep in mind the laser is probably dropped and offset from the bore so only one distance will match exactly with POA and POI... the deviation will then vary based on distance. You can find a happy middle and call it good if you know what your criteria are. In general my CTC grip on my Glock 26 will keep hits on 6in disk from 15ft to 50ft since it is dropped and offset from the bore. My P30 with TLR2 will keep hits on a vertical 3x5 from 3 to 25yds because it sits directly below the bore and is not offset.

Does the TLR-2 /P30 hold a zero well.

[Drifting Fate]

Those are actually old +p Winchester Silvertips. I can see where they do kind of look like LFNs. I would not hesitate to carry full wadcutters pushed by a heavy charge though. In my experience full wadcutters are very effective on critters of all sizes. The large meplat does serious damage when it smacks flesh.

In fact my elk load, a 310 or 320 grain cast bullet is a wide flat nose, and quite similar to a wadcutter on the front end. They cut big deep holes in animals and have excellent penetration.

Hunting and self-defense have yet to meet in terms of the efficacy of a large meplat. Cooper alluded to it with the favor of the truncated cone, but that got lost in the press of the hollow point,him being seeing as some sort of throwback. It may be - may be, and I've yet to play with it myself - why the expanding FMJ from Federal works as well as it seems to. Until then, load with what you are comfortable with.

[DocGKR]

I generally zero the CTC lasergrips on my J-frames at 25 yds.

[Edmo]

I set mine to the "man with a knife" distance of 21 feet, or 7 yards.

Edmo

[Rich]

I set mine to the "man with a knife" distance of 21 feet, or 7 yards.

Edmo

I would think the 38spl load like 135 or 130 bonded would be pretty flat out to 25Y when zero at 21 feet? could I be wrong?

[Chuck Haggard]

I would think the 38spl load like 135 or 130 bonded would be pretty flat out to 25Y when zero at 21 feet? could I be wrong?

That's not the issue, windage is, due to the laser being offset to the right of the bore.

[Chuck Whitlock]

I like the idea of setting the laser parallel to the bore. Should hit to 11:00 of the dot at any reasonable distance.

Caveat: I'm not currently running lasers.

[RevolverRob]

I zeroed mine at 25 yards and found this works best, primarily because J-frame fixed sights are typically factory zeroed for 25 yards as well. When you look down the sights at 25 yards the front sight almost covers the whole of the red dot, like front sight does a standard bullseye. Up close it feels more like a dinner plate held in front of your sights, the good news is, you've got the front sight in the red and the red is covering what you're going for, you're good to go.

Just an FYI: I guess I don't know if everyone runs CTCs the same way. I remember talking to Nate Hoke about my "epiphany" moment with laser grips. It came from once I had a set properly zeroed to the sights at distance. The real purpose of the dot is not to look at it (of course we all know that), but instead to have the most brilliantly and brightly lit aiming point you could ever want, you still have to aim, but now instead of having a black/white/color you can't see target you have a bright red/green one to align your sights on. This is why I run a zero at the maximum distance I regularly practice at and find it makes a heck of a difference.

-Rob