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View Full Version : CM9 with CT my story



dishray
10-03-2012, 02:52 AM
I bought a CM9 and decided I wanted to add a laser. After putting 2 or 3 hundred rounds down range to break her in and get comfortable, I installed the Crimson Trace LG-437.
The install went pretty easy and the laser worked very nice as I practiced for a couple of days Dry Firing. On to the range.....

I get all set up with my allen wrenches to sight in the laser and fire a couple shots adjusting the beam closer to the center and then no laser ? After checking my grip with not firing and making sure that it was not a case of missing the button with my fingers, I continue to empty the mag and the last shot the laser is back on. So I clear the gun and get the supplied Q-tips out and wipe the lens and try the laser with the empty gun again and all is good. Load up and shoot again. Looks good so I shoot a few more adjusting and I get it where I'm putting em in the red. Then it happens again no laser ! I decide to just get some practice with the gun sights.....for the rest of my visit the laser would work/not work and then it got real dim but would stay there ( not bright enough to be seen outdoors). Seems that when I pointed it it would flash brite for a nano second then dim. The guys at the LGS had not seen this and said that CT was very reliable......maybe a new battery.
A call to CT and describe the symptoms and they agree to send a replacement laser.

Installed the new laser and back to the range.......4th shot in .....no laser....couple more laser .....couple more DIM LASER...........sh!t !
I shoot enough to site in the beam and leave. What are the chances that 2 lasers have the same problem? Maybe CT has a batch of bad batteries ? After reading everything i can find, (noone has claimed to have this problem ) I'm determined to find the answer.

So I'm headed back to the range with (1) New battery (2) Q-tips w/alcohol (3) different brand of ammo.
Without changing the battery or cleaning first, I dry fire the gun and good laser ...loadup with new ammo and shoot......perfect ........could it be the ammo? 50 or 60 rounds thru.. perfect no problems ?? Ok I"ll load the original ammo......perfect ...... shoot the remaining 30 rounds of this ammo and then all of ammo#2 and no problem ????

I dont know where I'm at........but I love this gun and like the laser, but dont trust it.

Micha2u
10-03-2012, 05:18 AM
This isn't any help to you but for the record my CT laser on my CM9 works great with no issues.

I'm interested to see what other throw out as possible causes for your problem.

TucsonMTB
10-03-2012, 08:17 AM
Sounds like a dirty battery contact or a slightly compressed contact that was not reliable originally. Your experience might be a good argument for developing enough skill to make the laser unnecessary. It's hard enough to be confident in your weapon itself without adding finicky electronics to the equation.

Just my opinion of course. And, yes, early in my shooting experience I did buy a laser for my carry piece of the moment. It was very entertaining, but ended up in my sock drawer with other little bits that I no longer use. :rolleyes:

So, I guess I am biased . . . sorry! :p

jocko
10-03-2012, 08:24 AM
I sure loved the ct laser that was in the rubber grip on my J frame smith. worked every tme, was deadly accurate and it needed no specialholster to carry and one realy didn't even noticeit was on there.. Made me a real shooter with my J frame as as u know i AM ONLY REAL, BUT NOT A SHOOTER.Just sayin

Nimrod
10-03-2012, 09:20 AM
I'm sorry you are having problems with your CT. I am also surpirised that you have had the same problem with two different CT's. I have four carry guns and I have CT's on all of them. The only problem I have had resulted from cleaning the gun without removing the CT. It is only half as bright as it was before. I replaced it.

The CT's are expensive but if I ever have to defend myself, the edge they give me will be worth the expense. Don't give up on your CT. Find out what the problem is and fix it.

les strat
10-03-2012, 09:48 AM
After having one on my LCP, I decided to get one when I got the CM9. It arrived DOA and wouldn't work even with fresh batteries. CT sent me a new one immediatley and a padded return envelope for the bad one. They definitley took care of me.

The bad thing about the CT laserguard compared to the laser grips is they get dirty really quick at the range being out front near the barrel, and the laser doesn't throw nearly as far when dirty. But when using in SD situations, more than likely the CT will be clean.

BEARDOG
10-03-2012, 06:35 PM
With a clean lens and new battery if you shine the beam into your hand does it stay bright or go dim after a few seconds? If it goes dim then it is a bad diode and needs to be replaced . Call CTC back and they will most likely just send you another.

I had this issue years ago with my LCP laser guard

dishray
10-04-2012, 01:15 AM
Beardog

The problem is that it is not a constant problem but one that seems to be a here then gone issue. When I have the dim laser it is not a case of it shine normally then goes dim, rather than when you activate it it is dim and stays at that state and never flickers. HOWEVER, the very quick flash of brite then dim is almost unnoticeable because it is so quick (nanosecond) but by paying very close attention trying to find any clues I did notice it more than once. Also I have not replaced the new battery that came with the replacement from CT. I have purchased one but was waiting for a failure situation to try a change and get an immediate resolution. Since I have had a new battery ready to go, the thing has not failed once.....in now two trips to the range and about 200 rounds.

Let me say that I'm happy with CT and feel that they have done their part. I just want to make sure that my problem is not an ammo or cleaning or battery even before calling them again.

dishray
10-04-2012, 01:25 AM
After having one on my LCP, I decided to get one when I got the CM9. It arrived DOA and wouldn't work even with fresh batteries. CT sent me a new one immediatley and a padded return envelope for the bad one. They definitley took care of me.

The bad thing about the CT laserguard compared to the laser grips is they get dirty really quick at the range being out front near the barrel, and the laser doesn't throw nearly as far when dirty. But when using in SD situations, more than likely the CT will be clean.


This may turn out to be my problem. I looked around and didn't see this mentioned on any reviews or forums before now. The one time I suspected this I used one of the supplied Q-tips DRY with no results. Now I'm armed with alcohol and Q-tips when I get it to repeat itself.

garyb
10-28-2012, 01:06 PM
Crimson has a forum. You might want to pose your issue there and contact Crimson directly. My laser has been on my PM40 for over 2yrs with various styles of carry, hours on hours of dry fire practice and regular training on the range, numerous free battery changes and ZERO problems. Keep pushing to identify the cause and solution.

dishray
10-28-2012, 10:45 PM
Since my last post, I have made 3 trips to the range shooting 300 rounds with no problems at all with the laser. Switching out the ammo between Remington and Federal....no difference. Could it be the laser somehow "settling" in ? I've not read or heard of this anywhere. I'm happy that this is working every time, but still in my mind problems don't fix themselves.

It dawns on me that the last 4 range trips have been to a new range that opened about 2 miles from my house. Next trip I'll get a couple of boxes of federal and head to the range (25m) where this all started. On the way to the range I noticed that I forgot the Federal and picked up the Remington instead ( had not reproduced the problem with this ammo). But oh well not gonna go back will just get in some practice anyway.

At the range, about 6 shots in it happens.......no laser......with the Remington ammo even. I purposely cleaned the lens with a DRY q-tip really good and no joy......no laser. Then I used a Q-tip with some alcohol and that did it, back in business. Closer to the end of my 100 rounds I experienced a dim laser 1 more time but a quick swipe of the wet q-tip brought it right back.

So my best guess is that a combination of the Laser Guard that fits my CM9 with its lens up closer to the barrel and poor ventilation combined to create my problem. Sorry if this was too long winded......my advice as follows....

When using A Laser Guard at the range always carry Q-tips and Alcohol....you'll be good to go.

garyb
08-19-2013, 03:20 PM
Yes...the laser gets dirty and like the gun, it can be cleaned easily so that it is ready when you need it for SD. Check the batteries frequently and keep it clean. Like everything else, the laser is merely a good tool... not perfect, not infallible....just a good tool. You still have your sights to fall back on if it fails or if it is bright light. If needed at night/dim light situations, you will be glad you had that laser on your piece and that you kept it clean and batteries maintained.