I have been a supporter of laser sights on handguns since the mid-1990s, when I was permitted to mount a set of Crimson Trace Lasergrips on a 1991A1 Colt Commander I was carrying as my duty pistol with the Union County (Ohio) Sheriff’s office. I found that it was a valuable tool — a force multiplier that performed two functions that directly complemented each other. First, it left no doubt in my mind where my rounds would strike my opponent. Second, it left my opponent no doubt in his mind as to where my rounds would strike HIM. That second function is particularly critical, as it provides an additional chance for an opponent to reconsider the path he is on, which may eliminate the need to shoot him. Despite what the leftist contingent of this country contends, the last thing a police officer wants to do is take a human life (especially these days, when every action an officer takes is placed under a microscope operated by a person who has no understanding of what police work and the application of force are all about).
I also found lasers to be a great advantage in SWAT operations, where quick decisive action was needed. When we established our 727 Counter Terror Training Unit in 2006 — which, during its existence, taught law enforcement and military personnel from all over the U.S. the tactics needed to retake buses, trains and aircraft from the hands of terrorists who had seized those platforms — the lasers allowed for quick threat assessment in very closely confined spaces loaded with innocent people.
While Crimson Trace has pretty much had a lock on serious laser sighting systems for critical defensive use for some 23 years now, things have been changing. Hogue has now jumped into the professional laser sighting field with its introduction of its LE (Laser Enhanced) grip system.
Hogue, an American family-owned-and-run firm that was previously known primarily for their line of fine aftermarket grips for revolvers and semi-automatic pistols, has really been branching out into a much more expansive product line. And my evaluation of their LE grips shows they have really done their homework.
Currently, Hogue is making red and green laser LE grips for all Colt 1911 pistols — Government, Commander and Officer’s Models and their clones — as well as Smith & Wesson round-butt J-, K- and L-frame revolvers. While this current selection certainly does not cover all the handguns that are candidates for laser sighting systems, it is a good starting point.
Designed, engineered and handmade in America, Hogue laser-enhanced grip systems use what is now considered the standard format for laser grip sighting systems for handguns with removable grip panels (with some nice enhancements and improvements added). The laser module is mounted at the top of the right grip panel, with the batteries contained within the grip. The laser uses momentary on/off operation and is activated by the front strap pressure switch, which connects both the right and left panels. This is the best possible setup for laser sight systems as far as I’m concerned, and Hogue offers their LE grips in three materials to meet customer desires: traditional OverMolded rubber, G10 Composite or Wood Composite (the set I selected).
Wood Composite grips are nicely checkered in the traditional Double Diamond pattern and are available in Reinforced Walnut, Reinforced Blackwood or Reinforced Rosewood, which, in my book, is the standout among the three types of grips in terms of appearance.
When the grips arrived, I put them on my .38 Super Iver Johnson Hard Chrome 1911A1. The contrast between the hard chrome finish of the pistol and the reddish hue of the Rosewood grips was striking; the grips and the pistol were simply made for each other.
Installation is easy; simply remove the existing grips and pop the LE grips on. The red laser LE grips utilize two CR2032 watch/calculator batteries, which are provided; green laser LE grips use four CR2016 batteries due to differing power requirements between red and green lasers.
The right half of the grips controls two other aspects of the laser’s operation. Directly underneath the Hogue logo is the sliding master on/off switch. Sliding the switch forward toward the muzzle is the “on” position. Hogue notes that leaving the switch forward causes no battery drain, and recommends leaving the master switch “on.”
The other control is more unique. As it turns out, the black Hogue logo in the right grip is actually a programming switch for the laser that allows the user to select three different laser modes: Stealth (off), Steady (solid dot) or Flashing. I selected the flashing mode for duty carry, as it is the most eye-catching. Some laser systems (usually with a constant rather than momentary activation switch) require that you cycle through a steady mode to a flashing mode while the laser is active on a target, which is far less convenient. Hogue’s setup is good, and there is no chance of accidentally changing the setting, as the logo button is recessed and requires it to be pushed in combination with the activation pad to change the laser setting.
I was impressed to see that the sample Hogue LE Rosewood Composite Grip was sighted in pretty darn close to being dead-on when mounted. A laser sight is properly zeroed when you see the red dot located on top of the front sight when viewed through the properly aligned front and rear iron sights.
Included in the Hogue LE grip package is a very small Allen wrench for adjusting windage and elevation settings. With it, I was able to set up the laser in perfect alignment with the iron sights at a distance of 20 feet.
The momentary pad is perfectly set up for tactical operations. You can maintain a good “ready” shooting grip without activating the laser. The pad is positioned to be activated by the middle finger of the shooting hand. Decreasing or increasing middle finger pressure controls when the dot is visible. This is the setup you want for use on a combat handgun.
The Hogue LE Grip series is a welcome addition to the laser-enhanced sighting systems. The programming switch provides additional options for the tactical user, and the overall appearance of the Checkered Rosewood Composite sample really complements the appearance of the handgun. MSRP of the red laser version is currently $215.96. The green laser model is somewhat more expensive and has an MSRP of $251.96. Both models would be a worthy addition to a defensive 1911.
For a complete list of models, go to www.hogueinc.com.
