Last week, Jay G posted a picture of LaserLyte‘s latest foray into the world of laser sights for the Ruger LCP/Kel-Tec P3AT pistols. The unit shown is an early prototype. Rather than attaching to the front of the trigger guard, it attaches to the side right below the slide by replacing two of the pistol’s pins. It looks like a really great idea, and I would love to get one, but I had two concerns: 1) it doesn’t have a mechanism for automatic activation, like the guard mounted lasers do; and 2) it extends far enough forward that it would interfere with the fit in molded kydex holsters (and possibly molded leather holsters) enough that it would probably prevent the gun from fitting in a standard holster. I made a couple of suggestions, but I don’t think my description lent itself well to visualization. So, I’ve made a sketch of what I had in mind. Keep in mind, this is a very crude rough sketch done in MS Paint, using a heavily photoshopped (but in GIMP, not Photoshop) photo of a P3AT. But I think it manages to get the concept across.
Click to embiggenate.
This would mount using the two pins in grey (the larger for strength, and the smaller for stabilization), and wrap around the back of the gun with the battery mounted on the opposite side. The activation switch would be on a ‘tail’ extending down the back of the grip, and would be pressure activated by a proper grip on the pistol in a manner similar to a 1911 safety. This design would allow for grip activation/deactivation rather than a separate step while drawing or holstering, and keep the unit far enough back on the pistol to allow standard design rigid holsters to be used.
Of course, as I noted over at Jay’s blog, if anyone from LaserLyte would like to send me one – in either configuration – for free testing or review, I would be quite happy to oblige. 😀
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Curses! Foiled Again! 
Weer'd Beard
/ May 12, 2011I fondled the Laserlyte prototype, and was told what changes would be made for the production unit. I really like your design as well as the idea of instant activation (Its one of the reasons why I like the Crimson Trace units so much) still the current unit your trigger finger should be directly over the activation button on a proper finger-index draw. Yeah its an extra step rather than the instant step that is associated with with using a 1911 or XD grip safety.
Still you should contact Laserlyte (or see if Jay will give you some help with his inside contacts) to see if maybe the drawing might be of interest to them.
Also your design wouldn’t interfere with most holsters.
Jake
/ May 12, 2011“the current unit your trigger finger should be directly over the activation button on a proper finger-index draw. “
True, and I do like that feature. One concern I have is that (if you’ve been training like you should) you’ll have a trained reflex to push that button with your trigger finger as you draw. In a high-stress situation, if your finger placement is off (and on a gun that size, it doesn’t take much) you might not notice it, and that reflexive pushing could turn in to a trigger pull.
Of course, there are some issues with my design, too. Foremost among them is that fact that I’m not 100% certain that that lower pin is suitable for what I intend. I also foresee the wraparound portion being a structural weak point, though using pins long enough to support it all the way through should help alleviate that. The activation button is, obviously, also a structural weak point, as I don’t see any way to support it without adding excessive bulk to the grip.
Weer'd Beard
/ May 13, 2011I dunno about that. I train to press my index finger against the side of my gun as I present. I see this as a way to ensure that my finger isn’t in the trigger guard. Also stress reactions will likely just cause more pressure on a non-reactive surface, like a 1911 frame, or the cylinder of the S&W642.