AO Review: Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for Springfield Hellcat

When it comes to lasers there is no bigger name in the game than Crimson Trace. They have revolutionized the way we attach lasers to our firearms from shotguns to handguns to rifles. They also make it easier than ever to engage and deploy them with their “Instinctive Activation.” So, it makes perfect sense that when new, popular models like the Springfield Armory Hellcat come about that Crimson Trace would be one of the first companies to have a laser suited for it. In fact, today we are going to review the Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat to see how it performed in both day- and night-time shooting in Texas. Let’s dive in!

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Specifications – Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat

Since 1994, Crimson Trace has been the industry leader in laser sighting devices offering thorough design, innovation, and performance. One of their foundational products has been the Laserguard laser. Its popularity continues to this day because if your pistol does not have a Picatinny/accessory rail beneath the muzzle you can still attach a laser by means of the trigger guard. The specs for the Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat we are reviewing here today can be read below as presented by Crimson Trace:

Instinctive Activation, turns on when gripped
Battery Life 2 hours of constant on
Water Resistant
Green Laser
User adjustable for windage and elevation

The current MSRP is benchmarked at $314.99 for the Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat. In the rare event that you should ever need service or replacement of your Crimson Trace laser they offer their Crimson Trace Limited Lifetime Warranty. For further information about the Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat, they have this Press Release statement below:

The Laserguard Hellcat is a powerful green laser sight designed for the Springfield Armory Hellcat. By wrapping around the triggerguard, the Laserguard Hellcat maintains the sleek profile of the Hellcat, which is optimized for concealed carry. It features Crimson Trace’s Instinctive Activation and has a master on/off switch built into the side. The Laserguard Hellcat is easily user-installed with the included tools, which also adjust the windage and elevation. Give yourself every advantage possible with a Laserguard Hellcat, because Failure is Not an Option

First Impressions – Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat

The Crimson Trace Laserguard Laser has been out for some time now so shooters already understand that it is reliable. For anyone who hasn’t shot or handled one before, they’re incredibly intuitive to install and zero. You simply sandwich two portions of the Laserguard together around your pistol’s trigger guard and fasten it securely in place with two accompanying Allen screws.

To bore-sight the laser, you can use one of the provided Allen keys to adjust for windage and elevation. I bore-sight lasers at roughly 10 yards to my iron sights. Then, once I hit the range I can fine tune my zero to the distance I want based on the application it’ll be deployed for. The owner’s manual describes a more methodical, thorough line of events for assembly, but you grasp the basic concept. Next, it was time to head to the range to see how it performs.

Range Time – Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat

When it finally came to getting out to the range to shoot we had a couple of extremes to work with for testing. During the day it was 90°F and the sun was blindingly bright in Texas. The contrasting test came at night where the darkness was as consuming as burnt black coffee. Again, under the night Texas sky and zero light pollution since we were hundreds of miles from a major city, the dark enveloped you.

During the day under the brightest lighting conditions possible, it was not surprisingly difficult to see the laser. While shooting on steel at 25 yards or less we could pick up the laser with moderate ease and speed, but beyond that distance the laser was either not visible or could not be identified in a timely manner. For this reason, I was happy Crimson Trace allowed us to test a green laser versus a red one because I do not believe we could have seen a red one at any meaningful distance in such harsh lighting conditions. In a similar vein, anyone contemplating a laser of any kind I would recommend getting a green one. For a small increase in cost you get a much more powerful and visible laser as a tool.

Everything aside, during the day I would be relying on a slide-mounted red dot or my iron sights the vast majority of the time anyway. So, being able to catch the green laser on steel is simply a bonus.

While shooting at night under the intense Texas darkness, the Crimson Trace Laserguard Laser was a delight to shoot with. For spectators, the laser was so strong you could see a beam from the bore to the target. From the shooter’s perspective, you had such a crisp and resounding dot that you could track it on the ground, steel plates, and the dirt berm as well. Wherever you pointed the green laser it was visible and easily tracked.

This gave me a lot of confidence and speed engaging targets. Once the green laser was zeroed and confirmed earlier in the day, it exhibited point-and-hit accuracy out to 50 yards. Beyond that the 9mm cartridge began to drop off from it’s relatively flat trajectory.

Final Thoughts – Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat

Overall, the Crimson Trace Laserguard Laser performed as I had hoped if not better. During the day it was a bit more difficult to see and track (as all lasers can be) while at night this was one of the most crisp and affirmative lasers I have ever tested. Over the course of 2 days shooting both day and night – roughly 12 hours total shooting – the laser was going strong; no signs of dimming or the battery dying. Whether this is something you want to pair with your everyday carry (EDC) pistol, or you have vision issues with iron sights and red dots so it’ll go on a range pistol, the Crimson Trace Laserguard Laser should serve you well. Regardless if it is on a Springfield Armory Hellcat or any other pistol Crimson Trace makes the Laserguard for.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Crimson Trace for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Crimson Trace Green Laserguard Laser for the Springfield Armory Hellcat is something worth spending your money on? Would you add one to your Hellcat? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

Adam Scepaniak