Shortly before Christmas, I reviewed the new Taurus Judge Home Defender. I liked it so much that I asked Taurus if I might purchase it. Also, I wanted to change out the red dot (from a larger one that I used because I had it handy) to the Crimson Trace CTS-1250 electronic sight, a compact, open-reflex sight that marries perfectly with this self-defense gun.
Sponsored by Crimson Trace
Here are some of this product’s specs, as listed online:
In order to attach the CTS-1250, I ordered the CT-RAD full witness rail mount. First, you must attach the sight to the mount, and then, the combination of sight/mount to the Picatinny rail. It took about 10 minutes to accomplish.
Then, I took this new set-up to the range, and shot at two targets: a zombie at 7 yards and a steel target at 25 yards.
As you can see, if you look at the zombie target, that shots grouped to the right at first. It’s imperative to center the red-dot on your target, and this took a few adjustments of windage (By the way, you can adjust windage and elevation). It became so accurate that I hit an 8-inch steel target at 25 yards five out of five times shooting from a standing unsupported position – 100%. I shot HSM Cowboy Action Cartridges in .45 Colt. In the review of the gun, I also shot .410 shotgun ammo, but I didn’t feel that was necessary for this review.
The CTS-1250 is designed to be waterproof (IPX7), shock, impact and fog resistant. I’ve had this sight on other guns, AR-15s and handguns, in lots of weather conditions, and it’s always come through just fine. I like the flexibility of this sight and the ability to mount it on several different firearms.
Constructed of 6061 series aluminum, the CTS-1250 is simple to operate in terms of turning on/off and dot illumination, and features an intensity-adjustable red dot aiming point that is easy to acquire, and the glass is crystal clear. Crimson Trace states the battery life is good for 20,000 hours, or an estimated two-plus years. As always, with personal defense guns, it’s especially a good idea to test your lights and sights routinely. That’s not something you want to find out in the middle of a gun fight – that your sight’s batteries are dead.
I like the compact design of this sight, especially when compared to the aforementioned sight that was designed for large caliber rifles. I intend to use this combination as a truck gun, an ATV-on-the-ranch gun and for home defense. The sight also is “snag-free,” which means if I pull it from the back shelf of my truck, I’m not going to bring up the natty carpet. However, I tend to leave the cover on until I need it, and that’s another thing to remember when training: cover off, identify target, gun up, and pull the trigger if you’re sure of the target/threat and what lies behind it.
Lastly, the price is affordable. The MSRP is $259.99 for the sight and $39.99 for the mount.
Visit Crimson Trace to see its full line of red-dot sights.
Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
