ArmaLaser RSS Laser Sight

Since my aging eyes are getting really farsighted, I needed some help in low light situations. There are a lot of handgun lasers on the market. I wanted one that would be tiny, with minimal weight. I have an ArmaLaser unit on my Kel-Tec P-3AT and like it a lot, so I decided to try their RSS laser on my Springfield XDM40. I very rarely carry the XDM in a holster (I use a Tommy's Gun Pack), so the additional bulk of the laser doesn't matter to me.

The laser comes with a couple of teeny Allen wrenches, Four Varta 386 silver oxide button cells, and two battery cover plates. One is market "S" and the other "P". In this pic you can see the side hole for windage adjustments.

Page from the Owner's Manual showing the two plates, one for steady light, and the other for pulsed light. I chose Steady, since that matches my other laser. Some folks feel that pulsed laser is easier to pick up in a hurry.

View of the innards, with the rail cross screw in place. It needs to come out to install the cells, which are a tight fit in the cavities.

The "S" cover plate in place. It is kind of tricky to install - the two spring loaded tabs must be fussed with so that they pass over the circuit board, and the sides of the steel plate tend to grab the plastic slots. None of this appears to be even remotely water proof.

The laser installed in the rear most (of three) slots on my XDM40. There was a little front to rear play between the slot and screw, but the fit to the rail itself is very snug. I moved the laser to the front of the slot, where recoil would normally push it, and tightened the screw. Just forward of the silver contacts are two tiny Allen screws - these are stabilizing screws to keep the unit from shifting laterally. They are nylon tipped to prevent scarring the trigger guard. Longer ones are available from ArmaLaser if you have a thin guard.

View from below, showing the elevation adjusting hole.

The laser is turned on by simply tapping either sensor lightly. Repeat to turn off. The light will go out after three minutes automatically to prevent battery drain. Early units reportedly were too sensitive and could turn on in a holster. This has been fixed.

I zeroed the dot to match the iron sight picture at a distance of about 60 feet, which is the longest distance in my basement. At all nearer distances, the dot will be slightly low and to the left of the bullet hole, since the beam is off center in it's housing.

There are more pics and information here: RSS by ArmaLaser Inc. - Springfield Page

I generally like the laser, but I would like to see some changes:

Make it at least splash proof.
Make the finger tip sensors rounded - they are too sharp. I don't know if this would affect the sensitivity - maybe they have to be pointed.
Add a hidden On/Off push type switch, accessed from the side or bottom by pressing with the Allen wrench. The P-3AT unit has an external slide switch. It would be nice to be able to switch off the RSS while shooting at the range or plinking at cans.
Make the black coating on the rail screw more durable - it comes off by just looking at it. I guess a black felt pen can fix the scratches....

After I visit the range I will add some more comments.

New June 30, 2009