ArmaLaser Stingray SR1 Universal Rail Mount Laser Sight, Black

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Price: $104.28 $92.99   

Product Feature

• STINGRAY SR1 is the slimmest laser system available today for medium and full-sized pistols with Picatinny and Weaver rails
• Switch Activated Laser System

Product Description

STINGRAY SR1 is the slimmest laser system available today for medium and full-sized pistols with Picatinny and Weaver rails.

ArmaLaser Stingray SR1 Universal Rail Mount Laser Sight, Black Review

(Final thoughts and edits at the end, 2/18/12)

I've had the Armalaser Stingray SR-1 for a few months now, but so far life with it has been a decidedly mixed result. At the time of the posting this review, an SR-1 (appears to be a replacement) has just arrived back from ArmaLaser and has been fitted to my latest Glock, a Gen4 G23. It's here in response to a problematic first unit that ultimately failed, and did it most miserably. Initially purchased in the fall of 2010, it's been a rather rocky first nine months with this laser, considering the one broken SR-1 already in the books.

First the negatives (since my experience with the SR-1 basically started off on the wrong foot):

- Pistol Fitment: the Amazon product page for the Stingray SR-1 is misleading, if not an outright falsehood. The product 'headline' clearly listed 'SIG' as a line of guns that implies that the SR-1 would fit on. Unfortunately for me that didn't prove to be the case. My SR-1 order was originally intended for use on a railed SIG Sauer P226 Elite Dark. Due to the design of the SIG's receiver at the front of the trigger guard, the receiver conflicts with the operation of the SR-1's on/off lateral slider switch; there's basically no clearance available to be able to turn the laser on. The same is true on the P229R and the Mosquito. At that point I didn't even bother trying it on a P220R, full or carry. If it DOES work on a SIG pistol, it's certainly not one that I own. I seem to recall trying the Stingray on one or two other guns on the list as well and having little success with those as well. Ultimately it ended up on my Glock 19, which it did fit quite well on. Also in the meantime I noted that there's now ANOTHER product page on Amazon for the SR-1, and on that page the 'SIG' reference is conspicuously absent.

- Cold Temperature Performance: the SR-1 unit I received (purchased Fall 2010) saw considerable outdoor use. In warmer indoor temperatures it initially operated fine, but in colder temps the laser often seemed to need a warm up period (usually lasting several minutes) to get the beam brightness and intensity up to full strength. This almost always happened when the gun was stored in a cold location prior to the laser being activated. When the gun was holstered and on my person and then drawn, or had been taken from storage that was at room temperature, the adjacent or ambient heat tended to keep the SR-1 at an elevated starting temperature which in those conditions the warm up sequence didn't happen nearly as often.

- Unit Failure: this Stingray's on/off switch was never the smoothest to operate. The switch started to really stick after about 3-4 months, then froze altogether in the off position after about six months, essentially bricking it into a flyweight paperweight.

- Small Parts and Accessories: the micro hex key (.035", if I recall correctly) is too easy to lose, and in fact I did just that. However after contacting ArmaLaser they sent out a replacement key and extra bits (screws, etc.) at no cost to myself. The small size also means that it's very easy to bend out of shape. I've since purchased extra hex keys from other sources to keep as spares should I lose the OE key again.

- ***NEW*** Second Unit Failure: when it was mounted on the Glock 23, I rudely discovered it was also incapable of being ZEROED in as well. The adjustment pots worked quite poorly in this repaired/replacement unit. Then in the middle of all this induced frustration, and without any help of cold temperature, the laser faded to a dull speck of red on the opposing wall. Brand new batteries (supplied by ArmaLaser), and already this laser has been brought to its knees without a SINGLE shot put through the pistol's pipe while it was wearing it.

And then there's the positives:

- Size and Weight: once fitted on the compact Glock receiver, the Stingray worked like a charm. It was relatively easy to coax the G19 + SR-1 into reforming two of my DeSantis leather holsters (Inner Piece IWB, Speed Scabbard OWB) to accommodate the add-on unit. It's extremely light and does not upset the weight balance of a Glock at all, whether it's a compact like my G19 (and now Gen4 G23) or a full size like my G17. And it's impossible to overstate how brilliantly the SR-1's small size can be adapted to my most used leather carry holsters. On this aspect the Stingray is a unqualified success.

- ***UPDATED*** Setup: the clamping system is something of a chore to get onto a rail--at least initially--but once on it stays on as long as a dab of Loctite Blue is lightly applied to the anchor screw's nut end. Laser adjustment for windage and elevation is easy; the pots held zero exceptionally well (for 9mm) for the relatively short time the original unit was in use, though sometimes with the supplied key it was difficult for me to quickly find the adjustment pot. CAVEAT: Testing on my G23 and .40SW never happened with the returned second laser due to the problem with the laser adjustment pots described earlier; hopefully the next replacement/re-repaired SR-1 will pass this section with flying colors. Update to follow once I get the laser back from ArmaLaser and the setup out to the range for some serious live fire.

- Laser: despite the problems with cold temperature, the beam otherwise shines as brightly as any of the other red laser units I own (Streamlight TLR-2, Surefire X400) in a far tidier package. Of course the other units also come with a tactical light and run with CR123A power cells and not watch/hearing aid-type button batteries.

- Customer Service: perhaps the BEST part of the Stingray ownership experience to date. They were fast to answer inquires submitted through the manufacturer's website. And though it took a three-week turnaround, ArmaLaser did provide me with a new unit that seems to have passed my summertime 'winter' test, where I left my G23 + SR-1 in the freezer for a half hour, then successfully operating the unit (***UPDATE***: of course the laser's beam intensity has failed again as described above, this time WITHOUT any aid from cold temperatures). Only another La Nina winter after this fall will confirm for sure, however. And my request for a new hex wrench was responded to even faster by the company, with more extra parts than I had not expected but nonetheless greatly appreciated.

For me there's still much to be decided upon with the SR-1 as to whether this SR-1 is really a quality sighting solution. I'll have to see how this unit holds up now that it's going to be subjected to the more violent and snappy recoil of .40SW. The last one didn't do so well with the meeker 9mm round, though that may have been due to other mitigating factors, such as it possibly being a defective unit from the very outset of my ownership experience. Only time and boatloads of bullets down the pipe of the pistol I intend on mounting it to will tell if the SR-1 is truly a standout laser option for the precision shooter, or just another also-ran in an already long line of laser optic pretenders.

***ADDED***: Not sure WHY this review has a November 2010 date affixed to it; I just wrote and posted it in August 2011(!).

UPDATE (Dec. 2 '11):

After getting a Stingray SR-1 back from Armalaser (again, not sure if it's the same unit I sent in or a new/refurbished unit), I've gone ahead and mounted on my current EDC pistol, my G23, at least for the time being. So far it's operated fine in all conditions, from room temperature to cold and damp outdoors. (Sorry, testing for how it runs in 'hot' conditions just isn't aren't the cards this time of year around these parts. Heck, they're hardly in the cards MOST times of the year around here anyways.)

At the range the laser held zero flawlessly in its first time out since its return from Florida and didn't seem at all perturbed by .40S&W ammo, so at least for now it seems like this laser is once again a workable solution. However only more rounds through the G23 (or G19, which is the gun it was originally mounted on) will ultimately tell. All of this duly stated, I'm still not at all sure that I want to revise my rating upward; after all it's taken me nearly a YEAR to get to this point. Moreover, Armalaser was rather tardy in getting a working unit back to me; I had to contact them to inquire as to why it was taking so long in getting a working unit back in my hands--nearly 2 1/2 MONTHS after it once again arrived back at their place of business. Well at least Armalaser were prompt in getting it out in the mail once I emailed them. For now I'll wait and see as I give the unit a more thorough workout with further live fire time.

UPDATE (Feb. 18 '12)

The Final Update (The Eulogy, of sorts...):

Well the Armalaser has finally been condemned to my drawer of 'woulda, shoulda, coulda' gadgets and gear. After three months of non-stop living on my EDC Glock 23, the windage pot has lost its ability to hold position, let alone zero. It's been back to Armalaser twice already and I'm not feeling the energy to send it back one more time. Eighteen months of on-again, off-again usage (mostly off), the SR-1 has to be judged a complete abject failure for its part. I tried hard to give this laser a serious go but I guess that in this case 'small and compact' just doesn't equate to solid build quality, no matter what and regardless of how many trips back to the repair shop.

Its performance has gotten so bad that the laser now refuses to hold its windage setting even with DRY fire, which when you get right down to it is awfully pathetic. A year and a half ago I had high hopes for this little unit; now I simply steer people clear of this and Armalaser products in general when I've been asked, and I've been asked quite often. All of that wasted effort in molding my leather holsters for this thing...good thing I held off on ordering that custom Kramer IWB for my compact Glocks that I wanted.

Oh yon SR-1, I wish I hadn't known you so well...it's been one heck of a rocky ride that was NEVER worth the price of admission, or the shipping costs for you to visit your place of birth. Twice. And there's no way three times is going to be a charm, given your abysmal track record.

From two stars to the final grade of one. Sorry (in more ways than one) that it took so long to get here.

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