by Rich Grassi

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2053220.jpg> Small guns need visible sights. Both of these S&Ws have XS Sights.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record - an accusation I've heard on the home front - I think small guns cry out for big, highly visible sights, I think the front sight should be a night sight and I think you should check to see where your duty - off-duty, backup, or any personal protection handgun is hitting at various distances with the load you intend to use.

This limits lots of us who can't afford a ½ ton pickup load of small arms ammo.

I learned my lesson the way I normally learn lessons, the hard way. I had a Gunsite instructor who had me do an indoor simulator with a pair of small guns. One was a nicely appointed S&W 5-shot .38 special, this one with the XS Standard Dot (with tritium). The other gun, the one he took away from me, was a Ruger LCR with the XS Standard Dot, glowing like the first.

He traded me for a Ruger LCP .380. It had the miniscule "speed bump" front sight. I was unimpressed with the trade but when you shoot another person's guns and ammo on someone else's range -- especially one with indoor simulators - it's poor form to complain.

The revolver made it through the first segment swimmingly. I've used small guns for many years and this was a way for me to verify I'd done something right along the way. As the wheel gun ran dry, I traded for the LCP.

The last engagement was a target down a hallway. In the dark. It was a left corner, for me the non-dominant side. I swapped gun and light between hands, took my left side barricade and tried to use the one-cell light to identify any threats and to see the sights.

While I made my hits, it was obvious that it was a slow process. I figured then that all personal protection handguns need to have a front sight that lights up on its own.

When the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard series came out - the new Bodyguards - I was at the factory. I handled the guns and while there were a few things I'd change, I found both guns quite capable.

The sights on the BG380, the sleek little DAO with enough gun to hang on to, were actually great. Unlike many small autos, I could get some accuracy going on with that gun. The revolver likewise had workable sights. The problem for me is that they lacked tritium.

Now the BG-series guns have lasers and I can hear you now - the laser should be enough. Well, batteries die. I might forget to activate the laser.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2053222.jpg> The S&W Bodyguard 38 was checked for point-of-aim/point-of-impact at seven yards first, with this result.

For that reason, I was happy to see that XS Sight Systems had come out with 24/7 sights for the S&W Bodyguard series. While the revolver sight was installed here - I recommend the gun go to XS for that installation - the slide from the BG380 went to Texas for the 24/7 sights.

I got Standard Dot Tritium express set for the BG380. The Big Dot was all that was available for the BG38.

After the installation, I went to the range. It was a good thing. I'm used to the bullets striking "under the dot" visually on the target. The BG38 Big Dot covered the center ring of my bull's eye target and I held the dot just atop the frame not down in the gutter. At seven yards, the hits clustered mostly atop the center ring with a hit in the bull.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2053224.jpg>

The BG380 tended a little left for me but dead on for windage. I shot both guns to get a feel for them as well as getting use to where to hold at various distances.

The guns are now fitted up and ready to go. The BG38 fairly well matches the M&P340 that comes from the factory with the Standard Dot XS sight. Recently, I went on the road and that pair of revolvers accompanied me.

That selection may not work for everyone. As wiser folks than I have noted, we have to seek our own salvation.

For more information, see http://www.xssights.com/.