Laser sights improve the accuracy of shooting significantly because you can find the target more easily than with iron sights. Back in the days, when Arnold Schwarzenegger used them for the first time in The Terminator, they were simply part of the science fiction at the moment.
A few decades later, they’ve become a part of the everyday shooting life of many firearm owners. Handguns with laser sights project a dot of light, which allows you to find a target very quickly.
There are many lasers on the market today and they can fit almost every weapon you can think of. In this article, we’re going to review and compare the best handguns with laser sights built-in.
For our review, we chose four .380 ACP pistols such as the Ruger LCP-LM No 3718 .380 ACP, Sig Sauer’s P238 Tactical Laser No. 238-380 TL, Walter’s PK380 with Laser No. WAP40010, and Smith & Wesson .380 Bodyguard with Crimson Trace laser sights.
Each of these guns is a fine choice without laser sights, so we would like to know how the laser will affect the overall performance of the firearm.
About The Ruger Handgun
The Ruger is a double-action-only handgun, while the Walther is a DA/SA, which means that it can be fired in both modes. The Sig Sauer was designed as a mini 1911 version and is a single-action gun.
When testing a gun with a laser beam, always test the firearm unloaded because the light can reflect off many surfaces. Take out the gun and test it at home to see how it will respond so that you can become familiar with the outcome in important situations.
During the test, we looked at the important factors for every gun such as concealability, ergonomics, handling, accuracy, and reliability.
Handguns With Laser Sights Comparison Table
Handguns With Laser Sights Reviews
#1: Walther PK380 With Laser No. WAP 40010 .380 ACP
Review
The Walther offers an aggressive design with sharper edges, making it suitable for holster carrying. The PK380 emphasizes on fantastic ergonomics, which results in a comfortable grip feeling when handled.
Individuals with larger hands can easily rest their small fingers on the magazine’s floorplate to shoot more accurately and comfortably. The slide can be easily manipulated, while the double-action trigger provides a crisp break and a clean shot.
The recoil is soft without any muzzle flips, but the red dot of the sight might twitch during shoots because of the double-action trigger. However, shooting can be easily controlled, but you will require the iron sights to find the red dot in bright light.
When you purchase the gun, you will receive a small screwdriver in the packed, that’s supplied by the manufacturer. It will allow you to align the red dot with the iron sights. In case you’d like to use it for concealed carry, then you can remove the laser quickly.
When attached, the laser can be turned on or off with a sliding switch. It is comfortable for right-handed shooters, but it is surely not ambidextrous. There are also tiny led lights integrated that show whether the laser is activated or not.
#2: Ruger LCP-LM No. 3701 .380 ACP
Review
The LCP-LM with LaserMax’s trigger guard laser sight is one of Ruger’s most compact pistols. The model features an integrated laser with an ambidextrous safety switch and a functional trigger, that offers a clean break.
In the purchase package, you will receive an Allen wrench to adjust the windage and elevation of the laser. You will also find a Phillips-head screwdriver if you’d like to remove it.
This is a double-action, hammer-fired firearm constructed of polymer for added durability. In fact, it has won the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence “Handgun of the Year” award, which shows just how reliable this model is.
It offers a compact design, making it suitable for carrying inside a pocket or a holster. Last but not at least, it has a factory-installed LaserMax sight ready to be used at any moment.
We noticed that the slide was a bit harder to slide, which is due to the small size of the pistol, making it harder to operate with. Ruger had to trade off a bit of control and accuracy to compensate for the compact design.
Also, there’s a manual slide stop embedded in the gun to hold the slide open manually because it doesn’t when the last round is fired.
#3: Sig Sauer P238 Tactical Laser No. 238-380-TL .380 ACP
Review
The Sig Sauer P238 is made on the 1911 platform and mimics the controls for thumb safety, magazine release, slide stop, SA trigger, and exposed hammer. Internally, the whole mechanism is completely different from the 1911 pistols.
This pistol features custom aluminum grips and an all-metal frame for greater durability. It has an overall weight of 5.5 inches, a height of 3.96 inches and a weight of only 16.2 ounces. You can easily notice that it offers very concealable characteristics.
Moreover, the frame features an anodized alloy beavertail and the grip provides a comfortable and secure grip during rapid fire. On the stainless steel slide, you can find the serrations and the integrated SIGLITE Night Sights.
Furthermore, the trigger guard has a built-in red tactical laser, that offers a single push-button operation and can be easily removed if not needed.
We were surprised how nicely was the laser integrated under the barrel. The lens, however, will require proper cleaning after training sessions because dirt can build up.
Also, it features an ambidextrous on/off button, allowing to be activated with either hand. The laser uses a single 3V CR1/3N Lithium battery, that can also be removed with two hex screws.
When tested at 15 yards, the sights and the laser were synchronized out-of-the-box, but you can adjust windage and elevation according to your preferences.
It is important to note that you will require a rig because the bright light would dim the laser and you might have a hard time seeing it. The rig will have the iron sights aligned with the sight.
#4: Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380 ACP
Review
Smith & Wesson is a popular company that makes quality firearms and the M&P Bodyguard with Crimson Trace Integral Laser is one of the most accurate .380 on the market.
The Bodyguard has a polymer frame and is available in two versions:
– Standard frame with slightly enlarged CTC Integral laser frame
– Version Crimson Trace Green Laserguard included
This pistol features a double-action-only hammer-fired operating system. There’s a manual safety on the left side of the frame, whereas the trigger pull resembles this of a revolver. It allows users to perform multiple re-strikes without racking the slide.
Both the barrel and the slide are made of stainless steel, coated with Armonite against corrosion. The front and rear sights are designed with snagging in mind, yet you can still spot them easily.
The rear sight is adjustable for windage, while the front has serrations against glare. Pretty uncommon design features for many competitor’s models, which is a plus.
The ambidextrous Crimson Trace laser is located at the muzzle end of the receiver, just above the trigger guard and it can be operated by the index finger of each hand.
It is an “on”-type of switch, where you push it once to activate it, a second time for a pulse, and third for off. There is also a slide lock & release lever on the left side of the frame.
You will also receive two six-round magazines from Smith & Wesson. One has a finger extension and the other is flush-fitting. Overall, we can say that we were pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of .380 Bodyguard.
With an MSRP of $449 for the Crimson Trace Laser model and standard-frame Flat Dark Earth model at $379, we can say that we have a handgun that offers great value at an affordable price. Thus we couldn’t leave the Smith & Wesson out of our guide for handguns with built-in laser sights.
Conclusion
In the end, note that working with laser sights is only fun when you have picked a reliable model. All the handguns with built-in laser sights listed above have been thoroughly tested by shooters and we can say that they perform properly and deliver good value-to-money.
Which one you chose now depends solely on your personal preferences. You have the outlines, the pros, and cons, so go test each one and see how well it fits your hand and what’s the overall experience it delivers.
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A Bulgarian native law student, and a gun aficionado. I’ve graduated from a British International school and have successfully taken a number of Cambridge certificates such as PET, FCE, CAE, GSCE, IGCSE & IELTS. I found love in firearms early on in life when my father took me hunting for the first time. A few years later and an unknown number of rounds fired, I have the opportunity to combine my home defense & firearms expertise with the public.
