OK, so I’ll admit a little puzzlement at the name. Devil Dog Concepts, the folks that brought us the really cool side-charger for ARs, launched a new line of pistol sights, called C.H.A.R.P.S. Literature that shipped with the set I received declared these to be “Combative Handgunning Pistol Sights,” which didn’t really clear up the question I had on the name. Flipping over the packaging, though, I found that C.H.A.R.P.S. stands for “Combative Handgunning Aggressive Rear Pistol Sight.” Okay, now that makes sense.
Upon inspection, the C.H.A.R.P.S. set-up is thought out quite well. All three dots have TruGlo tritium lamps installed; the front sight has a distinctive orange ring while the twin rear sights are outlined in white. It’s a quick and simple way of making sure the front sight goes where it needs to under stress—one of the criticisms leveled at the standard three-white-dot arrangement is that it is possible (how likely remains to be seen) under stress to misalign the sights, resulting in a miss either left or right. Having front and rear sights of different colors is another level of insurance against this admittedly unlikely occurrence.
The C.H.A.R.P.S. also contain an angled center radius on the rear sight to help facilitate one-handed slide manipulation. The rear sight is designed specifically to help assist in racking when applied against a solid surface (belt, shoe, desk, etc.) in the event that only one hand is available for the task. It’s a purpose-built feature that’s becoming more common, and seeing it on a set of sights named “Combative” is pretty much expected.
What wasn’t expected, though, were the fine serrations on the rear sight. Generally added to reduce glare, the serrations are a thoughtful touch that are more-commonly seen on target-style sights. There’s simply no reason not to have them on combat-oriented sights, mind you; I’m pleased to see this upgrade. Another unexpected item was the setscrew in the rear sight; typically one relies on gorilla-like finger strength to push the sight into place and have it stay there. It’s nice to have a screw that can be torqued down (and secured with Loctite) to make sure the rear sight doesn’t move.
MSRP is $120 ($95 if purchased in the next week), and fits are currently available for Glock pistols. Fits for SIG Sauer and Smith & Wesson models are expected in the coming months.
