Bill Ruger Sr. rolls over in his grave again. Twice: 2 new LCR models

As Tamara and no doubt many other Smith & Wesson lovers have commented about the Ruger LCR, Bill Ruger Sr. has rolled over in his grave again. Twice.

Two new models of the Ruger Lightweight Compact Revolver are out, an LCR with Hogue Boot Grip and XS Sight System, pictured, and a .357 Magnum all-steel barrel-cylinder-frame version of the steel-alloy-polymer grip-frame LCR.

I'm a S&W lover also, but though it sounds like blasphemy to say it, the Ruger LCR does have a better trigger than a standard S&W revolver. And to add to the blasphemy, it's the same weight as an Airweight S&W .38, but shoots better and more comfortably. Shooting a S&W Airweight with +P loads is no fun at all, it's downright snappy and after a few rounds, painful. Not so with the Ruger LCR, it's shoots the hottest loads with no red hands to show.

And the first time I shot an LCR I discovered the iron sights were dead on the money with the Hornardy Critical Defense 110-gr. .38 Spl.+P load, my preferred carry ammo for .38s. Most S&W .38s are factory-sights zeroed for 158-gr. lead roundnose loads, standard law-enforcement issue of bygone days and not a very effective load. It's certainly not as good as the guaranteed-to-expand Hornady Critical Defense JHPs. (I don't know what you do if they don't expand. Dig 'em out of the victim's hide and send them back to Hornady?)

Anyway, I just handled and took photos of the Ruger LCR-BGXS model with boot grip and XS front night sight and it's just more of the same but better for the LCR. And the price with better concealment grips and night sight is still lower than a standard S&W Airweight.

The Ruger LCR hasn't really caught on at the gun shop where I work to seriously compete with S&W Airweight sales, but I bet it will sooner or later.

Here's our Ruger LCR-BGXS gunbroker auction link, where you can have your very own for only $440.