Gideon Optics Pebble (S&W Bodyguard 2.0)

The Gideon Optics Pebble is the open emitter member of Gideon's Bodyguard 2.0 pair. It mounts the same way the enclosed Pebble E does, through a direct dovetail mount that replaces the factory rear sight, so a Bodyguard 2.0 owner gets a slide mounted dot without an adapter plate or a milled slide. At 0.84 oz with the battery installed it saves 0.32 oz over the Pebble E and sits at the same 7.5mm deck height.

The 3 MOA dot is available with a red or green emitter and runs 10 brightness levels, eight tuned for daylight and two low enough for night vision. Motion activation wakes the dot when the gun moves and drops it back to sleep after about 225 seconds, so there is no power button to find on the draw. The CR1632 loads from a side tray, meaning a battery change does not require pulling the optic and re-zeroing.

The tradeoff against the Pebble E is the exposed emitter. An open channel between the LED and the lens is where pocket lint and debris collect on a deep carry gun, and a blocked emitter means no dot. Buyers who carry the Bodyguard 2.0 in a pocket should look at the Pebble E; buyers who carry it on a belt or shoot it mostly at the range get the same optic for less weight and less money.