S&W Body Guard .380

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rodfac

New member
Does anybody have experienece with S&W's Body Guard .380. My #2 son bought one Saturday for his wife's purse gun. We tried it out on our farm range this morning and I was surprised at the accuracy. Fifty cent sized groups, slow fire, from 8 yds. We shot Remington 95 gr Green/White box FMJ's and a single magazine of Hornady's Critical Defense...the one with the truncated cone JHP, with the HP filled with red plastic.

We only got three, 6-round magazines through it, had no FTF nor FTE and the slide locked back after the last round. It's very controllable, but then son and I have a lot of experience with a broad variety of hand guns. I especially liked the size; it fits in your back rear jeans pocket like a wallet...or your breast pocket...and it's very light.

I've never seen one before, wasn't interested in one for personal use but this one seems like a good pistol. I do have vague memories of some early on issues with the gun.

What say you all....My usual carry piece is a J-frame Smith that's almost double the weight of this little body guard. I know it's a .380, with all that that small caliber entails, so I'm more interested in malfunction problems, and long term usability...

Thanks in advance, Rod
 
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SIMP

New member
I had one at one point but it has since been sold. I tried one to replace my LCP but ended up going back to my LCP. I never really cared for the laser as it seemed a tad too clumsy to cycle on/off. The trigger was not all that great but it's a short range defensive pistol and it serves that role well. It seemed like a well built little gun but the new LCP trigger won me over. If not for my LCP, I'd probably still have my BG380.

Early issues seemed to involve the takedown pin breaking and the internal laser screw backing out.....if I remeber correctly. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
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rodfac

New member
Thanks, Simp....'preciate the response...I like the size of the LCP, but have never shot one. my alternate rotation CCW gun is a Sig P290. It too has a very long trigger, and too, I'm a revolver guy, so that part of the Body Guard's operation didn't put me off. I was amazed at how it didn't stack, and the lack of grittiness.

Best Regards, Rod
 
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Pico

New member
Good pistol

My sister has one and I shot it. Trigger wasn't bad and It was too small for my large hands but perfect for her. She is a novice shooter but did quite well with the laser.

Pico
 
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Dragline45

New member
I plan on getting on in the next month or so. My cousin and a buddy of mine have one, great guns and I have shot them quite a bit. Trigger is nothing to write home about but the gun is accurate for it's intended use. Personally I think the laser is useless, but for a pocket pistol it has a nice set of sights. Galloway Precision actually came out with trigger kits recently, I might look into the trying out the lighter spring.
 
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In memory of dad

New member
Bodyguard

Trigger pull is horrible! So bad. Bought a 2sd gen ruger lcp and haven't looked back! They should be ashamed of themselves on that trigger! Don't believe me, try one out before you buy one! Might thank me later
 
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SIMP

New member
You really should get your hands on the latest LCP and try it. You may really enjoy it and it's a tad cheaper, I beleive.
 
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SPEMack618

New member
My big sister got one for Christmas a a couple of years back. (Coincidentally, I got a Glock that year and she pouted all day about getting a girl gun)

That being said, I've found it, and being a gun guy shoot as much as she does, to be nothing but reliable, with anything from Tul FMJ crap from wal-mart to Remington Golden Saber and Critical Defense loadings.

She likes it because it is small enough for her to conceal but isn't as snappy as Dad's LCP which she carried for awhile.

Accuracy is minute of paper plate at 21 feet, with better accuracy possible based on the shooter. I freely admit to not being able to shoot the thing worth of damn.
 
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Nakanokalronin

New member
I have one and have no problems with the trigger pull. Accuracy is great and no failures of any kind. Only thing to do is watch the laser cover plate screw inside. Some put a tiny bit of blue loctite on the screw, but I prefer the clear nail polish around the top of the screw head instead and it's never come loose. I also use a Galloway Precision mag guts kit in two magazines to give me an extra round. They also make other parts for the BG380 and LCP as well. www.gallowayprecision.com/smith-and-wesson/bodyguard-380/

I use it as a pocket option when IWB won't do and find the slim design to be easily concealable, easy to grip and nice to shoot. Dovetail replaceable/driftable sights and a slide lock that holds open on the last round gives it big gun features. Laser is okay and could be a deterrent after a draw, but if mine died out I'd simply remove it, have S&W send me a new one and continue carrying without it.

I've tried the older LCP and don't see a difference in the pull, but the newer models might be different. I'd recommend the BG380 and LCP equally to be honest.

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rodfac

New member
Great responses, one and all. I'm not currently looking for a vest pocket size auto at this point, but was amazed at the accuracy of my son's (really his wife's) gun. He's tried several options with her including, a Smith 637 and 642 which she carries intermittently. His goal was to keep her armed 24/7...and she liked the BG....hence the purchase.

Connie...I too am not a fan of anything smaller than a 9...but a gun in hand is 100% better than a dozen in the safe.

For me personally, I carry a 357 but do switch it off with a 9mm Sig 290 when the shorter barrel makes sense, and an LCP or the BG might give me an add'l layer of use when I"d be tempted to leave the artillery at home.

Lately, since some jerk kicked in the door to my son's farm house, and ripped them off for ~$4500 in guns and jewelry...he's taken to carrying 24/7. She's encumbered with a 1 yr old, and pregnant with their 2nd child, due on Thursday...and really doesn't want add'l bulk, weight, etc with any gun. But as the responding county police (20 minute response time), pointed out to her, the creeps will probably return when the insurance settles up and they replace what was stolen...a scary thought...

The LEO's figured she'd interrupted them when she returned from shopping...a one hour sortie, and the only reason she didn't walk in on them in the house was that she was getting the baby out of the car seat!.

They've got concealed and ready pieces in several of her haunts in the house, a noisy burglar alarm system, and the attn: of the county police...and we all hope that's enough...but want her to carry all the time too.

Sorry for the rant, but this is a big deal in all of our lives. Many thanks for your thoughtful responses. And Best Regards, Rod
 
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bedbugbilly

New member
I have come close to buying one several times but I'm more comfortable with a revolver and I love 38 specials. I have a friend who just recently purchased one. I am impressed with them. We were shooting at a range a couple of weeks ago - he is about 81 and I noticed that he was having some difficulty with it - racking a round in and just generally a problemwith the size of it as he has some arthritis in his hands. He did fairly well shooting it though and he said his son-in-law shot (a retired LEO) and he found it to be very accurate.

After having watched him struggle with it, I suggested that he might want to try one of my revolvers to see if he could work it better. My only concern with one is the size and the difficulty some may have in racking a round in or clearing a jambed round if in a stressful situation. I feel it is all in the training and getting used to the BG - and for some folks, it may be their first semi-auto so it will take time for them to get used to it.

I like the inclusion of a laser in it - but for target practice and getting your sight picture only. Anyone who thinks they are going to have time to turn that laser sight on in a SD situation is only fooling themselves. I don't believe I have ever talked to anyone who has one that didn't like it. At some point, I'll probably get one myself but only after I start reloading .380. Around her, ammo off the shelves is still sky high. For carry, I only use factory loads but for practice, I roll my own.
 
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glh17

New member
I got mine back in May and have about 650 rounds through it. No serious problems. The long, heavy trigger takes some getting use to but this is a not a range gun. I carry mine about 30 percent of the time (pocket and IWB holsters). My main carry gun is a S&W 9c.

Couple of things about the BG 380. First, I don't use the laser. Some people do, but I find the buttons to be a bit difficult to access when trying to fire quickly. IMO, the best approach is point and shoot. The laser can be adjusted for accuracy if there's a problem but I don't see a need. I do use it in practicing trigger pull while dry firing.

Second, you need to check the screw that opens the laser's battery compartment when you clean the gun. The screw has a tendency to back out and it will prevent the slide from operating if it backs out enough. I've never had this happen but some have. I always check the screw and have tightened it a couple of times. I've been thinking about putting a little loctite on it.

I like the pistol and would buy it again. It is great for those situations where you want to be concealed and there's a clothing issue.
 
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dayman

New member
I had one, and liked it a lot for what it was.
I liked shooting it considerably more then the LCP/P3AT, and I wasn't comfortable with the idea of pocket carrying a SA like the P238. So, for my purposes it was the best of the pocket 380's.
I never had any issues with it.
But, I decided that pocket-carry is not for me (no room between keys, phone, light, and knife), so since I was carrying it IWB anyway I wound up replacing it with the XDS.
 
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rodfac

New member
Thanks for the add'l replies guy's. I did try the laser, and found that the button was difficult to reach in a SD move. My wife has a Crimson Trace set of grips on her 637, a better set up as the on/off button is in the grip where you'd naturally squeeze it while gripping the gun. While I'm not enthused on lasers in general, this one on her 637 taught me some things about my DA trigger manipulation. And for night time use, where there is time and distance, the laser may make the difference....and she'll need all the advantages I can give her.

In that regard, tritium night sights make a lot of sense...here on our farm, we have a night shoot once a year with some neighbors (two LEO's always stop by too), and have found that getting hits beyond 5 yds without night sights is very difficult.

Thanks again for the replies...a good discussion. Rod
 
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biohazard313

New member
one of my co-workers has a bodyguard for CC. he loves it. ive had the opportunity to shoot it and it is a great gun, only issue i had was its size. i have large bear claw hands and such a small gun is rough for me to shoot. i carry a 4 inch S&W SD40 with hogue rubber grip.
 
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jrkrace

New member
Ditto on the big hands..My BG has been a nice gun, but no matter what I do, I can't get used to the horrendously long trigger pull. I keep saying that I want to practice with it but it loses out to my M&P9c or Glock 23 at the range all the time. The only thing I like about it is the easy pocket carry.Especially with the Techna Clip on it..
 
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