S&W Bodyguard 38 in J Frame holster

[TennJed]

I know the Bodyguard 38 is not actually a J Frame, but are the barrel and cylinder shape/deminisions close enough that the Bodyguard 38 would fit in most custom molded J frame holsters?

I know this will vary by holster, but I wonder if anyone has attempted it. Also I am talking about custom made J frame holsters not, a generic holster

 

[Technosavant]

I am likely to go with "it depends," but the safer bet is "likely not."

I only have one custom molded J frame holster- a cheap Uncle Mike's plastic paddle. My BG38 doesn't fit in it.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Better bet: holsters made for the M38 Airweight Bodyguard.

 

[TennJed]

Thanks. The main reason I am asking and not looking at holsters made for the Bodyguard, is I already have a couple of custom j frame holsters and I am thinking of picking up a BG38

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The Bodyguard revolver IS a "J" frame!

 

[TennJed]

The Bodyguard revolver IS a "J" frame!
_________________

What classifies it as a J Frame? No parts on the Bodyguard are interchangeable with a standard J Frame. It is complete different internally.

Just to be clear I am not talking about the old school humpback s&w revolvers. I'm talking about the newer polymer frame revolvers.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Oh, then I have no idea!

 

[stmcelroy]

I've got a dummy gun for the BG38 and for most holsters it's different enough to make a difference.

 

[TennJed]

Thanks, that helps alot about the dummy gun

 

[TennJed]

stmcelroy, since you make custom holster let me ask you, are any other snub nose revolvers close enough to the j frame to fit a J frame custom molded holster? Like a Rossi, charter arms, Taurus, ect. I am just wanting to pick up something different since I have a couple of J Frames and it would be nice if I could use some of my current holsters for both

Thanks

 

[stmcelroy]

Some of the Taurus revolvers will fit in the j-frame holsters, but none are really an exact match. Nice thing about leather is that it will easily stretch to fit similar shapes.

 

[Grant D]

Smith and Wesson also has it listed on their sight in the J frame section. I would imagine they know what it is.
Five rounds and 1.9" barrel, so I imagine any J frame holster would work.

 

[TennJed]

Smith and Wesson also has it listed on their sight in the J frame section. I would imagine they know what it is.
Five rounds and 1.9" barrel, so I imagine any J frame holster would work

Actually that is NOT correct. S&W does NOT have it listed in the J Frame section. They have a separate section for the bodyguard. Under revolvers they have 9 sections.

Governor
Bodyguard
Small Frame (J)
Med. Frame (K/L)
Large Frame (N)
X-Large Frame (X)
Classics
Performance Center
M&P

Also not all 5rd 2" revolvers are shaped the same.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category4_750001_750051_757767_-1_757751_757751_image

 

[Grant D]

Sigh... Go to Smith and Wesson website. They are both considered small frames.
Go to the J frame section, page two, line three, third from left, and the other one on page three, line one, third from left.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Simply contact the makers of your current J holsters, and ask them.

 

[Doc TH]

It's a J frame!! Always was.

 

[TennJed]

I have contacted a couple of custom holster makers and they both said NO it will not fit, they have separate dummy guns for it. The barrel is larger and the trigger guard doesn't match. Again ZERO parts interchange with J Frame.

Heck we got a holster maker here that says it is different enough to make a difference. Grant D you are correct, and I apologize that it is listed under Small Frame (J) section along with its own separate section.

So what makes a J Frame a J frame? The Bodyguard 38 is different enough in shape to not fit all "j frame" holsters, and no parts from other j frames will fit, externally or internally. It is completely different from any other J Frame, current or past

 

[Technosavant]

So what makes a J Frame a J frame?

Good question. S&W themselves might need to answer that one... it could be referring to the cylinder size (IIRC, speedloaders for a J frame will work with a BG38), which in turn pretty much defines the size for the rest of the gun.

But if no parts interchange, can we really consider it a J frame? I might suggest talking of the BG38 as J frame sized... it's more or less the same size as traditional J frames, but other things are different enough that you can't get something intended to hang on a 642 and put it into a BG38. They fit the same pocket holsters, but those usually aren't gun-specific. Generic holsters work fine too. But anything specific, no dice.