Smith & Wesson Body Guard: .380

For starters, I never thought I'd own a .380 firearm.

My first weapon was a Glock 19 9mm. Love it. Its accurate. Reliable. Dependable. Has never misfired. And lots of fun to shoot.

Background: My frame size is small, 5'6" 150 lbs. Trying to conceal the G19 on me was difficult. Especially during the warmer months when I'm only in a t-shirt and shorts.

Fast Forward: Purchased the Glock 26. Not as fun to shoot, but reliable and dependable. However, although the overall size of the weapon is smaller its just as thick and heavy. I love Glocks but they are built like bricks.

Fast Fast Forward: Purchased a Smith & Wesson PPS .40 cal. Fun to shoot, accurate, reliable. Over-priced. They sell it with a single stack magazine and it only carries 6 + 1. I liked how slim it was, but again, not comfortable for me to carry for lengthy periods of time. The other thing that bothered me about this firearm was the magazine release. The release is the underside of the thumb guard. It was awkward, went against my muscle -memory with my other pistols and was too close to the trigger. I had to think about it way too much. It was not intuitive at all for me.

I prefer to carry concealed inside-the-pant front left groin. I have had a difficult time finding the right sized weapon for this type of carry. I feel too exposed concealing a firearm in the small of my back. I do believe in the Go Big or Go Home theory, but I also believe in good, solid training and shot-placement. I've always believed with firearms if you like them and are comfortable with them you will shoot and train often, if you train often then you will be better prepared in case you need to defend yourself with your weapon.

So, our conclusion...I purchased but have yet to acquire the S&W Body Guard pistol .380. I'm excited how it felt concealed. It felt durable in my hand. I have never cared for Ruger's LCP or the Kel-Tech. It comes with a laser, which I think is a waste. I'd rather have a rail underneath. The price was good. Again, not crazy bout the 6 + 1. But hopefully I'm never in a situation where I need to RELOAD!

This will be my first firearm that is not striker-fired. I don't have much of an opinion on this yet as I lack experience with a true double-action only pistol. Also, I've been spoiled with the Glock-style trigger-safety, both the Glock and PPS had the split trigger. The Body Guard has slide safety. I prefer pistols with less "stuff" on the slides to get stuck when removing from a holster. Additionally, the Body Guard has a LONG trigger pull. This is new to me as well.

Any ATS members experienced with the Body Guard pistol and/or the .380 round? I know there isn't a huge difference between the 9mm and .380 but there a few. Any recommendation on .380 ammo? What's reliable and dependable? A friend of mine just purchased this as well and I'll be checking in with him to see how it performs.




Any thoughts? Thanks for any input!

BTW...I live in New York State, which has some of the crappiest, most non-sensical gun laws around. They are mostly "feel-good" legislation laws; punish the honest, law-abiding citizens. Mags are limited to 10 rounds, no open-carry, etc, etc.

why bother with concealed carry.

just get a hip holster. or a dual hip holster.

much better deterrence factor.

nothing says "don't mess with me" than having two nickel plated 1911's strapped to your hips.

americans should be taking massive advantage of the second amendment.

why are you buying a small pistol and trying to hide it uncomfortably. it doesn't even make sense.

reply to post by randomname

why bother with concealed carry. just get a hip holster. or a dual hip holster.

That would solve a lot of my issues, however, NYS is a CCW-only. Its a felony to expose it. I should have mentioned that under the non-sensical part of living in NY. I agree with you buddy.

The S&W Body Guard is not bad. Don't let the "the bigger the whole the better" guys trash talk the .380 round. It is the smallest caliber I would protect myself with. I shot my bother's and liked it. The laser sight didn't help much at all. But if it comes on it already, why not. The biggest challenge is going to be that long trigger pull and reset. The reset isn't too bad but takes some getting used to. I would compare the trigger pull to that of a revolver. The more practice, the more steady you will be. As for ammo my brother caries Hornady Critical Defense, not sure of the grain but he swears they will work well if he ever needs to use them. Sig Sauer makes some really nice .380's if you want to spend some extra money. But the Body Guard should work out just fine. Let's just how you never have to use it outside of the range.
Stay safe and shoot straight.

Originally posted by 1MrMarc
The S&W Body Guard is not bad. Don't let the "the bigger the whole the better" guys trash talk the .380 round. It is the smallest caliber I would protect myself with. I shot my bother's and liked it. The laser sight didn't help much at all. But if it comes on it already, why not. The biggest challenge is going to be that long trigger pull and reset. The reset isn't too bad but takes some getting used to. I would compare the trigger pull to that of a revolver. The more practice, the more steady you will be. As for ammo my brother caries Hornady Critical Defense, not sure of the grain but he swears they will work well if he ever needs to use them. Sig Sauer makes some really nice .380's if you want to spend some extra money. But the Body Guard should work out just fine. Let's just how you never have to use it outside of the range.
Stay safe and shoot straight.

Thanks, Marc! That's what I'm looking for. You're right about about "big." I read a study published by the FBI regarding caliber size and shot placement. The conclusion preferred the bigger round, however, even with the larger .45 ACP direct shot to the heart, they estimate a "bad guy" can still function for up to 15 seconds. That's a long time. So basically, unless you have a head shot or upper brain stem you're not out of the woods. So yes, proper shot-placement is paramount. Any tips on how to deal with that long trigger pull, besides repetition? I liked the sig too but that damned laser underneath it ruined the whole thing for me. I've fired my dad's .38 revolver so I guess it will feel like that? Thanks for the post!

reply to post by Cosmic911

Your welcome, I'm not an expert but I love my guns and going out to the range alot.
As far as dealing with that trigger pull, start out shooting slowly. Watch the way you're hand moves and try to adjust the best grip and stance for you. The laser will help with that alot. Once you start to figure out the mechanics, increase you're pace. You should be able to feel the small things like the springs and where the trigger is just before the break and fires the round. I've even heard of people gluing an eraser to the trigger guard and when the trigger touches the eraser you know it is just about to fire. I dont recommend that but its an option.

reply to post by 1MrMarc

As far as dealing with that trigger pull, start out shooting slowly. Watch the way you're hand moves and try to adjust the best grip and stance for you. The laser will help with that alot. Once you start to figure out the mechanics, increase you're pace. You should be able to feel the small things like the springs and where the trigger is just before the break and fires the round.

Sounds like good advice. I'm sure it will become intuitive bud with repetition. I've noticed how poorly I shoot when my index finger is not properly placed on the trigger, usually yawing the muzzle to the left when I use too much "finger."

reply to post by Cosmic911


I've never been on the .380 bandwagon myself and would never consider it as my primary, although as a backup weapon i'm sure its a much better choice than a .22Lr or .25acp. I'm a revolver guy myself and I love my Ruger LCR .357mag, it does have some kick and sends one heck of a flame out of the business end but with some practice it isnt much of an issue and if it was i'd just put in some .38 special +P and its extremely tame and still has a lot more mustard behind it than the .380. If you like revolvers maybe look into a snubby chambered in .327 Federal Magnum, its ballistic performance is very close to the .357mag and kicks like a .38 special plus you get 6 rounds in the snubby instead of the 5 if chambered in .357mag. Im planning on purchasing the Ruger SP-101 in .327 Federal Magnum sometime in the near future and have heard nothing but good things about that particular gun and cartridge.

Also i'd like to add that Ruger is 100% made in the USA which to me is important and something that many American gun manufactures don't have the right to claim since most of there steel and small parts are forged by companies in China.

How effective is the .380?
Think about the very recent incident in Fla. where a 71 year-old man used a .380 to thwart a robbery in an internet cafe. Two hits to one guy and a single hit to the other. Neither guy was disabled from the bullet. In fact, they ran away.

People can say that the old gent saved the day and showed the robbers who was boss. But stop to think about the whole show. The .380 failed to stop the show, it merely changed the plans of the robbers.

Now if that inactive .45 that the one guy had had been loaded and operative and he knew how to fire it, the whole story would be far different. One decently place bullet from that .45 would have put the old guy out of action either before or even after he started firing with the .380.

I'm not against small caliber guns. My CC is a very small .25 cal. Beretta Tomcat.

reply to post by Cosmic911

Sounds like a decent piece. Personally I have owned a Sig Saur P-232 for years now. It is the gun I carry 90% of the time. It boasts 7+1 is very slim and ridiculously easy to conceal. Also the function is flawless, never had a problem. For defense rounds I use the federal hydroshock .380. Although I have heard CorBon may be as good if not better. But they seem to be harder to find. I have no concerns about this combination. It definitely will do the job if needed. I am very accurate with this gun. I can hit a 5" target quickly and reliably. My 10% carry is a Kimber pro carry 1911. Which although reasonably small for a 1911 is relegated to carry with a jacket. I also choose .45 hydroshock.

reply to post by Aliensun


All about the cartridge. And shot placement of course. However I am only so good, and I know my own "placement" will never be perfect. Especially in a defensive situation. After all it ain't plinking, and you will be juiced on adrenaline. As I carry a .380 I want it to make the biggest wound channel possible while staying inside the intended target. For this I use .380 Federal Hydroshock...

The difference between .380 and 9mm is significant. Yes, the .380 is close to the 9mm but that difference is still significant enough. You certainly wouldn't see the US Military using it as their primary sidearm caliber! The S&W Bodyguard is a nice little banger, however I don't know if I'm a huge fan of the button for the laser. I think for the money it's still a real good buy if you're in the market for a .380/CCW weapon.

reply to post by Cosmic911


Our handgun purchases are nearly identical, I started with a g19, got a g26 to go with it at some point. I don't have any problem concealing either, however.

I'm in complete agreement about the ruger LCP, I bought one and love how easy it is to carry. That's it. Everything else about it sucks (to me). The trigger pull is long, heavy and weird, the sights are nearly non-existant, and the trigger guard cuts into my finger every time it's fired. It's a miserable bitch to shoot (again, for me)

I like the SW bodyguard, but I absolutely LOVE the Ruger LCR. Did you happen to try one? Super light, and the best trigger pull I've ever felt on a revolver. Smooth like butter. Plus, it shoots rather plush with the Hogue grips.

380 will work ,just put you bullets on target.web site "Box of truth" tested the Taurus 380 they liked it, and at 200$ and a lifetime warrenty you cant go wrong with one,you can hide larger guns, its the holster thats most important, cheap ones dont hide the gun well, you will need to spend some bucks 100$ and up to get a good one that will last too.plenty of compact 9mm out their ,Kahr makes good guns, made for CC,no levers on their guns except a slide release .

reply to post by Aliensdoexist

I've never been on the .380 bandwagon myself and would never consider it as my primary, although as a backup weapon i'm sure its a much better choice than a .22Lr or .25acp. I'm a revolver guy myself and I love my Ruger LCR .357mag, it does have some kick and sends one heck of a flame out of the business end but with some practice it isnt much of an issue and if it was i'd just put in some .38 special +P and its extremely tame and still has a lot more mustard behind it than the .380. If you like revolvers maybe look into a snubby chambered in .327 Federal Magnum, its ballistic performance is very close to the .357mag and kicks like a .38 special plus you get 6 rounds in the snubby instead of the 5 if chambered in .357mag. Im planning on purchasing the Ruger SP-101 in .327 Federal Magnum sometime in the near future and have heard nothing but good things about that particular gun and cartridge. Also i'd like to add that Ruger is 100% made in the USA which to me is important and something that many American gun manufactures don't have the right to claim since most of there steel and small parts are forged by companies in China.

I have never been a fan either of the .380 but it appears, frame-wise, it's where I'm at. It definitely won't be my primary weapon for home defense, or during fall and winter when I can wear heavier clothes for concealment. My dad is a revolver guy too. Loves them. He'll just never warm up to a semi-automatic. I don't know enough about the +P ammo to have an opinion but I think I recall early problems with Glocks rupturing because +P ammo, or something to that effect. I'll have to educate myself on the subject. Thanks for the info!!

Originally posted by tjack
reply to post by Cosmic911

 

Our handgun purchases are nearly identical, I started with a g19, got a g26 to go with it at some point. I don't have any problem concealing either, however.

I'm in complete agreement about the ruger LCP, I bought one and love how easy it is to carry. That's it. Everything else about it sucks (to me). The trigger pull is long, heavy and weird, the sights are nearly non-existant, and the trigger guard cuts into my finger every time it's fired. It's a miserable bitch to shoot (again, for me)

I like the SW bodyguard, but I absolutely LOVE the Ruger LCR. Did you happen to try one? Super light, and the best trigger pull I've ever felt on a revolver. Smooth like butter. Plus, it shoots rather plush with the Hogue grips.

We must be long-lost gun brothers! I'm glad to hear you like the SW bodyguard. It sounds like we share similar rationales so I'm anticipating the bodyguard will fit my needs. I have not looked into the Ruger LCR, perhaps I should? Thanks for the reply!

reply to post by DriCo04

The S&W Bodyguard is a nice little banger, however I don't know if I'm a huge fan of the button for the laser.

Good to hear. I'm not a fan of lasers in general. I'd rather have a light on a rail than that laser attached underneath. I suppose it might be interesting to experience something different, but that's about it. Thanks for replying!

reply to post by Aliensun

Two hits to one guy and a single hit to the other. Neither guy was disabled from the bullet..In fact, they ran away... But stop to think about the whole show. The .380 failed to stop the show, it merely changed the plans of the robbers.

This happened in Florida? Imagine how it may have ended if it was during a NY winter with bad guys wearing heavy coats. It's definitely something to consider. And while not a game-stopper, the game-changer was enough to preserve life. Thanks for the info and the reply!

I actually picked one up for the 1st time last week. A friend of mine had it on @ a cookout and he showed it to me and I was amazed. It's literally the size of my wallet. I'd never seen anything that small and light. I was carrying my Colt Commander XSE (My Cookout Gun...lol) , but sometimes I'll carry My PPK/S if I want a mousegun. But even wearing the PPK/S I'm conscious of the fact that I'm carrying. With the BG, it's so small you can actually forget you have it on. The Laser was a cool option, but I found it awkward to engage, but then again its not a dealbreaker. I was looking at picking up a Beretta Nano for my girl, but after I showed her the BG, she fell in love with it. I'd have to shoot it to see, but I could see myself wearing it instead of the walther.

This is what I run in my Walther
Buffalo Bore

Originally posted by randomname
why bother with concealed carry.

just get a hip holster. or a dual hip holster.

much better deterrence factor.

nothing says "don't mess with me" than having two nickel plated 1911's strapped to your hips.

americans should be taking massive advantage of the second amendment.

why are you buying a small pistol and trying to hide it uncomfortably. it doesn't even make sense.

Advertising can make you a target. It's much better to carry concealed. Also, were I a bad guy intent on making mischief, I'd want to eliminate the threat immediately. Who's the most threat, the guy carrying like Wyatt Earp, or the guy that only "might" be armed?

The element of surprise is a big player in confrontations.

/TOA