Life (and politics) may not be what they once were in Gun Valley, USA, but you wouldn’t know it from a visit to Smith & Wesson. I’m in Springfield with a handful of other gun media types where we learned that in the last five years, a full 75% of Smith’s business has been personal protection related — concealed carry, home defense…like that. Which explains why we’re here getting a look at their newly released Bodyguard .380 pistol and .38 revolver with integrated Crimson Trace lasers. First blush impression: they’re surprisingly impressive (I’m really loving the revolver) given the price point . . .
Full reviews will, of course, follow in the fullness of time. For now, we’ve had a chance to put 50 or so rounds through each gun at the Smith & Wesson Academy. Still to come: a factory tour to see how they go from polymer, aluminum and steel to a fully formed thing that goes boom.
Not to mention a look at a new product that I’m contractually bound not to mention for a few more weeks. It’s so exciting! In the mean time, we’ll get a chance to shoot these babies some more. Should be fun. Stay tuned.
Not buying the laser with the pocket carry.
Afraid it might burn a hole in “something”?
I’ve owned a P3AT with a Laser Guard for about five years. Despite being a Kel Tec, it’s been a great pocket gun. Laser and all.
I had one of those things for a short while (no laser). Had a hard time getting used to the reset with that itty-bitty trigger guard. Many times I could only get off one shot. How about you?
I’ve put a few hundred rounds through my P3AT and no problems with it. Everyone hates these guns but they saved many a life so far.
My mother plans to get a Bodyguard .380 because of it manual safety. I keep telling her that off-body carry sucks, but she keeps her life in her purse.
The bodyguard owners that actually use the safety could probably be counted on one hand. That is the most atrocious safety ever designed. The trigger is more than sufficient to prevent most ADs. This is assuming you use a holster.
Totally a bad idea. What happens most often for women? purse snatching. Once that purse is gone, so is her pistol.
Do a review of the revolver for sure, for those of us in California. Pretty soon, that is all we will be ale to buy. As it is, S&W has only a few pistols left on the roster, and the Bodyguard is not one of them. In fact, the only compact we get is the Shield in 9 and .40. On the other hand S&W just added a slew of new (or updated) revolvers. (Parenthetically, Taurus is down to two pistols, the PT92 and the PT38, the remaining few of its models being revolvers. And Ruger is down to three models.)
By the time we finally get shall issue for self-defense, there will be NO handguns left on the roster, except revolvers… grrr…what a bunch of coconuts we have in Sacramento.
New product? Is it just 1911 with a rail and a laser exciting or will it poke the must have feelings like their 5-shot L-frame 44mag did?
Considering the flavor of the article directed towards concealed carry, I’m going to guess the new product is something to do with the shield. Either its a .45 shield, or a shield with a crimson trace laser. If i was really cynical id say the bodyguard will get the green laser treatment.
Should we be “redux of existing platform” excited, or “whole new product” excited?
So what’s the difference between the S&W Bodyguard 38 and say a S&W J Frame?
Polymer body, integrated laser, and the cylinder latch is in a stupid place ( where the hammer or hammer shroud usually is)
I love my S&W Bodyguard revolver. The only think I don’t like, is the Insight, laser. I’ve had issues with the batteries loosing contact under recoil with self defense loads, this causes the laser to cease working. Not a good thing.
Contrast that with my Crimson Trace laser grips on my Glock 23, I’ve never had an issue with the laser not working.
Therefore, I will be contacting Crimson Trace for an upgrade to their product as soon as it’s available. The S&W bodyguard .38 revolver, is my go to pocket gun and with or without the laser, it’s an outstanding choice for self defense.
Can you spill any beans on your experience shooting them? How does the trigger on the .380 semi-auto compare to the trigger on the older generation S&W BG 380? Any improvements?
@Mike C, I can’t comment on the old BG as I haven’t shot one. I was pleasantly surprised by the latest version, though. Then again, I’ve only put 50 rounds through it so far, so haven’t really put it through its paces. Tune in for the full review in a few weeks.
Thanks, Dan. Will definitely look for the review when it’s up. I seldom post, but I love reading TTAG reviews and check the site daily.
S/W based in Mass, the namesake of Springfield Armory……things like this just remind you how far Massachusetts has fallen. The Revolution started there FFS!
That is true, but not entirely accurate, MA, like most of the northeastern states, has a large urban area that dictates policy to the whole state. During the recent push for legislation I researched the “who” behind the push, it’s the usual suspects, a bunch of names from the districts that make up the Boston area. Many in Central and Western MA feel a bit differently(with some exceptions), but Boston holds about 60% of the state’s population.
I’m a native of West Springfield, and I will keep supporting S&W, they are a huge part of the local economy, and I like their products. I won’t be getting any plastic revolvers from them, but the BG 380 is on my list.
Is it a bodyguard 6 with a larger screen?
My bet is .357 bg as thats the march of the j frames. Comes in 38 then .357 then magnaport option then full on pro shop treatment, and finally they start sending them with keys, because common sense and double action triggers werent enough
i have to say i really like what S&W did to uograde the 380 bodyguard to the m&p bodyguard. The grip texture is more agressive…more like tallon grips. The laser button is much easier to activate and has tactile feedback. The slide ia a darker black now and has the fish scale cut out like all all other m&p pistols. i believe there are other minor changes to the slide as well. They did mess up the mag catch though. watch reports on youtube and you will see mags are very hard to put in now unless you press the release. my brand new bg sheared off the inside of the release the first hour i owned it. now the mag falls out if i put in more than 4 rounds. i did not even shoot it yet. i am waiting to see if smith will send me a new release. I had a gen 2 bodyguard and sold it to get this one.
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