M&P Bodyguard . . .

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Prof Young

New member
So I'm looking at an M&P Bodyguard as a CC weapon. I'm attracted to the external safety and the double action. Guy at the gun store thought they were striker fired, but web site says they have a hammer.

Talk to me . . .

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
I enjoyed mine, carry's in your front pocket in a cheap pocket holster like a dream. Decent sights, great price ( think they can be had for well under $300 now), LOONNGGG trigger pull, very tight new and needs a couple hundred rounds break in, forego the laser it is gimicky and useless in my opinion. It is striker fired, no hammer.
 
DAO, double action only, generally means there is a hammer, although usually not seen as it is small and runs internal. but yes, you were correct and the LGS was wrong.

if you look inside that little squared hole in th back while pulling the trigger, you'll see an itty bitty hammer striking the pin


although I haven't shot a bodyguard in a long time, so I cannot recall if it's visible or not like these.
 
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My apologies for the erroneous info, I stand corrected. I haven't owned mine for almost 4 years and spoke without thinking.
 
I have had one for a year - lots of positives: very compact, total reliability (but - less than 100 rds) with both Fed FMC and HP's, and I like the laser. The one big negative is ... well ... a big negative: the most crappy DAO trigger you will ever use. I guess I'll drop the $100 for a Galloway kit since it is tiny and so reliable. The laser would be handy, I suppose, to try to temporarily blind an attacker - but it's next to worthless for range/target shooting. I would have to go with Targa ref passing on the laser unless you get a great deal...
 
The BG380 is a unique gun, in that nothing else in its size and caliber have the same action and features. I bought mine for that reason.

It is DAO, with a hammer.

Many report they hate the trigger pull and recoil, but neither of those issues bother me for a concealed defense gun.

Many also report reliability problems. I am one of those. I bought three, all of which had to go back to S&W, sometimes repeatedly, before one finally worked 100% without a FTFire. I like the configuration of the BG so much that it was worth it to go through all that.

Many report no reliability issues with the gun. It seems each one is a little different. So you might get one that works 100% right off the bat.

David
 
I owned one and carried it for over a year. I don't recall the model but it disappeared in a leather Desantis IWB holster. The grip felt nice in my hand, when I wasn't firing it. Otherwise, it felt like a toy. The trigger was downright terrible. Having long fingers, I had to train specifically to get proper position on the trigger. Alignment wasn't intuitive like it is on other guns I own and if my trigger finger didn't align properly, I'd end up pulling that heavy trigger all the way back to a millimeter before the break. :eek:

The laser was good for training. It's a nice indicator for how steady you are holding the gun through that herculean trigger pull. I wouldn't count on it in a self-defense situation. Even with my long fingers, I'd have to push the button with my off hand and I remember it being less than easy. There was also a blinking laser mode between on and off. Being a laser novice, maybe someone else can explain the value in that.

I sold it and only miss it for sentimental reasons. (I was wearing it for some important life events.)
 
I dunno, I am hearing complaints about the BodyGaurd, but I recall it being a way more "usable" firearm than the LC380 and the P3AT combined. The sights were usable and it had enough purchase to make shots from decent distances. yes the trigger sucks like every DAO 380, but it's no the worst IIRC
 
Not a fan of the Bodyguard 380. Mine was pretty much junk, failing to work reliably even after (an admittedly fast and free) trip back to Smith & Wesson. Very heavy trigger as well.

I would recommend the LCP, I have two, they are the only pocket pistols I have kept, because reliable. The newer ones have better sights and a lighter trigger pull as well, especially the LCP Custom. Hammer fired, DA as you want. I see no need for a safety.

I would skip the laser on the Bodyguard as well.

The Bodyguard is more comfortable to shoot than a stock LCP, but Hogue and Pachmayr have add-on rubber grips that pretty much eliminate the difference. With the improved sights and trigger of the new LCPs and Custom, the Ruger wins hands down in my view.
 
thanks . . .

When I get some $$$ ahead I may give one a try. In the mean time I'm hanging on the the sig p238. It's a great gun, I just can't get passed having the hammer cocked and the safety on as the ideal carry mode. Yes, I know it is very safe in the configuration. It's a mental thing. So far I'm carrying with an empty pipe. Yes, I know that in quick need situation I'm at the disadvantage. I practice my draw and am pulling the slide as part of the draw. Multiple time on this web site I've read that the gun you are comfortable carrying is better than no gun at all. So . . .

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
Bodyguard seems awesome. I love the features and the fact that is DAO. I have heard the reliability reports too. I am torn between that, a revolver (sw 642), or a glock 42 for deep concealed carry. I have a glock 26 for regular carry. If the SW didnt have reliability issues it would definitely be my first choice. I am waiting until spring to pick one of the three.

In the mean time I'm hanging on the the sig p238. It's a great gun, I just can't get passed having the hammer cocked and the safety on as the ideal carry mode. Yes, I know it is very safe in the configuration. It's a mental thing. So far I'm carrying with an empty pipe. Yes, I know that in quick need situation I'm at the disadvantage. I practice my draw and am pulling the slide as part of the draw. Multiple time on this web site I've read that the gun you are comfortable carrying is better than no gun at all. So . . .
Click to expand...

I wish the sig was not single action or I would get it. I would not trust that safety either - i dont trust any safety other than my finger off the trigger. If the sig was DA I would definitely get it. for most people carrying without one in the chamber is probably a good idea because their chances of ever needing it are next to none, if they do they would be able to rack the slide, and they dont practice enough/arent disciplined enough to have it cocked and ready. However there will be some situations, like a mugging, where the gun will be useless if you dont. I dont carry my glock with a round in the chamber either.
 
If I carry a gun, it is loaded. That means a round in the chamber of a semi. If that made me nervous, I'd just carry a revolver. To plan on having time, and two working hands, in a true emergency is to not really understand what it means to have a true emergency.

The Ruger LCP comes in a version with a red metal trigger, and it has a nicer trigger pull than the basic LCP. There is also a striker version called the "LCPs" with (I've read, not actually tried one) a nice trigger.

But it is the Bodyguard 380 (the cheaper non-laser version) which goes in my pocket every day. It has a better trigger pull than my 1st Gen P3AT did. But still, I see no need to use the safety on the BG because that has, as mentioned, a long and hard trigger pull.

But I can shoot it fine, on the range. The real test would be a true emergency and I'll pass on that. Some kind of backup defensive pistol shooting competition would be just what I need to see how I do with multiple targets and the brain-killing effect of the electronic beep as the timer starts.

Bart Noir
 
I have no experience with a Body Guard but I have had a Kel-Tec P3AT which was the pistol the LCP and Body Guard got their idea and I love it. The .380 is, in my opinion, plenty strong enough with good shot placement, the gun is accurate up to 5 yards which is much further than probably 95% of handgun confrontations between non Law Enforcement people happen and can be easily counseled easily in just about any style of dress.
 
I have many of the small .380 pistols, like Sig P 238/938 best, Kimber Micro, G42, Rem RM380 and bodyguard to name a few. The bodyguard functions just fine and the long trigger pull AIDS in not shooting my butt when carried in a pocket. It will hit anything I point it at up close but not accurate ( and the long hard trigger) for distance shooting, the safety is too small and difficult to takeoff so I do not use it.

'
 
The absolute WORST trigger I have ever shot... For me it is a deal breaker and I would never own one. However, I would recommend the Ruger LCP which is a much better option
 
Trigger pull fix

I bought my wife a new BG in Dec. They seem to have fixed every issue on them. They now have a Crimson Trace Lazer. Still have the long trigger pull. So I ordered the kit from Galloway to shorten it up. Night and day difference. Extremely pleased with the whole package now. Why S&W doesn't set it up this way is to me a mystery.
 
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