M49 Bodyguard questions

T

thm

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was sniffing around the local gunshop for a SS Bearcat for a .22WMR conversion, when I found a loose Model 49 Bodyguard on consignment. After paying for the Bearcat, I inspected the humpback wheelgun.

The pawl/hand seemed a little loose and the ejector rod was a bit beat and bent, but the barrel/cylinder was tighter than a sheet of computer paper, no flamecutting on the topstrap, and the trigger was the usual Smith & Wesson smooth billiardball-on-glass table action. Bluing was a bit worn and it was wearing awful oversized rubber pachmayr stocks.

Consignment price $250. Not bad for these parts as they don't come up often. Lots of other guns by the same seller. Hmm, raising cash for a new car, a new house, or a new wife...Sold. Figured it might make a nice pocket gun for trips to the store or while hiking in Cat Country.

I will be taking it to the local wheelgun smith to tighten up the cylinder action and perhaps address the beat ejector rod. Needs a new finish, probably blue, but might consider one of those fancy moly finishes. Trigger needs no attention (unlike the 317).

Just a few questions:
  1. Pocket holster suggestions or just keep it in an empty pocket?
  2. What stocks to go with? The rubber is probably nice for the range but a bit big. Really necessary for a .38 snubby?
  3. Hiking load: snakeshot in the first round and 158gr JSP?
  4. Defense load: +P 125 grain Silvertips? If the 49 isn't strong enough to practice with +P's, what .38 Special manufactured round would you recommend? Any defense handload recipes?

Certainly will fit in the corner of the safe for weird guns. Can't wait to try it for carry. Thanks in advance for the 411!
 
1) Uncle Mike's pocket holster if you're cheap like me, or various leather pocket holster options if you're not.
2) I like Ahrend's or Eagles on my showy guns, but my beater pocket-carry Centennial wears Uncle Mike's boot grips. Personally, I'm in favor of using the same grips for practice and carry.
3) Makes as much sense as anything else I've heard. I'd probably go with 158gr LSWC-HP +P over the JSP though, as the odds of meeting creepy two-legged types is greater than the odds of meeting hungry four-legged types.
4) I'm taking a gamble on the new 135gr +P Gold Dot load, personally. For high-round-count practice, I'd recommend non +P ammo, or buying another J-frame made post-'94 that's +P rated. ;)
 
I have Boot Grips on my M38 and M649. They are concealable and make the little guns easier to shoot well. Uncle Mike's nylon pocket holsters work well for me too. I have other pocket holsters but they are all a bit big for my jeans pockets. They work OK for coat pocket carry in winter, however.

The M49 I bought for $179, years ago, is now my oldest son's. I thought of taking the Boot Grips off of it and putting the original wood grips back on, but since the "Good Dad" syndrome got to me, and I left them on.

I will be buying some of the 135 grain Gold Dots. At the moment the M649 is stoked with Cor-Bon 158 grain LSWCHP. The M38 doesn't shoot the Cor-Bon load well, so I have Winchester 125 grain Win-Clean soft points for it.

I don't know if snake shot is worth it. If your gun shoots 158 grain loads, I'd tend to stick with them. If not, some other load. The 158 grain loads have a long track record. I'm not sure 125 grain loads can match it.

I wish I'd run across another M49 for cheap.
 
My 649 rest in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster, does the job for pocket carry, which is the only way I carry it.

I have Guy Hogue rubber grips on mine. I pretty much put some form of GHs on my Smiths regardless of what they are.

I have 125 gr Silvertips for defense; never thought of a wilderness application, but wouldn't feel too uncomfortble with those in the cylinder in that situation, either.
 
Holster it

I would think that loose in a pocket would really slow down the draw in a jam, but at least there is no hammer to snag on the corner of the pocket. I like the boot grips but then the rubber grips kinda can slow down a draw, rubber against fabric, etc. Try it once. Maybe those laminate wood grips that are like the boot grip would be better. Just a little slicker to hold. You can get parts from Brownells for that model. If you want to replace the ejector rod yourself. Getting into the guts might be better served by a gunsmith, unless you are adventurous like me. But I never screw around with the sear engagement or anything that affects safety. Just some careful polishing and maybe lighter springs, cleaning and lube. If you need to refinish it, might as well have the parts fixed then, too. I like the +P 158 LHP myself in snubs. But have not tried it in lightweight snubs. Nice little gun! Very desireable in decent shape.
 
The front sight will eventually put a hole in your pocket if you carry it without a holster. I just wrapped some rubber bands around the wood grip of mine and carried it in my waistband.
 
To add to the reasons to use a holster, it will fill up with dust and lint much faster (and it will, trust me) without a holster.

My favorite grips for these are the real Spegals with the high horns.
 
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