Hope this is the appropriate section. Recently been offered a S&W Model 38 Bodyguard, airweight, 2"barrel, never fired, very little wear/drag marks inside cylinder(been played with), don't know year of manufacture, but it's blued..not familiar with blueing, but it's a strangely deep, dark blue, nice looking. Wood grips. I like the ability to shoot s/a, with that slight hammer exposed. Question is..can it withstand little/occasional use of +P ammo, that exposed hammer space attract pocket debris enough to be a concern, and is it worth $300.00 cash. Thank you for any information/opinions.
S&W Model 38 Bodyguard
- Thread starter MrBill
- Start date
Not a good idea to shoot +P in the older frames as they will stretch and you will have a real throwaway gun. How many?? You dont know until the cylinder pops open. The standard Chief Special Federal Nyclad has +P velocity with std pressure. It was designed for snubbies. Wadcutters shoot good too.
$300 is ok but not a great bargain. A 649 Stainless Bodyguard can shoot +P's all day but its heavier. Those older SW guns are starting to go for premium prices.
$300 is ok but not a great bargain. A 649 Stainless Bodyguard can shoot +P's all day but its heavier. Those older SW guns are starting to go for premium prices.
Actually 300 is a pretty good price for a minty mod 38 in my recient experience. I've been looking and they seem to bottom out @ $250-$275 for a well used beater. True you can shoot +P in the new 638's but they are running near $500 these days. If you pass on that, a nice pre-Jmagframe 49/649 will split teh difference on the weight @ about 20 oz.
As for the slot, IMHO the "what if a dime falls in there" thing is overplayed. It's a pretty small slot . Take reasonable precaustions and you'll never have to worry. i.e. I don't carry my 49 in poket with change, bridge tokens, paperclips, potato chips, rice or any other junk.
FWIW, I think the humpack J frames are the best snubbies ever designed.
As for the slot, IMHO the "what if a dime falls in there" thing is overplayed. It's a pretty small slot . Take reasonable precaustions and you'll never have to worry. i.e. I don't carry my 49 in poket with change, bridge tokens, paperclips, potato chips, rice or any other junk.
FWIW, I think the humpack J frames are the best snubbies ever designed.
I think it sounds like a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, prices on used J frames in this condition seem to be rising as people realize how good they are. I would not use +P in an airweight revolver due to the blast and recoil. I get much better control with standard velocity ammo. Up to you, though.
Mark
Mark
lanceman193
New member
God Bless Tacoma.Long live model 38 Nickel and 649(Brightly polished). 
MrBill,
The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson shows that a Model 38 is worth $350 NIB (with box, manual, etc.) and $300 in Excellent condition as you describe your specimen. So it's a fair deal, but not a bargain. That said, the value of these little guns does seem to rise every year.
If the wood grips have a clear "diamond" around the grip screw or the serial number lacks a "J" prefix, it's a pre-1969 gun. A pinned barrel dates it as a pre-1983 model. A matte-blue appearance would be 1993 to 1999.
The Model 38 is the original Aluminum alloy frame and if subjected to a lot of +P use the frames can stretch enough that the cylinder fails to lock up correctly. Practice with standard pressure .38's, carefully sight where your favorite +P hits with a minimum of shots. The +P's should be safe to shoot but you'll "wear out" the gun much faster with them.
The deep blue/black finish on the Aluminum frame is, I think, most likely a deep blue/black anodizing with the cylinder and barrel finished in a dark bluing.
Pocket lint can build up in the hammer opening, however I have yet to find enough of it building up to prevent operation if you blow the lint out daily.
Personally, I like both the Bodyguard and Centennial models. The Bodyguard, IMHO, seems like the "professional's gun" (maybe because the first one I ever saw belonged to a 20 year veteran police sergeant).
If possible, find some standard pressure 158gr LSWC (or RNL if you must) factory ammo to check your sights. As I recall, most of these had their sights regulated for a 158gr .38 Special round.
The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson shows that a Model 38 is worth $350 NIB (with box, manual, etc.) and $300 in Excellent condition as you describe your specimen. So it's a fair deal, but not a bargain. That said, the value of these little guns does seem to rise every year.
If the wood grips have a clear "diamond" around the grip screw or the serial number lacks a "J" prefix, it's a pre-1969 gun. A pinned barrel dates it as a pre-1983 model. A matte-blue appearance would be 1993 to 1999.
The Model 38 is the original Aluminum alloy frame and if subjected to a lot of +P use the frames can stretch enough that the cylinder fails to lock up correctly. Practice with standard pressure .38's, carefully sight where your favorite +P hits with a minimum of shots. The +P's should be safe to shoot but you'll "wear out" the gun much faster with them.
The deep blue/black finish on the Aluminum frame is, I think, most likely a deep blue/black anodizing with the cylinder and barrel finished in a dark bluing.
Pocket lint can build up in the hammer opening, however I have yet to find enough of it building up to prevent operation if you blow the lint out daily.
Personally, I like both the Bodyguard and Centennial models. The Bodyguard, IMHO, seems like the "professional's gun" (maybe because the first one I ever saw belonged to a 20 year veteran police sergeant).
If possible, find some standard pressure 158gr LSWC (or RNL if you must) factory ammo to check your sights. As I recall, most of these had their sights regulated for a 158gr .38 Special round.
BusGunner007
New member
I think the answers to your question are:
YES.
Don't carry ANYTHING BUT THE GUN in your pocket.
YE$.
Get it!
Have fun.
Good Luck.
I wish I had $300.
YES.
Don't carry ANYTHING BUT THE GUN in your pocket.
YE$.
Get it!
Have fun.
Good Luck.
I wish I had $300.
S&W model 38!
I looked at two specimans today and plan to got back for one of them tomorrow..
One was and older model with deep blue finish, tight but the finish had alot of worn spots, looks like it was carried allot but not shot much, price was $265.00
The second model 38-2 was in LNIB condition with the frosted blue finish, this one was $330.00, both had huge houge mono grips on them.
Which would you go for? It will be a sometimes pocket carry piece and a seldom shooter as my range rev. is a S&W 940..
I looked at two specimans today and plan to got back for one of them tomorrow..
One was and older model with deep blue finish, tight but the finish had alot of worn spots, looks like it was carried allot but not shot much, price was $265.00
The second model 38-2 was in LNIB condition with the frosted blue finish, this one was $330.00, both had huge houge mono grips on them.
Which would you go for? It will be a sometimes pocket carry piece and a seldom shooter as my range rev. is a S&W 940..
XavierBreath
New member
I would go for the tightest gun.
The cylinder hole in the recoil plate tends to get egg shaped over time and use, and when it does, the cylinder will have movement. This does not really affect the timing, but it is a concern for me. I would pick the one with the least wear in this area. Once the wear is there, repair is not cost efficient. Here's my well traveled M38.
The cylinder hole in the recoil plate tends to get egg shaped over time and use, and when it does, the cylinder will have movement. This does not really affect the timing, but it is a concern for me. I would pick the one with the least wear in this area. Once the wear is there, repair is not cost efficient. Here's my well traveled M38.
Yankee Doodle
New member
Bodyguard
Mr. Bill
If you happen to live in NY, DO NOT buy the gun. Really junk. Terrible. Waste of money. Will you please tell me where it is?
If you don't live in NY, grab it. One of the best carry guns ever. You will never regret the purchase.
Mr. Bill
If you happen to live in NY, DO NOT buy the gun. Really junk. Terrible. Waste of money. Will you please tell me where it is?
If you don't live in NY, grab it. One of the best carry guns ever. You will never regret the purchase.
Jungle Work
Moderator
Saw one at the Gun Show in Amarillo Texas today, $360.00 and the owner would not come off of that price.
Jungle Work
Jungle Work
Now THAT'S a gun!
My wife's gun? S&W M38.
Suggest medium-weight premium ammo from Federal or Hornady; non +P.
(Wife's carries 140g XTP-HP custom load
.)
(Remember reading six gunfighter greats like Askins and Jordan, Cooper and others standing around chatting about wife's gun; to a man they all replied "S&W M38". Or something comforting like that...)
My wife's gun? S&W M38.
Suggest medium-weight premium ammo from Federal or Hornady; non +P.
(Wife's carries 140g XTP-HP custom load
.)(Remember reading six gunfighter greats like Askins and Jordan, Cooper and others standing around chatting about wife's gun; to a man they all replied "S&W M38". Or something comforting like that...)
I passed on the M38. I thought it a very nice piece, it would have been carried alot and shot little, but I went down to local sporting good store and saw they had the new versions with hammer rated for +P, for only 60 dollars more, figure if I want a 38 pocket gun, I'll just go pick one up when I feel like it. I do like the blue version tho.
Diamondback
New member
I just picked up a like new 38-2 for $299 today. I've always wanted a airwight bodyguard.....can't wait to try it out. I think I have a new summer carry piece !
-regards
-regards