S&W New Bodyguard .380 auto & .38 revolver

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dsa1115

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Both guns are due out next month. I find it interesting that both of these new models feature integrated lasers. It appears S&W is going head to head with Ruger's LCP and LCR, but integrating the laser. Does anybody know what the suggested MSRP is for these two new S&W guns?
 
Street price is more relevant for me. The prices being quoted for the 380 from those willing to take back orders indicate that S&W has indeed priced it within a whisker of the LCP.

Real sights and last round lock back are two features that intrigue me enough to get one to evaluate. The more complex operation of the integrated laser over the crimson trace on my LCP cause me some concern.
 
Just googled up some stuff - the .380 has a tilting rather than the fixed barrel that you normally see on a .380. Does that mean it's a locking barrel like the old Colt Mustang? If so, then it's probably more reliable and less "snappy" than other small blowback .380's.

Anybody know?
 
kodiakbeer said:
Just googled up some stuff - the .380 has a tilting rather than the fixed barrel that you normally see on a .380. Does that mean it's a locking barrel like the old Colt Mustang? If so, then it's probably more reliable and less "snappy" than other small blowback .380's.

Anybody know?
Click to expand...

Actually, most of the "pocket" .380 ACP pistols are locked-breech, not straight blowback.

This includes the Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P-3AT, Kahr P380, SIG Sauer P238, and Taurus 738, and probably others as well. It seems that most (if not all) new "pocket" .380 ACP pistols are short-recoil operated and do not have a fixed barrel.

The only straight blowback, ultra-compact .380 ACP pistols currently being produced, that I can think of off the top of my head, are the Walther PPK, and the SIG Sauer P232 and Bersa Thunder (both PPK "clones").

The Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P-3AT, and similar pistols are "snappy" because of their small size and weight.
 
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Thanks! I've never shot any of these newer .380's. I do know my Mustang Pocketlight is more comfortable to shoot than a ppk, mak (.380) and other blowbacks I've shot in the past, even though it's smaller than any of those. I think a locked breech spreads out the recoil and takes away the "snap", though perhaps that's subjective on my part.

$500+ seems pretty steep for a plastic .380, locked breech or not. Interesting idea though, to include an integral laser. I'll bet it's a big seller.
 
S&W's MSRP always seems to be significantly higher than what you can actually get one for (more so even than Ruger). Conservatively, I'd guess that actual retail price on these will be roughly $100-150 lower than MSRP (unless of course you get a dealer who wants to make all his profit in one sale).
 
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