smith bodyguard = (

i got to handle both the 380 and 38spl....... NOT impressed at all it feels cheap cheap cheap the laser didnt even make a good dot, the beam was distorted and made wings 6 inchs long to the left and right of the dot. The cylinder release is a cheap peice of plastic that if dropped wrong would probably break. Trigger pull was aweful. The 380 just seemed like a updated lcp. Dont think they are worth the asking price right now.


anyone bought one yet?

Haven't bought one and probably won't, but I tend to agree with your impressions. The .380 auto is a real dog. I've read a lot about it and nothing was positive. Haven't seen or handled the revo, but I find your impression interesting. Most folks that have owned a revolver or two can tell if one's good or not and it sounds like this is another that S&W rushed to market. However, I was fooled by one a while back. I handled and played with a Ruger LCR and thought it was a competent piece, but I hear a lot of bad about it, as well. Seems these companies are rushing things out nowdays and expecting them to be returned for tuning under warranty. I hate playing that game. Anyways, about the only positive thing I've seen from S&W lately is the new SD series of autos and the best thing I've heard about them is that they're a lot better than Sigmas, but not as good as the M&Ps. As problematic as some of the M&Ps have been lately, I'm not sure that's much of an endorsement. Seems with them, you either get a great piece or a faulty dog. Thankfully, most of the folks here seem to have gotten good ones.

Yeah the cylinder release is cheap and awkward. That was the kicker for me when I held one in van's a few weeks back. I'll just keep waiting on the lcr357

you are a braver soul than i am... aint no way im gonna shoot a 357mag out of a pistol that weighs less than a pound......

Beladran wrote:you are a braver soul than i am... aint no way im gonna shoot a 357mag out of a pistol that weighs less than a pound......

Didn't say I'd be doing it much! Might shoot a few out of it just for practice, but other than that I would only be carrying it with .357s...if it came down to using them I'd think the last thing that I would have to worry about is the recoil of a .357.

i like the concept of the 38. grip sucks. release is cheap feeling, but is ambi so that is a plus. laser is not easy to activate, altho i havent noticed anything bad about the beam in the ones i have handled...

i like the 380 tho... well, except the fact it is a 380. not a fan of that caliber. to me it feels a LOT better than the LCP. id say it feels good to me. not a fan of the thumb safety and the laser switch. other than those 3 things, i like it...

both would benefit from a crimson trace like activation switch for the laser. get some good grips and solid cyl release on the 38, and ditch the thumb safety on the 380 and they got something...

*shrugs* Just trying to fill the gap of the popular stream gun market ... another .380 and .38 pocket pistol. I kinda liked the .380's dimensions, but the controls seemed cluttered, and the laser was below par. Haven't handled the .38.

But at the price S&W is wanting for these things, I think I would pick something else.

well hell.

I purchased the .38. At 7 yds my 13 year old son could hit the 4 inch gong with the sights or the laser. He likes it. I hit decently with it as well. I like it.

I'm not a big wheel gun man, owned my share, but the release was easy to get used to being the standard cylinder release was not ingrained into me.

I liked the looks and I like the feel. It feels good in the pocket and carries well.

I have no complaints about it. This is the first Smith I've owned in quite a while {1911 guy }.

I've tried the Taurus 709, TCP, Ruger LCP, all recently...the Smith is my current favorite pocket carry. Well, that and a Colt Mustang I just picked up.

+ 1 on the colt mustang!

Doug Bowser wrote:Newer S&W handguns are not very well made. I have seen the Bodyguard revolvers apart and they are very rough in the machining. I would rather have a vintage Model 36 Chiefs Special.

Doug

Me too!

I've handled the .38 and like the rest didn't care for the cylinder release...I've got a LCR and like it well...

I don't know if this adds anything to this discussion (or for that matter is really on topic) but, when you've got time, you might want to check out my thread, My New Mousegun , in the Handgun forum at: http://www.msgunowners.com/handguns-f15/my-new-mousegun-t5417.htm.

I’m still pleased with the little Taurus and think it was, and still is, the best of that genre, albeit I’m still having fits trying to get it properly (and most importantly, discreetly) holstered.

I got a Bodyguard .380 this weekend for a small carry pistol to replace mt PF-9 . I have put 50 rounds through it so far and love it . Serves it's purpose well .