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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- Back with new equipment. Some of this video did not go so well, especially the audio. I am trying to get up and running with 1080P60 which seems to be 8 times as resource intensive as my old standard of 720P30. Hope you enjoy.
A friend of mine from High School, Derek, asked for advice on a concealed carry pistol. Since this video was already on my future-videos list, I went ahead and filmed it. Let me know what you think!
Thanks for the video! Everyone struggles with the reassembly but you not only explain it but nail it! Good JOB!!!!
Thanks for watching. Really appreciate the support.
Yes he did i put it together in a snap!
Worse trigger pull ever!
I've had mine since 2017. It was my first civilian firearm. I wanted something I could slip into a pocket every day no matter what I was wearing outside. Its snappy and no fun at the range, but accurate enough for a close in "Get off me" self defense gun. Hence the name "BODYGUARD"
Bought one of these for my wife and she loves it! I'm kinda jealous now and wish I would've gotten it for myself. If you're looking for something to conceal carry and be comfortable doing it this is a good choice.
I own a bodyguard 380 as well. Love it. No issues whatsoever after over 300 rounds at the range. It is my CCP. Excellent video by the way.
Yeah. The few issues I had with this were not with top-quality ammo and I have not had any problems since.
Side note. Ignore the gun cowboys that will Always complain. The Bodyguard is absolutely an awesome pocket carry weapon. Perhaps the gun cowboys that complain should try this weapon out or just go and keep complaining..BOTTOM LINE. THE SMITH AND WESSON MP BODYGUARD IN 380 IS PERFECT FOR POCKET CARRY PROTECTION AGAINST THE BAD GUYS!!!
Excellent review for pocket carry reliable and very effective weapon. I HAVE 2 and am extremely satisfied with the product. The long pull on the weapon is a plus for me. The Bodyguard does outstanding at what its real life purpose is...Absolutely would recommend this weapon for all..not just for a women but also for the real man that wants a tool for protecting himself and others.
Thanks for watching. I normally carry the same Kel-Tec I've carried for a while.
It's got second strike capability just pulled the trigger again
I don't recall saying that it didn't, but you're right. Problem is, the 'second strike' capability is of such dubious utility, that I consider it a hindrance to proper instruction and training. IF you ignore the feature and train the PROPER way to use the tap-rack-bang drill, then there is no issue. If, however, you are in the middle of a gunfight having trained thinking this is a 'feature' you are likely to try to pound away at a dud primer.
Second-Strike also mandates a full double-action-only trigger pull. Kel-Tec's P11 also has this. You get used to it on that larger gun, but the S&W is about half the size and weight of the already small P11. Shooting the video and about 100 rounds off camera made my finger so sore with the BG380 that I couldn't shoot the other guns I'd brought very well.
Solo, read my statement again. The second pull of the trigger on ANY second-strike capable firearm will, by DEFINITION, be a double-action. Since the striker or hammer has already fallen, the trigger is the ONLY thing that will cock the striker/hammer and release it. That is, unless you count pulling the slide back to reset the striker or manually thumb-cocking the hammer. All the examples you list require a full DA pull on second strike.
I don't get paid for this shit anymore. You are wrong. You don't need to double-down on that.
I agree with J.C. Foutz. Superior video on this pistol and field strip procedure. Getting one for the wife today. She has trouble racking slides however she can rack and release the slide on the S&W M&P Bodyguard. with no problem.
The slide-racking force is a big deal for folks without meat-hooks for hands. The BG380 likes brass-cased defensive ammo. Only issues I had with it were with the steel-cased Russian junk. If you also take a look at the Ruger LC380, you might be surprised at how easy that one is to operate. The LC380 is a larger version of the LCP. People also have good things to say about the Glock 42. Personally, I still carry the Ruger LCP or Kel-Tec P3AT. Just familiar to me.
Tom, I'm a female who has difficulty racking some slides, but the BG's is easier for me, too. I own several 9mm guns that I can rack, but they aren't really pocket guns like this one. I bought a BG last week.
Had one... at about 300 rounds it not only had the fail to fire problems and slide disengaging upon magazine insert issue you experienced, but it would stovepipe and fail to feed every ammo we fed it. After getting it back from S&W and still having problems, I found the slide had been slamming the misaligned barrel to the point of two opposing burrs hooking together causing the FTE/FTF problems. Then, the laser sight failed after a bit of solvent got down onto it. We never thought we'd be so disappointed in something coming from a company like S&W. They dropped the ball on that one!
My wife did not trust it, so it had to go. She now carry's the Colt Pocket Lite and I still carry the Taurus TCP, after 2000+ rounds, it still runs like my Glock!
I did consider the laser-sight version, however it did not feel right and was overpriced compared to the others. Only bought this one used because the price was right. I do not hear a whole lot bad about the Bodyguard, but I did find a few stories like yours. I had no failures to feed or extract and the four failures we had were in the first 50 rounds and with steel-cased ammo notorious for hard primers. All four rounds did fire on restrike. I did not find enough to like about this gun to replace my Kel-Tec or Ruger. I will never own the TCP unless somebody pays me to. Not a Taurus Hater, I just don't think they got that one right. Glad yours is reliable. Lots of positive feedback on the Colt, but I can't see spending that much. I would like to look at the Ruger LC380S if they ever introduce it. Would be a good gun for somebody with weak hand strength to operate. Larger and easier to rack the slide.
The screw that held the laser would tend to back out and cause it to jam. When I put the lite LockTite on the treads, then tried to remove it later, it pulled the threaded lug out of the frame and had to JB Weld that back in. The switch under the button is thin brass contacts on an adhesive plastic film. You were right not to get it. Range time to develop muscle memory is better than a little red light anyway.
I traded it for an LC9s. great trigger, shoots tight, it's a good one. My wife likes 1911's so of course the Colt Mustang caught her eye for a light carry gun.
I have heard guys say the trigger bar come loose on the TCP but Taurus fixed it and they never had any trouble after that. I've carried mine in my pocket for the past three years and every month or so I send those carry rounds down range then run 50 rounds of any cheap ammo I can find... it runs anything.
Fred Herzog I like the LC9s, but it is significantly larger than the LCP and does not fit well in my pocket.
Nice thing about the dao trigger. The length of pull is very doable if you are familiar with a snubby revolver and is just as safe as a revolver in your pocket. Don't need the safety.
Correct, but they can sell more guns with the safety to people who do not know you don't need it. The trigger reach is so short that people like myself who have large hands have difficulty pulling the trigger all the way to the rear.
thank you Soo much for taking your time to do the sound comparison at the end of your silencerco 45 video. Good Freekin Job!!
I don't know if it would function well. Would be fun to try, but I don't think a threaded barrel is available.
I know it’s been 6 years but it looked like you need to lubricant the pistol and of course shoot brass ammo. If the round doesn’t go off you can pull the trigger until the round goes off. You need to shoot at least 200 rounds through it plus shoot the defense hollow points through the pistol. If you are depending on the pistol to save your life you need to shoot it and break it in. One of the first things to do is lighten the trigger pull by installing a aftermarket trigger.
Yes, it has been 6 years. I'll go through your points one-by-one. First, I did lubricate my pistol. Second, I did use brass ammo, as I explained in my video. The steel ammo functioned flawlessly. That is, the case (the steel part) was not the cause of the light primer strikes. When the primer went off, the gun was cycling flawlessly.
Third, I am not shooting 200 rounds through my pistol before I do a review. You see what you get. The VAST majority of gun owners are not shooting 200 rounds through their guns before they use them for whatever purpose. That's a myth and gun-store lore. If the gun doesn't work out of the box (with factory lube and with any ammo) then what good is it? If it needs 200 rounds, why doesn't the factory do this? Why don't they include 200 rounds of ammo? It's the factory's job to make a gun that works, out of the box.
4th, yes, I agree that you should shoot your chosen self-defense load through the pistol before trusting it. This is NOT my self-defense pistol, nor does TH-cam pay me enough to afford to buy hollow-points to test in guns that I don't intend to use for my own self defense. Federal does not sponsor my videos.
Finally, I find it perplexing that you suggest a 'proper' break in and testing hollow-points before using the pistol, but then you go on to suggest I install a lighter, non-factory spring in a gun that's already proven to give light primer strikes. No, I wouldn't do that. I don't lighten the striker springs on my Glocks either. I have a video about that. I would advise that you NEVER lighten the hammer or trigger return springs on any pistol you intend to use for self-defense.
I loved the comparison between micro 380s. I admit that when I did the Remington RM380 review I had trouble with the steel cased Tul Ammo. It took two or three strikes to set it off. Not all the time, but not a problem with different ammo.
Not surprising given my overall history with steel-cased ammo I do think it's important that people understand all ammo is not created equal. Thanks for watching. I know I was subscribed to your channel before, but had to re-subscribe. I just thought you went dormant.
I try not to go dormant. Just try to do something once a month lol. Seems I had to resub you as well, though you show up on my feed.
TH-cam Gremlins. I have got a dozen or so videos that are in work to some level, but my day job keeps me pretty busy.
Thanks so much, awesome review! Just picked one up.
Glad I could help!
Seems like the 2nd strike capability puts this gun in a league of its own.
As a traditional DAO, there are other guns in this class, but then nobody needs to be in this class. The proper way to clear a failure to fire is tap-rack-bang, not click-click-click. True, it does something the others don't, but the utility of it is dubious.
Amazing video review for this gun, best on TH-cam 👍
Thanks for watching!
Great video, clearly stated. The little divots inside the slide are drill outs to get the slide to the exact weight specifications for the slide I believe. They will be different pistol to pistol.
That is very interesting. I guess it makes sense.
@@RyeOnHam W stamp was inspector!😊
Nice video. I've had this gun for 6 months and love it. I took some gray finger nail polish to the letting in the side and barrel to the engraved lettering made it look a lot nicer.
Thanks for watching!
Darn good review, kudos!
Thanks for Watching!
oh, thats cool. it fits in my back pocket (in case someone wants my "wallet") or it fits in my front pocket IN its stow n go holster. Most importantly it shoots 6 inch groups at 15 yards both eyes open, easy recoil.
I have an LCP and a bodyguard. This video is spot on. Great job!
Thank you very much for watching.
Mine is a lot more accurate than I thought it would be but it is at S&W for warranty repair right now. I was having an issue with the mag dropping every second or third round. So far pleased with S&W customer service. The gun has run everything that I have thrown at it including steel case.
Good to hear S&W customer service was on point. Thanks for watching!
Thanks , Great and detailed and close-up field strip instruction too. The mention of grip angle might throw me off as I am use to a j frame snubby and a Steyr S9 which seem to point identical for me.
Thanks you for watching! I try to make videos of the type I would like to watch.
I found your channel while looking for updates on the Remington R51. I've enjoyed your objective, thorough, approach and technical explanations. I'm hoping you'll keep a positive attitude toward Remington, and find the time to review their new RM380,
That might happen. I don't know if I'm buying another Remington, ever, though. Thanks for watching!
Great review and video
Thanks for watching! I enjoy your videos as well.
Too often, people seem to forget what a pistol like this is intended for. It is meant to be an unobtrusive self defense tool that is as safe for the user as possible while being capable of quickly ending a violent encounter. It was never meant to be a range gun for recreational shooting.
With a gun like this, you find an ammunition that works reliably in your particular pistol, fire it often enough to remain proficient, but don’t generally fire thousands upon thousands of rounds through it.
I enjoy shooting the various pistols I have bought/been issued over the years to include many duty sized handguns from S&W, Glock, SIG Sauer, Beretta, Colt, H&K, FN, etc. That said, now that I’m retired, and carry a pistol exclusively for my own personal protection rather than as something I must carry while responding to any and all manner of potential threats, my M&P Bodyguard is one of my favorite handguns. It is often the one I choose to carry while my bigger pistols stay in the safe until range day or are used exclusively as nightstand guns.
The Bodyguard .380 is an excellent personal defense pistol, and aside from the use of garbage steel cases ammo (widely known for hard primers among other issues), this video does a good job of providing an overall look at what the gun has to offer. Smith & Wesson has been building top shelf defensive handguns for over 150 years, and this little pistol is no exception.
Thanks. I am breaking in my Ruger LCP MAX .380. It fits in the same pockets and it holds 11 rounds. The trigger is MUCH better and it's got a tritium front sight. Assuming I get comfortable shooting it and there are no problems, I'll replace the P3AT that I've carried forever.
Just bought one. Had a glock 26 and man is this thing small!!
There are much better options on the market now. I cannot praise the Ruger LCP Max enough. It's an order of magnitude more effective and aproximately the same size.
I had the same problem with TulAmmo. The S&W has 2nd strike capability. Just pull the trigger again, it usually fires on the 2nd strike. Mine works fine with good ammo and hollow points. I only use the steel case for range practice and disregard the hard primers for that use.
Yes, I agree.
Get the stronger hammer spring from Galloway.
Problem Solved.
Good gun comparison as alot of pocket pistols there and alot of good info....
Thanks! Always great to hear from you.
Really great review, nice job, thank you so much!!!
Thanks for watching and for your kind words, Norm.
Have you had failure to eject issues with your Kel-Tec. I just purchased a used p3at. It shoots well but is prone to jamming. I took it all apart including the extractor. There was no damage or excess residue in evidence. Upon reassembling it still went bang bang Jam bang bang bang bang Jam. The Kel-Tec came with a 30-day warranty so it is at the gunsmith now. I'm considering trading it for another small pocket 380. Any advice you have would be appreciated. Thanks again for all your hard work.
I cannot say anything negative about the Kel-Tec P3AT or P32. I've owned and currently own a few. They have all been reliable for me, but then it is a hard gun to shoot. Some of it may be ammo related, some may be a break-in, and some may be how you shoot the gun. Small .380's jump around a lot and are prone to 'limp-wrist' malfunctions. Without knowing, I cannot be sure.
You say, "jam" but there are dozens of ways a gun can malfunction so it takes some troubleshooting to find the root cause of your particular malfunction. About half the time, it's the gun.
I have a BG380 I bought march 2017. It's going back to S&W for the 4th time. They can't seem to fix the magazines from popping out when firing. I'm not the only one that has this problem. The grip body was replaced and magazine catch twice. To be continued!.
North American Arms had this problem with their Guardian pistol. Neither I nor my shooting buddy had any problems with this particular Bodyguard. I have known people to punch the magazine release with their thumb or middle finger unintentionally. Not saying this is your problem, but it's an anatomy issue for many.
Nope, that's not the problem. Even 1 handed (right) shooting causes the magazine to pop out on first, 2nd, and or 3rd rds. usually, although it varies. I have a collection of 380 and had earlierBG380 2+ years ago. This is a real lemon.
Thanks for sharing. Hope S&W sorts it out. The gun has been out long enough that you would hope they would have a good fix for you. They should have done it right the first time.
One other thing. The 380 has double strike capability. If the round doesn't go off the first time then pull the trigger again before pulling the slide to eject it.
I highlight this in my video and why it is not a good habit to get into.
You don’t have to rack the slide when it doesn’t fire. Just wait snap it again and it will fire. Mine and one of my partners did the exact same thing. Of course, I think quality ammo and new gun break in are the culprits
True. I do make a point of this feature in the video and demonstrate it. There are reasons to rack the slide at the range. First, I want to see the primer and see if it was a light strike, bad primer, or no hit at all. This helps diagnose what is actually going on. Second, I own more than one gun. Since they all have different operating principles, I have adopted a manual of arms that works well enough for all of them. In general, though, if you have a failure to fire, the correct procedure is to get that bad round out as quickly as possible, even on this gun. Second-strike might work, but then "might work" isn't something you want to deal with in a gunfight.
Excellent Review !!!
It's been 5 months since you mentioned the R51, has their been any News ??
One guy with supposedly insider news said that they are in production. That has been this month. Not holding my breath, but that was not really worth an update. I get half excited when the door rings thinking one day it might be my R51... but I'm a hopeless optimist.
Hey: I just came across your video, and I really like the content, especially your comparison of the different 380 Auto pistols. This video does a great job of reviewing the 380 micro pistols. Since time has passed, do you continue to like the S&W Bodyguard 380 for conceal carry? I am in the market for a 380 Auto for CC. Is this pistol still a top recommendation? Many thanks.
I carry a Kel Tec P3AT currently, but I own a Ruger LCP Max. Given my short experience with the LCP Max, I cannot recommend any other .380 on the market. It is a marked improvement over ANYTHING else on the market. It is SLIGHTLY wider and taller than the old LCP, but about the same size as the S&W Bodyguard .380. It is my opinion that if you haven't already bought a single-stack .380, you should definitely buy the Ruger or wait for the other companies to catch up. I said this about the SIG P365 when it first came out. These are game changers.
I love smiths there. So nice
Can you please discuss the safety feature and accessibility for lefties when carrying and firing?
The most basic fact is that the trigger is the safety on this gun. It has a long, heavy trigger pull that prevents accidental discharge. You would want to carry this without the safety on. For any left-handed person, you should manipulate the magazine release with your trigger finger. To release the slide, pull back with your left hand on the slide and release it. There is no need to manipulate the safety ever. For a lefty, it is unnecessary.
Is it less safe without the manual safety? Not really. Most other pistols in this class do not have a manual safety. You don't lose anything by not using it.
By the way, I would not recommend this pistol if you do not already own it. The Ruger LCP II (not the old LCP) is a much better choice these days.
Thank you. Is the one you reviewed, the LCP II version? Also, doesn’t the SW allow for semi-automatic? I thought for the other models required pull back with every discharge?
@@metalpractor5150 No, the LCP II came out after I bought these. Yes, all of these guns operate in semi-auto only. You only have to pull the slide back to load the first round in the magazine.
There was a review on a purchasing site in which somebody claimed to have called Rugar about the LCP II , and they said do not keep a round in the chamber as it can go off if the gun drops... is that therefore supportive of the smith and Wesson bodyguard with the safety? Can Grabbing the gun quickly from it’s holster also lend to grabbing the trigger simultaneously as well ? Thank you for clearing up the question about the firing issue. I therefore don’t understand the mechanical difference in the SM bodyguard as the only one to allow multi trigger? What does this allow for practically? Thank you.
@@metalpractor5150 For all intents and purposes, these guns operate exactly the same. My advice would be to NEVER carry a gun without a round in the chamber. The LCP II is no exception. There was a recall on the earlier LCP, however that does not apply to this firearm. The safety on the S&W is there for sales purposes. Many of the M&P pistols are offered with and without a safety. They can all be safely carried WITHOUT the safety on and WITH a round in the chamber. If you grab the gun with your finger on the trigger, you are violating a cardinal rule of gun safety and, therefore, should not own a gun. Finally, the 'second-strike' ability to pull the trigger and make the hammer fall again is practically useless. In the instance that a cartridge does not go off, you could theoretically pull the trigger again and discharge that cartridge. This is NOT what you should do if you pull the trigger and the gun doesn't go off. There are dozens of other reasons this could happen. The proper thing to do if this happens is ensure the magazine is seated properly and vigorously pull and release the slide. This will clear the non-working round and allow you to fire the next round, yes, but it will also clear the more likely fact that there was no round in the chamber and/or the gun was jammed in some way. Relying on a 'second strike' will get you killed.
I had the Bodyguard and it's way better than the rest you have there. Right out of the box there were no problems and very accurate. My Kahr cw380 ,I can't get that thing to chamber any ammo and the slide lock broke the 2nd time out.. My take down lever on the bodyguard wore and moves out a tiny bit ,just enough to make the trigger miss the trigger bar. Smith& Wesson told me they don't sell that part, No SKU available,. I was told to call around to gunsmiths to see if I can find one. I sold it. Too bad.
Not sure I'd consider that a positive experience if your takedown lever wore out and was causing malfunctions. I have heard mixed experiences with the Khar. These quality issues are not good for the entire class. The Glock 42 is not in the same class. That pistol is much larger... enough to keep it from being a pocket pistol for me.
Since S&W has a lifetime warranty, it seems strange they'd tell you to source the lever locally yourself.
I highly recommend getting the Galloway Precision stronger hammer spring for this gun.
The Magguts for this gun won't hurt either.
The LehighXP round is devastating in .380.
There are other good choices that work well out of the box. The Bodyguard needs to have a stronger hammer spring from the factory. The reason they don't is because they are balancing trigger weight with reliability. A heavier hammer spring means a heavier trigger pull. I like Galloway Precision and I'm doing a review (once TH-cam stops punishing us) on their SD9VE parts in the near future.
If people would get off their touch screen phones and start doing actual physical work they wouldn't have a problem with a harder trigger pull.
We have a generation of wimps!
That's partially true, but then why don't all pistols have 20 pound trigger pulls? The double-action trigger is not particularly old and period criticisms from the first guns seems awful familiar to criticism today. I am a sheet-metal worker by trade, so my hands to not mind it so much, but a lighter trigger pull invariably leads to better accuracy.
RyeOnHam I find that staging the trigger on the Bodyguard really help with accuracy. Like you said in the video, just know your gun.
This is one of the few non-revolvers where I found that I could stage the trigger predictably. I would not recommend practicing that way, though. In a double-action only pistol, you should pull the trigger in one quick-but-smooth pull. It's meant to save your life after all. Staging the trigger is helpful for finding the most inherently accurate load. On a range that allows it, practicing your draw and rapid-fire while moving should comprise a majority of your training.
Tula.ammo is hard on extractors. Like the red tip critical defense by Horandy
You would expect that steel ammo would be all-around harder on a gun, however with the low round count you would be hard pressed to find any difference. Cartridge brass and the mild steel used in these cases is really similar in hardness. Though bare and nickel-plated cases would have friction, almost all modern cases are coated in zinc or some sort of paint, as is the case here.
That said, I think all duty ammo needs to be brass-based. I only shoot Federal HST's in my defense pistols.
The first generation bodyguard 380's were prone to firing pin breakage (Metal Injection Molded) Did S&W fix this issue?
Mine did not have any problems with the firing pin. I do not think that MIM would be appropriate for a firing pin, but I've seen lots of stupidity with MIM on firearms, so it would not surprise me.
more than likely hard primer. those cheap rounds are known for that. anyway it was just a question, don't really agree with you but if it works for you and you think it's quicker more power to you. how many rounds do you have through it so far? any problems other than the few we saw?
Not with any other ammo. Yeah, hard primer and light hammer spring (relatively) combine here. You don't have to agree with me on the second strike, but if you have more than one pistol and one of your pistols does NOT have second strike capability, you're also teaching yourself bad habits. When I teach somebody to shoot, there are always a few snap caps loaded for training. Usually, I get the blank stare where they ask what to do, but most often, they just hammer away at the trigger to try to get it to go off. How many restrikes are enough? 2? 10? Absolutely zero. You teach them to tap, rack and pull the trigger again. That's it. Same for every pistol. Best for any pistol.
What's up with the clip loose
Clip loose?
Few Ruger guns are original designs. The Standard Auto .22 and the Security Six/GP-100/Redhawk are exceptions. There are a few others. Not saying this as a negative...just a fact. Ruger has long established the process of adapting an existing design to modern manufacturing techniques and upgrading to modern materials. I have the S&W BG .380 and have been pleased but for ONE item...the magazine follower. I wish they made it from a more stout material so it would more reliably hold the slide open after the last shot.
I'll completely disagree with your statement. Few Ruger guns are NOT original designs. Many are derivative in shape and many are intended to leverage the popularity of other guns, but they are mostly unique guns. They don't just adapt existing designs, they generally start from scratch. The Ruger 77 was NOT a model 70, but it was designed to LOOK like one. The Mini-14 was not a scaled-down M-14, but it was made to look like one. I can go on, but you may not agree.
It was painful to watch Ruger basically steal the Kel-Tec designs. They WERE better than that.
M77 = Mauser 98. #1 = Farquharsen. Single six/blackhawk = Colt SAA. SR22= Walther. LCP = Keltec. Ruger M1911. Ruger 556. As I stated, Ruger took these existing designs, modernized them with things like coil springs and simplified the manufacturing process to provide a quality firearm at reasonable price. Red Label and Gold Label shotguns were designs copied from existing "round action" shotguns. Not a criticism, I own a bunch of Rugers, just a fact. Ruger has even stated so many times when introducing new products.
I'm only going to agree with you on the Kel-Tec. The M1911 and AR-15 guns are obviously just 1911's and AR-15 and Ruger does not mince words. However, having been inside the M77, M98, Farquharsen, Single Six, Blackhawk, Colt SAA, SR-22, Walther P(OS)22 and several thousand others, I'm going to have to continue to disagree with you. Ruger did make guns that echoed past designs to leverage the look, style, and utility thereof, but they were FAR from copies and most of the time were not even adaptations. If we're talking Bill Ruger, that's one thing. If we're talking Jim Sullivan, that's another. The company, with few exceptions, is the most innovative and diverse gun company that currently exists. No taking that away from them. Just wish they'd get off their keisters and design a pump-action shotgun already.
All in good fun, BTW, Gary. Not arguing here, just debating.
Bodyguard has second strike capability. In your video it did not lool like you tried a 2nd pull on the trigger but ejected instead
That is correct, and I pointed it out in the tabletop portion. This is a review. If the gun doesn't go bang, I want to know if it is a light primer strike or no strike at all. Hard to do on a round that you restrike.
Further, the majority of guns people are buying these days do not have restrike capability. Since this is a review and I do not intend to carry the gun, I did not twist my mind or my manual of arms to fit this gun. Each of these rounds did fire on second strike, though, just after they were ejected, picked up, and inspected.
Thank you. I guess if I'm reading a review I'm looking for all aspects of the firearm whether a reviewer intends to personal use or not. But thnaks for clearing up the '2nd strike' question.
Louis Koestner In my opinion, 2nd strike teaches bad habits. Immediate action should be to slap the magazine home again and rack the slide hard. It is a feature that has little practical application.
Don't disagree. Tap & rack should be part of training regimen for pistol owners. But if I know I'm using a gun with 2nd strike capability I'll use it, especially knowing the Bodyguard is known for light strikes. In the event of a stress situation with most likely short distances involved a 2nd shot opportunity is unlikely with the tap rack maneuver. That's why my personal preference is my 642 J-frame. I'm looking at the bodyguard 380 as pocket carry on t-shirt and athletic shorts days.
Louis Koestner My point is that even though you have that capability, it is of negative value in a fight. The possibility that the round will go off on the second strike is greatly diminished after it didn't the first strike. I carried the 642 for years and still use it as a nightstand gun, however it is MUCH larger and no more effective than a pocket 380. At any rate, it is a personal preference. Having been in a few 'pucker factor' situations, the only thing you have in a fight are adrenaline and muscle memory. Your gun's sights disappear along with any cognitive function. If you have time to think about it, you're not really in that much danger.
Ammo expands from the heat produced. Steel ammo does not contract as quickly as brass. This is why many shooting ranges do not allow steel ammo...causes jams.
1) The case does not expand appreciably because of the heat produced. It expands because of the pressure in side the case. It expands to roughly fit the dimensions of the chamber. Steel cases have less elasticity, so they will tend to remain in the shape of the chamber. Brass, being more elastic, will contract. This contraction happens almost immediately.
2) Shooting ranges that limit steel ammo are limiting the steel BULLETS, not generally the cases. There are few reasons to limit the casings and one of them is NOT how reliable it is in firearms. I find that shooting steel cases will identify guns with weak designs. It is also easier to clean up with a magnet and can be thrown away when you're done.
3) You may be mistaking steel cased ammo with steel bullets. Many cheap bullets have steel jacketed and/or steel cored bullets. These tend to cause damage to backstops. They also spark when they hit rocks and can start fires at outdoor ranges.
Video rating: A plus.
Did you get the light strikes resolved?
I haven't shot it much since the review. I haven't had light strikes with quality ammo, so I believe the issue was with the cheap ammo alone. I trust the gun with quality ammo, but it is what it is. With this few rounds through the gun, it could also be 'break-in' hiccups.
Wait 10 seconds and rack the slide? Why?
In the event of a hangfire, pulling the slide back can, if the timing is bad, cause the cartridge to go off out of battery. Alternately, the gun can go off pointed in an unsafe direction.
Note that in combat or self defense use, you want to do a Tap-rack-bang drill as soon as you realize there is a malfunction. I teach people at the range to wait 10 seconds with the gun pointed downrange, then clear the malfunction. Depending on their experience, I may clear the malfunction for them.
More advanced shooters should learn the Tap-Rack-Bang drill and practice it with dummy rounds placed randomly in the magazine.
at 16:21 you racked the slide with your finger on the trigger is this a okay thing to do?
Your choice. Honestly, I didn't know I was doing it or not. The manual of arms for clearing a round that does not go off is to tap the bottom of the magazine, rack the slide, and pull the trigger again. I kept my finger in the trigger guard both times, but the gun was pointed downrange and I intended to fire the gun, so no safety rules are being violated here, but it is an interesting observation.
Now that I think about it and hold the gun, my finger would slip very near the muzzle racking the slide, so it's probably better if you keep your finger somewhere OTHER than near the muzzle. You will note, however, that pressure on that finger was forward at the time, against the front of the trigger guard. That's the exact same way I cock a double-action revolver, and at the end of that motion, the trigger is a light, single-action not a long, heavy double action.
Check out the (slightly) taller Hickok45 shooting a very much larger .500 S&W Revolver and see how he cocks the gun prior to firing. It's a good analog. th-cam.com/video/J-FG9ZKerGM/w-d-xo.htmlm52s
Thanks for watching. Made me think on it some.
RyeOnHam thanks for the detailed reply!! I only realized it because I paused the video to try and see the bullet but I appreciate the help and I will make sure to check out the video, thanks!
I shoot these videos at 60 frames per second, but I don't think you could see the bullet at that rate. I do have a camera that does VERY low resolution at 1000 fps. You can see it from time to time in some of my videos.
How often should I clean it? After every use?
Personally, I clean all of my collection guns after every use because it might be years before I use them again. For guns I use all the time, it's not as big a deal. In fact, it can be detrimental. I have four .22's that I shoot regularly and I only clean those when they start malfunctioning. If I were to clean them after every use, I think I would wear it out. So, as a rule of thumb, I clean the gun I carry once in the spring around the time the time changes, once on my birthday mid-summer, and once in the fall. It's humid here during the summer. I clean my hunting guns before and after the season and my recreational shooting guns about once a year. I've got enough guns that cleaning them gets to be quite the chore.
All that said, this is a simple gun to clean. You can lock the slide back and just run a wet patch, bore brush, and dry patch through at the range and call it good.
@@RyeOnHam thank you for the information. I just bought one and plan to use it often so I'll take the advice on not cleaning it constantly.
If you wear jean use the watch pocket, it fits!
Watch pocket? You mean the little one at the top of the right front pocket?
change pocket...thats for coins!
I can fit my spare mags in that coin pocket though
nice review I have the bg380 and have grown quite fond of it great little gun 0 issues so far. I was just wondering since this was a review why you didn't try out the second strike capabilities? I haven't been able to myself as no light strikes yet.
Second strike isn't a feature, it's a function. A feature would be something useful. The proper way to treat a light strike is to tap, rack, and fire again. Re-striking wastes time. For the record, I picked up the rounds with the light strikes to examine why they had not gone off. Was it a hard primer or a light strike? Couldn't have been able to tell if I had restruck them.
Very thorough review, but it would be better to use decent ammo for all gun reviews imo. Most people don't carry cheapie ammo. That sort of gave the BG a negative slant which was probably undeserved. Just my thoughts. Keep up the good work, and thanks!
Most people don't practice with match-grade of 'boutique' self-defense ammo. Most people buy a box of what they find at Walmart. If it won't handle that very well, how well do you think it will handle with fancy hollow-point ammo? I'm not using expensive defense ammo for any of my reviews because that is not how people tend to shoot. I've sold thousands of guns and I always give the same advice: shoot a box or two of the same ammo you're going to carry to make sure it works, but you need more practice than that. You should be putting at least a box every few months through the gun. Nobody is going to buy full-house defense loads to do that. I'm not sponsored. It's me: retired and on a fixed income making squat from TH-cam. You buy me a box of ammo, I'll shoot it and make a video about it but right now nobody is coming forward. As it is, I cannot afford to make videos. It takes about two solid 10-hour days (one of scripting and shooting and one of editing and rendering) to make one 10-15 minute video that will not make me any money.
@@RyeOnHam Better late than never; just saw this again. :) I meant no offense, and I don't use "boutique" ammo either. I don't consider brands like Federal, Speer, Fiocchi FMJ ammo anything but regular ammo. I usually carry Hornady American Gunner XTPs in it, again hardly boutique, but of course I also use FMJs for practice. As you say in another reply, not all ammo is the same, which I guess was my point. Mine has been 100% reliable so far, btw, with several kinds and brands of ammo.
We viewers do appreciate the time, effort, and expense that goes into making these videos; thanks and God bless.
@@abc-wv4in Good points.
Does the Body Guard hurt anyone's hand when fired? It kills my hand after 20 rounds.
It isn't as pleasant as a full-sized gun, but neither I nor my friend had any issues with it. Is it hurting like a general numbness, are there pinch points, or is there a particularly sharp area?
RyeOnHam
Actually it's all of the above. My wife recently went to the range and had the same complaint.
Not surprising. Subcompact .380's are not everybody's cup of tea. The LC380 is a better choice, but a bigger pistol. Since it's basically a 9mm sized pistol shooting 380, it is much more comfortable to shoot. You can also look at the Glock, which is similarly larger. I went a different route and initially got a Kel-Tec P32 which is .32 ACP caliber.
The other way of looking at it is that you are only shooting one magazine full usually in any self-defense situation. You can practice with a set of driving gloves and then take the gloves off at the end of the practice session to shoot one or two magazines and that will give you the net benefit of training like you shoot but without the unnecessary pain. I recommend you go out and shoot once every two months or so as a rule of thumb to stay proficient. Hard to do if the gun hurts you that much.
RyeOnHam
Thank you for the information. I will try it next week
I've added a hogue grip to mine it helps
Great review...
Thank you for the kind words.
It’s a double action pistol keep pulling the trigger when it doesn’t go off the first time
Only, no, you don't. First, why did the gun not go off? Was it a squib? Pulling the trigger again MAY get the gun to go off, may blow up the gun, or may do absolutely nothing. On the range, the BEST course of action is to stop and give the gun a few seconds to reduce the chance for hangfire and then eject and examine the round. If it's an empty case, check the barrel. If you are in a gunfight, then use the tap-rack-bang drill.
why would you keep racking the slide ? The gun has a second strike capabilities :-)
If you haven't read the comments, I do not intend to use this as a carry gun. Being so, I am not changing my manual of arms. Beyond that, 'second strike' is not a feature. The proper way to deal with a misfire is to tap, rack, and pull the trigger again. Why? Well, the most common issues will be a failure to extract or bolt overriding the top round which leave you with a spent case or empty chamber respectively. A bad round or hangfire should be cleared, not repeatedly struck.
@@RyeOnHam Well stated.
My bodyguard 380 shoots a one inch group at 21 ft. every time. I did have jams at first but after 250 rounds it is running good. I will shoot 500 more rounds and if it has even one jam it is going back to Smith. I love this gun.
I thought the Kahr is DAO!
No, it's got the same trigger as the Glock or Springfield Armory. It's a pre-set striker. I have a PM9 as well as the CW380 in this video.
@@RyeOnHam Thank you for the info.
try a glock42 you'll love it
The Glock 42 is much larger and didn't fit into my pocket. If I can't have it in my pocket, I might as well be packing my Kahr PM9.
@@RyeOnHam I so agree on that! If it's not tiny, it might as well be a small 9mm which is a better caliber.
You have double strike capabilities with that gun
Of course. To prove a point, though, you have triple-strike capabilities. Also, quadruple-strike. In fact, you can smack that firing pin like Mike Tyson and pray it will go off... or you can do the proper thing and perform an immediate action of tap-rack-bang. THAT is the best way to solve a click-no bang situation.
It's only been recently that 'second strike' capabilities have come up given that most new guns are pre-set triggers like the Glock. Before that, the traditional da/sa triggers ruled the roost. Given all of that and that I was raised on a single-action 1911, I believe that multi-strike capability is a non-feature.
Oh, and Go Steelers! LOL. Just had to add that.
Great video, but I'd take an R51 over the Smith any day of the week.
Not in a pocket, though. Yeah, still not sure how well the R51 will stack up against guns like the Glock 26, Kel-Tec PF9, Kahr PM9, etc. I can tell you, they'll be on my channel if I ever get my R51 back. One thing's for sure, though. The box and magazines are mine! Muhahaha! They don't get those back.
Haha never surrender those little goodies. Sooner or later they'll be collectables (maybe).
My M&P Bodyguard does not have a thumb safety (much to my liking)........
The nice thing about a thumb safety is that you can ignore it and carry the gun as a DAO.
@@RyeOnHam Oh indeed. That is exactly what I do when I carry my Taurus G2C 9mm....
Nice gun ! STEEL AMMO IS JUNK!!!....I never use in my guns!
To be fair, it was the primers that failed to go off. The case had nothing to do with it. In high-pressure rifle rounds, you often get the steel cases sticking to the side of the chamber, but that is just as often the bad coating on the case as it is the steel itself. The mild steel used in these cases performs very similar to the brass. I would agree that these particular rounds had primers that were WAY too insensitive.
The Ruger LCP II is striker fired. The Smith is hammer fired. And don’t talk about Kant’s or Keltecs.
What's a "Kant". The Khar is striker-fired, but the LCP is hammer fired. The LCP II is also striker fired? Are you confusing them with the LC-9S? That's a different pistol entirely, and not the subject of the comparison I'm making in this video. At any rate, these are all valid options for a person looking for pocket carry. All credible.
The LCP-II, which I do not own, is, indeed, HAMMER-fired, as is the LCP in my video.
I have this gun and it Rarely make it though a clip without misfiring, not a good gun for its purpose, I have an LCP and it works very well, no Contest for me.
My daily carry is still a Kel-Tec P3AT, the gun Ruger ripped off to make the LCP. Yeah, I've been disappointed overall with the Bodyguard's showing on the market. S&W needs to step up their subcompact .380 game. Ruger OWNS the market with the new LCP Max. Still running that one through its paces to replace my P3AT.
@@RyeOnHam
You bash Ruger for copying the Keltec but in the same breath you’re replacing your keltec with the Ruger
The gun itself is nice but S&W customer service to work with you when the laser brakes is terrible. Not happy with them
Yeah, the built-in laser was bound to be an issue. I thought it was a bad idea from the beginning. Tough to hear you had issues with yours and S&W wasn't good about servicing them. Did they make it right eventually?
@@RyeOnHam no. Only if I send the firearm in. It's just the laser that comes out. A couple of years ago that would just send the laser. Does NOT stop the firearm from working. It's my carry one and I don't want to go without it. It's just the principle of it. And if they change it to crimson it will be 50 bucks when they were doing for free under warrantee. I'll NEVER own another Smith.
Nice review but maybe you should have cleaned the barrel before doing this video
Okay.
How do these compare in size to the Colt Mustang?
The S&W BG380 is slightly smaller than the smallest of the Mustang PocketLites. It is also a couple of ounces lighter and it's double-action only. It shares the same locking system and good sights, IIRC. I have not personally owned a Mustang, but I have had a few in inventory at various times.
Have BG stainless engraved slide.Great get off me gun
Not a credible review. The Ruger is striker and the Smith is hammer. That is difference one. The Ruger has a trigger safety while the Smith has a hammer safety. The Smith has sights that you can replace. The Ruger does not.
What Ruger are you talking about, Matt? The LCP is hammer fired and has no trigger or firing pin safety. Please at least do a Google search first. Also, I'm doing a review of the BodyGuard comparing it to other guns in the same size class, not IDENTICAL guns with IDENTICAL features. If you're a S&W fanboy, the good news is that I both liked and recommended the BodyGuard 380. Please respond.
Points out second strike Capability. Doesn’t use it during the firing demo.
Why the fuck should I? Second-strike is useless. I've never said anything other than that.
1:42 The mythical "stopping power" does NO exist for pistol calibers. FBI findings, not mine.
Ah, well, you should make a video about that.
your finger is wrapped around the trigger.
Please tell me how I can reduce the size of my finger so it does not? Not all of us have tiny hands.
Worse trigger pull ever!
Bad, but certainly not the worst that I have felt.
Great review!
Thanks!