I appreciate that you cover "budget" guns in some of your reviews. This is the price range many people are in (including myself), and you are helping them not waste their hard earned money on junk. Thank you
I love reviewing "budget" guns and they always get more views than my more "expensive" gun reviews. I will get 7000 views on a $3000 Staccato pistol video and over 200,000 views on a cheap Kel-Tec P17 .22 pistol review. You're right, many people are interested in budget guns and I'm glad I am able to purchase and review budget firearms and give my honest opinion. Thank you for the great comment..... I really do appreciate it.
I've had one for a year, put several hundred rounds through it, never noticed the cyclinder not turning on first shot, did notice it always went bang. That's what counts for me.
I would think that the cylinder not turning on the first shot could be an advantage in a defensive situation if the bad guy grabbed your gun and prevented the cylinder from spinning and the gun going boom. But, if that was an intentional thought of S&W it would do it 100% of the time. Great video, brother!
Mine did the exact same thing and eventually locked up completely. I had to send it in for factory repair twice. The first time, the revolver was returned to me in even worse condition and they sent me a letter claiming I did not know how to shoot a revolver. After the second time and my included letter telling them I have been shooting S & W revolvers since 1977, they repaired it. Now it works fine
I love how they assumed you were dumb out of nowhere. Even if you were a new gun owner, that wouldn't mean that you didn't do your research beforehand.
Did you practice with snap caps by any chance? Mine locked up too after about 250+ practice trigger pulls with the Tipton snap-caps. The hammer pin on these BG38s is thin and sharp like a needle so it was chipping the brass off the cheap snap caps. I didn't think much of it until it completely locked up, presumably from all the brass dust accumulating inside (outside too which I would wipe off after practicing). They repaired it without any explanation but since then I've only used the A-Zoom snapcaps to be on the safe side. Although since then I haven't shot it much either, fearing it might lock up again :/
Your content is so engaging because there are no wasted words. No fluff. And you're honest about what you like and what you don't. You are also safety and enviromentally concious. A great ambassador for your beloved sport/hobby! 🤘🇺🇲
I'm happy with my Taurus revolvers which has always performed well for me. My first revolver was also in 1977 , it was a Ruger Super Blackhawk with the longest barrel available at that time which I believe was 11 inches or so. I paid like 280.00 for that new 44 and I wish I would have bought 10 of them and put away as an investment but when you are 19 in 1977 you just don't know what the future holds. Great video once again.Thanks.
It sounds like you and I have the same taste! My first revolver was a 73 Ruger Blackhawk my dad got when he came back from Vietnam. I just bought my first Taurus 856 2 inch barrel with the bobbed hammer!
Its has a plastic frame. The Ruger LCR should be in the same price area but is a couple hundred more. If you have one of these and compare to a metal J frame you would know the difference real fast, My J frame snubs all have great triggers. But a snub K Fame has an excellent trigger.
I bought one of these in August of 21. I'm glad you gave a revue no one else have done. Enjoy the gun a friend offered to buy it for his wife. Every once in awhile my cylinder doesn't spin on the first firing but it never misfired. I do like the gun, thanks for the info.
@@anthonymancini5319 sir my husband bought me one before he passed away and I haven't even tried using it yet but plan on going to the place to practice. I have a question. I've gotten it out and I can't find the safety on it. Would you help me with this? Thank you.
My thoughts are that it is working the way it was designed to. Why would you need the cylinder to rotate for the first shot? It takes a split second of time for that to occur when you probably have a fully loaded chamber and one under the hammer already. It’s a new way of approaching this but it makes sense when you think about it.
Ok so several years ago I traded my 642 in for a Bodyguard.38 and here’s why. The Bodyguard has a smaller grip that has a higher cushion making it slightly more comfortable to shoot. The thinner grip makes it easier for conceal. The 642 grip snagged on a lot of clothing. The cylinder release on the Bodyguard makes using speed loaders a bit easier. I’ve never had a problem with mine. I also like that it’s comfortable in iwb, owb, pocket holster and bellyband. Great content as always. Keep it coming 👍
Are you sure you’ve never had a problem. This is what S&W is counting on. No one looks at the cylinder when shooting. To see the failure you have to actually watch for it. Since every single one has this problem, my guess is yours does also, and you haven’t noticed.
Chose this as my first carry revolver for the same reasons listed. Everything else on the market has significantly wider and taller grips. These grips make this thing unnoticeable in appendix
@@shawnm6411 i never noticed that this gun did the no move cylinder thing lol! it always goes bang when I fire it though! I'd rather have an old stainless S&W but this one works. it's a backup anyway.
S&W has a whole line of revolvers in the Bodyguard family. I have the Model 49 Bodyguard in 38 special. Love that little J frame. I fired a friends M&P Bodyguard and I found it had a very long trigger pull. They may have fixed that in a later version. He bought the M&P Bodyguard when it first came out. Thanks for the video , enjoyed it.
I was told that it was engineered not to rotate on the first trigger squeeze. The hammer falls on the cylinder immediately beneath it. That is supposed to make the first squeeze lighter because it's all double action. It always begins rotating on the second squeeze. I'm not sure if that's accurate. I've never had a problem with mine, but it's weird to me. I prefer my 36.
@@mixup98 Exactly. Weird but it works. I tend to stay away from light frame revolvers. LEOs used to like them being lightweight for running after suspects but I have heard the horror stories from LEOs of them failing to fire from frame wear. I will take durability over lighter weight every time. Thanks for sharing.
Is the first pull actually lighter when it doesn’t spin? Seems like a more complex design to force no spin on the first shot to get a better trigger pull.
Does make sense tho and it's just locking up on the first spin when it does. I'd say that is prob right. And when it had engaged he was playing with it. And it may be a design flaw that it doesn't not rotate all the time. Either way it would only make the trigger pull harder the times it does. It must cam to the rear or something after the trigger is pulled. I wonder if u short pull and then rest if it would be enough to make it lock. I never played or took one apart
Did your Bodyguard .380 give you trouble? I have the engraved bg 380 and have had no problems, it's a little hard to rack the slide and has a long heavy trigger pull with a long reset. But I carry it in a sticky pocket holster. I will carry it because it's easy to conceal and 7 rounds of .380 is nothing to joke about.
I love my little bodyguard revolver. After a little practice I'm hitting well from 15 yds out. I have it in the lower fairing in my bike as backup gun. Mine has the laser but I don't use it. I painted the front sight bright orange which helped a lot with sight picture acquisition. i use Hornady +P hollow points in it. Got app. 800 rds through it with no issue whatsoever.
I bought this puppy like 5 years ago because it works out for my wife since she's left-handed and the release is up top. Never had an issue with it. I reload 38s and have shot a few thousand rounds through it, not one hiccup.😊
I'm not a fan of Air-Weight firearms, in general. So, I've always just looked this model over. I honestly thought that plastic thumb toggle on top was the hammer, LOL. Like a no-snag hammer. I didn't realize it was the cylinder release. I have a Taurus 905 (9mm 5-shot) that I absolutely love. I just haven't given these much consideration. But thank you for featuring it today. Stay safe.
Got one when they first came out and have had no issues with it. Period. Good trigger, lighter weight compared to steel, fires every time and has a smooth DA pull. I replaced the front sight with a night sight and installed a new set of larger Hogue Overmolded grips more suited to my hands. The oversized grips make the perceived recoil less snappy and the night sight raises the POI. Shoots dead on with 158 grain bullets. Great little revolver.
Good review but I, too, find the non spinning cylinder a little disconcerting. That's me being old-fashioned. I would certainly get over it if my revolver always went BANG when it's supposed to!
One thing that is good about these, is they come with the classic panel sized grips. It's a great revolver for a female. The trigger pull and those panel sized grips are great for someone with small hands.
First of all, other than Paul Harrell's channel, yours is the only TH-cam gun channel I like (or I can stand) because you are not a self-aggrandizing narcissist, you talks plain and make sense, AND you pick up your brass and other trash. Now, to be honest, I am 65 years old, so I am also an old fart, and maybe that has something to do with it. But I would bet that I would really like to go shooting with you. Now, about the S&W Bodyguard .38, I am currently waiting ten days to pick one up I just bought (we have a 10-day waiting period in California which IS a good idea). I was going to buy a S&W 642 double-action-only snubbie until I saw this review and realized that it would be exactly what I wanted and, hell, if it's good enough for mixup98 it's good enough for me. In the past I have bought and then sold two S&W 637s (which, as you know, is a snub-nosed, aluminum framed, air weight with an exposed hammer) because I just couldn't shoot them well, and, besides, the exposed hammer made them less-than-perfect pocket guns. But I have been having that .38, snub-nosed, Smith & Wesson itch again lately and finally decided to scratch it when some discretionary funds turned up. I think I have done it in such a way that the Minister of Finance (a.k.a. the wife) won't find out. She doesn't have a problem with guns, but she has a problem with me spending $500+ dollars on something I don't need--which is the case of yet-another pistol here in Southern California where it is considered rude to bring a gun to the Kumbaya sing along/drum circle/aromatherapy/Pilates class. The pistol was $419.00, but here in California we have a 11% added tax on firearms in addition to sales tax, and a background check fee of about $$7 and the dealer tacked on $9 for a handling fee--which is kind-of odd since a "dealer" is a "handler." I also am fond of Smith and Wesson revolvers. I have owned seven over they years. As you probably know by now, the "failure of the cylinder to rotate" is not a flaw, although it is dependent upon whether you rotate the cylinder clockwise or counter-clockwise to lock it up after you load it. Russ
The whole intro my wife was saying over and over" just shoot it, it's probably fine". Then it was fine, what have you done to me man. I think I'm going to have to start watching outside.
@@jsj297 I love that the "real" Bodyguards (38 and 49 and my 638) let you have the option of a single action shot for those aimed, long distance shots (wing and a prayer) when you have time. Metal frames will last a lifetime, polymer who knows. I'll stay old school.
I just read the manual. Twice. Clearly says the cylinder will rotate every time you pull the trigger. I gather from the manual, the lockwork won't spin the cylinder unless the trigger goes all the way forward after firing.
I always appreciate you reviewing the inexpensive guns to see if they are built well. It sounds like it functions, though I would really like to know what mechanism causes it to rotate sometimes and not at others.
I picked up the S&W Md 38 back in the 70s and have carried it for years always with an Ankle holster. This has always been one of my favorite carry guns. Probably because of the Ankle holster. I have put hundreds of rounds through it and inside of 50 feet it’s a tack driver.
My thoughts is that the star device is not engaged with the cylinder when the cylinder is re closed, and the bolt is stopping the cylinder from rotating to engage the star.
He closed the cylinder and made sure the cylinder was locked up by trying to rotate it both ways, so the cylinder had to have been locked up in position.
I have a charter arms 38 undercover. It shoots ok, but the cylinder feels sloppy and doesn't lock up tight. Do you have any experience with charter arms? @mixup98
I remember seeing these before covid w/o the laser going for $260 , I just didn't like the cylinder release and the grips were small in my hands. A indoor range had the one with the laser to rent , which I tried it . I had bought my 638 before for $367 at a rural king and didn't see a need for the new body guard . Nice to see some revolver action
I bought a Bodyguard around 2014 (I think) when I got my Texas CC license, still carry this bad boy around the house everyday. It’s never missed a beat/failed. Very reliable!
@@mixup98 If that was sugar root beer you will have flies on your hat even after you wash your shirt. As a bus driver I learned to only bring diet sodas so that when it spilled there was no sticky residue........................elsullo
Had mine almost a year and love it. Not a single issue after a couple hundred rounds. Not fun to shoot, it hurts and trigger is heavy but it serves a purpose as a daily concealed carry where IWB or pocket is not an option.
My S&W 638 STANK. I replaced the spring, but it still had a terrible trigger pull. I'm not a "girly man". I should have gone to a gunsmith to see if it had a mechanical oroblem.
The one i have seems to rotate the cylinder first trigger pull. Its fired every time. I changed the grip to a hogue grip i got for $30. Really helped with comfort and accuracy. I love how light it is for summer carry. Think u might have gotten a bad one unfortunately. Love the videos!
Mixup: Another You Tube poster (HillBilly Musings) described this rotation issue and showed that after closing if you rotate the cylinder "counter clockwise" to engage the cylinder stop to lock up, then it will engage with the star that rotates the cylinder and will rotate as usual on first trigger pull. As opposed to manually rotating it clockwise. Apparently a quirk of the "handless" design 😯Doris
Hello Doris. I pulled out my Bodyguard and rotated the cylinder counter clockwise and guess what? The cylinder did lock up and rotate correctly when I pulled the trigger. I did it several dozen times and it locked up each time. I wish S&W would mention this in the owners manual. I will do an update video in the future on this revolver and I will be sure to mention this technique. Thank you so much....I really appreciate the info.
@@mixup98 My pleasure always glad to be of help or contribute but the real thanks should go to "Hillbilly Musings" for pointing it all out. I looked to see if he ever discussed it with S&W, as he said he planned to, but apparently he got rid of his BG-38 as per a subsequent comment reply on his video. Looking forward to to your next video as always. 👍💗 Doris
Its not "handless" the hand is internal, so less dirt can come in. I think its a good design for a pocket carry. Same with the hammer what some call hammerless but of course it has a hammer its just internal.
Every time the Cylinder is swung out, the revolver cylinder does not rotate. But the hammer will still strike the primer making the gun go boom, then the second pull rotates the cylinder until the cylinder is swung out and reloaded. starting the process over. I think this may be how it was designed.
It is. I sent mine back because it did this, and received a letter from a higher up with a pictorial explanation stating it was designed to do just that.
So, I bought one of these recently after having watched this video and have about 200 rounds through it so far without issue. I tried to recreate the cylinder rotate/not rotate issue and here's what I found (just my experience; not a Smith or a revolver expert). The cylinder rotates clockwise or to the right as explained, and when you close the cylinder if it doesn't lock, then rotate counterclockwise or to the left and it will rotate the cylinder every time. If you rotate to the right when not locked (which I was used to doing with my Rugers) it will NOT rotate with a trigger pull. If it happens to lock when you close the cylinder then it rotates every time also. These are results with about 15 tries each way FWIW. Don't profess to know the design of the mechanism but this seems an easy way to train myself for peace of mind.
Well, that sure is a departure from the tried, true, and traditional revolver action to be sure. Look, ma - no hand. Why that star-shaped mechanism might advance the cylinder on the first shot only intermittently is a head-scratcher. I guess that as long as it lights the first round up in the rotation and continues to cycle them into battery with subsequent trigger presses, all is well. The redesigned cylinder release would take me some getting used to, but I think it wouldn't take long for this old dog to learn that new trick. Nice review, as usual. Stay safe out there.
I thought I was going to really hate the thumb release but I actually liked it once I got used to it. The release is fast, easy to push and works very well. Thanks for the compliment and you also stay safe.
My Bodyguard does the same thing I can get it to spin after closing the cylinder if I rotate it counter clockwise while closing it. if I line it up clock wise it will lock up and not rotate until the 2nd shot .
off topic ... speaking of inexpensive revolvers .... 35 years ago, I bought a Taurus 82, a 4" .38 cal, 6 shot revolver. Only fired maybe 1000 rds through it, and for some reason I sold it off. Kicking myself for years wanting a good cheap revolver. I saw a YT clip recently talking about the Taurus 82, finding that they are still making them. A rubber grip, black parkerized instead of blued ... but the same weapon ... for under $400 so I bought it. Feels more comfortable, but just like it did 35 years ago.
A blued steel 82 with wood grips was my first gun in the early nineties and I really wish I still had it. I also owned a model 65 in 357. Both were excellent!!
I bought the original laser version of this in 2012, and it wouldn’t fire every other round sometimes. I’m pretty sure it was rotating but just not hitting the primer, basically skipping every other round, but it only did it sometimes. I sent it back to S&W, who replaced the hand, but it immediately did the same thing again. I sent it back a second time and S&W returned it saying nothing was wrong, so I immediately sold it. I haven’t owned another S&W, but that left a bad taste in my mouth about the company.
What I like about this one is, longer ejector rod, shrouded ejector , exchangable front sight.The closed rubber grip (no open back frame). Even the internal hand system is a good idea, because less dirt get into the mechanics. So a lot of good features the 442/642 doesnt have!!! But that the cylinder sometimes doesnt spin isnt good. And that S&W even said everything is allright is crazy. But as long its always only the first pull and its fires anyhow it shouldnt be a problem.
I think you gave a pretty honest review. I couldn’t tell you why the cylinder didn’t rotate on the first press either. I like S&W revolvers and thought this version of the Bodyguard was going to be a good answer to the Ruger LCP. On the range, I watched one individual consistently hitting at the bottom of a silhouette target at five and seven yards. Since it was a LEO qualification course, I cautioned the shooter between strings to aim center mass. Shooter claimed they were. I ended up stopping the course intent on providing some instruction but decided first to fire the gun myself to disprove any claims that it was the gun, not the shooter.. Turned out to be the one time in my years as an instructor that it actually was the gun. On inspection, I found the front sight was horribly loose and flopping around on the pin. I don’t know if it shipped with the loose sight or if the owner decided to perform some “enhancements,” but the shooter replaced it with an “affordable” pistol from another manufacturer and ended up terminating the warranty trying to fix something instead of sending it back. Anyway, as usually, an informative video.
Mine locked up after about 250+ practice trigger pulls. I think from using cheap snap-caps but I can't be certain, they repaired it without an explanation. The cylinder doesn't rotate intermittently after closing it just like your experience. I wish I'd gotten a 642 instead but I really wanted the laser and the BG38 with a built-in laser was much cheaper and a better design than the grip style laser. The trigger felt better too and the Hogue grip + wadcutters really made it a great light-weight, lower recoil pocket carry option when not wanting to carry my M&P shield. Still a little unsure how much to trust it, some people have put over a 1000 rds without an issue. If you do keep it or while you have it please let us know your thoughts after you've put over 1k rounds through it.
I love mine. it is the one I carry with me, I am a huge fan of being only double action being as it is my concealed carry choice and it helps it be a little more compact with not having a hammer
I had the same issue. It eventually would only spin once every 10 pulls. And then even worse, it completely locked up where the trigger was stuck and the cylinder would not release. Sent it back to S&W but haven't shot it since.
I had the same problem with the Bodyguard 38 revolver as you describe (cylinder does not rotate when you pull the trigger). Many people have commented on this on the internet. S&W either does not know about this problem or does not care. The factory has no fix for the problem, however, according to the owner's manual, it is supposed rotate every time the trigger is pulled. From the owner's manual: "The M&P® Bodyguard®38 has a double action only mechanism, wherein the shooter fully pulls the trigger to the rear, causing the internal hammer to fully cycle rearward, the cylinder to turn and then the internal hammer to release - firing the cartridge. There is no external hammer spur. This revolver cannot be fired in single action mode by manually cocking the hammer."
Hello again sir! That's an interesting quirk ; I'm not sure I've ever seen a revolver, randomly not cycle the cylinder. But hey,...you went to length to prove that it bangs every time you pull the trigger and that's what we like. By the way, there's worse things to smell like than RootBeer...just sayin. lol Good to see you today and stay blessed my friend!!
Mine was a disaster. After the 7th time returning it for repair, I just traded it in. Five of the seven times, There would be a crunchy feel and then the cylinder release would not work and the trigger would not function. Too bad - the trigger was smooth and lighter than a new J frame. the ejector was also longer providing better ejection. Once returned immediately after getting it back from repair for an obviously cross threaded screw. Once because the cylinder would pop open no matter how carefully I closed and assured the cylinder was locked up.
Excellent video on the S&W 38 Bodyguard revolver if you look around you could find one for $400 + Tax the other models 442,etc. go for $549 and up but the bodyguard much better just replace the grip with larger grips 😮
I’ve had one for a number of years. It’s been 💯% reliable. I’ve ccw’d it many times. I do have a few reservations about it. I think the polymer frame makes me nervous. And the cylinder release has a real hokey feel to it-like it’s not going to hold up long term. I’ll keep it but I’m really playing with the idea of getting a 360 PD. The price of course is what has made me hesitant (no pun intended) to pull the trigger on it. I’m pretty sure I’ll eventually give in and get one. But I actually can’t claim to have had any real problems with the bodyguard. It’s been a good weapon. Especially for ccw. I damn near forget I have it on me sometimes it’s so light and comfortable.
I like that the bodyguard has a significantly longer ejection rod that is also shrouded as well as the pinned front sight. Those alone are big improvements to me.
A little over 10 years ago, when I bought my first snubby, I chose a 442 over a Bodyguard. I was later told by S&W customer service that I'd chosen the better gun. My favorite carry gun now, is my Charter Arms Undercover, followed by my Rock Island Armory m 206. I'd sure love to see a comparison video of those guns, plus a Taurus 85 or 856.
Except for the Taurus Model 85 I happen to own all the other revolvers that you mention in your comment, except my S&W is actually a Model 642 and yes, it is a better revolver than the Bodyguard. If I could only own one of the firearms mentioned it would be the Taurus Model 856 revolver. Here is my comparison video that I did between the Rock Island 206 and the Taurus Model 856: th-cam.com/video/J1KFOSAk72Y/w-d-xo.html
Yeah, this and the Charter Arms South Paw have some appeal for lefties. It's nice that there are two revolver options more optimal for our Southpaw friends.
I would have been all over this gun had it been out when I was on the job as a left-handed cop. As it were, my BU/OD gun was a Charter Arms Undercover, bought the day I got my badge back in the 80s. It was years before the Southpaw came out. When I first handled one, I only thought, "this would really mess me up." I had had too much experience with "normal" revolvers, and my primary sidearm was still one, so that's what I stuck with.
I own and carry that, I've had it almost 5 years now, I got it on sale for $350.00. I've never shot it. I put a Houge Grip on it. I like the fact that it's ambidextrous, the crane arm goes into the frame and I like the black finish on it. As long as it goes bang when you need it to.
How do you know it will work if you do need it? You don’t even know where it will hit. The rudimentary sights on these guns don’t usually hit exactly to the point of aim. It’s important to practice with something you are relying on to save your life.
@@oleukeman It's the type of gun that you pull when/if you absolutely have to. Remember, it's also designed for short range. Most self defense situations are most likely gonna happen at pretty short distance.
Do you have access to the old model S&W bodyguard? If I remember correctly, the shrouded hammer could be cocked in single action. It would be neat if you could compare this to your new bodyguard. The old model was often carried by government officials in our area. They preferred its compact size and they said that it could be fired out of a coat pocket without having the hammer snag on clothing. Great video Mixup!! Have a great week!!
I've had this firearm since it was released. I did have to send it back to S&W for the cylinder rotation and trigger issues. They repaired it no questions asked. I have not had any problems since. Admittedly, no one wants to have to send their firearm back to the manufacture and it's not good that you are having similar issues this many years since it's release.
I recently bought one same thing. I have not noticed that issue as you describe, but also I haven't shot it many times either. Now I'm curious about this.
Awesome Mx《☆》Wow 77k views👍🏾😁🤳It's funny how the S&W fanboys luv to hate this gun. I've had mine for 5 years. The only thing I hate is that it's a 5 shot. It's got the Insight Laser but I put an XS Big Dot Tritium sight on it since the Laser isn't grip activated. It's a great gun to slip inside my Leather Vest pocket when I'm on my Motorcycle. Take care & Happy New Year Brother✌🏼😎☯️
By the way, I shot my new Springfield Armory Garrison 1911 .45 4.25" barrel last week at the range with my pastor. We both think it is our favorite gun now. I invite him to shoot with me every so often. We are acquainted with S&W Shield 9mm EZ, SP101s, Glock 26, 43X and 48. Anyways, we really liked shooting the .45 better than the rest. I am wondering if you think stag or bone grips are worthwhile for pistols. I imagine the ones with a lot of "bark" would provide some more grip. I don't know that I need the extra grip on my guns though.
I haven't seen one piece of S&W literature that says that this revolver was designed this way. This is a double-action-only revolver and It can't fire in single action mode if there is no hammer to cock back.
@@mixup98By 1st Round SA, I think he means that on the first pull, the Trigger only works on the Striker. But on subsequent pulls it works on the Striker AND Cylinder.
The old S&W bodyguard “humpback” in my opinion is much better and often is much cheaper. Most used bodyguards have been carried a lot but seldom fired.
I appreciate that you cover "budget" guns in some of your reviews. This is the price range many people are in (including myself), and you are helping them not waste their hard earned money on junk. Thank you
I love reviewing "budget" guns and they always get more views than my more "expensive" gun reviews. I will get 7000 views on a $3000 Staccato pistol video and over 200,000 views on a cheap Kel-Tec P17 .22 pistol review. You're right, many people are interested in budget guns and I'm glad I am able to purchase and review budget firearms and give my honest opinion. Thank you for the great comment..... I really do appreciate it.
@@mixup98 I've been considering purchase of this gun until I watched your video. Many thanks for this :)
@@marcinszemraj7468 You are very welcome and I'm glad to help.
A person buys a revolver for reliability. If the revolver hasn't got this then what is the point. This is a disgrace.
@@juergenholscher5177it fired every time…. Wtf lol
I've had one for a year, put several hundred rounds through it, never noticed the cyclinder not turning on first shot, did notice it always went bang. That's what counts for me.
It doesnt like being dry fired but if you break the hammer block they send you a new one for free
Love hearing the shots echo off the mountains around you after each shot. Sounds like music to my ears lol
I would think that the cylinder not turning on the first shot could be an advantage in a defensive situation if the bad guy grabbed your gun and prevented the cylinder from spinning and the gun going boom. But, if that was an intentional thought of S&W it would do it 100% of the time. Great video, brother!
The guy who sees the single round lined up with the bore and thinks he's winning that game of Russian Roulette....
😁😁😢
@@mixup98🤯😂
I’m 19 and have loved your videos for years! Thank you Mixup, God bless you and your family!
Mine did the exact same thing and eventually locked up completely. I had to send it in for factory repair twice. The first time, the revolver was returned to me in even worse condition and they sent me a letter claiming I did not know how to shoot a revolver. After the second time and my included letter telling them I have been shooting S & W revolvers since 1977, they repaired it. Now it works fine
Even WORST condition huh?
I love how they assumed you were dumb out of nowhere. Even if you were a new gun owner, that wouldn't mean that you didn't do your research beforehand.
@@peternorth1721 A typo
@@peternorth1721 🤣
Did you practice with snap caps by any chance? Mine locked up too after about 250+ practice trigger pulls with the Tipton snap-caps. The hammer pin on these BG38s is thin and sharp like a needle so it was chipping the brass off the cheap snap caps. I didn't think much of it until it completely locked up, presumably from all the brass dust accumulating inside (outside too which I would wipe off after practicing). They repaired it without any explanation but since then I've only used the A-Zoom snapcaps to be on the safe side. Although since then I haven't shot it much either, fearing it might lock up again :/
I have a model 37 I’ve had for 36 years, a 642 i bought 2 years ago. Love em! Love Smith and Wesson revolvers!
Your content is so engaging because there are no wasted words. No fluff. And you're honest about what you like and what you don't. You are also safety and enviromentally concious. A great ambassador for your beloved sport/hobby! 🤘🇺🇲
Mixup is right up there with hickock45...i hope im half this cool when im older
I purchased the Body Guard when it was first released, Never an issue. Thank You for sharing, Always Great content.
I owned S&W M-49 and M-36 in 1974 never had a quality issue.
A person buys a revolver for reliability. If the revolver hasn't got this then what is the point. This is a disgrace.
@@juergenholscher5177man I guess you really didn’t listen to the entire video lol
Love mine. No issues what so ever and I've shot it a LOT. Crimson site is great too. Its so small and light it goes everywhere with me.
I'm happy with my Taurus revolvers which has always performed well for me. My first revolver was also in 1977 , it was a Ruger Super Blackhawk with the longest barrel available at that time which I believe was 11 inches or so. I paid like 280.00 for that new 44 and I wish I would have bought 10 of them and put away as an investment but when you are 19 in 1977 you just don't know what the future holds. Great video once again.Thanks.
It sounds like you and I have the same taste! My first revolver was a 73 Ruger Blackhawk my dad got when he came back from Vietnam. I just bought my first Taurus 856 2 inch barrel with the bobbed hammer!
A person buys a revolver for reliability. If the revolver hasn't got this then what is the point. This is a disgrace.
Hello sir from Israel (I have commented in the past). I am surprised that this is S&W cheapest revolver, it actually looks cool and nice
Its has a plastic frame. The Ruger LCR should be in the same price area but is a couple hundred more. If you have one of these and compare to a metal J frame you would know the difference real fast, My J frame snubs all have great triggers. But a snub K Fame has an excellent trigger.
I bought one of these in August of 21. I'm glad you gave a revue no one else have done. Enjoy the gun a friend offered to buy it for his wife. Every once in awhile my cylinder doesn't spin on the first firing but it never misfired. I do like the gun, thanks for the info.
@@anthonymancini5319 sir my husband bought me one before he passed away and I haven't even tried using it yet but plan on going to the place to practice. I have a question. I've gotten it out and I can't find the safety on it. Would you help me with this? Thank you.
@shellyoliver6173 sorry to inform you it does not have a safety.
My thoughts are that it is working the way it was designed to. Why would you need the cylinder to rotate for the first shot? It takes a split second of time for that to occur when you probably have a fully loaded chamber and one under the hammer already. It’s a new way of approaching this but it makes sense when you think about it.
Ok so several years ago I traded my 642 in for a Bodyguard.38 and here’s why. The Bodyguard has a smaller grip that has a higher cushion making it slightly more comfortable to shoot. The thinner grip makes it easier for conceal. The 642 grip snagged on a lot of clothing. The cylinder release on the Bodyguard makes using speed loaders a bit easier. I’ve never had a problem with mine. I also like that it’s comfortable in iwb, owb, pocket holster and bellyband. Great content as always. Keep it coming 👍
Are you sure you’ve never had a problem. This is what S&W is counting on. No one looks at the cylinder when shooting. To see the failure you have to actually watch for it. Since every single one has this problem, my guess is yours does also, and you haven’t noticed.
@@shawnm6411 im checking mine lol. it always goes bang so far.
Chose this as my first carry revolver for the same reasons listed. Everything else on the market has significantly wider and taller grips. These grips make this thing unnoticeable in appendix
I’ve owned it for years, many rounds through it and never a problem
@@shawnm6411 i never noticed that this gun did the no move cylinder thing lol! it always goes bang when I fire it though! I'd rather have an old stainless S&W but this one works. it's a backup anyway.
S&W has a whole line of revolvers in the Bodyguard family. I have the Model 49 Bodyguard in 38 special. Love that little J frame. I fired a friends M&P Bodyguard and I found it had a very long trigger pull. They may have fixed that in a later version. He bought the M&P Bodyguard when it first came out. Thanks for the video , enjoyed it.
👍😎
I miss the Star Trek beam down.
Me too lol
Scottie has been ill.
Thanks for the feedback. I will try to beam down more often 👍😎
Just once I would love to see him start a video by landing in the desert in a flying saucer 😂
@@bennythargrave That just might happen someday! 👍😎 👍👽
I was told that it was engineered not to rotate on the first trigger squeeze. The hammer falls on the cylinder immediately beneath it. That is supposed to make the first squeeze lighter because it's all double action. It always begins rotating on the second squeeze. I'm not sure if that's accurate. I've never had a problem with mine, but it's weird to me. I prefer my 36.
that's exact what i was thinking, after watching more of the vid it doing it intermittently is completely unacceptable
I would think that if it were engineered to not rotate on the first trigger pull then this action would be 100% consistent, which it isn't.
@@mixup98 Exactly. Weird but it works. I tend to stay away from light frame revolvers. LEOs used to like them being lightweight for running after suspects but I have heard the horror stories from LEOs of them failing to fire from frame wear. I will take durability over lighter weight every time. Thanks for sharing.
Is the first pull actually lighter when it doesn’t spin? Seems like a more complex design to force no spin on the first shot to get a better trigger pull.
Does make sense tho and it's just locking up on the first spin when it does. I'd say that is prob right. And when it had engaged he was playing with it. And it may be a design flaw that it doesn't not rotate all the time. Either way it would only make the trigger pull harder the times it does. It must cam to the rear or something after the trigger is pulled. I wonder if u short pull and then rest if it would be enough to make it lock. I never played or took one apart
Thousands of rounds through mine. 16oz fully loaded. True pocket carry. Striker fired. Do Not DryFire without Snap Caps!
I had the .380 Bodyguard.
I think S&W owes us an apology.
They also need to get competitive with what comes in the box and give us a DAMN CASE!!
Why would you want to pay extra for a "damn case" for a cheapo pocket revolver...
Did your Bodyguard .380 give you trouble? I have the engraved bg 380 and have had no problems, it's a little hard to rack the slide and has a long heavy trigger pull with a long reset. But I carry it in a sticky pocket holster. I will carry it because it's easy to conceal and 7 rounds of .380 is nothing to joke about.
@@tubeonline629I personally prefer the SIG Sauer P365 or S&W Shield Plus 9×19 or Ruger LCR .327FederalMagnum snubnose
@beargillium2369 they stopped giving cases for some of their semi autos that used to come with a case..they didnt drop the price on the guns though 🤔
I love my little bodyguard revolver. After a little practice I'm hitting well from 15 yds out. I have it in the lower fairing in my bike as backup gun. Mine has the laser but I don't use it. I painted the front sight bright orange which helped a lot with sight picture acquisition. i use Hornady +P hollow points in it. Got app. 800 rds through it with no issue whatsoever.
I bought this puppy like 5 years ago because it works out for my wife since she's left-handed and the release is up top. Never had an issue with it. I reload 38s and have shot a few thousand rounds through it, not one hiccup.😊
@@KR-go4yx I also bought this revolver because I’m a lefty. Bought it for 300, had it for a few years and I love it.
@@KR-go4yx I also bought this gun for my wife as she is also a lefty. I’ve had it for 3+ years with 100s of rounds through it and not one issue
I'm not a fan of Air-Weight firearms, in general. So, I've always just looked this model over. I honestly thought that plastic thumb toggle on top was the hammer, LOL. Like a no-snag hammer. I didn't realize it was the cylinder release. I have a Taurus 905 (9mm 5-shot) that I absolutely love. I just haven't given these much consideration. But thank you for featuring it today. Stay safe.
Got one when they first came out and have had no issues with it. Period. Good trigger, lighter weight compared to steel, fires every time and has a smooth DA pull. I replaced the front sight with a night sight and installed a new set of larger Hogue Overmolded grips more suited to my hands. The oversized grips make the perceived recoil less snappy and the night sight raises the POI. Shoots dead on with 158 grain bullets. Great little revolver.
Good review but I, too, find the non spinning cylinder a little disconcerting. That's me being old-fashioned. I would certainly get over it if my revolver always went BANG when it's supposed to!
Yep, that's different for sure, but not in a bad way. Glad you got to liking it Brother. Thanks for showing her off.
Thumbs up video ~John
One thing that is good about these, is they come with the classic panel sized grips. It's a great revolver for a female. The trigger pull and those panel sized grips are great for someone with small hands.
I have .38 Bodyguard that I purchased in 2012. It's my favorite carry firearm. I like the trigger break and it's easy for me to stage the trigger.
First of all, other than Paul Harrell's channel, yours is the only TH-cam gun channel I like (or I can stand) because you are not a self-aggrandizing narcissist, you talks plain and make sense, AND you pick up your brass and other trash. Now, to be honest, I am 65 years old, so I am also an old fart, and maybe that has something to do with it. But I would bet that I would really like to go shooting with you.
Now, about the S&W Bodyguard .38, I am currently waiting ten days to pick one up I just bought (we have a 10-day waiting period in California which IS a good idea). I was going to buy a S&W 642 double-action-only snubbie until I saw this review and realized that it would be exactly what I wanted and, hell, if it's good enough for mixup98 it's good enough for me. In the past I have bought and then sold two S&W 637s (which, as you know, is a snub-nosed, aluminum framed, air weight with an exposed hammer) because I just couldn't shoot them well, and, besides, the exposed hammer made them less-than-perfect pocket guns. But I have been having that .38, snub-nosed, Smith & Wesson itch again lately and finally decided to scratch it when some discretionary funds turned up. I think I have done it in such a way that the Minister of Finance (a.k.a. the wife) won't find out. She doesn't have a problem with guns, but she has a problem with me spending $500+ dollars on something I don't need--which is the case of yet-another pistol here in Southern California where it is considered rude to bring a gun to the Kumbaya sing along/drum circle/aromatherapy/Pilates class. The pistol was $419.00, but here in California we have a 11% added tax on firearms in addition to sales tax, and a background check fee of about $$7 and the dealer tacked on $9 for a handling fee--which is kind-of odd since a "dealer" is a "handler."
I also am fond of Smith and Wesson revolvers. I have owned seven over they years. As you probably know by now, the "failure of the cylinder to rotate" is not a flaw, although it is dependent upon whether you rotate the cylinder clockwise or counter-clockwise to lock it up after you load it.
Russ
It ran and shoots, thanks for the review
Any time!
The whole intro my wife was saying over and over" just shoot it, it's probably fine". Then it was fine, what have you done to me man. I think I'm going to have to start watching outside.
lol
I had a 642 and sold it. I missed it so I bought a bodyguard 38 and hated it. I sold it and got another 642. I’ll never sell my 642. I love it.
love my 442
@@Illfaded11 got both, love them both.
Got my tried and true 638 never giving it up either
@@jsj297 I love that the "real" Bodyguards (38 and 49 and my 638) let you have the option of a single action shot for those aimed, long distance shots (wing and a prayer) when you have time. Metal frames will last a lifetime, polymer who knows. I'll stay old school.
@richardhouvener6423 the "metal" in the 638 is aluminum alloy
Sorry for laughing, Mixup, but that root beer shower was mint. 😆
I just read the manual. Twice. Clearly says the cylinder will rotate every time you pull the trigger. I gather from the manual, the lockwork won't spin the cylinder unless the trigger goes all the way forward after firing.
I always appreciate you reviewing the inexpensive guns to see if they are built well. It sounds like it functions, though I would really like to know what mechanism causes it to rotate sometimes and not at others.
I picked up the S&W Md 38 back in the 70s and have carried it for years always with an Ankle holster. This has always been one of my favorite carry guns. Probably because of the Ankle holster. I have put hundreds of rounds through it and inside of 50 feet it’s a tack driver.
My thoughts is that the star device is not engaged with the cylinder when the cylinder is re closed, and the bolt is stopping the cylinder from rotating to engage the star.
I think you're right. Which means its not fully locked up when firing that first round directly under the hammer.
He closed the cylinder and made sure the cylinder was locked up by trying to rotate it both ways, so the cylinder had to have been locked up in position.
Well, I was on the fence about buying this little 38. I think now I'll go ahead and get it. Thanks for the great review.
You are very welcome and thank you for watching my video.
I have a charter arms 38 undercover. It shoots ok, but the cylinder feels sloppy and doesn't lock up tight. Do you have any experience with charter arms? @mixup98
I remember seeing these before covid w/o the laser going for $260 , I just didn't like the cylinder release and the grips were small in my hands. A indoor range had the one with the laser to rent , which I tried it . I had bought my 638 before for $367 at a rural king and didn't see a need for the new body guard . Nice to see some revolver action
I bought a Bodyguard around 2014 (I think) when I got my Texas CC license, still carry this bad boy around the house everyday. It’s never missed a beat/failed. Very reliable!
Thanks for sharing your experience! That's good to hear that it's served you well for all these years.
thanks for taking one for the team with that rootbeer........someone had to do it.😆
👍😁👌
@@mixup98 If that was sugar root beer you will have flies on your hat even after you wash your shirt. As a bus driver I learned to only bring diet sodas so that when it spilled there was no sticky residue........................elsullo
@@elsullo2 I always try to buy diet soda but unfortunately this time it wasn't diet 😟😟
Had mine almost a year and love it. Not a single issue after a couple hundred rounds. Not fun to shoot, it hurts and trigger is heavy but it serves a purpose as a daily concealed carry where IWB or pocket is not an option.
I have the S&W 638 stainless in 38 special. I love it!! Thanks for your video it was great!!!
Thanks for watching!
My S&W 638 STANK. I replaced the spring, but it still had a terrible trigger pull. I'm not a "girly man". I should have gone to a gunsmith to see if it had a mechanical oroblem.
The one i have seems to rotate the cylinder first trigger pull. Its fired every time. I changed the grip to a hogue grip i got for $30. Really helped with comfort and accuracy. I love how light it is for summer carry. Think u might have gotten a bad one unfortunately. Love the videos!
Perfect. Nothing wrong. Ill take it anytime!
Mixup: Another You Tube poster (HillBilly Musings) described this rotation issue and showed that after closing if you rotate the cylinder "counter clockwise" to engage the cylinder stop to lock up, then it will engage with the star that rotates the cylinder and will rotate as usual on first trigger pull. As opposed to manually rotating it clockwise. Apparently a quirk of the "handless" design 😯Doris
Hello Doris. I pulled out my Bodyguard and rotated the cylinder counter clockwise and guess what? The cylinder did lock up and rotate correctly when I pulled the trigger. I did it several dozen times and it locked up each time. I wish S&W would mention this in the owners manual. I will do an update video in the future on this revolver and I will be sure to mention this technique. Thank you so much....I really appreciate the info.
@@mixup98 My pleasure always glad to be of help or contribute but the real thanks should go to "Hillbilly Musings" for pointing it all out. I looked to see if he ever discussed it with S&W, as he said he planned to, but apparently he got rid of his BG-38 as per a subsequent comment reply on his video. Looking forward to to your next video as always. 👍💗 Doris
Its not "handless" the hand is internal, so less dirt can come in. I think its a good design for a pocket carry. Same with the hammer what some call hammerless but of course it has a hammer its just internal.
Every time the Cylinder is swung out, the revolver cylinder does not rotate. But the hammer will still strike the primer making the gun go boom, then the second pull rotates the cylinder until the cylinder is swung out and reloaded. starting the process over. I think this may be how it was designed.
My thoughts exactly. Looking at how the star on the cylinder and the frame interface, I can't see any way it would engage any other way.
I saw that too. Very odd.
Your right that's the way it's design to make sure you get that first shot off with no problem, it sure fired everytime
It is. I sent mine back because it did this, and received a letter from a higher up with a pictorial explanation stating it was designed to do just that.
So, I bought one of these recently after having watched this video and have about 200 rounds through it so far without issue. I tried to recreate the cylinder rotate/not rotate issue and here's what I found (just my experience; not a Smith or a revolver expert). The cylinder rotates clockwise or to the right as explained, and when you close the cylinder if it doesn't lock, then rotate counterclockwise or to the left and it will rotate the cylinder every time. If you rotate to the right when not locked (which I was used to doing with my Rugers) it will NOT rotate with a trigger pull. If it happens to lock when you close the cylinder then it rotates every time also. These are results with about 15 tries each way FWIW. Don't profess to know the design of the mechanism but this seems an easy way to train myself for peace of mind.
Well, that sure is a departure from the tried, true, and traditional revolver action to be sure. Look, ma - no hand. Why that star-shaped mechanism might advance the cylinder on the first shot only intermittently is a head-scratcher. I guess that as long as it lights the first round up in the rotation and continues to cycle them into battery with subsequent trigger presses, all is well. The redesigned cylinder release would take me some getting used to, but I think it wouldn't take long for this old dog to learn that new trick. Nice review, as usual. Stay safe out there.
I thought I was going to really hate the thumb release but I actually liked it once I got used to it. The release is fast, easy to push and works very well. Thanks for the compliment and you also stay safe.
My Bodyguard does the same thing I can get it to spin after closing the cylinder if I rotate it counter clockwise while closing it. if I line it up clock wise it will lock up and not rotate until the 2nd shot .
off topic ... speaking of inexpensive revolvers .... 35 years ago, I bought a Taurus 82, a 4" .38 cal, 6 shot revolver. Only fired maybe 1000 rds through it, and for some reason I sold it off. Kicking myself for years wanting a good cheap revolver. I saw a YT clip recently talking about the Taurus 82, finding that they are still making them. A rubber grip, black parkerized instead of blued ... but the same weapon ... for under $400 so I bought it. Feels more comfortable, but just like it did 35 years ago.
Yup - right there with you - still kicking myself.
A blued steel 82 with wood grips was my first gun in the early nineties and I really wish I still had it. I also owned a model 65 in 357. Both were excellent!!
Thanks for another nice review. Back when I bought my 642 it was $348.00. I'll just stick with it.
Have one. The cylinder might not spin first shot depending on positioning of star on frame. You can twist the star to make it skip or not.
I bought the original laser version of this in 2012, and it wouldn’t fire every other round sometimes. I’m pretty sure it was rotating but just not hitting the primer, basically skipping every other round, but it only did it sometimes. I sent it back to S&W, who replaced the hand, but it immediately did the same thing again. I sent it back a second time and S&W returned it saying nothing was wrong, so I immediately sold it. I haven’t owned another S&W, but that left a bad taste in my mouth about the company.
rootbeer caught you lackin..🤣..as always nice shootin
Ive run about 800 rounds through mine since January and love it. I definitely did change the grip tho.
For the price it's worth it as long as it works . I will buy one
Read some comments!
I bought one and I like it. I wouldn't call it cheap. It's my EDC and I've target practiced a bit over the past few years. I'm quite pleased with it.
What I like about this one is, longer ejector rod, shrouded ejector , exchangable front sight.The closed rubber grip (no open back frame). Even the internal hand system is a good idea, because less dirt get into the mechanics. So a lot of good features the 442/642 doesnt have!!! But that the cylinder sometimes doesnt spin isnt good. And that S&W even said everything is allright is crazy. But as long its always only the first pull and its fires anyhow it shouldnt be a problem.
I think you gave a pretty honest review. I couldn’t tell you why the cylinder didn’t rotate on the first press either. I like S&W revolvers and thought this version of the Bodyguard was going to be a good answer to the Ruger LCP. On the range, I watched one individual consistently hitting at the bottom of a silhouette target at five and seven yards. Since it was a LEO qualification course, I cautioned the shooter between strings to aim center mass. Shooter claimed they were. I ended up stopping the course intent on providing some instruction but decided first to fire the gun myself to disprove any claims that it was the gun, not the shooter.. Turned out to be the one time in my years as an instructor that it actually was the gun. On inspection, I found the front sight was horribly loose and flopping around on the pin. I don’t know if it shipped with the loose sight or if the owner decided to perform some “enhancements,” but the shooter replaced it with an “affordable” pistol from another manufacturer and ended up terminating the warranty trying to fix something instead of sending it back. Anyway, as usually, an informative video.
Mine locked up after about 250+ practice trigger pulls. I think from using cheap snap-caps but I can't be certain, they repaired it without an explanation. The cylinder doesn't rotate intermittently after closing it just like your experience. I wish I'd gotten a 642 instead but I really wanted the laser and the BG38 with a built-in laser was much cheaper and a better design than the grip style laser. The trigger felt better too and the Hogue grip + wadcutters really made it a great light-weight, lower recoil pocket carry option when not wanting to carry my M&P shield. Still a little unsure how much to trust it, some people have put over a 1000 rds without an issue. If you do keep it or while you have it please let us know your thoughts after you've put over 1k rounds through it.
I love mine. it is the one I carry with me, I am a huge fan of being only double action being as it is my concealed carry choice and it helps it be a little more compact with not having a hammer
I own this gun and it has never done this. Works everytime
I had the same issue. It eventually would only spin once every 10 pulls. And then even worse, it completely locked up where the trigger was stuck and the cylinder would not release. Sent it back to S&W but haven't shot it since.
I had the same problem with the Bodyguard 38 revolver as you describe (cylinder does not rotate when you pull the trigger). Many people have commented on this on the internet. S&W either does not know about this problem or does not care. The factory has no fix for the problem, however, according to the owner's manual, it is supposed rotate every time the trigger is pulled. From the owner's manual: "The M&P® Bodyguard®38 has a double action only mechanism, wherein the shooter fully pulls the trigger to the rear, causing the internal hammer to fully cycle rearward, the cylinder to turn and then the internal hammer to release - firing the cartridge. There is no external hammer spur. This revolver cannot be fired in single action mode by manually cocking the hammer."
Hello again sir! That's an interesting quirk ; I'm not sure I've ever seen a revolver, randomly not cycle the cylinder. But hey,...you went to length to prove that it bangs every time you pull the trigger and that's what we like. By the way, there's worse things to smell like than RootBeer...just sayin. lol Good to see you today and stay blessed my friend!!
Mine was a disaster. After the 7th time returning it for repair, I just traded it in. Five of the seven times, There would be a crunchy feel and then the cylinder release would not work and the trigger would not function. Too bad - the trigger was smooth and lighter than a new J frame. the ejector was also longer providing better ejection. Once returned immediately after getting it back from repair for an obviously cross threaded screw. Once because the cylinder would pop open no matter how carefully I closed and assured the cylinder was locked up.
Excellent video on the S&W 38 Bodyguard revolver if you look around you could find one for $400 + Tax the other models 442,etc. go for $549 and up but the bodyguard much better just replace the grip with larger grips 😮
I have Laser grips on a couple of mine really helps with older eyes. But you can get a used 642 or 442 for around 399.
I’ve had one for a number of years. It’s been 💯% reliable. I’ve ccw’d it many times. I do have a few reservations about it. I think the polymer frame makes me nervous. And the cylinder release has a real hokey feel to it-like it’s not going to hold up long term.
I’ll keep it but I’m really playing with the idea of getting a 360 PD. The price of course is what has made me hesitant (no pun intended) to pull the trigger on it. I’m pretty sure I’ll eventually give in and get one.
But I actually can’t claim to have had any real problems with the bodyguard. It’s been a good weapon. Especially for ccw. I damn near forget I have it on me sometimes it’s so light and comfortable.
Man ,I'm glad I looked you up, that is Shameful for S&W to put something like that out, I have numerous S&W's and this is not the Case..Thanks
You are very welcome and thank you for watching my video.
Bought mine about 10 years or so mine does the same thing but it still goes bang!
My wife has one with the laser grips, she loves hers, no issues.
Looks and fires real good - eventually. really nice little gun. 🙋♂️👏👏🇬🇧
I like that the bodyguard has a significantly longer ejection rod that is also shrouded as well as the pinned front sight. Those alone are big improvements to me.
A little over 10 years ago, when I bought my first snubby, I chose a 442 over a Bodyguard. I was later told by S&W customer service that I'd chosen the better gun. My favorite carry gun now, is my Charter Arms Undercover, followed by my Rock Island Armory m 206. I'd sure love to see a comparison video of those guns, plus a Taurus 85 or 856.
Except for the Taurus Model 85 I happen to own all the other revolvers that you mention in your comment, except my S&W is actually a Model 642 and yes, it is a better revolver than the Bodyguard. If I could only own one of the firearms mentioned it would be the Taurus Model 856 revolver. Here is my comparison video that I did between the Rock Island 206 and the Taurus Model 856: th-cam.com/video/J1KFOSAk72Y/w-d-xo.html
Wish we could have our Handguns back , Here in the UK ,Great Video 💯💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
Honest review. Bought one a few years ago have not shot it yet.
My wife loves hers, she is a lefty, it works well for her never has had an issue
Awesome....thanks for the feedback!
Yeah, this and the Charter Arms South Paw have some appeal for lefties. It's nice that there are two revolver options more optimal for our Southpaw friends.
I would have been all over this gun had it been out when I was on the job as a left-handed cop. As it were, my BU/OD gun was a Charter Arms Undercover, bought the day I got my badge back in the 80s.
It was years before the Southpaw came out. When I first handled one, I only thought, "this would really mess me up." I had had too much experience with "normal" revolvers, and my primary sidearm was still one, so that's what I stuck with.
I've owned one for 10 year's it's been amazing and has never done that crap lol
I own and carry that, I've had it almost 5 years now, I got it on sale for $350.00. I've never shot it. I put a Houge Grip on it. I like the fact that it's ambidextrous, the crane arm goes into the frame and I like the black finish on it. As long as it goes bang when you need it to.
You’ve owned it for 5 years and never shot it??
@@oleukeman I've never had to. I did come close to pulling it, but I didn't actually have to.
How do you know it will work if you do need it? You don’t even know where it will hit. The rudimentary sights on these guns don’t usually hit exactly to the point of aim. It’s important to practice with something you are relying on to save your life.
@@oleukeman It's the type of gun that you pull when/if you absolutely have to. Remember, it's also designed for short range. Most self defense situations are most likely gonna happen at pretty short distance.
Unwise to carry a firearm having never shot it.
I had a 642 first, and then saw the Bodyguard 38 and bought that too. I actually like carrying the Bodyguard 38 a little bit better than my 642.
"I fought the root beer and the root beer fought back!"
💦
Do you have access to the old model S&W bodyguard? If I remember correctly, the shrouded hammer could be cocked in single action. It would be neat if you could compare this to your new bodyguard.
The old model was often carried by government officials in our area. They preferred its compact size and they said that it could be fired out of a coat pocket without having the hammer snag on clothing. Great video Mixup!! Have a great week!!
Thanks for the video, good info on a pistol I have been considering.
I looked into one when they first came out. Decided on a 60 for it's versatility.
Geez O' Pete! This S&W make my Taurus 605 Poly Protector look like a Swiss watch by comparison.
I own a Taurus Poly Protector and I will probably compare it with this S&W in the near future. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video.
Real simple. If you close it up and no chamber is lined up and locked on the bore, then it’s going to rotate till one is when you pull the trigger.
The first trigger pull is just to scare the bad guy.
I've had this firearm since it was released. I did have to send it back to S&W for the cylinder rotation and trigger issues. They repaired it no questions asked. I have not had any problems since. Admittedly, no one wants to have to send their firearm back to the manufacture and it's not good that you are having similar issues this many years since it's release.
Sorry to hear about your problems with your revolver. I do appreciate the feedback and I'm glad S&W fixed it with no questions asked.
I recently bought one same thing. I have not noticed that issue as you describe, but also I haven't shot it many times either. Now I'm curious about this.
Awesome Mx《☆》Wow 77k views👍🏾😁🤳It's funny how the S&W fanboys luv to hate this gun. I've had mine for 5 years. The only thing I hate is that it's a 5 shot. It's got the Insight Laser but I put an XS Big Dot Tritium sight on it since the Laser isn't grip activated. It's a great gun to slip inside my Leather Vest pocket when I'm on my Motorcycle. Take care & Happy New Year Brother✌🏼😎☯️
By the way, I shot my new Springfield Armory Garrison 1911 .45 4.25" barrel last week at the range with my pastor. We both think it is our favorite gun now. I invite him to shoot with me every so often. We are acquainted with S&W Shield 9mm EZ, SP101s, Glock 26, 43X and 48. Anyways, we really liked shooting the .45 better than the rest.
I am wondering if you think stag or bone grips are worthwhile for pistols. I imagine the ones with a lot of "bark" would provide some more grip. I don't know that I need the extra grip on my guns though.
That was a great review. For the price I would buy it.
Awesome....thank you for the great feedback.
I keep mine in a handy pocket, and figure on firing it 5x without taking it out of my pocket if I need to use it.
I hope you do a follow up on this revolver.
I will certainly do a follow up video in the future. I might even do a comparison video between the Bodyguard and a Taurus revolver.
I like mine, never had a problem.
It Fires The 1st Round On Single Action, Then The Next 4 rds On Double Action,
It Was Designed That Way...
I haven't seen one piece of S&W literature that says that this revolver was designed this way. This is a double-action-only revolver and It can't fire in single action mode if there is no hammer to cock back.
@@mixup98By 1st Round SA, I think he means that on the first pull, the Trigger only works on the Striker.
But on subsequent pulls it works on the Striker AND Cylinder.
The old S&W bodyguard “humpback” in my opinion is much better and often is much cheaper. Most used bodyguards have been carried a lot but seldom fired.
Cool looking revolver
Good testing, seems to work, thanks