Working at the gun shop once again has its advantages! Fairly clean Model 38 Bodyguard came in on consignment for $500. I put in Commiefornia 10 day jail. It has a 6 digit serial number like 27XXXX with no prefix. Guessing 1955 + or -. About 95%. with original wood grips. I forgot to write the serial number down, but will get it and pictures Friday. We were swamped today and couldn't even take time to do it,

At 14 ozs, I was surprised how light it was! I'll load it with some standard velocity WW Silvertip 110 grains. In Sticky Holster, with a couple Bianchi "Speed Strips" for back up, it will make a great summer front pocket pistol.

Congrats.

If you're right on the serial number S&W shipped it in either 1962 or 1963.

The first known Bodyguard is serial number 73781. It also has the earliest known Bodyguard ship date, either December 12 or 15, 1955. It was engraved to Chief Raymond P. Gallagher, Springfield, Mass. It's now in the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum in Springfield.

Did you check for a cracked frame on the flat where the barrel protrudes through the frame?

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

I foolishly let my Model 38 go and have been on the hunt for a replacement ever since. Congrats on your find, enjoy.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

In 1955ish it would not have been marked as a MOD 38. See Bob's post #2.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I did not check for the crack! I'll stop by and check for it, get pics, and serial number. I knew that +P were a no-go in early Airweights.

I am guessing if it is cracked, it is non-repairable.

No, but S&W may send you a new gun. They did for me on a used 1980's model 10 I bought with a cracked frame. That was about 2 years ago. Not sure if they'll still do that?

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Watch & Pray

Good news. No crack! Serial number 259637. Really need to clean it up. Was in a Sheriff’s property room for years. More later when I post initial pics later today.

Looking forward to the pics.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Its sort of scruffy at the moment. A couple small spots of surface rust that should disappear with brass wool, otherwise bluing is very strong. The paint on the alloy frame has some small nicks in it, too. I'll clean the grips with a toothbrush and mineral spirits and RLO (50/50) to freshen it up.

As I said, no cracks on the frame. I'll stick to non-+P ammo. I have some standard velocity Winchester 110 grain Silvertips (current production) that will work nicely.

I heard the gun was part of a large collection that was seized by the Sheriff 's Dept. when the (edit: Owner died) It was finally released by the Sheriff's department and the the family is selling for the estate.

Congratulations 🎊🎈

IMHO, the Model 38 is th finest pocket gun ever made!

Note: many current J frames (including the humpbacks like the Model 638) are built on the magnum J frame. They are larger than the Model 38.

They feel clunky in comparison to the Model 38.

I had a 642, but it was larger, and I did not like the double action only trigger. The Model 38 is really slick allowing it to be cocked within the shroud.

Nice score! I have a no lock 638 but I have a fondness for my model 60 with Bianchi "Lightning" shrouded grips. Lower right in pic.

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I love mine!
I paid IIRC $450 in a local RRRMSLIST sale. I have found it to be worth twice the price in practical value because I carry it as my NY reload because it is so lightweight.

The barrel shroud is not about snagging when you draw from a pocket, it is for shooting FROM the pocket. With another j-frame you can learn to put your thumb on the exposed hammer and draw just as fast as me, but I can shoot from a coat pocket, which does NOT ALWAYS set the coat on fire. If it does you can pat the fire out pretty easily :-)

Mine is an early 80's model and somebody scared me about the cracks, so I studied extensively on that issue. There is a guy here on the forum that took pictures of his when it cracked, so it did and does actually happen sometimes.

Proposed solutions were:
-Mas Ayoob wore out numerous ones even using +p ammo, no cracks.
-One guy kept shooting his for hundreds more rounds after the crack appeared. Everyone said he was a fool to do this. He saw no change in the accuracy of the gun.
-More than one person who was worried about cracks bought a model 49 to practice with and put the lighter 38 in the pocket. This pleases the "carried a lot shot a little" crowd and causes grave concern amongst the "shoot what you carry, carry what you shoot" crowd.
-It seems to be caused by "over torquing the barrel" during manufacture and the crack will appear quickly. There is said to be greater chance of this if yours has been a safe queen but if it has not happened in 200 rounds, or 500 rounds, or 1000 rounds, or whatever number you please, then it ain'ta gonna happen.
-A woman claiming to have worked in some development capacity at S&W, who knows? TIFWIW, said that the problem is the differing expansion rates between the steel of the barrel, and the aluminum alloy of the frame. In her opinion it is the number of rounds that you shoot at once that matters, how hot the barrel gets, not the total round count that matters.
-We hear about this a lot because so many people own these guns. We don't know why it happens because it doesn't happen often enough to get us reliable data to isolate a significant cause. It does happen often enough that S&W has a protocol for dealing with the issue for this model and all their airweight guns. Do a search on "Glock frame cracks" before you get too upset about it.

Mine has a real preference for Federal 130 grain FMC ammo.
It tumbles in human targets, though sometimes not in gelatin or so they say.
Reloads are wayyy easier with FMC. Wadcutters even SWC won't work either in strips, too slow, or in speed loaders, no way, not for me!
This round is better than any 380 ACP HP round or so they say.
Even 38spl +p hollow points do not reliably expand or fail to penetrate or so they say, especially after the polyester filler of my now flaming parka pocket has plugged the nose of the bullet.

My plan is to throw the burning jacket on him while I draw my second gun!

Sorry I was wordy.
Kind regards,
BrianD

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696-6906-457-38-3913-CS40-411

The current production Winchester Silvertip 110 grain non+P opens up to about .55" from a 2" snub. I found an FBI spec gelatin test on Youtube, and they opened up beautifully. I have about 50 rounds of the WW 110 STHPs.

Also, cleaned the gun up today at the shop. The rust totally disappeared, and it actually looks better than I expected, about 95-98%+. I am very happy. 14.0 ozs empty, or 16 ozs with 5 (edited) rounds of WW STHPs. That's more than two ounces lighter than either my Ruger Max-9 or Springfield Armory Hellcat EMPTY! I believe it will be my summer front pocket pistol.

I agree that a few rounds of +P will likely not damage the airweight, as they are less than proof loads. I do think that a lot may accelerate the wear. I have 110 grain +P+ Treasury loads that I would not shoot through an airweight, as I undrstand are close to proof loads.

I already had the non+P WW 110 STHPs that I bought to use in an old S&W Victory Model, so I'll probably stick to those.

Congrats on the acquisition. It’s hard for me to turn my back on vintage J-frames at any gun shop.

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Some Might Say.

I gave $500 for the bodyguard. It was so dowdy, though, that at first I thought it was a bit too much. After cleaning it up, though, it was a good price. The bore is pristine, lock up is tight, and timing perfect. Single action is a dream, and even the double is not too bad - fairly heavy but smooth, too.

I have a few Bianchi speed strips. For a pocket pistol, I prefer them to speed loaders, which are big lumps in the pocket.

Please show us how you got "6 rounds" into your Bodyguard.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

LOL. Fat finger typo. 5 rounds!

Maybe I was wishing I still had my 70s vintage Colt Agent (airweight) thta held 6!

I don't know why I feel so completely delighted for you. Also, glad to hear about those new silvertips. Lucky Gunner said after extensive testing that with HP rounds, he could get reliable expansion or reliable penetration but not both. I cannot say which you should choose, but I am old enough to still believe that a 158 grain LRN will do the job. I hope we will get a range report when you shoot it, and once again congratulations and may you never really need it.

Kind regards,
BrianD

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696-6906-457-38-3913-CS40-411

I have a couple boxes of 158 grn RNL, a couple boxes of 148 wadcutters, a whole bunch of +P, +P+, and .357 for my Wife's Colt King Cobra (SWEET pistol!). I only have two boxes of WW 110 STHPs, though. I even have a box of +P+ 110 Treasury load! I think that would be too much for the little 14 oz Bobyguard.

I also handload, and have LOTS of 148 WCs and 150 RNL to load up.

I'll be right over.
:-)

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696-6906-457-38-3913-CS40-411

I thought you would not mind a picture.
I am showing the beautiful pocket holster made by a nearby NC guy.
The 158gr LSWC's are in the revolver all the time.
The Bianchi speed strip and the HKS speed loader have those 130gr FMC rounds because they slip in so much more quickly.
I really love the grips. I find them easier to grab from the pocket and way wayyyyy easier to shoot rapidly and accurately. Hogue monogrips. You also see the snap caps for dry firin'.

Kind regards,
BrianD

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I get to pick up the Bodyguard tomorrow or Wednesday. 16 ozs loaded makes it VERY easy carrying in the front pocket!

Perfect to grab for running to the corner market in my small Sierra Foothills town.

lso found an aluminum Tyler T-Grip for J frame on eBay. In my experience, that makes a huge differemce dealing with recoild in an airweight snubby. Years ago, I had a Colt Agent (15 oz) and the difference between with a T Grip and without was night and day.

Picked up the Bodyguard today. Can't wait to shoot it after I get the Tyler T Grip on it. 16 ozs loaded in the front pocket in a sticky holster is barely noticeable. I'll keep a Speed Strip in the bottom of the pocket for a reload.

SWEET!

Congratulations. I had my first one in the mid-70's. They are Sooo handy. Back then, when out and about, I carried in an ankle holster. It was easy then because everyone wore bell bottoms.

I sent a cracked Model 38 3 years ago and they sent me a Model 638 new back. And destroyed the M-38. Sold the 638 and found a older M38 not cracked.Do not use it as a range gun. Get a steel Model 49 for practice and use the M38 for ccw. I shoot standad 158swc a box a year spaced out 10 rds 5 times a year. I do not want to scrap out another.

Good find. I had and carried an M&P 340 for many years but recently traded it away and found a 649 that is so much nicer to shoot. I also had a pristine model 12 that I actually owned twice. I finally sold it due to the worry of getting a cracked frame. The other issue is that the anodized finish on all of these guns is extremely prone to wear. There is a 37ND at a local shop with bobbed hammer that I keep looking at. It's pretty nice but with some dings on the right side plate. It's marked at $399 but i could probably get it for $350-$375

I paid $500 for it, which was probably too much. Problem is, in Commiefornia, we are stuck with the few "on roster guns" except for private party transfers. Thus, off roster guns get silly premium prices here.

To make up for paying too much for the Model 38, I just picked up a mint, in the box w/2 mags Belgium made Browning HIPower for $1,000 and an early AMT Back-Up .380 for $200. We issued our narcotics officers in bellevue AMT Back-ups and I carried one as a back-up to my model 59.

Up in post #19, Brian, answered a question I've had for a while about expansion of dissimilar metals together, if they affect one another.
That's a nice find.

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Waiting For The Sun.

I love Model 38's. I usually carry full wadcutter in mine, and they are easy to shoot out of such a light revolver.

I may be foolish, but I just posted one up today in the classifieds. I have a couple of shooters that I carry (Model 38 & Model 49), so I hope I won't have sellers remorse when I ship it off.

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Ash

I honestly don't know why some folks think the original Bodyguards are great... (Ha!)

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.............SmithNut

When I was a kid growing up in Chicago in the 50s and 60s, Chicago PD cops carried Python or Diamondbacks. Most also had 2" snubbies or even a Colt Commander .45 in a cross draw. A couple of my neighbors were Chicago cops, and they called them their "Chicago Reload." Even in the late 60s and early 70s even, it was VERY common sight.

My older cousin was a US Postal Inspector back then. He carried a S&W Terrier in 38 S&W and a Walther PPK in 22 LR for a backup/

I thought the new would wear off, and I'd go back to the Springfield Hellcat (10+1) or even AMT Back-Up 380 (6+1) for pocket carry.

Nope, my favorite pocket carry is the Bodyguard. At 16 ozs loaded, it weighs over 2 ozs less that the Hellcat empty! Even with a Bianchi Speed Strip with 6 extra rounds, it weighs less that the Hellcay empty. I litterally forget I am wearing it.

I have only owned 1 m38. Was impressed with weight and it would fit in jacket breast pocket loaded without sag. But I ran into a guy with a like new m19-2” and swap was made. Have had my eye out for another but not found one that was in decent cosmetic shape. Right now have a m37 that is about same weight but spur hammer. I like the feature of being able to cock hammer on m38, which isn’t possible with hammer less models.

Bernie Goetz and General Loan did good work with S&W Model 38’s. I’ve had a 638 for near 20 years, I’d love to have a Model 38. Speaking of Chicago PD I know a retired CPD copper who carried a Browning Hi-Power as a back up/second piece.

I saw Hi-Powers, 1911s, Colt Commander, Walther P38s, a Luger, assorted Snubbies, and even WAlther PP back in the day as Chicago Reloads.

What's a Chicago reload?
A midwest term for a NY reload??

500 bucks is probably what I would charge at the shows around here.

Yes. I grew up in Chicago in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I was a gun nut from the first, and had several neighbors on th block that were Chicago cops, and in the late 60s, I worked at a restaurant that was a cop "Watering Hole" called Alyward's Round-up. (I was dating the owner's daughter). Dozens of both uniform plainclothes officers ever day.

In the 60s and 70s Chicago cops were mandated to cary the issue 38 ammo. Colt revolvers were the favorite, IIRC. Some had Pythons, and some Diamondbacks. They were allowed to carry anything as a back-up gun.

They usually wore these backups openly in cross draw holsters on their duty belt (opposite the duty weapon) or a shoulder holster under the leather patrol jacket.

They were faster than reloading, so they would go to the back up instead of reloading (or even sometimes the 1911 carriers would forget to use the duty weapon first!). They called the "Chicago Reloads".

Heck, even the armored car and bank guards wore Chicago reloads.

When I went to work for a California SHeriff's Dept. after I got out of the Army in the mid 70s, I asked about wearing the backup gun on the belt. The Sgt. looked at me like I had just drank out of the toilet! He thought I was nuts! He said you kept it in an ankle holster or jacket pocket where no one could see it. I had a Charter Bulldog .44 snubbie in my patrol jacket pocket all the time. Summer in was in a Safariland ankle holster.

After I went to Ridgefield PD in Washington state in 1979, I still used the Bulldog as backup until 1981, when I went to work on Bellevue. We issued Model 59s, and AMT .380 Backup loaded with ww Silvertips for narcotics officers. I was a rangemaster and issued myself an AMT Backup that I carried in my back pocket. It wasn't really SOP, but it was never an issue, because it was a department owned weapon, and I was "evaluating it" for general usage...

I still have an AMT .380 Backup. Dandy little weapon, but prefer the Model 38 Smith for pocket carry.

Congrats!
Btw, Love those early high horn diamond Magnas!
I think I have an early 60's flat latch in my J frame box but its buried deep in the safe and I'm too lazy tonight after walking the dog to look.

Great old J frame and handy as a pocket on a shirt.

Timely post for me.
Collection I picked up last week had these two J frames.
Model 49 and 36 both in nickel about 1977 vintage unfired
boxed with tools and paperwork.