BodyGuard 38
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photoman
Member
I would buy a new no-lock 642 and put a laser grip on it. A decades proven design that you can trust your life with.
Robinett_11B
US Veteran
I wouldn't let my wife trust her life to the new BG38...with all the documented issues that have been floating around. I'd much rather put a real Bodguard (M38,M49, etc.) equipped w/ CT grips in her hands vs. a defensive weapon that hasn't been proven yet, and seems to have a counter-intuitive system for activating the laser........or better yet, get her a Centennial! (I'm partial to 'em 
) My $0.02
) My $0.02BobR1
Member
I have a fairly new 638. I bought it new a couple years ago. I really like it. I added the Crimson Trace Laser Grips to mine. I got the rubber version with the On/Off switch on the bottom of the grip from Midway. I have fired a few hundred rounds of mild 38's through it so far. No issues at all. It shoots good, and has a much better double action than I expected. I have not shot any +P through it. It is manageable with standard velocity 38's. Recoil compaired to a 9mm? If you are talking a lite compact 9mm I would guess they would be pretty close.
I am seriously considering a moon clip conversion on mine for faster reloads.
I am seriously considering a moon clip conversion on mine for faster reloads.
5Wire
Member
I've put somewhere near 1000 rounds through my BG38 emptying the cylinder as fast as I could reacquire the target with and without the laser at each of several sessions. A mix of remanufactured 158 gr ammunition and Winchester 158 gr. No failures to fire, no hiccups, it works fine. It's relatively inexpensive even with the laser.
In my opinion, the BG38 is an entry level firearm most likely best suited to someone who is not a firearm enthusiast and wants something for self defense and finer points such as all metal, no lock, no MIM play no part in selecting something merely practical. The laser is helpful for training, too. The center cylinder release makes the revolver more fully ambidextrous and flicking on the laser is no more difficult with a little practice than flicking the safety of a 1911. Without the laser it's no less accurate than a nekkid 642.
Criticism of the gun is easy to come by from people who don't own one or for some reason think a revolver has to be "traditional" in order to be effective. Not so.
Recoil is actually a bit gentler with the BG38 than with my 642-1 which I also carry alternating with the BG38. They weigh about the same. The BG38 frame is steel reinforced, the 642 is aluminum alloy.
If your wife likes it, I say let her get it. She'll learn faster and be happier because it's her choice of firearm.
In my opinion, the BG38 is an entry level firearm most likely best suited to someone who is not a firearm enthusiast and wants something for self defense and finer points such as all metal, no lock, no MIM play no part in selecting something merely practical. The laser is helpful for training, too. The center cylinder release makes the revolver more fully ambidextrous and flicking on the laser is no more difficult with a little practice than flicking the safety of a 1911. Without the laser it's no less accurate than a nekkid 642.
Criticism of the gun is easy to come by from people who don't own one or for some reason think a revolver has to be "traditional" in order to be effective. Not so.
Recoil is actually a bit gentler with the BG38 than with my 642-1 which I also carry alternating with the BG38. They weigh about the same. The BG38 frame is steel reinforced, the 642 is aluminum alloy.
If your wife likes it, I say let her get it. She'll learn faster and be happier because it's her choice of firearm.
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I bought a BG38 a while ago and while I had no problems with mine, it never gained my liking. Its fit and finish was sub par IMO and the cylinder play was pretty sloppy. After purchasing mine I have been to dozens of gunshows in my area and handled countless Bg38s and the cylinder play seems to be standard. I have since let it go and acquired a 642-2 (with lock, but have a "PLUG" likely to arrive tomorrow) and see a world of difference in the F&F. The 642 just feels more solid and durable. Not saying the BG wont hold up in the long run but like others have said it just isnt proven yet so I let mine go without hesitation. With the BG I would say you get what you pay for but my 642 was considerably less and of higher quality. I hate to sound like im knocking on the BG because for some im sure it is a fine gun. It just wasnt for me.
photoman
Member
I don't own one yet. When they offer one without the laser I'll buy. My caution is trusting your life to a brand new design. Honestly, it's probably not that big of a deal. If I had one and shot the snot out of it and it worked without problem, I imagine I would carry it without concern.
If the wife is wanting that particular gun, buy it along with a 1000 round case of wadcutters and give it a thorough workout. If all goes well, use it.
I have one which has been back to S&W once already in the 3 months I have owned it. The cylinder would not rotate when firing at times which is not good for a carry gun. They replaced the cylinder and I have had no issues with it since.
It likes a diet of 158 Gr loads and will shoot nice tight groups with them anything lighter and they are all over the board.
The laser is useless in any bright light.
I would like to see a new grip something a little softer like a Houge
It is not a bad gun by any means but it needs some refinements
It likes a diet of 158 Gr loads and will shoot nice tight groups with them anything lighter and they are all over the board.
The laser is useless in any bright light.
I would like to see a new grip something a little softer like a Houge
It is not a bad gun by any means but it needs some refinements
5Wire
Member
That was my approach. 300-400 rounds was good enough for me to use it for EDC and you don't have to use the laser. You can even take it off. Sometimes the cylinder skip has more to do with allowing the trigger to full reset. If you don't the rotation may stall or you'll skip a round. I found that out dry firing. I can do the same thing with my 617P but haven't tried with my other Smiths.
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Wakatomika
Member
I carry a 638 bodyguard all the time everyday. It is the gun I always have in my pocket and has been for the last 5 or 6 years. It is a standard aluminum framed gun with standard sights and no laser. I consider it the best j-frame,(though not the best looking one) Made. Body guards give you the ability to take a single action shot if you want. I practice with it occasionally but use a Model 49 which I have for much of my practice. With the comments I've seen here and on other sources, I would go for the 638 before buying a BG38. 638s are easy to resell (at least in Ohio) if your wife doesnt like it, but I'll bet She will.
Good luck, I hope you Never have to use your gun for anything but to play with.
Good luck, I hope you Never have to use your gun for anything but to play with.
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I have to agree with Photoman44 on this one. The BG38 has that unfortunate problem with failing to advance the cylinder SOMETIMES, and it is a repeatable problem that S&W knows about and does not choose to address.
I tried the BG380 and the BG38 when they first came out. Both left very shortly after the first shooting session, for issues that just could not be corrected.
I am not a fan of the BG Series, and the sooner S&W drops the BG38 or fixes the issue with the cylinder not advancing if you don't close the cylinder very carefully to the exactly correct place (this might be difficult in a gun fight) and starts selling a revised version of the BG380 without the built in laser and pelican-like dust cover, the better off we will all be.
NOTE TO S&W: A good laser that works and holds zero would come from Crimson Trace.
5Wire
Member
You're being too kind, blowback. The only place I've heard about failure to advance the cylinder being a problem with the BG38 is from occasional assertions here. I believe it is an operator problem more than anything else: "sometimes" failing to allow the trigger to reset. I've had that happen on my 617. If it were a defect, S&W would have recalled the gun, they've done it for less critical issues.
5Wire
Member
Different approaches, I guess, blowback. Welcome to the forum! 
When things don't seem to be working right for me, I've found. at least in my case, it's most likely "the jerk behind the trigger". It is a shooter's responsibility to learn how a gun works and to practice using it. For something really different, try getting used to working one of the HK P7 family of pistols. Shawn's been around for a while, so giving him the benefit of the doubt wasn't wrong and he is not a troll—trolls have a very short presence at http://smith-wessonforum.com— but I doubt he's right about knowingly overlooking defects.
The laser on the BG38 works as designed and it is quite accurate despite not being CT. S&W did publish incorrect instructions early on. That was corrected online at their site and in the newer manuals. I use the BG38 laser to help refine my hand-eye coordination point shooting. I fire using the laser emptying the cylinder as fast as I can reacquire the target with that little red light. Then I do the same thing with the laser off, a cylinder-full at a time. It helps a lot and it keeps me from depending on the laser.
When things don't seem to be working right for me, I've found. at least in my case, it's most likely "the jerk behind the trigger". It is a shooter's responsibility to learn how a gun works and to practice using it. For something really different, try getting used to working one of the HK P7 family of pistols. Shawn's been around for a while, so giving him the benefit of the doubt wasn't wrong and he is not a troll—trolls have a very short presence at http://smith-wessonforum.com— but I doubt he's right about knowingly overlooking defects.
The laser on the BG38 works as designed and it is quite accurate despite not being CT. S&W did publish incorrect instructions early on. That was corrected online at their site and in the newer manuals. I use the BG38 laser to help refine my hand-eye coordination point shooting. I fire using the laser emptying the cylinder as fast as I can reacquire the target with that little red light. Then I do the same thing with the laser off, a cylinder-full at a time. It helps a lot and it keeps me from depending on the laser.
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cjtraining
US Veteran
M649/M640
IMHO, the M649 Bodyguard is the best CCW/BUG. Shown are my wife's and my carry guns.
IMHO, the M649 Bodyguard is the best CCW/BUG. Shown are my wife's and my carry guns.
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5Wire
Member
I like the 642 as well. Also a K-frame snubby or two.
My Bodyguard 38 was a big disappointment. Timing went after less than 200rds. Sent it back to S&W, trouble returned after less than 20rds. Even before that, it was impossible to hold any kind of a decent group. I've been using handguns almost 50 years, I like to think I've got suitable experience, but no amount of practice ever made me any better with the BG38. Not to mention the recoil, made worse by the tiny grip. Much as I like my other S&W revolvers, the BG38 gets a big thumbs down from me. I wouldn't trust my life to it, much less my wife's.
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Edmo
US Veteran
"How is the Recoil? Equivalent to a 4" 9mm semi-auto?" The recoil on the BG38 I owned seemed to be slightly less than my true J frame snubbies. I guess the polymer frame and possibly the grip/bore angle helped to "soak up" some of the impulse. Same recoil, just distributed differently. However, with standard loads and especially with 38 +P loads I found the BG38 to have a snappier recoil than similar sized 9mm handguns... These include a S&W Shield (3.1"), a GLOCK 26 (3.4"), and definitely snappier than a 4" GLOCK 19.
As a general rule I've found the small & light snubbies are a poor fit for a "non-shooter" wife, daughter, or girlfriend. They have a snappy recoil (unpleasant), lots of blast (most guns do), have poor sights (hard to hit with), the triggers are really heavy (heavier for smaller, weaker hands), and they generally aren't "fun" for a shooter who may not be fully convinced on the whole "gun thing". Both my wife and daughter will run the GLOCK 26 & 19 all day with a smile, but will avoid my snubbies if given the option.
"Are they worth the $450 new?" Cost is based on your perceived worth. Here are some competitive options as I see them.
If you are determined to get a small & light revolver I would recommend a true S&W J frame. It is a proven design with years of service and tons of parts and aftermarket grips available. Any "good" gunsmith will know how to work on a J frame and can smooth & lighten the trigger pull.
If a laser is the big selling point get a Crimson Trace grip laser. Unlike the BG38's laser, the CT grip laser doesn't require a separate action to turn the laser on... You just grasp the gun and the dot appears. S&W sells the aluminum framed 642 with CT laser grips as a package.
If a polymer revolver is your interest, look at Ruger's offerings. The also sell one with a laser grip as a package. Ruger's polymer revolvers are a few more dollars than the BG38, but their out-of-box trigger is smoother and all reports say they actually work as advertised (segue).
The BG38 taught me that S&W revolvers are NOT 100% reliable. OUCH!!! Busting this myth came later in life and was much more traumatic for me than learning about Santa. My BG38 failed (the action and cylinder totally locked up) after one month and I sent it to S&W for repairs. Upon return, it would misfire with light primer strikes. Back to S&W... They couldn't fix it and offered to send me another one. I elected to pony up a few more dollars and had them send me a model 642CT J frame snubbie instead. Life has been good in my small revolver world ever since.
To be fair, others have had flawless service from their BG38s. I'm just relating my experiences with one example of the model. However, ditching the BG38 was my best option since I could no longer trust the design.
Sorry for the ramblings... Just one man's view.
Edmo
As a general rule I've found the small & light snubbies are a poor fit for a "non-shooter" wife, daughter, or girlfriend. They have a snappy recoil (unpleasant), lots of blast (most guns do), have poor sights (hard to hit with), the triggers are really heavy (heavier for smaller, weaker hands), and they generally aren't "fun" for a shooter who may not be fully convinced on the whole "gun thing". Both my wife and daughter will run the GLOCK 26 & 19 all day with a smile, but will avoid my snubbies if given the option.
"Are they worth the $450 new?" Cost is based on your perceived worth. Here are some competitive options as I see them.
If you are determined to get a small & light revolver I would recommend a true S&W J frame. It is a proven design with years of service and tons of parts and aftermarket grips available. Any "good" gunsmith will know how to work on a J frame and can smooth & lighten the trigger pull.
If a laser is the big selling point get a Crimson Trace grip laser. Unlike the BG38's laser, the CT grip laser doesn't require a separate action to turn the laser on... You just grasp the gun and the dot appears. S&W sells the aluminum framed 642 with CT laser grips as a package.
If a polymer revolver is your interest, look at Ruger's offerings. The also sell one with a laser grip as a package. Ruger's polymer revolvers are a few more dollars than the BG38, but their out-of-box trigger is smoother and all reports say they actually work as advertised (segue).
The BG38 taught me that S&W revolvers are NOT 100% reliable. OUCH!!! Busting this myth came later in life and was much more traumatic for me than learning about Santa. My BG38 failed (the action and cylinder totally locked up) after one month and I sent it to S&W for repairs. Upon return, it would misfire with light primer strikes. Back to S&W... They couldn't fix it and offered to send me another one. I elected to pony up a few more dollars and had them send me a model 642CT J frame snubbie instead. Life has been good in my small revolver world ever since.
To be fair, others have had flawless service from their BG38s. I'm just relating my experiences with one example of the model. However, ditching the BG38 was my best option since I could no longer trust the design.
Sorry for the ramblings... Just one man's view.
Edmo
Boogsawaste
Member
To everyone referencing their "original" bodyguards, this thread is in reference to the "bodyguard38". As in the plastic/aluminum/steel/laser version. Too much confusion with this new gun having the same name.
Packrattusnongratus
Member
BOBR1+1. Buy her a model 38 and Crimson Trace grips. I use one, sits in my pocket as I type this with IL. Says M38-3 on it.
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