Bodyguard or ?

[71velle]

I am looking for a pocket pistol that is less bulky than my 642 and was thinking of a bodyguard. I want to the LGS ad they did not have any in stock to check out. I did check out the LCP custom and it seemed pretty good but could not make a direct comparison to the bodyguard. I know the LCP is slightly smaller and a couple oz. lighter which is a plus.

One of the guys at the shop has the bodyguard the other a LCP and both are happy. Not sure what way to head or just flip a coin.

Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.

 

[rwsmith]

What caliber do you have.....

Are you looking to stay with a .38 special, or do you want to go semi auto? There are several variations of Smiths (all called Bodyguard) and Rugers (called LCPs) in several calibers including .380, .38 special and 9mm. Some revolver, some semi.

 

[71velle]

Sorry. looking at the 380 bodyguard and LCP 380(not LCR). I already have the 642 j-frame but am looking for something less bulky.

 

[rwsmith]

Ah, gotcha.....

Semi's are inherently less bulky than revolvers.

That narrows it down to a Bodyguard .380 or an LCP380. Both are good choices but of course we are partial to the S&W. I've heard complaints about Bodyguards, but that particular model, I have no idea. Maybe some owners will chime in.

 

[Shooter Mike]

You may want to check out the Glock 42

 

[71velle]

The G42 is a little on the big side for the pocket imo. If i felt comfortable with the 42 I would have no problems with the similar sized 9s available.

 

[Old cop]

After carrying a J frame for well over 40 years I tried all the pocket .380s w/o success, they all chocked sooner or later. I picked up the M&P .380 no laser in Feb. and after 600 + rounds of all brands, FMJ & HP, I found a keeper. The gun is amazingly accurate and the trigger is similar to the J frame so the learning curve is short. I'm using the HPR 90 grain hollow points for carry and the gun is fun to shoot.

 

[lmacrichter]

If it doesn't have to be DAO look at the Sig P238. Ihad many problems with my BG and traded for the Sig. I have put 800 rds(many brands) through it with out a single problem.

 

[rjm6120]

I picked the Bodyguard over the LCP because, when I was looking at both many, many months ago, the Bodyguard had much better sights but more importantly it fit my hand a lot better. I have never had one problem with mine and, like Old Cop, have several hundred through mine as well. In the summer I carry it in an Uncle George's wallet holster, but now that it's jacket weather I'm using a Daltech Force OWB belt clip holster.

 

[00stormbringer]

I went with the LCP custom! The trigger is smoother, lighter, and has less travel. Additionally, the abundance of issues that forum members are reporting with their Bodygaurds really made me think twice.

 

[alwslate]

The Taurus TCP 738 is less money but is very reliable. Do a little
research on the net and find out. Don't let the low price bias your
opinion. Just make sure you buy one with an E serial number suffix or later. It is thin and flat and 10.2 oz and has a lifetime warranty.

 

[SteveFi]

i have heard a lot of things about that taurus - checked one out at the gun store about a week ago - seemed pretty nice, great price, but the trigger felt weird to me - wasnt super heavy or overly gritty or any of the normal complaints but had a strange plastic smushy feeling to it - still considering it but will probably save some extra pennies for the bodyguard

can anyone who has shot them relate their experience with the trigger feel?

 

[db4570]

BG 380 Pluses over Ruger LCP:
Manual safety (if you want one)
Double-strike capability
+P capability
Better looking
Better sights (but not resulting in better accuracy)

Ruger LCP Pluses over BG 380:
Reliability. Sometimes you get a good BG, sometimes a bad one.
Lighter (by only a few ounces, but noticeable. Equal to the weight of a loaded vs. empty mag.)
A little smaller, but hardly noticeable

If you don't need any of the BG's pluses listed, I suggest the LCP because of the potential reliability issue.

David

 

[oldiegoldie]

I chose the Body Guard. Between my brothers and me we have 6 BG's with no problems [so far]. I've never shot the Ruger, but have handled and dry fired one of the new ones. They do have a better trigger than BG. But for concealed carry I like the very long & smooth BG trigger. Most people comment on how accurately they can shoot the BG.

Shoot both if possible. You will be able to make a good decision after a range session with both. Keep us posted on your decision and good luck.

 

[Hunter8282]

Hopefully when I get my bonus next month, I'll be looking to pick up a Kahr CW380. I know there are some reports of problems with them, but I like it enough to give it a try and hope I get a good one. There are also several tips documented to help increase reliability in them as they break in.

 

[PirateJim]

I went with the LCP custom! The trigger is smoother, lighter, and has less travel. Additionally, the abundance of issues that forum members are reporting with their Bodygaurds really made me think twice.

Ditto. To me the Bodyguard seemed to have an awfully LOOOONG trigger pull, and I've had my 642 J-frame for years, so I'm used to DAO triggers. My EDC is my Shield, and I pocket carry it a lot of the time, so when I decided I wanted a small .380 for those times I felt the Shield and 642 were too big, I wanted the smallest I could get. And the LCP is a tad smaller and slimmer than the Bodyguard.

 

[lmacrichter]

If you have a range close by that rents guns go shoot several( not just the BG and LCP) and see which one fits your hand and shoots best for you. Everyone is different and the same applies to these small 380s.
Good luck with your choice. I hope you find what works best for you.

 

[Ballistic147]

I've had a Taurus TCP for about a year now and my wife just bought a new Bodyguard. Size between the two is really close but the TCP is just a tad smaller and weighs less too. Overall feel and quality goes to the BG hands down. The BG feels more like a "real" gun compared to the toyish TCP. The trigger is where the TCP really shines and is worlds better than the BG. Both are long pulls but the TCP is a little shorter and seems to be nearly half the weight. Overall accuracy is about the same between the two and really surprising for such tiny guns. I can easily hold 4" groups with both at 7 yards slow fire. The trigger on the TCP really makes a huge difference for rapid fire and longer distances as my accuracy with it is much better than the BG.

The Bodyguard has been completely flawless out of the box. With 100 rounds through it so far and not a single problem. The TCP on the other hand required some grinding and polishing with a Dremel to get it to function 100% but currently has 500 trouble free rounds through it. The TCP is somewhat picky on what you feed it and so far I have found PMC, Fiochi, and Hornady Critical Defense all work without issue. The Bodyguard still needs at least another 100 rounds to qualify it as a CC gun but I really don't see this being a problem.

The TCP did require a little work but I knew that going into it. The grip has been heavily stippled which made a huge improvement for me and the lower edge of the extractor was rounded off and polished per instructions on another forum to fix the feed issues. Again, I knew this going into it and had no problems working on a $200 gun to get it right. Seems Taurus should have solved these known problems by now but.....

My wife and I both like the BG but we feel the trigger could/should be better. She does not like the TCP at all. I prefer the TCP mainly due to the far better trigger. Either way, it all comes down to personal preference and what feels and works better for you.

 

[Red_Ryder]

I had a BG and I wanted to like it. I really did. But after taking it to the range and shooting it, I just couldn't. The trigger pull is really long and it has a lot of recoil. I sold it and bought a Sig P238 for pocket carry. The difference between the two is like night and day. I love the Sig. I highly recommend it.

 

[USAF385]

Hopefully when I get my bonus next month, I'll be looking to pick up a Kahr CW380. I know there are some reports of problems with them, but I like it enough to give it a try and hope I get a good one. There are also several tips documented to help increase reliability in them as they break in.

My CW380 has performed flawlessly. Even during the "break in" period. I prefer it over the BG and LCP... I owned and traded both.