First ccw, shield vs bodyguard 380

[petes67bird]

Thanks tango. What do you feel about the recoil?

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[wpsharpshooter]

You can have a pistol in .22 and a pistol in .45 but if the .45 is to uncomfortable to carry then its not doing you any good.. ANY gun is better than nothing, so get something you can carry comfortably ALL the time

 

[checkmyswag]

The XDS in 45 will have a good amount of recoil. So would a small 380 in a different way. This is why so many people recommend the 9mm in a small gun (smaller than a 45 gun bigger than a 380 gun).

 

[2tango2]

Pete

I find the recoil manageable especially for a 45 in that size. And I am as recoil sensitive as they come It does bark but in a controlled manner. I find it more pleasant to shoot than my 40 Shield and it is a tack driver for such a small gun

I think you will enjoy it. I've seen you over on xdtalk so you know what your getting yourself into

 

[Protected One]

Chances are you won't need to use whatever you carry, BUT, in the event that you DO need it...what will you be thinking if it happens when you left you "shield" at home because your attire for the day wouldnt accomodate it...or the weight would bother you...or any one of a host of reason)?
The point is....when you need it - YOU DON'T HAVE A GUN(on you).
I would get the Bodyguard. That way you have no reason to EVER be unarmed!

 

[petes67bird]

Pete

I find the recoil manageable especially for a 45 in that size. And I am as recoil sensitive as they come It does bark but in a controlled manner. I find it more pleasant to shoot than my 40 Shield and it is a tack driver for such a small gun

I think you will enjoy it. I've seen you over on xdtalk so you know what your getting yourself into

Thanks tango. These are both great forums. Oftentimes when looking for an opinion, asking it on a forum for that enthusiast will illicit biased responses which is why I may ask the same question in multiple forums. I appreciate everyone's guidance to me to help make correct choices. Thanks everyone

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[checkmyswag]

If you train with it and can shoot it well, it's all good. I'm not a blind brand enthusiast. I know what works for me and what I prefer. I respect that others have different needs and preferences. Everything else being equal, a small 380 or small 45 will recoil more than a small 9mm such as a Shield sized gun. Can't escape physics.

Nothing against the 45. I'd like a small 45 for no good reason though. Shot placement and fast follow up shots over caliber.

 

[2tango2]

Swag... You are correct on that the 45 has a bit more recoil than the Shield 9. However I'm amazed at how little recoil it actually has given its size. I would have thought a lot more. I'm more accurate with the xDS vs the Shield especially with the first shot. Go figure? Hopefully with that kind of shooting a followup shot not necessary lol

 

[Pointer1]

Not a fan of the 380 but if you are dead set on carrying in pocket the Bodyguard is a good choice

The xDs in 9mm would be a nice choice as well when it comes out. My xDs in 45 fits in my pocket. I however prefer my Shields in a Remora or Sticky

Does the Sticky work well?

 

[lone-wolf--]

Pete, congrats on the new purchase... as for your BG versus Shield original question... I hands down say Shield. I personally carry the shield and have been able to successfully carry and conceal in ALL attire. I live in FL and have worn it with gym shorts with the right holster. Getting the proper holsters for comfort or maximum concealment is the ticket. To me the .380 will get the job done but you will be able to practice way more with the shield since it is actually COMFORTABLE to shoot and relatively easy to find reasonably priced ammo when OBAMA isn't in office... this is going to give you a lot of time at the range which will pay off in the long run if you plan on getting both guns. To me pocket guns are more of a luxury... where if you wake up one day and say... ya know I really want an ultra light gun to fit in my pocket... you can... I forsee it getting a lot of safe time if you are used to the shield/similar.

JMHO

 

[checkmyswag]

Went from Bodyguard vs Shield and ends up with an XDS?

Suppose I've been there myself.

Hope to hear back after you've shot and carried if you like it and plan to keep/carry it long term or if you're in the market for something else.

 

[petes67bird]

I will be sure to update. Gun shipped today, my lgs will get it, then is I accept it it will then start a 72 hour hold. Sucks but I want to inspect it first.

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[2tango2]

Does the Sticky work well?

Sticky works pretty good for 25 bucks. I actually returned it because I prefer a sweat shield but it worked as advertised

 

[Brent197]

I just picked up a bodyguard for my first CCW and love it.
I mostly wear gym shorts and t shirts and it doesn't print on my shirt at all

 

[CaptRon956]

For a first possible ccw weapon, what do you guys think. Should I go with a gun that I will be able to bring with me mostly everywhere in my pocket as the bodyguard, but lose a bit cause it's a 380. Or should I get something along the lines of the shield in 9 and not have it on me at times because I what I am wearing. I don't have any ccw guns, so this purchase will be for my primary gun for a year and the I will buy the other one the following year, just don't have the cash for both. Pretty much pocket gun first or iwb?

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You know what? I asked myself the same exact question... So I bought both! A Shield 9 & a M&P 380 bodyguard(newest non-lazer model)

Hard to put either pistol down I love them both & its a tough choice but in all honestly if I had to choose just one..... It would be the M&P bodyguard 380 (no lazer). My reason is its smaller size & comfort, and its a few bucks cheaper than the shield..
The M&P bodyguard IMO is a very reliable & fun pistol to shoot at the range and with practice it is faily accurate. I can consistantly hit a 5" group at 10 yards (30 feet)

I say go for the Bodyguard! Here is my target at 10 yards...

 

[Horn]

A 380 Ammo To Consider

Amidst all the discussion about which caliber is a better SD round, I have to say I agree with the post that basiclly says its better to have a 380 and carry it than a 45 sitting in the safe. A carry guin that is not with you when needed is worthless.
I've been carrying for 20 years too and of course started out with a full sized 1911 followed by a Commander sized 1911, followed by an officers sized 1911.... I live in NC and found that except for about 4 months of the year I didn't wear enough clothes to comfortably carry a large pistol - and forget about the summer wearing shorts and a T shirt.. My carry guns wound up sitting home most of the time until I bought a little PPK in 380 about 12 years ago. Its been my primary carry gun ever since. These days there are so many choices for small 380 and 9mm pistols that even my PPK seems too big and definitely too heavy. My wife just bought a Body Guard some time back for her purse gun and we spent some time shooting it one day at the range. With the finger extension mags (which I also use on my PPK) I found it to be quite manageable and not all all uncomfortable to shoot. 380 ammo has also come along way in recent years and with some good quality ammo, I don't feel at all "undergunned" with my 380. Is a 40 or 45 a better SD round, sure... but it needs to be with you when you need it..

On rare occasions I pack my Sig P232 with Buffalo Bore's 380+P
100 gr. flat nose hard cast ammo. Make sure your 380 (not an old
pistol) handles it. And__you might go to Buffalo Bore's web sight and read the article about this stuff. For SD__it'll do the job.
My 99.9% carry is my Shield 9.

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-- George Orwell

 

[Decipher]

I know the OP made his purchase already but I see a lot of people struggling with a similar decision. As far as caliber snobs, take a moment to watch this YouTube video below before judging the efficacy of the modern 380 auto round:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOwCXXpEP50[/ame]

My wife carries a Sig P238 and has found interest in a different gun. Neither one of us care for the fact that the safety doesn't lock the slide, so it can come out of battery or advance another round into a jam situation.

Anyways, the BG380 has fallen onto my list after my unbelievably reliable Shield in 9mm has proven itself many times over. I mean, not a single FTF or FTE after nearly 1000 rounds now of mixed ammo. Looks good as new.

I digress. The BG380 seems like you can deeply conceal it with ease. The heavy trigger pull means I can do what I do with my Shield, and carry with the safety off. I'm willing to give it a try and at only about $300 now without a laser, what is there to lose? The argument has been beaten to death about calibers and what's effective. Shot placement is paramount, even if that means carrying a 22lr. Modern ammo has narrowed the gap in effective stopping power. All that's left is deciding on which weapon will see the most carry time. Pretty much none of us will ever have to draw our weapons in defense of ourselves or others. For that, we should all be grateful. God forbid that time comes, I'll be happy that I brought a weapon with me that keeps me in the fight and one that I can get on target quickly, repeatedly, and accurately. I'll let the bad guy consider whether I carried the right caliber.

 

[Harley88]

380 Bodyguard is very good for protection (Unlike what many others may think) It is much more concealable than a bigger gun and has plenty of enough power to stop someone.
Why carry something bigger with more weight and size when you don't really need it?

 

[lmacrichter]

I would say which ever you are more comfortable with. As for 380s, I've not seen a single post where someone said how good it felt to get shot with one and please give me a couple more. It may not knock him on his *** but I don't think the bad guys want to be shot several times with any caliber.

 

[Decipher]

Even more to that point is a factor that many people don't consider; and that's the psychological stop of being shot. The "oh ****, I'm shot," stop. While no one should rely on this, many times this plays a bigger role in stopping a threat than people realize.