New M&P 40c and Bodyguard 380

[Bill T.]

Body Guard .380

There is a thead here on Smith-Wessonforum,com : Bodyguard 380: Not Ready for Primetime and it is interesting, but I haven't been fully convinced, athough I'm starting to be glad I don't wear my pants and jeans so tight any more, as I'm looking more at the M&P 40c and Glock 27 in my collection for pocket carry--although they seem a mite bit heavy and I'm not too sure about that.

Any thing fairly recent on google or else where on the BG380 being unreliable, I'd appreciate knowing about. I'm starting to think that after sinking $309 and another $25 in transfer fee, that maybe I'm in denial and I don't mean some river in Egypt, unfortunately.


I haven't fired 100's of rounds with it quite yet and so far it's eaten and spit out everything put in it--but hey--I hate to keep buying pricey ammo, feeling like I'm a 'beta tester' for a gun I knew had issues, but 'thought' they'd been worked out .

Nonetheless, I'm going to fire several hundred rounds of that damn pricey 380 ammo and then make a decision if I want to trust my family's life with that in my pocket. The Ruger was/is cheaper, but I thought aside from the trigger feel, the BG380 was the better gun, sturdier, better grip and standard sights, etc..

If push comes to shove and I don't trust the BG380 after all and find the M&P 40c or Glock 27 (sweet guns, Nickel Boron upper slide, Truglo TFOs and all) too heavy, I don't think I'll go with the baby Ruger after all, nor their new baby 9mm. (Ruger has major issues with a lot of new intros too) That Sig P238 in Equinox finish and/or with the rosewood scales, seems to be whispering in my ear already. That gun, with two tone Equinox type finish with Crimson Trace, a 2.7 inch barrel, weighing in at 15.2 ounces sounds mighty fine for $621, although The two tone, with Sig Sites (tritium nights) at $508 might just have to do the trick, if 'push comes to shove"

We had six inches of rain last night here in South Georgia--a real blessing in our drought conditions--great for the Farmers. Now if five inches were water for the Farmers, seeing how after 5 inches, it runs off instead of soaking in and the extra inch was all $5 and $10's, I'd be delighted about now!

After the jury's in and the verdict too, I just hope in this situation, I'm not like many who end up saying "I coulda, I shoulda, had a Sig!" Arrgh...

I have a Sig P238 (SAS) has been a PERFECT gun. Carry it all the time. I did pay a premium for it but VERY HAPPY. I have shot aprox 600 rounds through it. Not one hic-cup. It has the new flat spring, 3rd gen mag and pretty accurate. At 10 yards I get 3-4 " groups rapid fire. I have a friend that purchased a BG 380, which I have shot, but I can't get by the long heavy trigger. LOVE MY SIG.

 

[Rangel]

I have a Sig P238 (SAS) has been a PERFECT gun. Carry it all the time. I did pay a premium for it but VERY HAPPY. I have shot aprox 600 rounds through it. Not one hic-cup. It has the new flat spring, 3rd gen mag and pretty accurate. At 10 yards I get 3-4 " groups rapid fire. I have a friend that purchased a BG 380, which I have shot, but I can't get by the long heavy trigger. LOVE MY SIG.

No doubt the Sig is sweet as I've pointed out previously, but no sour grapes intended, you can get a nice trigger job done on the BG380 and still save a lot of money versus the 238.

I do like the lighter weight on the S&W. While some 380's are down to close to 8 ounces, they are brutal on the hands if you want to shoot a box or two, to put it mildly. Almost naturally due to physics (although construction is a factor too--ala the 'spring' you mention) the Sig's extra weight helps it to be a bit easier to shoot than the BG380 too.

On the other hand, the BG380 is lighter, carrying at around at around 12 oz, is still managable to shoot and also not only pocket carries a little easier than the 238, but it leaves less of an obvious imprint in your pocket, when looked at from the outside.

The 'perfect gun'? I supose there's a 'perfect gun'--namely 100's of guns 'perfect' for specific needs and conditions, although I'll bet that you meant in terms of buyer satisfaction, the Sig's perfect for you. Sounds quite accurate as well. It also interesting that like so many companies, they've been improving on it--few guns are 'just right' on first issue.

I have some friends who are strongly in what I call the Sig Sauer--HK camp, but they're increasingly interested in the M&P series. I don't see too many Sigs and HKs in formal competitions.

 

[Bill T.]

BG 380

Back at you. >>>>>>>>>>
I hear what you are saying Rangle and agree completely.
Everyone is different. I just happen to like the Sig better
than the BG. I just this minute weighed my P238 on my
postal scale and loaded Hornady Critical Defense it weighs
15 & 1/2 OZ. As you said, ME/I can't take the beating with
the BG .380 I can and do, shoot 50-100 rounds through my
Sig quite often. Actually I think I am close 1000 rounds now.
I carry it all the time in a Crossbreed IWB holster. After just
a few minutes I forget I have it on. As for being a died in
the wool Sig fan >>>>>> NO. I just bought a S&W M&P 9c and
have a Glock 26 (which I really like) and a Colt .380 Govt.
Model. The Colt is kind of a Safe Queen, I just LIKE IT. I
also have a Beretta 92FS in 9mm Really like that gun but
just TOO BIG to carry. OH, and a S&W 1911 LOVE IT. As
you can see, I'm diverse. I read your post and felt like
adding my thoughts. What ever you do will be RIGHT for you.

 

[Lost Lake]

My 10 year old and I were out at our range this weekend. I had my M&P 40FS and my BG380, he had his M&P15-22 and we had a Ruger 22 also.

We shot hundreds of rounds with not a single hiccup. We had several friends out with us and one had a PX4 that gave him fits. And one Colt AR mangled a shell, nut he was firing it full auto (bumping he called it).

Also had one friend with some Russian 7.62 with goofy flat bottomed rounds that really went KABOOM when he fired it.... Hard to find shells he said... I think they were loaded with dynamite!

 

[Bassleg]

I shoot 100+ rounds out of my 380 Bodyguard at a time and
it don't make my hand hurt and it shoot HP bullets just fine
I have shot Hornady XTP , CD Remington 102 GSB PMC HP
and Remington 88 HP I guess I just got a good one.
Also it's as smooth as frogs fur.

 

[Bill T.]

I shoot 100+ rounds out of my 380 Bodyguard at a time and
it don't make my hand hurt and it shoot HP bullets just fine
I have shot Hornady XTP , CD Remington 102 GSB PMC HP
and Remington 88 HP I guess I just got a good one.
Also it's as smooth as frogs fur.

I do understand what you are saying but I have arthritis in my hands and that little gun just hurts me. My Sig P238 does not. What can I say. To each his own. I just prefer the Sig. I just shoot ball ammo from it but carry "Hornady Critical Defense"

 

[Rangel]

Hadn't noticed this previously:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...s/205448-lapd-bodyguard-380-model-photos.html

 

[Bill T.]

Hadn't noticed this previously:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...s/205448-lapd-bodyguard-380-model-photos.html

Interesting. Like I said above, I have arthritis in my hands. That BG380 just doesn't work for me. BUT, the Sig does. A good friend of mine whose BG380 I shot, likes his very much. Just not for me. What ever you do will be right for you.

 

[Sodbuster46]

I own both pistols (at the time of this posting) I started out with the BG 380 and fired 250 rounds thru it; never couild get comfortable with the trigger pull on the BG or the grip, put a granulated rubber grip from Talon on it - and that did help a little. Purchased my M&P40c 2 months later and have pretty much neglected my BG380 since; have put 1000 rounds thru the M&P40c with no issues at all; I let my wife fire the BG380 and she had no interest in it - wanted to stay with her Airweight 38 Special; Not sure what the future is going to hold for the BG380 - it fired well and was fairly acurate at less than 15 yards. I'm not displeased with it, and it is the newest generation that has the bugs worked out of it. I like the sites much better on the M&P40c, and have not really used the laser on the BG380, don't want to get in a habit of relying on it. My daily carry is the M&P40c, and will probably let the BG380 go.

 

[Rangel]

I also found the BG380's sights less than optimum too, but better than those on a lot of the small back up guns--BUGs. The trigger's reallllly long and heavy, but I think triggers on pocket guns should be on the heavy side.

Don't laugh too loud here, but on a whim, I took out some Liquid Paper "White Out" and put it on the front sight. That was about 10 months ago. I have carried that gun in its pocket holster in my front and back pocket and the White Out is still there!

I'm sure I could remove it and some white enamel paint, which would probably replace it at least as well, but the White Out has also suprisingly lasted quite well! I sort of figured it as a 'trial run' but it's still holding.....

It especially helps in aquiring a target, as the white front really contrasts well to the black rear's.

Speaking of laughing, when I read Knochen's post, which included:

>>Then I discovered if I shoot the 380 with my index finger extended along the reciever and used my middle finger for the trigger, my accuracy increased greatly.<<<

I was increduolous when I read that, but dangnabbit, it really does work, even if it does look 'different'!

 

[crracer_712]

I have two LCP's, the first I shot mostly WWB through for the first hundred rounds or so. Not for breakin, but rather it was cheap to shoot. Got some Hornady CD and put 4 mags through it, no problem.

Second LCP, I've only shot JHP though it without a single issue. I believe it was Remington UMC JHP. I found some cheap and wanted to shoot.