S&W Bodyguard
Hi...friend is thinking of purchasing a S&W Bodyguard .380 w/laser auto. Has anyone shot one of these.....any thoughts..Thanks.
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I am thinking of purchasing a S&W bodyguard or Taurus version (851 I think.) Can anyone out there give me some points as to which one would be the better buy? 0 -
A bunch of outfits make similar pistols. Ruger and KelTec come mind. If possible have him go to different gunshops or gunshows to get a hands-on feel with different models. If he could shoot them at a rental range all the better.
All the different versions by the various manufacturers are designed to be up-close personal protection handguns. The main criteria above all else is reliability with these guns. Don't be concerned about lasers or sights or anything else. As long as he can put the whole magazine into a 10" diameter paper plate at 5 yards, that's all that matters. Personally I don't thing this type of pistol should even be equipped with a manual safety. You want something with a mechanism as close to a double action revolver as possible.0 -
I've fired the KelTec 3AT (own it), The Ruger LCP and the Taurus TCP - all .380ACP. I've seen but not fired the S&W Bodyguard - it is a bit larger in all dimensions than any of the former - the last two seem to be very close copies of the KelTec - except for the slide hold open treatment. My thoughts on carrying one of these - well, the smaller and handier the better. All three that I've fired have had surprising accuracy at up to 18' (6 yards). I understand that laser sights are all the rage now-a-days, but as rufe posted - these are up-close and personal - under those conditions - your friend might not even have time to engage the laser before needing to fire. Good advice on handling for fit and test firing. None of them are easy to fire accurately without some practice and drills. 0 -
Kahr P380 0 -
My EDC is a Bodyguard .380. I previously carried a KAHR PM40. The KAHR was just too much trouble (I may have had a "problem child").
I enjoy carrying the BG380. It's pretty accurate. I've never fired the other .380s, so I can't compare.
I _do_ have trouble getting the laser to go on and off. Could be my fat fingers...
I agree with another poster in that sights and laser don't count as much as reliability. If you can point & click and hit a 12" plate at 5 yards, you're good to go.0 -
Ask you friend if (s)he has considered a Colt Mustang (standard version, not the "Plus" version with the longer grip, higher-cap magazine). These were available in steel, alloy frame and maybe stainless...not sure about ss. I like the all steel version for the recoil control. Nice, friendly, reliable, compact gun and in my opinion one of the top 3 best tiny concealed carry guns ever made.
I consider a laser sight on one of these type weapons to be a very non-essential appurtenance.0 -
For the price and factory laser, isn't this a great choice for the money???? 0 -
If you are looking for a .380 ACP, then one could hardly blame you for the money. I've had the Ruger, compared the Kahr, KelTec, and NAA. The Sig/Colt is a bit of a different critter. If you're a 1911 buff, they're the ones for for you. However, if you are looking for a DAO pistol or something that is as close to a double action revolver as possible in a tiny little package, the S&W is hard to beat. The price and features make it a REAL contender. I do have to say that the size difference is much preferrable to me over the other DAO guns. The "extra" safety is an added plus I guess. 0 -
As I said, I really enjoy the S&W.
The only other CC experience I have is with my KAHR PM40 and my Taurus 140. Both have more stopping power, but they're larger and more "visible." The S&W just sits there, quietly, out of sight...0 -
quote:Originally posted by bartman45
Hi...friend is thinking of purchasing a S&W Bodyguard .380 w/laser auto. Has anyone shot one of these.....any thoughts..Thanks.
My only thought is that it usually doesn't pay to be an 'early adopter' of new design guns.
These certainly look good, but the design is new, and its possible that not all the kinks have been worked out yet. For example, both Ruger AND Kel-Tec had to recall or redesign their original tiny .380 guns.
That's doubly embarrassing for Ruger since its design is more or less a blatant copy of the Kel Tec! MOST of the small .380s out there right now are just not reliable out of the box, and that's worth thinking about.
Personally, I'd way a year or two to ensure that the design is sound before buying one.0
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