Smith & Wesson Bodyguard Handgun

Great for Personal Protection & CCW

This is only my second handgun purchase so take this review with a grain of salt.

I bought the BG 380 for concealed carry while traveling, and for personal protection when stayin...Read complete review

This is only my second handgun purchase so take this review with a grain of salt.

I bought the BG 380 for concealed carry while traveling, and for personal protection when staying in hotel rooms. I want the best in quality and reliability so I went with Smith & Wesson because of their strong reputation. Concealment is my number one priority and this tiny gun delivers. It can be easily concealed under a t-shirt, which is perfect for carrying during the hot summer months. I like the look and feel of the pistol. I also like the soft case it comes in because it looks like a typical CD wallet or day planner. The case also has an additional loop for a second magazine or small flashlight, but only one magazine was included. I purchased two magazines and a holster directly from Smith and Wesson because Gander Mountain did not have the accessories available.

I took the gun to the range and fired off 50 rounds. I was greatly satisfied with the performance. The sights were dead on from the factory and I was able to quickly zero the laser within 25 shots. I found it difficult to hold the laser steadily on the bulls-eye, but I was still able to consistently shoot 2 inch groups at approximately 30 feet. The trigger pull is somewhat heavy and gets heavier towards the rear of the pull. However, it is very easy to feel when the hammer is about to release making it easy to time the shot when your aim is optimal. It has a proper trigger for personal defense because you have to be intent on pulling the trigger. Yet, it still handles well enough to also get an accurate, well placed shot if needed. I do not like the fact that there is a good bit of slack at the beginning of the pull, but this is a minor issue.

For me the tiny frame makes getting a good grip difficult so I was somewhat surprised by the recoil. If I practice a solid grip, I am sure I can handle it better. I found that the push button for the laser was hard to activate using only my index finger and it was even more difficult on the other side. I was able to improve this by re-seating the laser in the frame. The contacts on the internal circuit board were not lined up exactly with the external push buttons. Especially for the price, I was expecting better attention to detail from Smith & Wesson. I am greatly satisfied with the quality on the pistol itself, and the laser. I just wish they would have taken the time to make sure it was installed correctly. I probably will not use the laser unless absolutely necessary, but its nice to know its there and integrated nicely into the design. Like others, the gun was very 'tight' initially, but is starting to loosen up.

Many question the stopping power of the .380 round, but I feel confident it will do the job with quality self defense ammo and well placed shots. I am very confident in the accuracy I experienced with this pistol. I need to put more rounds through it before I can speak to the reliability. Make sure the ammo you buy chambers and ejects smoothly. The Fiocchi JHPs the clerk sold me would not eject without firing the gun. Probably just because the gun is not broken in. The stuff at the range worked great, but was not a name brand.

Overall a great product, great design, smooth operation, and solid feel for such
a lightweight and compact pistol.