Smith & Wesson Body Guard: .380

.380 caliber is just fine. Shoot what you're comfortable shooting. Pairing up with shot placement is control of your weapon. I have a .40 Sig P250. I found out fairly quickly that I don't like .40 cal. I have very small wrists, and it takes too long for me to get back on target because of the "snappiness" of the .40 cartridge. I'd love to trade it for a 9mm (which I will as soon a gun show comes back to my neck-of-the-woods). But after that, I will likely go with a .380.

Originally posted by Aliensun
How effective is the .380?
Think about the very recent incident in Fla. where a 71 year-old man used a .380 to thwart a robbery in an internet cafe. Two hits to one guy and a single hit to the other. Neither guy was disabled from the bullet. In fact, they ran away.

People can say that the old gent saved the day and showed the robbers who was boss. But stop to think about the whole show. The .380 failed to stop the show, it merely changed the plans of the robbers.

I think his .380 performed its job just as intended. When pulling your weapon to confront an attacker, your goal is stop them. If death is what stops them, then so be it. Your target just needs to cease committing whatever act they are performing that required you pull your weapon.

They stopped, not because they were dead, but because someone else had control, had a firearm, and put holes in them that undoubtedly hurt like nobody's business!

Textbook example of why all citizens of a free nation should carry concealed. And his .380 performed like a champ.

/TOA

reply to post by EyesWideShut


That's great. Promising news. I'm so excited to finally have a weapon that I can carry for extended periods of time and not worry about it. As soon as I picked it up I knew I found what I had been looking for. I never cared for the way the LCP or Kel-Tec felt in my hand, more so the Kel-Tec; they both felt cheap. I don't think it was on the shelves yet when I purchased by G26. I've had several Smith & Wesson firearms and I've never had any problems with their customer service or support. I'm kinda sad to see my Walther PPS .40 cal leave my gun safe but I'm sure I'll fill the space with lots of ammo! That Walther was way over-priced to begin with and they had the nerve to sell it with only one magazine. My Glock came with three! I also don't really care for the laser; I might play around with it at the range but it won't be a deal breaker if I'm drawing it to defend myself. I looked at the Sig 290 which I really liked, especially because it's size was perfect and chambered in the 9mm, but again, it came pre-attached with a damn laser and it totally threw off the dimensions and likeability of the weapon.

reply to post by The Old American

.380 caliber is just fine. Shoot what you're comfortable shooting. Pairing up with shot placement is control of your weapon.

All the experts will tell you the same advice. Training, training, and training. Shot placement is critical. I don't even entertain the "9mm vs 45 ACP" debate anymore. What little time I've spent with firearms I've learned that every issue is highly polarized, thus, you gotta do what works for you! Your weapon has be comfortable, it has to be fun to shoot, and you better train, train, train if you expect it to perform in an emergency!

reply to post by Aliensun


That isn't really evidence of anything. A .380 is 70% effective at a one shot stop.
Your skill and placement is the most important part.

Ask all the dead cops and gang bangers killed by a .380 bullet how effective they are.

I would say if those guys walked away it was because they got lucky.

Originally posted by GogoVicMorrow
reply to post by Aliensun

 

That isn't really evidence of anything. A .380 is 70% effective at a one shot stop.
Your skill and placement is the most important part.

Ask all the dead cops and gang bangers killed by a .380 bullet how effective they are.

I would say if those guys walked away it was because they got lucky.

I understand what you're saying. Anecdotal evidence cannot be quantified, therefore it is unreliable. However, a wise man once uttered,

"your skill and placement is the most important part."

But seriously, if I can locate that FBI study I'll post it in this thread. It measured caliber size versus shot placement. Conclusion: basically, unless you land a shot to the head or upper brain stem that bad guy has 15 seconds of useful consciousness that he/she can still be considered a threat. You're right.

Cos, before you buy, check out the ruger lc9. VERY concealable, and with 147 grain hollow points more than enough firepower. Have one and it is perfect.

Originally posted by Razor1
Cos, before you buy, check out the ruger lc9. VERY concealable, and with 147 grain hollow points more than enough firepower. Have one and it is perfect.

I just read the review. I wish I saw this earlier. Despite Ruger's impressive reputation, I was so turned off by the LCP that I didn't even entertain anything else by them. The LC9 has the right dimensions, and its chambered in 9mm! It looks way more substantial than the LP. Thanks for the heads up Razor!

While I disagree with your opinion of the LCP (my backup gun of choice). I think the .380 is an adequate round. Especially paired with some Federal Hydra-Shock and good shot placement. It probably is the smallest rouund I would carry, but I trust the round and my skills with it to neutralize any threat quickly. I think you will be happy with the Bodyguard, I share the same opinion with you on the gimmecky laser. These are point/shoot guns made for close encounters. Let us know how you like it and post a range report if possible.

I agree with the whole 9 vs .45 issue regarding shot placement. On one hand you've got the camp that says. You're going to be shaking like a leaf when you attempt to fire the gun under duress. Therefore, you want a .45 so no matter where you hit him it will take him down.

THen you've got the other side going if I'm 5 feet from the guy I can still hit him a few times with a 9 and be just as effective. SHot placement does count for a lot in those situations.

Here are some of my observations though. Most shooters go to the range and fire from static positions. THey shoot great and look bad ass but then someone (when the range gets a little emptier near the end of the day) sets up a tactical shooting setup with bowling pins and clays on the ground at various ranges. THe shooter has to move from one position to the other to shoot at the targets. They are under time and sometimes there's other little tidbits thrown in like you are only allowed to have a half full mag and must switch to your secondary or reload, still under time. You will notice that most simply don't train for the realistic shooting situations they will be presented with. and all these guys with tricked out ARs end up looking stupid because they just discovered that when push comes to shove they just can't shoot straight. It's very illuminating for the shooter and they get to discover their weak spots, which usually turn out to be much greater than they originally believed.

So considering that most people in fact can not shoot accurately when the SHTF they may indeed want a bigger round that will stop said assailants with out having to worry abut shot placement. I personally feel a semi auto shotgun is still the best option for home defense.

Originally posted by clayb2004
While I disagree with your opinion of the LCP (my backup gun of choice). I think the .380 is an adequate round. Especially paired with some Federal Hydra-Shock and good shot placement. It probably is the smallest rouund I would carry, but I trust the round and my skills with it to neutralize any threat quickly. I think you will be happy with the Bodyguard, I share the same opinion with you on the gimmecky laser. These are point/shoot guns made for close encounters. Let us know how you like it and post a range report if possible.

I'm glad you find the .380 an adequate round that is effective to neutralize threats quickly. While I don't care for the LCP, it is good weapon platform and very popular. It just doesn't work for me. As soon as I pick up the body guard I'll post some feedback! Thanks bud.

reply to post by Cosmic911


I've got the same gun, and for the small frame it actually shoots pretty good! I like it a lot better than the .38 featherlight I used to own. It is not going to be accurate for much of a distance, but it will pack quite a punch and it is easy to conceal. I carry mine in a front slacks pocket a lot of the time, but I prefer to have it under my arm or in the small of my back.

Now for the bad news. Previous ATSer DaddyBare was gunsmith, and he said the laser likes to quite on these guns after about a year. The laser is difficult to replace and must be done by a gunsmith, so it is a little costly. Apparently S&W is working on a solution for this problem, so by the time mine quits, I'm hoping either a recall or at least an upgrade is available for the fix.

ETA:
To increase knockdown power, and eliminate the risk of pass-through or ricochet, the Extreme Shock rounds are very, very good! That is what I carry in all of my .380 guns.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Cosmic911

 

I've got the same gun, and for the small frame it actually shoots pretty good! I like it a lot better than the .38 featherlight I used to own. It is not going to be accurate for much of a distance, but it will pack quite a punch and it is easy to conceal. I carry mine in a front slacks pocket a lot of the time, but I prefer to have it under my arm or in the small of my back.

Now for the bad news. Previous ATSer DaddyBare was gunsmith, and he said the laser likes to quite on these guns after about a year. The laser is difficult to replace and must be done by a gunsmith, so it is a little costly. Apparently S&W is working on a solution for this problem, so by the time mine quits, I'm hoping either a recall or at least an upgrade is available for the fix.

ETA:
To increase knockdown power, and eliminate the risk of pass-through or ricochet, the Extreme Shock rounds are very, very good! That is what I carry in all of my .380 guns.

edit on 23-7-2012 by getreadyalready because: (no reason given)

At this point the laser seems like one big distractor.I'd rather have a rail under there than the laser. I will try those Extreme Shock rounds. Are they hollow points? Thanks for the input!

reply to post by Cosmic911


Better than hollow points.

They are an "extreme frangible." They completely disintegrate upon impact, turning into a powder. They have a plastic tip, a solid tungsten powder core, and a thin copper shell inside a brass casing. Maximum transfer of kinetic energy with no chance of pass-through or ricochet, and the added benefit of no ballistic evidence if that ever happens to be a concern.

And for the record, that little blinking red dot would have been very useful in the dark theatre in Colorado. In most cases I would prefer to point and shoot, but in that chaotic theatre, the blinking red dot would have been the perfect accessory.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Impressive video. Good point about the laser. I hope they figure out how to fix the problem. My AR is SW and their customer service is pretty solid. I'm sure they will arrive at something that works for everyone.

Finally picked up the pistol yesterday. I had so much to do after work yesterday it killed to see it just sit on the counter for three hours before I got to "play" with it. So I haven't taken it to the range yet, but I've made some observations already. I spent a little time cleaning it last night.

-As suspected, I love the way it feels in my hand. It feels substantial. It has weight. It's solid. Especially with a full magazine.
-I found the take-down lever a little difficult to remove to field strip it. I'm sure this will loosen with use.
-Also, had a little difficult time getting it back together. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it.
-I've never had a true DAO or pistol with a hammer. Every gun I've had has been striker-fired. So getting the hammer in the correct position to reassemble the weapon was a little tricky. I checked out a couple videos on You Tube that were helpful.
-The slide safety was stiff and stable. Never used a slide safety before. With a trigger pull as heavy and long as this is, plus the firing pin safety is reported to be "heavier than a Glock," I might not even use it.
-As assumed, the laser did little for me. I'll have to investigate how and when I would engage the laser. Like someone mentioned above, it is awkward to activate. When drawn and pointing, when I activated it with my right index finger, the muzzle drifted laterally to the left. The dog was amused with it!
-I found the user manual a little "thicker" than most, but just as vague in the most important topics or sections.

So, that's it for now. Can't wait to take it to the range! Cheers!

reply to post by Cosmic911

With a trigger pull as heavy and long as this is, plus the firing pin safety is reported to be "heavier than a Glock," I might not even use it.

I forgot to mention that. It is always a double-action pull, never single, and it is pretty stiff. I've got mixed feelings about that part, it definitely hurts accuracy when shooting, but it makes it a little safer when I carry it in my front pocket instead of its holster.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Cosmic911

 

With a trigger pull as heavy and long as this is, plus the firing pin safety is reported to be "heavier than a Glock," I might not even use it.

I forgot to mention that. It is always a double-action pull, never single, and it is pretty stiff. I've got mixed feelings about that part, it definitely hurts accuracy when shooting, but it makes it a little safer when I carry it in my front pocket instead of its holster.

I didn't really think about it until I had it in my hand last night. The Glocks are kinda like that; with striker fired handguns, each trigger pull is the same, however, its not as heavy or long as the bodyguard. I do like the safety advantage it offers, like you said.

It's also very difficult to release the slide when in the locked position. I have to pull back on the slide to release it. Like the safety, the slide release is stiff right now. Its got a lot of "breaking in" ahead of it. I can't wait!


I purchased some federal ammunition for the range, but for carry purchased Hornady Critical Defense 90 grain. This is the required ammunition of the LAPD for off-duty/back-up pistols in the .380 caliber. Besides the Body Guard, Ruger's LCP is the only other off-duty/back-up .380 pistol approved.

Hornady Critical Defense is the top performing .380 round, with Federal Hydra-Shok just shortly behind. You made a good choice.

reply to post by clayb2004


I'm glad to hear that! I did a little reading and it sounded like a promising round for the .380. A friend of mine also made that recommendation. I can't wait to take it out to the range this weekend.