Trigger job on a S&W Bodyguard 380?

[Dench]

I’ve owned both. The BG is what is is. It’s super lightweight and works…almost always anyway. The G42 is the softest shooting gun i’ve ever owned, but I preferred the BG’s heavy trigger for pocket carry and the G42 feels significantly bigger.

They’re not target guns and I don’t know why people treat them as if they are.

The BG was just poor quality. It feels cheap, the trigger blows and it's objectively not as reliable as a G42

 

[JDL]

Waste of money, waste of time. If it is going to be your carry gun just learn to shoot it, learn the quarks and the guns feel. It is never going to be a target gun and will only be used at close range maybe five feet. Practice point and shoot and the trigger and learn the gun I don't think you will be using this gun in a movie type shoot out at longer ranges, if so you have entirely the wrong gun. Time to rethink.

 

[Coda]

I had one like 15 years ago. Was one of the biggest pieces of shit I ever owned.

If you want a pocket .380 the choice is pretty easy and it's Glock 42.

Glock 42 is a better gun no doubt, but it is bigger and heavier.

For some the difference in size and weight is negligible. But for me as a pocket carry gun, and a gun I take when riding my bike or out for a run the difference is noticeable.

 

[drgrant]

They’re not target guns and I don’t know why people treat them as if they are.

It's not that people think its a target gun, it's that its not that great as a pocket gun in its class.

 

[inerlogic]

the best upgrade i made to my BG380 was to clean it, put it back in its box, and buy a G42
second hand market is so bad for BG380s it isn't worth selling, it sucks so much to shoot it isn't worth carrying,
i'd throw it in the f****** Acushnet river, but then i'd have to fill out "lost/stolen" paperwork, and screw that....

 

[drgrant]

the best upgrade i made to my BG380 was to clean it, put it back in its box, and buy a G42
second hand market is so bad for BG380s it isn't worth selling, it sucks so much to shoot it isn't worth carrying,
i'd throw it in the f****** Acushnet river, but then i'd have to fill out "lost/stolen" paperwork, and screw that....

The only way to get rid of these things is as a trade in at a "smith heavy" shop like FS or similar; if they have a lot of "smith people(tm)* " as clients it will sell fast, otherwise it will shelf rot.


*anyone whose seen this phenomenon before knows what im talking about; it could literally be a steaming turd, but if smith made it it can never be bad.....

 

[Grendizer138]

Perfectly fine 11 oz point-and-shoot gun. Not fun to shoot. Not pretty. Not worth trying to “improve”.

 

[kalash]

This makes no sense. People don't choose the 380 to pocket. We choose the small gun that happens to only be in a 380. You might as well use the 43.

I pocket carry a G43

 

[Coyote33]

in today's world you can find a micro 9 that's got better ballistics in about the same size package

Very curious about this. The only one I've seen that is close is the Kahr.

 

[Sf Becket]

Very curious about this. The only one I've seen that is close is the Kahr.

You can get a Diamondback DB9 (if you can find one in MA) Smallest 9 I have ever seen. I’m big fan of the Diamondback 380…best cheap 380 IMO

 

[jkelly1229]

The gun people love to bash. The reality it shoots good and does what it should at a fair price. Don't spend money trying to modify. It's not a target gun, what do you people expect. It shoots just as well as any other pocket gun. And no those slim 9's are not as small or light.

Kahr pm9 is not that much bigger and a much better quality firearm

 

[jkelly1229]

Next time try reading my post all the way through.

"I don't shoot it much for obvious reasons but I do exercise it to maintain my confidence in it, it runs good but my hand is sore!!!"

In this instance exercise means shoot it, but I am sure I don't "train" to your high standards.

Next time try doing head shots at 100 yds like an operator....off hand

 

[Marty McFly]

the best upgrade i made to my BG380 was to clean it, put it back in its box, and buy a G42
second hand market is so bad for BG380s it isn't worth selling, it sucks so much to shoot it isn't worth carrying,
i'd throw it in the f****** Acushnet river, but then i'd have to fill out "lost/stolen" paperwork, and screw that....

If you magnet fish you could probably do a straight up trade for it out of the river.

Although I've met you. You're not retarded, so you probably don't magnet fish.

 

[RKG]

This is taking “polishing a turd” to new levels.

Concur. I have done -- or at least started -- one trigger job on a Bodyguard. I found the inside milling of the striker block so crude that I was unable to smooth it to the point where I would have released the pistol to the owner, so I returned it "as was" and have declined subsequent requests to work on them.

 

[weekendracer]

I wish I knew someone with this pistol. I'd be intrigued to see how bad the trigger is and if it effected my accuracy.

 

[Sf Becket]

I wish I knew someone with this pistol. I'd be intrigued to see how bad the trigger is and if it effected my accuracy.

Had one years ago. It actually shot well for me when I staged the trigger. But at the end of the day it’s a pocket 380

 

[weekendracer]

Had one years ago. It actually shot well for me when I staged the trigger. But at the end of the day it’s a pocket 380

Yeah, I have a hard time with my G43. It's just so small it's hard to get a good grip, my trigger stroke is different. Probably going to give it to my wife and just carry my G23/9mm.

 

[allen-1]

Yeah, I have a hard time with my G43. It's just so small it's hard to get a good grip, my trigger stroke is different. Probably going to give it to my wife and just carry my G23/9mm.

Take a look at the 43X. 43 is single stack, very small and I have same issue with grip. 48 is stagger stack, larger. 43X is 48 frame with 43 slide. It's my concealed carry choice of my Glocks. KInd of like a 19 that went on a diet. Shield Arms mag gives me 15+1 in it.

 

[allen-1]

Very curious about this. The only one I've seen that is close is the Kahr.

G43 is small enough to pocket carry. Or a Sig P365.

I'll agree that they're not as small as the BG380, but they're close enough and far better guns.

That of course is my opinion, yours may vary. Doesn't mean that either of us are "wrong", just that we disagree.

 

[weekendracer]

Take a look at the 43X. 43 is single stack, very small and I have same issue with grip. 48 is stagger stack, larger. 43X is 48 frame with 43 slide. It's my concealed carry choice of my Glocks. KInd of like a 19 that went on a diet. Shield Arms mag gives me 15+1 in it.

I have the X, I just have long fingers in relation to my hand size. I mainly posted that to point out maybe it's the size of the gun interfering with the shooter, I don't have a Bodyguard, but do have the 43, so I can't do a direct comparison. Maybe the Bodyguard does indeed have a terrible trigger.

It's just in my history, people blame 'whatever' for poor shooting. The problem is generally behind the gun. With the X, I'm the problem because of my genetics, not necessarily a problem inherent with the gun.

edit: too many 'maybes' in there. Trying to be as non-combative as possible since I don't have a dog in the fight or a frame of reference. Just something a lot of people I've talked to don't take into account.

 

[Buck F]

G43 is small enough to pocket carry. Or a Sig P365.

I'll agree that they're not as small as the BG380, but they're close enough and far better guns.

That of course is my opinion, yours may vary. Doesn't mean that either of us are "wrong", just that we disagree.

I agree that the G43 & P365 are far better guns but they're not "close enough" size wise to match the BG. The BG is far smaller and lighter and for that reason alone, it has it's place for some applications.

 

[weekendracer]

To take my statement a little further, I had a guy with catcher's mitts for hands ask me about the pocket Sig, 938? The itty bitty one. After shooting one, I doubt this guys finger would even fit in the trigger guard. The first time I tried to shoot it, I pressed the trigger guard.

I just shook my head and said you'd never be able to shoot it well.

 

[Buck F]

I have the X, I just have long fingers in relation to my hand size. I mainly posted that maybe to point out maybe it's the size of the gun interfering with the shooter, I don't have a Bodyguard, but do have the 43, so I can't do a direct comparison. Maybe the Bodyguard does indeed have a terrible trigger.

It's just in my history, people blame 'whatever' for poor shooting. The problem is generally behind the gun. With the X, I'm the problem because of my genetics, not necessarily a problem inherent with the gun.

The BG trigger really is that awful but it's not a range gun for bullseye shooting. It's a tiny micro point and shoot gun, it is what it is and it has it's place. Anyone who's concerned about shootability & ergonomics in this gun is missing the point of the gun. I carry it exclusively when I ride my bike; it's tiny, light and I don't mind sticking IWB it in my bike shorts. A 365 or a 43 would be too much for that.

 

[straightshooterjake]

The problem with the S&W Bodyguard is poor manufacturing and build quality. I personally think this is the only problem that really matters. If the guns were reliable, I would be telling people that if you really need the smallest carry gun, then the grip and trigger will be manageable enough. Instead, I tell people that I have just seen too many problems with them, and I give them a do NOT recommend.

In my experience the Bodyguard is enough smaller than any of the 9mm options that the difference matters. To anyone who says that the difference is not significant for their uses, i would say "get a quality 9mm and do not even look at any 380."

 

[wcorey]

Kahr CW380 fits in this niche nicely, about as small as they get, has a smooth trigger pull and cycles hp's reliably.

 

[Grendizer138]

Kahr CW380 fits in this niche nicely, about as small as they get, has a smooth trigger pull and cycles hp's reliably.

I would carry ninja stars before I ever carried a Kahr product.

 

[Coda]

Next time try doing head shots at 100 yds like an operator....off hand

OK Mr. Wick.......... We are so fortunate to have an expert like you to show us the way.

 

[jkelly1229]

OK Mr. Wick.......... We are so fortunate to have an expert like you to show us the way.

Lol no i hear you bgs are bad breath dump a mag into someone.

They are not meant for training.

Couple rounds for function check every 3 months or so is all i did with mine.

 

[jkelly1229]

I would carry ninja stars before I ever carried a Kahr product.

Umm... why not both?

 

[drgrant]

I wish I knew someone with this pistol. I'd be intrigued to see how bad the trigger is and if it effected my accuracy.

If you're slow firing the gun and I mean really slow it's probably not going to do much to negatively impact accuracy... it's actually relatively smooth it just stacks like a motherf***er and it pulls forevvvvvvvvvver.