Went to a local gun show today specifically to take a closer look at the new Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 which has just started to hit the market.  For those who are not aware of this new little pistol, its main feature is a built-in Insight laser.  But is this little gun worth buying?  There are a couple of things to note before you go ahead and shell out your hard earned money on one.

Size

The pistol is quite small and very similar to all the other pocket 380 pistols covered on this website.  However, what quickly got my attention was just how thin this pistol is.  In fact, it is thinner than any of the popular pocket pistols in its class.  A .380 just can’t get any slimmer folks.  This may be a good design feature for some, but for others it may be a problem.  I found it quite uncomfortable to grip properly do to its width and I do have small hands.  The Diamondback DB380 remains on top in terms of overall comfort.  You’ll want to hold one in your hands before you decide to purchase it.

Built-in Laser

Now to its main feature…the built-in Insight laser.  This is what truly disappointed me and actually what kept me from purchasing one.  The pistol sports two rubber buttons on both sides that turn the laser on or off.  What I found is that it was quite difficult to enable the laser with the index finger and required a very hard push.   This is not good and chances are you will not activate it on a quick draw from your pocket without plenty of practice.  I mentioned this out loud at the show and when others around me held it, they also felt the same.  In fact, it was after I said this out loud that the dealer said he’ll lower the price by $20.  I thought maybe it was just the pistol I was holding but as you can tell from the picture I took above, they had more than one available and all were just as difficult to press.  With that said, you’ll want to play with one for a bit to see if you are comfortable enabling the laser quickly each and every time.  I can see why this may be by design, but those couple of seconds you’ll take to try and activate it can honestly cost you your life.  I can’t stress that enough and is something that all should think about when carrying a handgun with a laser sight.

Conclusions

The S&W Bodyguard 380 is a nice little pistol that is out of the norm and will most certainly attract many and compete well with a number of other excellent options on the market today.  However, you’ll want to play with one a bit before you determine if it is the right one for you.

If anyone owns one, I’d like your feedback…primarily in the areas of accuracy and trigger pull.

Questions?  Comments?  Discuss them here…