Bodygaurd vs LCP: Opinions

I have a bodyguard and its a nice gun.. I've not had any problems with it.. However, I bought it on an impulse buy and have since wished I would have gotten a sub compact 40 or 9mm carry gun... But, I don't plan on selling it because I've acquired a substantial amount of ammo for it.. I've not really carried it concealed but the shoot thru wallet holster is pretty nifty... I will warn you, you will want to wear ear protection to shoot it... Its a loud little mother... Good luck...

Haven't shot the LCP, but I did not like the 2 Bodyguards I have shot.

Most of the reason I didn't like it was related to the trigger, which frankly... Sucks... I'm not opposed to a decent double action trigger, but I hated the BGs trigger. Too long, too heavy, and it stacks a good amount. I can shoot decent groups with my J-frame, which isn't known for its awesome DAO trigger, but I struggled with the Bodyguard.

The controls, weren't easy for me to use, too low profile. Especially the safety, makes me wonder why they put it on there anyways. With that trigger, WHY do I need a safety?

The laser activation method could be better, I only like grip activated lasers. But oh well.

On the whole? It goes bang and it's small+lightweight, but my P238 shoots circles around it.

Shot the Lcp. No problem hitting phone books at 10yds. My wife shoots it well also.

I have the the bodyguard, very accurate little gun. I went through this a year ago and most people went with the bodyguard. I'm sure they are both great guns.

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I have not shot either one, but the LCP fits better in my hand and points the better of the two. "Better" actually means "less badly," for me. I could not cleanly draw either from a pocket holster because there was just not enough to get hold of in a firing grip.

The LCP was also a lot more numerous at the most recent (albeit pre-SH) show I attended.

I went through the same thing. Went back and forth but ended up with the Bodyguard. It just felt better to me than the LCP. And yes, the trigger sucks and it's hard to pull from a pocket holster, but it's been my most carried gun because it's the easiest to carry. Yes, I am lazy. I never shot the LCP but the Bodyguard is not fun to shoot. I put a hundred rounds through it one afternoon for function testing and the next day it felt like someone had smashed my hand with a 2x4. Definitely not a range toy.

I carry an lcp but have shot my friends bodyguard and feel the bodyguard is an upgrade from an lcp. The bodyguard has alot of nice features the lcp doesn't have.

Please give the taurus TCP a look. Splits the weight between the BG and LCP. Has a far better trigger pull than ether . LGS prices run from 185 bucks to 260 LGS price depending on model.

I have the bodyguard. Great little gun and haven't had any issues. Shoots well too.

I have shot both and second the TCP recommendation over both, or if you really want the best in pocket 380's try a P238.

Between the two I prefer the Bodyguard. Better overall feel and comfort, better sights (plus laser), and better DA trigger.

I had a Bodyguard 380 and sent it back to S&W 3 times for lite primer strikes and finely
just have them send me my money back I now have a TCP shoots great!

Between the lcp and the bodyguard, I would have went with the bodyguard. It felt better in my hand. Comes with a laser. Plus I hated the trigger on the lcp. If I didn't handle the p238. I woulda went with the s&w. I still want one. But I've been funding other gun projects. Let us know which one you get

I have both, and carry each depending on dress. The LCP does not have the laser built in and conceals a little easier in docks. I do like the Bodyguard and wish S&W would make the same without the laser.

I carry my LCP everyday. I've also put about 300 down range with a friend's Bodyguard. IMHO You can't go wrong with either. If they both "feel" good to you take the best deal.

I tried them both, last year.
I think the triggers on both guns pretty much suck, but, in my opinion, most factory guns have trigger pulls that suck.
I liked that the Ruger was smaller, making it easier to conceal/carry, but, it also made it more difficult to get a decent grip.
In the end, I bought a Bodyguard, because it fit my hand a little better, and I thought it was a better value, with the laser. I put a little paint on the sights, because they were too hard for me to pick up quickly.
I don't keep track of how many rounds I put through my guns, but, I've not had any issues with mine. The first time I shot mine, if anybody would have seen the target I shot it at, I would have been embarrassed, but, now that I've dry-fired it a little, and shot it some more, I can pretty much keep all of the shots in the head zone of an IDPA, or USPSA target at 15 yards.

The size difference and concealability of the two are negligible. Both are very accurate but the better sights on the BG380 make it a lot easier to shoot the BG well. The final factor for me was the construction. The BG uses a slightly heavier slide and and a much beefier barrel. The chamber of the LCP at its thinnest point is literally paper thin while the chamber of the BG in the same spot is three times thicker. I wouldn't feel comfortable firing any of the hotter 380 loads in an LCP. Since 380 is considered a marginal caliber I want the option to fire whatever ammo I want in it. I sold my LCP not long after I bought my BG380 and its one of the few guns I don't miss because I feel the BG was a solid upgrade and didn't give up anything in the process.

hardluk1 said:

Please give the taurus TCP a look. Splits the weight between the BG and LCP. Has a far better trigger pull than ether . LGS prices run from 185 bucks to 260 LGS price depending on model.

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I have had all three and prefer the TCP. I will be happy when they have a model with a laser. The trigger is better like Hardluk stated. About half as heavy as the Smith or Ruger. If you want the laser sight the bodyguard is less likely to be turned on by accident. The Ruger seemed to be real easy to turn on in a soft De Santi holster.

I'd have to vote bodyguard. I have shot both and although the lcp does offer ease of carry in many different locations, the bodyguard slips right into my front pocket. I can have my hand on the gun, concealed in my front pocket if needed and no one is the wiser. I also take the revolver as a 'tacklebox' gun when fishing or camping. Couple of snake shot loads followed by some 158s and a couple of strips for insurance. The single action helps a little bit in the outdoors, but it ain't a target gun. Have been working on point shooting and at 5 to 7 yards is very effective.

I am a former owner of an LCP. I sold my LCP with the idea of going with the Bodyguard because it fit my hand better. With the LCP, I had to readjust my grip after every shot and that really annoyed me. I never got the Bodyguard because I came to the conclusion that I have no need for a pocket .380. If I do decide to go for another pocket .380, it would most likely be the Taurus TCP, despite all the negativity toward Taurus. Good price, fits my hand better than the other two.

Dream .380 would be the Sig p238 though.

TreeDoc, I think the OP is comparing the LCP to the BodyGuard .380, not the .38. Smith and Wesson makes both, and sells them both under the "BodyGuard" moniker.

I also prefer the Taurus TCP 380. Better trigger , easy to shoot, and easy to rack the slide for my wife and very reliable too. Life time warranty and a lower price tag make it a winner in pocket guns.

Used the Bodyguard .380 as a pocket pistol and could not get rid of it fast enough. Trigger pull was measured at over 15 pounds since that is how far my scale goes. Sent it back to S&W only to get it back 2 months later dirty from test firing, found that the trigger pull was "within acceptable standards." Sold it the day after that.

I actually went with the LCP after handling the two What it came down to was that neither fit my hand. However, I don't have massive meaty mitts like some of you fine upstanding yetis

The trigger pull on both of them seemed about as sucky as you can get, but that's the safety feature of a pocket pistol. What it came down to was that I wanted the thinnest, lightest, least printing BUG with the fewest things to go wrong with it. After the LGS owner let me pocket both guns, I went with the LCP because it fit my pockets better and didn't have the laser.

I get the idea of a laser and still might pick one up one day. However, the LCP is the rough and dirty pocket gun that goes with me every day. Sweat, grime, pocket lint, etc. Don't get me wrong, I take care of my guns. It gets a wipe down as needed and a function check weekly. That said, a battery powered laser is just one more thing for Murphy and his damnable law to interfere with at the worst moment.

At 7 yards I can quickly empty 7 rounds into paper plate at chest/neck level. That's all I'm asking my pocket gremlin to do. The next step up for me isn't a "nicer" .380 or pocket 9, it's subcompact 9mm.

I keep the little bugger in my back left pocket with a reload