S&W Bodygaurd, the best snubby ever?

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David,
Many of us can shoot as well as you claim to shoot, we just don't brag about it. Even though I can shoot well DA I still like the option of a SA trigger pull. I won't bother to tell you why because you wouldn't agree anyway. :rolleyes:

BTW, some people take exception to being talked down to. You really shouldn't do that, intentional or not...
 
Hell, you might be able to outshoot me. This IS the internet after all ! :D

I wasn't bragging about _my_ ability, only citing an example of what the gun is capable of double action. (A better shooter would've scored 100%)

I'm not "talking down" to anyone, only stating facts I've seen and done. If you are aware of another set of facts, or made different observations, then please share them, so that we all may benefit.

Or not.

.
 
David E,

You are not looking at the sum of all forces on the gun. Having the bore axis lower in your hand reduces the moment, and therefore the muzzle lift, upon firing. However, the hand is also acting on the grip during recoil. Having a longer grip that allows the small finger to grasp the stock has quite a bit more moment that the bore axis does relative to the pivot point. So while the gun is trying to rise while pivoting on the web of the hand, the grip is trying to rotate forward while the small finger applies a smaller force, but with much greater leverage, tending to reduce the muzzle flip. FWIW, I am a physicist.

-Polish
 
Ya'll play nice.

I appreciate options.

If a high primer makes linkage rough, it can be helped with the hammer.

Not often, but on occasion I shoot 100 yds with a snubby. The hammer helps.

A bobbed hammer works also.

I had one of the Ti ultra light weight internal hammer J frame 38s.

I just flat could not shoot it well enough to feel responsible in carrying it.

There just doesn't seem to be a lot to be gained with a closed top, internal hammer revolver. It'l pick up less lint though, for true.

salty
 
I think Polish inadvertly left the "V" out of movement........

May as well post a pic of another Bodyguard.... A nickel Model 49.

I took this one duck hunting. The limit was five. I bagged my limit.

SmithWessonModel49Nickel.jpg
 
It must have been a long time...

That was not a typo, I meant moment. From wikipedia:

"Moment of force (often just moment) is a synonym for torque, an important basic concept in physics, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering. In the context of mechanical engineering, the terms are not necessarily interchangeable, but one or the other may be preferred in a specific context. For example, "torque" is usually used to describe a rotational force down a shaft, for example a turning screw-driver, whereas "moment" is more often used to describe a bending force on a beam."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_(physics)

Like I said, I'm a physicist. As such, I use the terminology of my field.

-Polish

ETA: I'm not trying to be a dick, but I find pseudo-science more annoying than ignorance. This is not meant to be derogatory to you at all Eightball, just a comment about David E's post not looking at the whole picture.
 
The Bodyguard definitely serves a purpose for single-action shooting. With enough practice, one can set a Centennial trigger to just before breaking in order to shoot as accurately as possible, but it's awkward as hell, and not all that safe to begin with.

Whether you've never shot a DA revolver in your life, or you can hit golf balls at 50 yards every time, it's a heck of a lot easier to do when you can take the "hard part" out of it by going SA.

For defensive shooting, I don't think anybody will argue that the chance of using a single-action shot to your advantage is slim to none.
 
You are not looking at the sum of all forces on the gun. Having the bore axis lower in your hand reduces the moment, and therefore the muzzle lift, upon firing. However, the hand is also acting on the grip during recoil. Having a longer grip that allows the small finger to grasp the stock has quite a bit more moment that the bore axis does relative to the pivot point. So while the gun is trying to rise while pivoting on the web of the hand, the grip is trying to rotate forward while the small finger applies a smaller force, but with much greater leverage, tending to reduce the muzzle flip. FWIW, I am a physicist.
Click to expand...

With all due respect...

You're overlooking two things:

For the influence of the pinky finger to have an effect, the grasping strength of the pinky finger needs to be enough to matter. Many people do not include the little pinky in their grasp.

Further, a higher grasp ALSO brings the little finger the picture, even on a smaller grip, where the little finger applies the same force and leverage you're talking about as with a low grasp on a longer grip.

So it seems to me that with my preferred higher grasp incorporates TWO elements (high grip w/ pinky finger involvement) vs. one element (pinky finger involvement only) makes for less muzzle flip.

Still, I'm curious about the testing you've done in this area, that shows, in hard data, the difference between the high grasp vs. the low grasp with long grip. Those numbers would be very interesting.

.
 
The grips in question were 3-finger grips, and the small finger certainly exerts enough force to "matter". When shooting with 2 hands, the added strength of the weak-side hand certainly makes a difference when acting on a longer lever. I don't have any numbers, only experimentation with different types of revolvers. I agree with the high grip concept. However, I have shot identical Taurus snubbies side by side, one with a 3 finger grip affording a lower grasp, and the other with a "boot" grip allowing higher hand position but a shorter grip. The revolver with the longer grip was amazingly easy to control, even with full-house 158gr hunting loads (slow fire, not rapid). The one with the boot grip was hard to handle with .38 special +p (Gold Dot Short Barrel), and required a complete re-grip after a 158gr load. I have average sized hands, so that experience may vary. These were stainless steel revolvers.
 
Wow, I was sure I made a post here commenting how nice the picture of XavierBreath's Bodyguard is but now the post is gone. Did I do something wrong?
 
"I have two 49's, a nickle and a blued and love them both, I changed the grips on the nickle to walnut instead of the pearl it cam with because of my friends calling it a pimp gun, LOL, by the way , would anyone like to have a set of Eagle pearl grips?"

Yes Mossy!, I want your pearl grip,
 
I do not know if the Bodyguard, is the 'best snubby ever'.

For gents like Joe Friday, Bullett, or Andy Sipowitz who carry short tube 38s, maybe not. Retention holsters for Detective Specials for fully exposed hammers worn OWB may have more choices.

The Bodyguard, Birami, and Tyler grip accessories are a pretty slick combination.

'Best', I dunno, but 'best' for me, yep.

Bobbed, but accessable, hammer M60 or 2.5 Python comes real close though.

salty
 
If you can find a gun that is butt-ugly and still does the job well - you may have found the perfect gun.

But then there are those who would say that if you can find a gun that is an absolute thing of beauty and still does the job well - you may have found the perfect gun.

Those of us living in between states can only pine away in envy.
 
The Bodyguard definitely serves a purpose for single-action shooting. With enough practice, one can set a Centennial trigger to just before breaking in order to shoot as accurately as possible, but it's awkward as hell, and not all that safe to begin with.

Whether you've never shot a DA revolver in your life, or you can hit golf balls at 50 yards every time, it's a heck of a lot easier to do when you can take the "hard part" out of it by going SA.
Click to expand...

That's why I said "once the DA pull is mastered."

Clearly, it's easier to make an accurate shot if you cock the hammer each time.

Often, when someone claims to be "accurate" with a revolver, they are shooting it SINGLE action. While fine for recreational use or hunting, it's not the technique to go with into a gunfight.

.
 
Holding this pistol brings a smile to my face. The only other guns that do that are my Colt ACE and a Browning Superposed light weight 20.

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I agree with the high grip concept. However, I have shot identical Taurus snubbies side by side, one with a 3 finger grip affording a lower grasp, and the other with a "boot" grip allowing higher hand position but a shorter grip. The revolver with the longer grip was amazingly easy to control, even with full-house 158gr hunting loads (slow fire, not rapid). The one with the boot grip was hard to handle
Click to expand...

A couple things caught my eye in your post.

It appears that you are equating "control" with "comfort," Especially since rapid fire was not involved.

It is unclear if the short boot grip was on a gun with a high backstrap, like the Bodyguard or Centennial being discussed. Obviously, it the guns were of the exposed hammer design, like a Model 36/60, then the shooter could not get a higher grip. Given the same LOW grip, the bigger grip would indeed allow more control.

The high grip I'm espousing comes into its own during rapid fire (30/100th's between shots) with serious ammo.

That is NOT to say it's comfortable, as you hand absorbs more recoil force than if the bore axis was higher in the hand.

.
 
+1 for the Model 49 Bodyguard.

While the Centennial is not a distant second, it can't be fired single action. For me, that puts the Centennial in second place.
 
The grips in question were 3-finger grips, and the small finger certainly exerts enough force to "matter". When shooting with 2 hands, the added strength of the weak-side hand certainly makes a difference when acting on a longer lever.
Click to expand...
In addition, the mass of the finger will resist the rotational acceleration of the gun.
 
I've been carrying a humpback everyday since 1975.
Also use to have a nickle Model 38 but one of the Troops decided he really had to have it and had too much money in his pocket.

49-649L.jpg
SW649A.jpg
 
David E, I have to admit, I'm kind of curious.....why are you arguing with a physicist about things in his territory?

Different things work for different folks, that's why there's varieties of firearms out there. And you're not going to win people over to your line of logic by telling them why they're wrong and your method is supreme.

Besides....most people are more likely to take the side of a physicist in areas of his expertise, or one of the mods who've been shooting longer than many posters here have been alive, over the words of someone who claims to know more than either :)

OAN--isp2605, how'd you get your grips with that symbol in 'em? Special run or something?
 
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