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J frame questions

bluealtered

Silver $$ Contributor
Over the weekend I ended up with the much disliked S&W early bodyguard .38 as part of a trade deal, no problem I like misfits to play with. While it looks like a simple J frame revolver, it isn't. This gun is new and maybe 5-10 rds. through it, not enough to tell yet where to polish which I will do to it.
I also see that there aren't any spring kits for the BG38 and since the grip is pinned rather than screwed on I'm wondering what combat style grip I can get to fit it. It has been well over 40 years since I played with a J frame type smith and if you have any info on what springs or grips I can use let me know. Im open to any pointers as well. Thanks
 
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I have several "J" frame Smiths but old versions.

Mine have Packmyer rubber grips installed which help control the recoil which can be severe even with standard 38 loads. Also using a shooting glove in range practice lessons the punishing recoil.

I assume this pistol is to be used as a defense firearm. I strongly recommend that you do not replace the springs to lighten the trigger pull or in any way stone / polish the trigger or hammer. These are case hardened, and stoning will result in removing the case hardening surface. Having a light trigger pull on a defense pistol can result in an unintended discharge.
 
I have both the Apex Tactical spring kit as well as custom Altamont grip on my J-Frame. The Apex kit really improves the factory trigger. The Altamont grip is a great looking grip but for my 70 year old hands harshens the recoil somewhat over the factory rubber grip.
 
bluealtered said:
Over the weekend I ended up with the much disliked S&W early bodyguard .38 as part of a trade deal, no problem I like misfits to play with. While it looks like a simple J frame revolver, it isn't. This gun is new and maybe 5-10 rds. through it, not enough to tell yet where to polish which I will do to it.
I also see that there aren't any spring kits for the BD38 and since the grip is pinned rather than screwed on I'm wondering what combat style grip I can get to fit it. It has been well over 40 years since I played with a J frame type smith and if you have any info on what springs or grips I can use let me know. Im open to any pointers as well. Thanks
Click to expand...
You, for clarity's sake, are discussing the Bodyguard 38, SKU10062 (CT) or 103039 (No Laser) I think?
A part polymer/part aluminum alloy. I would suggest to you it is "better" left alone. You are most correct in that it is not a simple J-Frame and I am not sure if it is still in production.
Those are a shining example that having the technology to design and build something doesn't mean it should be built. ;)
 
Thank you shoot4fun yes I went back and and changed it from BD to BG and yes it is the laser model. I also took a crash course in J frames and the look alike bodyguard .38.

I also ran across a good read by John Taffin at "the snubnose revolver files" Thanks everybody for your help with this.
 
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Consider shooting the gun enough as is before doing anything to it. If you've had any experience with J-frames you know these guns are difficult for most people to shoot well unless they are skilled handgun shooters. These revolvers are capable of good accuracy even at 25 yards if the shooter is capable. Many of us aren't and the guns are often blamed for our own shortcomings.

Factory stocks work well unless you have large hands, but take some familiarization. Larger grips may be more comfortable but often negate a couple of the main advantages of these guns - compactness and concealment. If you need larger stocks, it might make more sense just to go with a larger gun, a K-frame snubnose that already has larger stocks.

Factory springs work very well and I've found them to be 100% reliable even if the trigger pull is a bit on the heavy side. This is not difficult to get used to, especially while firing a few hundred rounds as you learn to shoot the gun well. Aftermarket springs may or may not be reliable.

Save the installation of laser sights and other gadgetry until after you've learned to shoot well. At that point you'll likely find you have no use for such add- ons or alterations. Good luck.
 
Thanks lotech, I'm not a laser fan it simply came with one so it's there. Yes I am running rounds through it and it has smoothed out to a steady 8.5LB pull now. It came with 100rds of 125gr fp and I will burn that up and then get a box of 158gr just to see which I like best. (And which has less felt recoil in my old beat up hands)

Many years ago I carried a chiefs special for work and it's starting to come back to me a little at a time. Thanks
 
I wish S&W would stop recycling their gun model names. For example, when I see or hear "Bodyguard" I automatically think of the hump-backed J-frame they introduced back in the 1950's (like the one Dusty pictured above) and when I hear "Victory" the one that comes to mind is the model 10 from the early 1940's .38 S&W they made for England during the war. Of course, I'm old and easily confused, but still...

P.S. I forgot to add that Military & Police (M&P) iso course the REAL name of the model 10 .38 Spl, not some new-fangled automatic. So I guess I'm not only easily confused, I'm also forgetful.
 
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Which came first, the Ruger LCR or the modern S&W Bodyguard?

I love my LCRx six-shooter in 327 Fed Mag. (I run only 32 S&W Long WCs and 32 H&R Mag JHPs through it.) The DA pull is long but smooth and the cam-action break feels light and predictable. The frame is SS not aluminum, so it weighs about an ounce more than the non-mag LCRs. I have big hands, so I could use a fatter grip to increase the LOP a bit, but for a "get off me" pocket pistol, I'll score mortal hits with it in a fight, no worries. I may try grip tape, thoughtfully applied.
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Brians356 said:
Which came first, the Ruger LCR or the modern S&W Bodyguard?

I love my LCRx in 327 Fed Mag. (I run only 32 S&W Long WCs and 32 H&R Mag JHPs through it.) The DA pull is long but smooth and the cam-action break feels light and predictable. The frame is SS not aluminum, so it weighs about an ounce more than the non-mag LCRs. I have big hands, so I could use a fatter grip to increase the LOP a bit, but for a "get off me" pocket pistol, I'll score mortal hits with it in a fight, no worries. I may try grip tape, thoughtfully applied.
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Click to expand...
Mod. 49 came about in 1950, before the Ruger Co even in business I think, seems I remember Ruger ads around the mid 50s, could be wrong. Been a while... John
Missed "modern", I stand corrected...
 
Lesloan said:
I wish S&W would stop recycling their gun model names. For example, when I see or hear "Bodyguard" I automatically think of the hump-backed J-frame they introduced back in the 1950's (like the one Dusty pictured above) and when I hear "Victory" the one that comes to mind is the model 10 from the early 1940's .38 S&W they made for England during the war. Of course, I'm old and easily confused, but still...

P.S. I forgot to add that Military & Police (M&P) iso course the REAL name of the model 10 .38 Spl, not some new-fangled automatic. So I guess I'm not only easily confused, I'm also forgetful.
Click to expand...
Names are always, sooner of later, recyclable. Think of it in marketing brain terms. We'll take this new gun and hang an old name on it. After all, some of those old names were very good. They will now score two goals. First, the "geezers" like you and I will be taken back to the day when a Military & Police was a great name for a revolver. Second, the Nuevo buyer will just say "hey that's a cool name for a new pistol".
Today's marketing geniuses spend their day talking about how many times a day the gun's name hits on the internet.
 
Here's an interesting video in an excellent series on pocket pistols, this one comparing S&W J-frames snubbies to the Ruger LCR. However, for some reason Chris does not mention the newer S&W Bodyguard 38 w/ the polymer lower frame, only the traditional snubbie J-frames, so this is somewhat apples-to-oranges whereas comparing the two "plasticized" revolvers would have been apples-to-apples.

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