Another Beater: S&W "Bodyguard" .38

[SCCY Marshal]

Adding to yesterday's post, I fired 40 rounds. Some standard pressure, some +P. Two handed, from a pocket, strong-hand-only, weak-hand-only.

Shot 24 more, today, with the same mix of ammo but the grip being a finger shorter. Five of Lost River's standard pressure wadcutters in a single rep of HeadHunter's 5^5 (five shots into a 5" circle from five yards within five seconds from low-ready):



Then fifteen Precision Delta wadcutters and four old 158gr LSWC +P handloads, all from 10' into some more Claude Werner targets. For what it matters at a hair over three yards, I used a dead center hold:



Why four shots of the +P rather than five? That's how many I had left in the range bag so I made it a ball & dummy stage.

Now up to 64 rounds of livefire, a fair bit of dryfire, and a sore spot about to become a blister where the top of the trigger rubs my finger.

As for recoil before and after the grip chop, it is comparable. The +P feels about like shooting a GLOCK 27 with average 180 grain ammo, Lost River's load is peppy, and the Precision Delta is light. No surprises in this department.

Extraction/ejection has been smooth with all loads. Better than most any J-frame I've ever run.

[BN]

And I have to admit to possibly liking the cylinder release. It leaves more speedloader room and works fine with the Ohio/Taylor method.
[/QUOTE]

This interests me because J-Frames will bring blood on my thumb knuckle within the first cylinder full.

If the front sight is pinned, measure how tall and how wide it is with it still on the gun. I'll bet there is a better sight out there that would work maybe with a little file work. Let me know because I have measurements for a bunch of sights.

[PNWTO]

Following with interest. I was looking at one of these before I jumped headfirst into the LCR club. I could never find an owner or a sample on the shelf.

It also appears as if S&W has completely forgotten these are in the catalog.

[D-der]

My lgs had a new one on the shelf 6-8 weeks ago
for $400, I'd inquired here...nothing but cricket's.
So far, I'm happy with the LCR.

[SCCY Marshal]

If the front sight is pinned, measure how tall and how wide it is with it still on the gun.

Height: 0.200"

Width: 0.127"

Length (front-to-back): 0.610"



Hiked out a couple miles, forded a mountain stream, and did a little more shooting. 15 rounds of Lost River's standard pressure wadcutters and ten Precision Delta wadcutters. Pictured target was a cold Five Yard Round-Up using Lost River's load from a DB Force Option holster in my pants pocket. Scored 97/100 (4X) by the book. Being mean to myself and denying grease rings or line cutters, 96/100 (3X).

Then shot a five-shot 15 yard group with same. And finished with another Round-Up using the lighter PD wadcutters to compare. There was no real difference.

89 rounds in, no cleaning or brushing, cases still extracting and ejecting cleanly. Getting cleaned and brushed after this post, though. Some cartridges need a light poke to fully seat, now. It was also a bit dirty when I got it, for what that is worth.

Link to the course of fire:
https://www.swatmag.com/article/five...hooting-drill/

[BN]

Height: 0.200"

Width: 0.127"

Length (front-to-back): 0.610"



Hiked out a couple miles, forded a mountain stream, and did a little more shooting. 15 rounds of Lost River's standard pressure wadcutters and ten Precision Delta wadcutters. Pictured target was a cold Five Yard Round-Up using Lost River's load from a DB Force Option holster in my pants pocket. Scored 97/100 (4X) by the book. Being mean to myself and denying grease rings or line cutters, 96/100 (3X).

Then shot a five-shot 15 yard group with same. And finished with another Round-Up using the lighter PD wadcutters to compare. There was no real difference.

89 rounds in, no cleaning or brushing, cases still extracting and ejecting cleanly. Getting cleaned and brushed after this post, though. Some cartridges need a light poke to fully seat, now. It was also a bit dirty when I got it, for what that is worth.

Link to the course of fire:
https://www.swatmag.com/article/five...hooting-drill/

I keep forgetting to come back to this. I think about any S&W pinned sight would possibly work. I see that Dawson has a.200 tall fiber optic sight that might work.

[jandbj]

I think that is correct for the newer ones, like SCCY Marshal has. Original BG38’s had an odd 2 pin front sight. Looks like they changed that to the standard J frame front.

[SCCY Marshal]

Spent a couple hours marathon skiing a rope tow (no T-bar, just a rope), dealt with a recently suicidal older friend, dispatched my wife to accompany his shopping to give the woman a chance to vent and get out of the house, got home, prepped a target/pack/gear, hiked a couple miles, slipped off a rock while fording a stream and dumped icy mountain water down my wellie (native temperature in the low 20s), removed my Mechanix gloves while preppy ng the range and shooting, then ran Claude Werner's Snub Nose Revolver Sustainment Exercise. Ammunition was ancient Geco 158gr LRN that had been retired from a carry reload and very poorly stored tothe point it was every color but the right one in both brass and lead, and federal Gold Medal Match 148gr wadcutters. Holster was a Galco leather gunsock STO 158 carried appendix IWB under a nice old ski resort issued vest that is not the easiest to clear for a draw.





All strings in time and on a half-sheet of paper* plus the headshot in a 4" zone even if I'm less than thrilled about it being close. The sun was both bright and quartering into my face so poor lighing conditions during range time continues.

This will probably be the last specific update to the thread with regards to range reports. I've now docented it under varied ranges, levels of time pressure, from a pocket, strong-hand-only, weak-hand-only, from high compressed ready, low ready, pocketdraw (pants and jacket, with and without holster), Mexican carried, AIWB ina deep-riding rig which does not allow a full firing grip on the draw, turning 90° to a shot, turning 180° to a shot, dropping a bag to draw, dropping a phone to draw, warm, cold, wet, dry, rain, snow, different target formats and scoring zones, with tired eyes, fresh eyes, vatied levels of mental distraction, and most power levels of 38 Special available. Barring new developments or notable experiences by other shooters, there is nothing much to add which wouldn't be monotonous to read. So I'll instead focus on support gear which works and non-shooting attributes.

So far, the little thing works a treat. The quite nice trigger and sights deserve special mention, as well.

[1Rangemaster]

Spent a couple hours marathon skiing a rope tow (no T-bar, just a rope), dealt with a recently suicidal older friend, dispatched my wife to accompany his shopping to give the woman a chance to vent and get out of the house, got home, prepped a target/pack/gear, hiked a couple miles, slipped off a rock while fording a stream and dumped icy mountain water down my wellie (native temperature in the low 20s), removed my Mechanix gloves while preppy ng the range and shooting, then ran Claude Werner's Snub Nose Revolver Sustainment Exercise. Ammunition was ancient Geco 158gr LRN that had been retired from a carry reload and very poorly stored tothe point it was every color but the right one in both brass and lead, and federal Gold Medal Match 148gr wadcutters. Holster was a Galco leather gunsock STO 158 carried appendix IWB under a nice old ski resort issued vest that is not the easiest to clear for a draw.





All strings in time and on a half-sheet of paper* plus the headshot in a 4" zone even if I'm less than thrilled about it being close. The sun was both bright and quartering into my face so poor lighing conditions during range time continues.

This will probably be the last specific update to the thread with regards to range reports. I've now docented it under varied ranges, levels of time pressure, from a pocket, strong-hand-only, weak-hand-only, from high compressed ready, low ready, pocketdraw (pants and jacket, with and without holster), Mexican carried, AIWB ina deep-riding rig which does not allow a full firing grip on the draw, turning 90° to a shot, turning 180° to a shot, dropping a bag to draw, dropping a phone to draw, warm, cold, wet, dry, rain, snow, different target formats and scoring zones, with tired eyes, fresh eyes, vatied levels of mental distraction, and most power levels of 38 Special available. Barring new developments or notable experiences by other shooters, there is nothing much to add which wouldn't be monotonous to read. So I'll instead focus on support gear which works and non-shooting attributes.

So far, the little thing works a treat. The quite nice trigger and sights deserve special mention, as well.

Thanks for the chronicle. I’ve been thinking about one since I shot one cylinder of rounds out of a friend’s. I’ve got an ancient 649, but want something lighter.
Any other comments on Lost River wad cutters? They look good, but I haven’t shot any yet-thanks

[D-der]

Neat drill, thanks!