Compromise—the key word of the concealed-carry lifestyle. To carry a firearm for personal protection, you must alter everything from the way you dress to the places you go to how you look at the world around you. Your choice of a carry firearm is also a compromise. In the search for the ideal concealed-carry handgun, many firearm owners face the dilemma of “There’s the gun I want to shoot … and then there’s the gun I want to carry.” The new Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 doesn’t solve all those issues, but it certainly allows you to compromise less to carry all of the time.
Petite and light handguns are often pushed onto first-time gun buyers, especially women, but it takes lots of practice and training to shoot a small and lightweight handgun well. My go-to-carry gun is a Glock 19. It’s the gun I want to carry because it’s the gun I have the most experience practicing and training with and with which I am consequently most proficient and familiar. However, with its 30 oz. loaded (15 rounds of 9 mm Luger) weight and 7.25” overall length, there are certain situations in which no amount of compromise will allow me to carry it concealed. From wearing formal clothing to going for a run, I was on the search for a handgun with most of the characteristics of the 19, but smaller and lighter.
The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 (center) compared in size to a S&W Model 642 revolver and Glock 19.
Pistols chambered in .380 ACP were the place I looked first. The cartridge has respectable ballistics, but less recoil than a 9 mm Luger, allowing it to be chambered in smaller and lighter handguns. But with .380 micro-compact pistol comes, you guessed it, compromises—namely low capacity and difficulty to shoot accurately at an “emergency” pace.
In July, Smith & Wesson introduced an upgraded version of its Bodyguard pistol—the Bodyguard 2.0. On paper, the new Bodyguard looked like it might be my answer. Chambered in .380 and packing 10 rounds into a flush-fit magazine, the micro-compact pistol tips the scales at just 15 ozs. loaded and measures 5.5” long. That 10-round capacity is what caught my eye first. Most micro-compact .380s only hold six rounds. It’s not quite the 15 of my Glock 19, but closer.
A .380 ACP cartridge produces about half the amount of recoil of a 9 mm Luger round, but when shooting it out of a small and light pistol the smaller cartridge can still be a handful. Firearms companies recognized this and started producing more mid-sized guns chambered in .380, like the S&W M&P380 Shield EZ and Ruger Security 380 Lite Rack, for softer-recoiling options. That this combination works well for many women has been affirmed repeatably by the Ladies Pistol Project.
The design of the Bodyguard 2.0 allows for maximum recoil control in a minimally sized pistol. Unlike many handguns in its class, it is a striker-fired design. This allows for a low bore axis, meaning the centerline of the barrel sits closer to the hand. Combined with the Bodyguard’s ergonomics, which allows for placing the hand high on the grip, it results in less muzzle “flip” when you fire it. Compared to other handguns in this size-class that I have fired, the Bodyguard 2.0 is more controllable and easier to keep your sights on target for follow-up shots.
The low bore axis and grip design allow for a high hand grip to better control recoil.
Other features add to the Bodyguard’s shootability. The texturing on the grip frame aids in keeping a firm and consistent grip. The flat-faced trigger has a light take-up, with a crisp break and reset. The trigger pull weight is just over 5 lbs., comparable to most other striker-fired handguns.
Typically, a small pistol with a short sight radius and minimal sights can be difficult to shoot accurately at speed. The sights on the Bodyguard, a drift adjustable U-notch rear and orange dot front whose tritium insert illuminates for low-light conditions, were easy to acquire quickly and aim accurately. The accuracy was a pleasant surprise, producing just over one-inch groups at seven yards from a bench position. This translated into a handgun that could place all its rounds into the A zone on a silhouette target at that range, firing at a rapid pace off-hand. These results carried over when the Bodyguard was placed in the hands of other experienced and novice shooters. They also noted that the pistol doesn’t give the “sting” that other micro pistols chambered in larger cartridges give the palm after prolonged shooting.
The Bodyguard 2.0 produced groups just over 1” from seven yards. The large front dot and U-notch post helped to quickly acquire a sight picture on target.
Reliability has been a big reason for the Glock 19 being my go-to handgun. As pistols get smaller, they tend to be more finicky. You may find one type of ammunition they feed reliably and another that they won’t. In testing, the Bodyguard was not only reliable, but an omnivore.
I never experienced any malfunctions while shooting various types of self-defense and training ammunition, with bullets weighing between 85 and 102 grains.
Back to the compromises … This is not one of S&W’s EZ pistols. Reloading and locking the slide back do require a strong hand with the Bodyguard, though aggressive front and rear slide serrations assist with this. The spring tension in the Bodyguard’s double-column magazines is very stiff, especially when new, and owners would benefit from using a loading assist device.
With an MSRP of $449, the Bodyguard 2.0 is priced competitively with comparable handguns. A few other features to note, the magazine release button can be switched to accommodate left-handed shooters and the pistol is available with or without (as I tested it) a manual external safety. The Bodyguard comes supplied with two magazines. In addition to the flush-fitting 10-rounder, an extended 12-round magazine is also included.
The Bodyguard 2.0 comes supplied with a flush-fitting 10-round magazine and an extended 12-rounder.
Of all my carry compromise dilemmas, the one I face on nearly a daily basis is running. Over the years I have tried several carry options—belly band, fanny pack—but settled on a pair of concealed carry leggings that have a reinforced built-in holster (front and back). The handgun I sought needed to be something small and light that would stay in place and be easily accessible. After trying several types of handguns (semi-autos and revolvers) over the years there were a few that worked, but their compromise was a limited capacity. For example, a small five-shot revolver with low-recoil .38 Spl. ammunition produces comparable energy to the Bodyguard, but has half the round capacity.
Compared to the S&W Model 642 revolver which holds five rounds of .38 Spl., the Bodyguard 2.0 carries 10 or 12 rounds of .380 ACP onboard.
While testing the Bodyguard 2.0, I tried carrying it in the jogging leggings for several extended runs and the pistol stayed secure in the built-in holster. The grip texturing feels a bit rough against bare skin but that was remedied by wearing a thin undershirt as a base layer. To add to the Bodyguard’s useability as a “jogging gun,” the slide is made of stainless steel and given Smith & Wesson’s Armornite-coating. Any gun carried against the body while exercising is going to get sweaty, and this durable construction, combined with regular maintenance should make for a long-wearing firearm.
A built-in holster in a pair of leggings is my preferred jogging carry method. The Bodyguard stays secure in the leggings with a hook-and-loop strap that goes over the backstrap.
In life, most of us end up being our own bodyguard. And we end up not carrying a firearm lots of times because we don’t have the proper gun, gear or training. With the Bodyguard 2.0, it’s easier to stay armed without compromise. It’s a compact and reliable firearm, with a comforting capacity that you’ll want to shoot as much as you want to carry.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
Model: Bodyguard 2.0
Width: 0.88:
Length: 5.5”
Height: 4”
Weight: 9.8 oz.
Caliber: .380 Auto
Size: Micro
Capacity: 10,12
Action: Striker-Fired
Barrel Length: 2.75”
Grip: Polymer
Sights: Black
Optic Ready: No
Thumb Safety: Optional
Color/Finish: Black
Threaded Barrel: No
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
Frame: Polymer
MSRP: $449
