By Redmenace from over at the PGM blog
Gun shows are dangerous places, more specifically, they’re dangerous places for my wallet. It was at particularly harrowing gun show in July of last year where I picked up my Bodyguard. I actually went to the show looking for a cheap second hand J-frame, I had ideas about converting one to 9mm (still do, hope to get around to that next year). I was perusing the table of a local pawn shop when I spotted the Bodyguard. It was the updated “M&P” variant, with more defined sights, and no laser. For only $150 tax and background check included, I basically had to buy it. I justified it to myself by saying that I already a .380 (my Beretta 85, discussed at length here) and it would be even better than J frame as a pocket “mailbox gun.”
So, I took it home, went to the range a few day later and discovered I basically hated it. The trigger and snappy recoil weren’t deal breakers, I was expecting those. What I wasn’t expecting was the issues caused by the ergos. This gun is thin, really thin, so thin that I have tendency to pull trigger with the middle knuckle of my trigger finger instead of the pad. The finger groove of the front strap made it impossible to position my pinky comfortably, and the texturing on the backstrap had very pronounced edges that were quite uncomfortable. Luckily, I own a dremel and sandpaper, so I’m basically a gun smith.
First, I dremeled off the finger groove, this made it significantly easier to cram three fingers onto the gun (my little english school boys hand are convenient on occasion). After that I took the grinding wheel to edges of the backstrap and rounded them off a little bit.
The last step was adding JB Weld to the left hand side of the grip. I spread one layer on, let it dry, then added another on top of that. After it dried, I added sandpaper texture grip tape to cover the JB Weld. This slight modification added just enough width to make my trigger finger feel more natural.
I’m really happy with how this whole project turned out, and with the Bodyguard in general. I’m not going to lie and say its my favorite, or even one of my favorite pistols, but it is significantly more shootable now, and fills a specific role in my lineup.
Scattered Shots 
I reckon he’d have been better off with the J-Frame, but that’s just me and revolvers.
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I have a J frame now as well
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I picked up one of these when I first got my CCW. I remain impressed with it even though it seldom leaves the house anymore…it is gym shorts small and light. Sights are better than most tiny guns and, if you focus and work that long trigger, it’s shockingly accurate…not that you could make use of it in a defensive situation. I have since grown up and realized I don’t care if I print or someone finds out I’m carrying…but I have a soft spot for the little guy.
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broadly similar for me, it was good when I had a job where getting rumbled would’ve gotten me fired, but it doesn’t get carried much anymore.
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Definitely an issue, I had the wind catch my shirt just right while waving and blew it up to catch on the grip, showing me off in a parking lot. luckily I don’t think anyone noticed or said anything at least. I was off the clock so not a big deal but still.
I feel I roll my eyes a little bit at the meme people who argue that full size is the only acceptable size to carry. Yeah you can obviously hide them but it does limit what you can wear and how you can move I’ve found.
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Finger grooves are a curse. I have two revolvers whose stocks are exactly off such that my fingers ride the mountain tops of the grooves instead of settling into the valleys. Neither revolver has a wide selection of aftermarket stocks that don’t feature finger grooves.
Dear manufacturers: Please stop with the finger grooves.
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Yeah, finger grooves are the worst. 90 seconds with dremel totally changed how I felt about the grips on this thing.
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I’ve had my Bodyguard 380 for several years. It is my primary hiking gun, since it’s the only gun I can carry concealed AIWB with elastic waistband basketball shorts that doesn’t pull my shorts down to my ankles.
My primary carry guns are 9mm when I wear a belt, but I have no issues carrying a 380 at times. I can put all 7 rounds in the silhouette at 45 yards with my Bodyguard…but i did upgrade the sights to Truglo Tritium Pro’s with hi viz orange front sight.
With 380, choose your carry rounds wisely, since very few jhp’s both expand and have adequate penetration. That aside, whether a 380 penetrates or expands enough doesn’t matter one bit if you you can’t deliver the round where it needs to go. It’s not really about what round you shoot, it’s more about where you put it.
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