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The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard is a family of small J-frame revolvers with shrouded hammers manufactured by Smith & Wesson. They are available chambered in either .38 Special or .357 Magnum.^[1]

Models

Model 38

The Model 38 is aluminum-framed, has a carbon steel barrel, a carbon steel cylinder with a five-round capacity, and is chambered in .38 Special.^[2]

Model 49

The Model 49 is an all-carbon-steel-framed revolver chambered in .38 Special.^[2]

Model 638

The Model 638 is aluminum-framed with stainless steel cylinder and barrel. Chambered in .38 Special.^[2]

Model 649

The Model 649 is an all stainless-steel framed revolver. Chambered in .357 Magnum or .38 Special.^[2]

M&P Bodyguard 38

The M&P Bodyguard 38, introduced in 2014,^[3] is the latest incarnation of a Smith & Wesson revolver using the Bodyguard name. It is a polymer framed revolver chambered in .38 Special, and available with a Crimson Trace (previously Insight) red-dot laser sight integrated in to the grip.^[4] Like previous Bodyguard models, it has a five-round cylinder and a concealed hammer but unlike the previous models, the hammer cannot be cocked for single action fire.^[5]^[6] The lockwork is different than any other Smith & Wesson revolver and the model has no parts interchangeable with the J-frame series.^[7] In 2018, S&W announced a new version of the Bodyguard which lacks the integrated laser sight. It is most closely related to the Centennial models.^[7]

History

Clyde A. Tolson, special assistant to FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, owned a Model 38 Airweight, serial number 512236, with his name engraved on the side.^[8]

Nguyễn Ngọc Loan, South Vietnam's chief of National Police, was photographed using a Model 49 Bodyguard to execute a Viet Cong prisoner, Nguyễn Văn Lém, during the Tet Offensive of 1968.^[9]

Bernhard Goetz used a Model 38 Bodyguard in the controversial 1984 New York City Subway shooting.

Users

United States
- Massachusetts State Police Plainclothes officers.^[10]

Former users

Kingdom of Laos: used by the Royal Lao Army (RLA) and the Royal Lao Police (PRL) during the Laotian Civil War.
Rhodesia: used by civilians and Air Rhodesia aircrews during the Rhodesian Bush War.^[11]
South Vietnam: used by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and the Republic of Vietnam National Police (CSQG) during the Vietnam War.
Portugal: used by civilians and government officials during the Portuguese Colonial War.^[12]

References

^ Boorman, Dean K. (1 December 2002). The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms. Globe Pequot. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-58574-721-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Ahern, Jerry (2010). Armed for Personal Defense. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-4402-1643-5.
^ "First Look: Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard Handguns with Crimson Trace Lasers - Guns & Ammo". Guns & Ammo. 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
^ "Smith & Wesson® Introduces New M&P® BODYGUARD® Handguns with Crimson Trace® Laser Sights" (PDF) (Press release). Smith & Wesson Corp. July 15, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
^ Shideler, Dan (20 August 2010). Guns Illustrated 2011: The Latest Guns, Specs & Prices. Iola: F+W Media, Inc. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4402-1624-4.
^ "Smith & Wesson(R) Introduces New BODYGUARD(R) Line. Company Launches New Compact Pistol and Revolver with Integrated Laser System" (Press release). Smith & Wesson. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
^ ^a ^b Wiley Clapp. "S&W's New Bodyguards". American Rifleman. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
^ Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard (2007-01-03). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. F+W Media, Inc. ISBN 978-0896892934.
^ Buckley, Tom (April 1972). ""Portrait of an Aging Despot"". Harper's.
^ Nonte, George (1980). Combat Handguns. Stackpole Books. p. 345. ISBN 0811704092.
^ Locke & Cooke, Fighting Vehicles and Weapons of Rhodesia 1965-80 (1995), p. 3.
^ Telo and Álvares, Armamento do Exército Português Vol. I – Armamento ligeiro (2004), p. 82.

Bibliography

António José Telo and Mário Álvares, Armamento do Exército Português Vol. I – Armamento ligeiro, Prefácio, Lisbon 2004. ISBN 972-8816-43-X (in Portuguese)
Valéry Tarrius, La Police de Campagne du Sud-Vietnam 1967–1975, in Armes Militaria Magazine No. 236, March 2005, Histoire & Collections, Paris, pp. 37–43. ISSN 0753-1877 (in French)
Peter Gerard Locke & Peter David Farquharson Cooke, Fighting Vehicles and Weapons of Rhodesia 1965-80, P&P Publishing, Wellington (New Zealand) 1995. ISBN 0-473-02413-6