Compact carry guns—mainly the small .380s—offer a unique niche in the firearms market. To put it plainly, I don’t like these guns. They are diminutive, generally have an unpleasant recoil impulse, use expensive ammo, and seem to be an afterthought to many manufacturers (although I’ll credit the old Sig P238 and Kimber Micro series, they are solid). However, as much as I loathe them, they have a purpose. Sometimes deep concealment is necessary, or somebody would rather walk around with lighter-weight clothing than be weighed down by a larger carry gun and accompanying holster. I get it. I’ve been there. I’ve had a Ruger LCP in my concealed carry rotation and carried it in my front right pocket, but I didn’t enjoy shooting it, so I never trained with it and eventually phased it out. Unfortunately, whether through marketing, or bad sales staff, these small guns have been marketed to women and new shooters. These guns are so small in size and caliber that people flock to them. They are easy to conceal. But hard truths hurt. These guns will shun new shooters and women. They are hard to manage and aren’t enjoyable. We need something better.

Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0

The BG380 (as it was usually called) was a top seller, regardless of lackluster performance. People just wanted a small “pocket” pistol (many models even utilized a built-in laser! You know, because the sights were that bad). Smith eventually pulled the older model as they designed and tested an updated version. They took what people wanted in a smaller handgun, namely improved ergonomics and increased magazine capacity (the BG380 held six rounds), and set out to build the “best” compact carry gun.

Let’s start first with the dimensions. The new BG380 2.0 is 7/8” thick, 4” tall, and 5.5” long, with a barrel length of 2.75”. For comparison, the older model was ¾” thick, 4.1” tall, and 5.25” long. The barrel length remains the same. Overall, not a huge difference, however, the 2.0 model adds size in the right spots to give it the edge. The increased width and length give the pistol a comfortable feel that’s inviting compared to its predecessor. Moreover, the capacity has increased to 10 rounds in its flush magazine and 12 rounds in the extended. Astounding. Other upgrades include a flat-faced trigger (like the one in the new M&P 2.0 models) and an aggressive slide design that has serrations that run the full length giving you positive slide manipulation surfaces. As Smith puts it, “Introducing Smith & Wesson’s next generation of micro handguns—the Bodyguard 2.0. This new handgun seamlessly combines being lightweight and small with unparalleled performance. Enhanced features like a new ergonomic profile that allows for better control, a striker-fired flat-face trigger for improved accuracy, a reversible magazine release, and increased capacity make the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 ready to fit your needs.” Better yet are the sights (they aren’t so bad that you need a laser, Ha!). This is in the form of a blacked-out U-notch rear and what Smith calls a Bright Dot front sight with a Tritium insert. Much better.

Final Thoughts

The Bodyguard 2.0 Is an impressive upgrade over its predecessor. The pistol checks a lot of boxes in the compact carry market but doesn’t sacrifice ergonomics and magazine capacity like the gun’s competitors. One of the better parts about the original BG380 was its price, this one is no different. MSRP is $449.00 but the street price will be $399.99. This makes it very competitive with other offerings such as the Glock 42. This gun will be released by the time you are reading this article. My only complaint is that it’s not optics-ready and there isn’t an accessory rail to attach a light. It’s 2024, and that should be standard.