Meet “Betty,” my recently acquired pre-lock S&W Bodyguard. After satisfying the requisite Illinois waiting period, (plus a day or more due to personal languor) I picked her up from the local gun store this past Tuesday. Betty is not a youngster (vintage ~1991), but she is in top condition, a classic beauty;
she qualifies as a "grail gun," one that I have long considered but, until now, always turned away. Welcome home, Betty.
My Centennials have enclosed hammers, making them (by design) double action only. This is my only J-Frame snub gun with an exposed, albeit snag resistant, hammer. The single action trigger on this 638 is very sweet, but I doubt that I will use it much.
Lefty Lewis at Bell Charter Oak states that his Gaylord 8-Ball pocket holster is more for coat pockets than for pants pockets; maybe so, but for me it works out wonderfully as a pants pocket carry. I usually carry the respective airweight revolvers in pocket holsters or one of the
Ken Null Shoulder holsters. The all-steel Centennial revolvers I prefer to carry IWB.
As is the Model 442, the 638 is an aluminum frame S&W Airweight; cylinder, barrel, and crane are carbon steel on the 442 and stainless on the 638. Will the 638 replace the 442 as my preferred pocket revolver? I dunno; I have not had a chance to take her to the range yet. Also, this is my first revolver with Crimson Trace laser grips. I was into laser grips when they first became available and became disillusioned early on. Crimson Trace has a great reputation; I may just become a believer.
Nutnfancy does a fantastic review of an identical (other than the lock) S&W Model 638, including the use of laser grips (same manufacturer, different model).
EDIT:
CLICK HERE for my first range session with the Bodyguard
2 comments:
I really like Lefty's work and use a "Deep Drop Bandit" IWB for both "J" Frames and my Gemini Custom SP 101. Bell Charter Oak and Gemini just go together naturally. regards, Alemaster
Alemaster,
Thanks for stopping by!
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