Ruger lcp2 vs sw bodyguard vs Remington rm380

[theboyscout]

Which of the three would you pick and why? Im looking at a pocket carry bug (back up gun). Let me know your thoughts.

If you know a 9mm same size and reliability as these 380 that wont break the bank let me know that too. Otherwise these are my three choices.

 

[unclenunzie]

I have both the LCP II and the RM380. They are both reliable and I like them both - but they are very different.

Carry gun (without holster) Weight in ounces Rounds
Ruger LCP II Fiocchi XTP JHP 90 Gr 13.00 7
Remington RM380 Hornady CD 16.10 7

Both are hammer fired.

The LCP II has a glock-like trigger safety with some take-up, then a very short and light pull that feels close to a single action.
The RM380 has a revolver-like double action only with a full trigger stroke. It stacks at the end but is pretty smooth. Has double-strike capability being DAO.

The RM380 has a stainless slide and aluminum frame with plastic grip panels. Subjective, but to my eyes is a handsome pocket piece.
The LCP II has an alloy steel slide, aluminum internal/serialized frame and a GFN grip frame. It is thinner.

They both shoot well, but I give the edge in accuracy to the LCP II because IMO the trigger is superior. Single sided mag catch. Some do not like the lack of a FP block with fully compressed hammer spring. At first I was wary but got over it. It's fine.
Some do not like the RM380 "unlock pin" mechanism. I have no issues with it. Double sided mag catch.

The RM380 derives is design from Rohrbaugh.
The LCP II derives from the LCP, and from that the Kel-Tec.

There's no 9mm that will not "break the bank" at the same size/weight that I have any experience with. The lightest 9mm I own is my Kahr PM9, which weighs 19.6 ounces fully loaded (7). The equivalent lower cost model CM9 runs $300+ in normal times. That's what I'd do for a reliable true pocket size 9mm that is rated 9MM +P.

Among the 380 pistols above I'd buy the Ruger today. No experience with the S&W offering.

 

[jar]

I own the LCP, S&W Bodyguard and RM380. Of the three I carry the BG and RM380 but find the LCP by far the tail end bottom of the barrel. I did also consider the LCP2 but it was even less interesting than the LCP. Surprisingly the BG get the most WalkAbout time but the RM380 are the ones I most enjoy.

 

[Pat Riot]

I owned an RM380. This gun feeds and fires everything you put through it. Very reliable. 700 rounds and never a malfunction.

I have fired friends LCPs and S&W Bodyguards. I wouldn’t own an LCP. Too much like a Kel-Tec P3AT. Had one of these. So happy to sell it.

The S&W was very nice to shoot. I liked it but did not buy one as I moved to CA and getting a CCW here is a PITA.

My only caution on the RM380 is the loooong trigger pull. At first it is hard to get used to but with practice it becomes second nature.

I found the RM380 to be most accurate with Remington Ultimate Defense and Hornady American Gunner ammo.

If you can, try renting each one and shooting them. If you are used to a certain type of trigger pull, such as; double action revolver, the RM380 may be okay. If not, perhaps the S&W.

 

[340PD]

Working at a range I see all three. All of them work but require practice to shoot effectively.
I often carry a LCP II in a Talon wallet holster. I practice with it at 30' and refer to it as my elevator gun. It finds it's way into my pocket far more than I thought it would.

 

[sgt127]

I carried a S&W 642 for 25 years as a BUG in uniform. Spectacular gun.

Tried a Rohrbaugh. Never got it to feed 5 rounds in a row. But, I loved it. 9mm in that size just seemed to exceed the envelope.

The RM380 is perfect for me. 2 more rounds than the 642. Light, flat, easy to carry.

I carry the Buffalo Bore Hardcast. I’m all about being sure the bullet gets into the important stuff.

 

[Armybrat]

I didn’t know the RM380 was made with a stainless slide option. Mine is a plain jane. It is a better quality pistol than my LCP, but is considerably larger for pocket carry. Have never handled a BG pistol, just the old J-Frame.

 

[unclenunzie]

I believe all the RM380 slides are stainless - just the regular ones are finished in black. Personally I like the looks of the all black plain model.

 

[rabid wombat]

I have several S&W Bodyguard. I would preferred to have the SIG baby 1911 equal, but price made a difference. The Smith is reliable, if you feed it correctly. I did not find a gun or mag issue, but it does have bullet preferences. The fact it has real sights was a key selling point. The laser is nice, but I typically so not use it. It goes bang when you mash the trigger.

Oh, the trigger! If you have fired an older S&W revolver, their triggers are a gold standard. Not the case with the Bodyguard. Long, heavy, gritty, stacking piles of garbage. I do not know many triggers worse. That said, with extreme diligence on my part - it will shoot puppy toe groups at 7 yards.

 

[Armored farmer]

I believe you are on the right track with your three choices.
I like the s&w bodyguard because I prefer a manual safety.
However, for years I have carried the original LCP. I dont recall a single gun related failure. 100%, all the time. The carry options are limited to the imagination.

LCP, holster, full mag(extended) +1rd for the chamber weighs under a pound.
I dont feel undergunned with my .380.
Above is a 115gr 9mm vs. 100gr .380.
Anyone who draws the line at 9mm, is drawing a thin little line.


Mrs has one too.
Two words of advice,.....extended magazine.

 

[SteadyD]

I’ve shot them all and prefer the Bodyguard, largely for the ability to add night sights and the true double action trigger as a safety feature for pocket carry. The LCPII has the best trigger of the bunch but I prefer no energy stored in the action for this mode of carry.

 

[Ernie Bass]

I love the pocket guns. My favorite is the Pico and the Kahr. Of the three the OP listed I would choose the Bodyguard then the RM380. If you did get a LCP, I would most definitely get the GEN 2 not the LCPll. Trigger is way too dangerous IMO for carry. The Gen 2 has a nice sweet DAO. That said, the Kahr CM 9 is a very light weight small 9mm that I am really fond of. .

Choosing a 380 during the ammo shortage may not be a good choice. Ammo is almost non existent and will cost a fortune. I also only recommend a pocket gun like the 380's etc. for advanced shooters. Any small barrel gun for that matter. You can do wonders with them IF you train often. And small barrel pistols have a longer learning curve. Might be hard to try them all out now. But if you can, it would be wise to do so before jumping in.

 

[bannockburn]

If you're talking about the S&W Bodyguard .380 it's alright but suffers from a very long and heavy DA trigger. The Ruger LCP2 on the other hand has a trigger that is sort of too light; I would much prefer the SAO trigger with a thumb safety of my Colt Mustang and SIG P238. No experience with the Remington RM380 except for handling one at the local gun shop. Thought it was decent enough but felt the trigger pull was really long and the gun itself was a little too heavy and wide for my liking.

If on the other hand you meant the S&W Model 638 Bodyguard then it's two thumbs up for a well built .38 Special revolver with a great trigger and a first rate overall fit and finish.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have a TCP (F-series) that it reliable and fairly pleasant in hand. It satisfies my pocket-380 demands, though I'm usually carrying a P32 Kel-Tec instead.

That being said, my preference to triggers that more-closely mimics those on revolvers, so I'd go with the Remington. I like metal guns, anyway.

 

[SteadyD]

If you're talking about the S&W Bodyguard .380 it's alright but suffers from a very long and heavy DA trigger. The Ruger LCP2 on the other hand has a trigger that is sort of too light; I would much prefer the SAO trigger with a thumb safety of my Colt Mustang and SIG P238. No experience with the Remington RM380 except for handling one at the local gun shop. Thought it was decent enough but felt the trigger pull was really long and the gun itself was a little too heavy and wide for my liking.

If on the other hand you meant the S&W Model 638 Bodyguard then it's two thumbs up for a well built .38 Special revolver with a great trigger and a first rate overall fit and finish.

Hand fit plays such a big part in this. I simply couldn’t shoot the RM380 because of where the trigger breaks, but for my hand size, the Bodyguard 380 trigger breaks just where I expect it to. I had to try numerous pocket 380s to find the one that fit me personally. The OP would be well advised to test these if he can find them for rent. What works for me definitely isn’t for everyone!

 

[bannockburn]

SteadyD

I have a similar problem in that my hands are relatively small so often times the reach to a DA trigger may require my changing how I grip the gun. That was the problem I felt I had with the Remington RM380. The S&W Bodyguard .380 was better fit but I didn't like how long the DA trigger pull was. Best fit for me in a .380 was and still is the Colt Mustang.

 

[Alex Clayton]

For Pocket BUG, to me the Ruger LCPII wins hands down. I carried a Kel-Tec .380 for this for many years. Wife bought the LCPII after trying the trigger in a shop even after I told her it would not work for her. I was right she can't shoot it but damn I can and it's impressive. The trigger feels to me like the early Glocks did before they made them more "accident proof"
That, the trigger makes it FAR easier for me to stay on paper with these little monsters. They are so damn thin and light I can carry it and forget I have it. Only downside is no more pocket carry without a holster to cover the trigger but, to me it was well worth it. Sure as hell was not fun to test out. When I first took it to the range I used up a couple hundred rounds to make sure it was 100%. It was, my hand hurt when I was done
Now when I shoot a mag or two it's great.

 

[SwampWolf]

The LCPII has the best trigger of the bunch but I prefer no energy stored in the action for this mode of carry.

Which is why I like the original LCP, even with its rudimentary sights and lack of a slide hold open/release lever. Mine has never stuttered in terms of feeding and extraction/ejection. Reliability in a firearm being used for self-defense is the number one priority in my book when it comes to a hierarchy of wants and needs in a pistol being employed for edc duties.

Personally, I will never carry a pistol up close to my anatomy that has the typical Glock-style "trigger safety". While not inherently unsafe, this safety configuration is, imo, a very unforgiving concept when if comes to experiencing a negligent (not "accidental") discharge. Any striker-fired pistol I will ever carry might minimally be one having a passive grip safety (ala, the Springfield X-series pistols) but more likely will have a da/sa or dao action or a manually operated safety. That's just me and my personal "hang-ups".

 

[sbwaters]

My LCPII fits so well in a sticky in blue jeans. Easy to carry.

 

[chicharrones]

I really like the RM380 due to it having a true double action hammer and a relatively large slide which is easy to grip and cycle by hand.

The take down pin doesn't bother me at all. Install it with a dab of grease and don't cycle the slide slowly. No problemo.

What I don't like so much is how easy the ambi mag release buttons can be touched and let the mag pop loose, even in a Recluse two side leather pocket holster. So, I've ground down the buttons quite a bit to try and prevent that from happening again.

What I'm currently on the fence about is the elastomer "spring" used for the extractor in the RM380. After 4 years in my gun, that elastomer seems to have lost its stiffness and my RM380 won't extract cartridges consistently. I have another elastomer "spring" (called a button) on its way from Numrich, which should arrive any day now.

 

[C0untZer0]

I purchased a Rohrbaugh R9 as my primary EDC right after the U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit overturned Illinois' prohibition on carrying a firearm.

I liked it as a pocket pistol and I was going to purchase a second one as a backup, but the R9 was an expensive pistol, my kids kept racking up medical bills and I never was able to save enough to get a second one. Remington bought out Rohrbaugh Firearms and discontinued the R9. The did make some modifications to the R380 and created the RM380. I purchased my second RM380 for just $99.00 with a Remington rebate, and the RM380 is my backup gun. The grip, sights and trigger are almost identical to my R9 so it makes a good backup for me.

 

[SwampWolf]

What I don't like so much is how easy the ambi mag release buttons can be touched and let the mag pop loose, even in a Recluse two side leather pocket holster. So, I've ground down the buttons quite a bit to try and prevent that from happening again.

Would it be possible to install a heavier (stiffer) mag release spring (s)? That's how my brother cured premature mag releases he was experiencing on a Taurus pistol (maybe the RM380 design precludes such a "fix"). One things for sure: having a magazine "pop loose" inadvertently is an event you never want to have happen to a pistol you're trusting your life with.

 

[SteadyD]

Alabama holster will make a pocket holster with the release covered if you request it. I can’t get the kydex to flex enough to release a mag on the ones I’ve ordered

 

[chicharrones]

Would it be possible to install a heavier (stiffer) mag release spring (s)? That's how my brother cured premature mag releases he was experiencing on a Taurus pistol (maybe the RM380 design precludes such a "fix"). One things for sure: having a magazine "pop loose" inadvertently is an event you never want to have happen to a pistol you're trusting your life with.

The RM380 appears to have a proprietary mag spring due to its ambidextrous construction. It's not a coil, it's kind of a "S" shaped thing.

View attachment 941299

 

[entropy]

I have the 'other' BodyGuard:


It's the older version with the Insight laser; Nice and light, trigger is meh, there is one caveat; the crane retention is via a plastic nub on the top of the trigger guard. Mine is worn and the crane likes to slide forward on opening. The part is not available anywhere except by sending the gun back to S&W. I do like the fact that the cylinder turns clockwise like a Colt. It rides quite well in my DeSantis for the PT145, another plus. It occasionally rides in my left rear pocket.