No matter what gun we’re talking about, a custom trigger job is almost always the best upgrade you can make. This is especially true with handguns because, with them, a heavy trigger pull can throw your aim off by a mile. The S&W Bodyguard 380 is a neat little gun, but it’s no exception. It’s a lightweight, modern, personal-protection piece. It is a double-action hammer-fired semi-auto, so far so good. Guess what, it has a plastic trigger with a 12-pound pull weight that no one would describe as smooth.
Your trigger is really what connects you to your gun and each of your shots more than anything else. It should feel like an extension of your body and give you a consistent, smooth, reliable pull. And it shouldn’t be made out of plastic. The bobbed hammer on the Bodyguard 380 means that you don’t have the option of switching to a nice, crisp single-action shot.
There are a lot of aftermarket trigger manufacturers out there, with models for pretty much every gun on the market. At it happens, you don’t have a lot of options for the Bodyguard 380 besides Galloway Precision’s Santiago kit.
Why I went with Galloway Precision
Before my car accident, I faithfully carried a Glock 19 IWB style. After I hurt my back, however, that became less feasible of an option. Unwilling to let that stop me from carrying, I turned to a smaller, more comfortable CCW option, the S&W Bodyguard 380. The only problem with my solution was, I can’t stand the Bodyguard 380’s trigger.
The S&W Bodyguard 380 is known for having a long, heavy (12lbs), gritty pull. While I appreciate the weight for concealed carry, that mushy, tiresome, cross country pull wasn’t going to cut it for me. Using my gunsmithing know-how, I polished the internals to smooth up the travel, but the results were less than spectacular. I was able to even out the pull a bit. I shortened the travel by a hair, and shaving a pound or so from the pull, but still far short of what I wanted. So, I took to research to find a better solution. What I discovered was the Galloway Precision trigger kit for the S&W Bodyguard 380.
I made contact with a representative from Galloway Precision to learn more about the company and the products they offer. It seems they do well with filling the niche market for performance handgun parts for models such as the S&W Bodyguard 380 and the Ruger LC9, and more. After explaining my situation, the rep graciously sent out two full kits, complete with blue CNC machined skeleton trigger, trigger bar, and necessary springs. The listed price (on their website) for a Galloway Precision kit for the Bodyguard 380 trigger is $98. After installing and using the upgrade, it’s well worth the cost. Usually, I’m the kind of guy who runs a Ghost Rocket trigger (very light, at 3.5lbs) on my Glocks—even my duty Glocks (a topic for another article). But, the Galloway Precision trigger kit made me enjoy every pound of my Bodyguard 380’s 12lbs bang switch.
Installation
If you’re familiar with S&W semiauto pistol’s mechanisms, the installation is relatively simple. But if you’re not used to digging around in your gun’s internals, you may want to have a gunsmith take care of the installation for you. As it was, I was able to use my experience to walk myself through the install without any issue, aside from dropping a part or two into the carpet. Thank goodness for magnets—I may never have found those little bits again until they fell victim to the vacuum. I also have to give credit to Galloway Precision’s helpful how-to installation videos for their trigger kits.
Range Performance
According to its website, Galloway Precision promises a 35% reduction in trigger travel. I wasn’t able to measure quite to their specific degree, but, from my experience on the range, the kit seems to fulfill that expectation. I was able to pull off double tap shots like I do with my Glocks, a feat I couldn’t previously achieve with the miles-long stock trigger. The Galloway Precision trigger kit reduced and smoothed the travel while maintaining the factory pull weight. Even with the 12lbs pull, I still noticed a marked decrease in trigger finger fatigue. If .380 were a little cheaper (and easier to find), I could have shot the S&W Bodyguard 380 all day. The construction of my Bodyguard’s new upgrade also gets points for sturdiness. It doesn’t look to be a part t I’ll be replacing anytime soon (if ever).
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to breathe new life into that nasty, gritty stock trigger on your Bodyguard 380 pistol, the Galloway Precision trigger kit definitely merits a look. I initially turned to the Bodyguard 380 out of necessity. It was a pistol I took to the range because I had to. With the Galloway Precision kit installed, I take the Bodyguard out to shoot because I enjoy it. One pro tip on comfortably firing such a small gun is to invest in a grip extension. That usually increases your accuracy.
Get your very own Galloway Precision Trigger Installation Kit HERE.
Featured image courtesy of gallowayprecision.com