Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .38

The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .38 is a compact J-frame revolver chambered in .38 Special, produced as the Model 38 (steel frame) and Model 49 (alloy frame Airweight). It was introduced in 1955 and features a distinctive shrouded hammer that allows snag-free draw from a pocket while still permitting single-action fire by pinching the hammer spur. The Bodyguard combines the compact size of a snub-nose revolver with the concealed-hammer advantages of a hammerless design. It was designed for plainclothes police officers and civilian concealed carriers. The Bodyguard .38 is one of Smith & Wesson's classic J-frame designs and remained in production for decades.