Smith & Wesson Model 638 Bodyguard Airweight

The Bodyguard design was born from a practical problem: plainclothes detectives and undercover officers needed a revolver that could be drawn quickly from a pocket without the hammer snagging on fabric, but they also wanted the ability to cock the hammer for an accurate single-action shot when circumstances allowed. Carl Hellstrom's shrouded hammer design was the elegant answer, creating a revolver category that has endured for over seven decades. The 638 carries the 'Bodyguard' name because it was literally designed to be a bodyguard's concealed weapon -- invisible until needed, then drawn and fired without impediment.

The Bodyguard concept originated with the Model 38 in 1955, designed by legendary Smith & Wesson engineer Carl Hellstrom. The shrouded hammer was a stroke of engineering genius that solved the snag problem of exposed-hammer revolvers without completely sacrificing single-action capability as the Centennial (hammerless) series did. The Model 638 designation was introduced in 1989 as the stainless/aluminum version of the original blued-steel Model 38. When Smith & Wesson introduced the polymer-framed M&P Bodyguard in 2014, the Model 638 became the last remaining link to the original Bodyguard lineage. The 638 occupies a unique niche between the fully exposed-hammer Model 637 and the fully enclosed-hammer Model 642: shooters who want snag-free pocket carry but also want the option of thumb-cocking for deliberate shots gravitate toward the 638. The extra 0.1 ounces over the Model 637 comes from the additional metal in the hammer shroud. The nickname 'Humpback Whale' refers to the distinctive raised profile of the hammer shroud. The loaded weight estimate includes five .38 Special +P cartridges at approximately 13g each. MSRP is approximately $469. The 638's rifling twist rate is 1:18.75 inches (476mm) with 5 grooves, right-hand twist.