Safariland’s Species IWB holster is a staple for simple and effective EDC. Now Species is available for the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0, a .380 micro-compact pistol that shoots like a much bigger gun.
What makes the S&W Bodyguard 2.0 great for IWB?
Options for compact .380 handguns aren’t all that numerous, at least compared to the range of options in any other caliber, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a notable difference between a lot of them.
But the Bodyguard 2.0 is a marked improvement over most comparable pistols in a few areas, especially capacity and control. The grip is a little bit longer than some older .380 pocket guns, but that means more surface area to help manage the jumpiness that comes with a micro-compact. It also means a comfortable capacity of 10 and 12 rounds.
When it comes to handguns in this size class, concealment seems to be the only thing that matters. The Bodyguard 2.0 is still small enough to conceal. In fact, it’s become a very popular EDC gun when size really matters. But what makes it special is that Smith & Wesson made it big enough to control comfortably.
The new Species for Bodyguard 2.0
Species holsters are thermoformed. Boltaron is heated and wrapped around a mandrel to establish the shape. They are lined with suede. When compared to most IWB holsters, Species has a better feel upon holstering, as the suede cushions the gun a bit.
Safariland does not build Species models to accept lights, and all have a versatile clip that can be rotated a bit to change angles of carry. As IWB holsters go, Species is clean and simple.
A new Species
A molded channel for the front sight prevents it from dragging inside the holster. If your Bodyguard has a safety, the Species covers it enough that it won’t accidentally disengage when you’re carrying it.
Boltaron shields the magazine release, so accidentally disengaging the magazine when the gun presses into your waistline isn’t a concern. There is enough clearance off the back, though, that you can still manually drop the mag when the gun is holstered if you try.
All Species holsters, even the one for the newest version of the Bodyguard pistols, accept optics. When this one launched, Viridian was quick to adapt their green-dot tech for the tiny slide, and it clears easily.
Safariland offers Species in their STX Tactical finish, as well as a range of Cordura wraps over the Boltarons: green, FDE, grey, tiger-stripe, and Multicam Black.
While the Cordura doesn’t provide much of a functional advantage on a holster this small, it is a nice aesthetic touch and cuts out the cold feel of the naked Boltaron.
Species uses a single clip design with adjustable ride height and cant. Its simple design easily adapts to individual carry height preferences.
On the Bodyguard 2.0, most of the weight is in the grip and the rear half of the gun. Setting the ride height so that the grip is deeper into the waistline may give it a more balanced feel.
Species holsters don’t have attached mag carry options. There’s not a stand-alone mag caddy, either. I’ve been carrying the extended mag in the gun and the short mag in my pocket, but this isn’t ideal.
Drawing from IWB
Without a wide channel for a light, Species holsters can close up tight on the trigger guard. This essential protection, especially if any such holster would be intended for pocket carry, provides extra versatility. It protects the trigger from any object ingress in the pocket or on the belt.
But you will want to get a solid grip on the gun, too. Getting your knuckle up under the trigger guard is key to building a solid master grip, and even more important for guns you might shoot one-handed.
How firmly the holster will hold the gun is up to you. You can tighten Species holsters to compress the sides together, and there’s a device that puts pressure on the frame, too. This system allows you to get it dialed in as tightly as you would want.
The hook on the belt clip will hold under a belt, so there’s little chance that you will draw both the holster and the gun when you draw at full speed.
How does the Bodyguard 2.0 shoot?
Most of my .380 experience has been with two distinctly different platforms. The Kel-Tec P3AT remains the most easily concealed gun I have. But that makes it harder to shoot effectively, and I don’t enjoy practicing with it.
On the other side sits the Walther PPK, which was the first center-fire handgun I shot. Walther’s classic design is effective and easy enough to conceal, but a bit heavy. Smith & Wesson’s Bodyguard 2.0 sits right in the middle.
I’m in the early stages of shooting the gun, but I’m impressed. I have run versions with the Viridian optic and with irons, and both are effective. While the window on the RFX1 is small, the dot is easy enough to find.
In the range pic above, there are three targets. The one farthest right is a 12″ square. I had no difficulty transitioning between the three targets at full speed.
While the .380 jumps, it isn’t as sharp as it is with the single-stack mouse guns. It isn’t as flat as it would be from the all-steel Eruo classic designs, either. But it works.
Some .380s feel like they are only intended for contact distances. Not the Bodyguard. And if you pair the Bodyguard with the best .380 bullet designs available, like those from Lehigh Defense, it will be even better.
And that’s the takeaway. This is a serious EDC gun for those who need something at the small end of the size spectrum.
