I bought a BG380 in late 2013....over these two + years I've always left both magazines loaded. Is it possible the magazine springs have lost enough of their compression / strength to result in increasing failures to feed/cycle the gun? Also, the slide is supposed to stay open after the last round is fired and this is becoming increasingly rare. I have been assuming it was due to some weak ammo not having enough muzzle energy to properly cycle the gun......but now ( after over 1,000 rounds) it's happening even more often. I (as well as others ) even convinced HPR to reformulate their XTPs thinking (since they were the slowest XTPs on the market) that was the cause. They sent me 100 of their reformulated bullets.....but the other day I had multiple problems with not only the HPRs ....but also several other brands which are much faster loads...like Hornady's own American Gunner XTPs.

Thoughts?

I took my magazines apart, stretched the springs a little & am leaving the magazines unloaded till the next time I go to the range to test the theory.

Usually, leaving a magazine loaded will result in less spring weakness that loading and unloading it. Since you think the springs might be weak change them. Wolff Gunsprings is a good place to buy very high quality springs.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I just put new Wolfe Springs in one of my M59 magazines. I ought to trade out one other one. They might NOT have needed to be replaced but why not? New springs are cheaper than new magazines.

Your best source for new springs, recoil and mag is probably S&W itself. But you can get a recoil spring here:

Bodyguard 380 Performance Parts :: Smith & Wesson® Performance :: Galloway Precision

I would have said leave the mag springs alone, but you've already stretched them which may have ruined them. Wolff doesn't have them, at least not on their website. Need to ask S&W.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Spring fatigue is something I have often read about but have NEVER actually experienced. I've got a bunch of USGI 1911 Mag's from the WWll era that have seen better days as far as their finish goes. As far as their reliability goes, they are as good or better than any modern "pretty" magazine I own. I can honestly say I have NEVER had a failure to feed with one of these GI magazines.

When my Dad passed almost 5 years ago I found several of these Magazines fully loaded. When I tried them in my 1911 they all functioned 100% and show no signs of spring fatigue. So while I can only tell you my personal experiences, you will have to determine what condition YOURS are in. I suppose if you do replace the springs with new ones it could not hurt, but just so you know the spring is not the only reason failure to hold open the slide will happen.

Thanks for the replies.

I called S&W's customer service # & without any hassle they said they would send me 4 magazine springs....no charge. That's nice!

Gave up....traded in for a Ruger LC 380.....it works every time you pull the trigger.

No, it is loading and unloading springs that will eventually cause weakness. I found and used successfully a loaded Ruger P85 after it being lost in a move 8 years earlier, and the magazine and ammo performed flawlessly. I wouldn't worry about them until you actually start having problems with the,

I have the original springs in the magazines of my 1975 Model 39-2...............no problems..

No, not unless they were defective from the beginning. I will leave you to decide, based upon your own independent searching on the forum concerning this model, whether the model you bought is worthy of defense use, or whether you just happened to be the unlucky person to get the bad springs.

[/QUOTE]Also, the slide is supposed to stay open after the last round is fired and this is becoming increasingly rare.[/QUOTE]

That is not normal. I have personally seen original magazines that are decades old that function properly. I have known trusted friends who have left mags fully loaded for decades and they functioned fine when finally fired.

[/QUOTE]Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

I suggest you take a look at whether this model is for you.

[/QUOTE]I took my magazines apart, stretched the springs a little & am leaving the magazines unloaded till the next time I go to the range to test the theory.[/QUOTE]

Stretching springs does no good and will damage the springs. Get some factory fresh springs and start over. Then get some high pressure/velocity ammo.

If your springs weren't bad before, they are now. Stretching or compressing springs beyond their elastic limits ruins them.
Replace them now.

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Science plus Art

I have magazines that go back to 1976 and have no problems with them ..

Stretching the springs in a magazine ruins them and they now need to be replaced ! they will not be reliable !!

I also have mags dating to the early '80's with original springs that operate perfectly. On the other hand, I also have a SW Sigma 40 cal that I had to replace the springs in both mags after 2 years, around 20 range visits. Pistol has worked flawlessly since then. Those are the only mag springs I've ever had to replace. So sometimes there's just a 'bad batch'.