I read about the Bodyguard 380 in the latest American Rifleman and decided to buy one after comparing it the Ruger's LCP. I took the auto to the range today and fired fifty rounds. It functioned flawlessly and by the end of the session I was getting the hang of the long double action trigger pull. I think this is going to be a great personal defense auto.

The target was at seven yards and the ammunition was Remington 95 grain FMJ.

Bill

I wany one of those but I've been waiting for it to get over its teething pains.

__________________
Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

I thought I would send this to the top since some members were interested in how the 380 performed at the range.

Bill

I see where the newer models now have a fence or ring around the laser buttons to avoid accidental turn-ons and turn-offs. That should help a lot when holstering. Now that we're up into the EABXXX serial numbers all the old problems seem to have gone away. This is going to be a great little pistol.

Hopefully the SN is EABXXXX, and not the first series issued SN EAAXXXX. The EAB series is the new redesigned frame to address the issue of the take down pin backing out during firing. My BG.380 ran beautifully until at a class when a fellow shooter tried it out...the pin backed out on him. When I saw on another chat board devoted soley to the S&W BG.380 that another member had been reissued a new frame addressing the flaw ... time to send mine in. I got mine back with the SNEAB7XXX last Friday. Put 50 rnds through it that night. The .380 Bodyguard will be the .380 to go for once S&W gets the bugs out. It is extremely reliable, eats practically everything, way less recoil than the LCP very accurate, yet it is the same size as the LCP with a slightly longer grip. It will fit most holsters for the LCP w/CT laser.

If you have a SN EAA ... keep an eye on the take down pin. If it backs out, call S&W. They will email a Fedex label. Most likely you will receive a new frame and you will have to transfer through a FFL dealer (like buying a new gun) S&W will reimburse you for the transfer. Most are getting one or two extra mags for the inconvience. This gun is worth the aggravation.

The serial number is EAB13XX.

Bill

I also bought a BG 380 last weekend. First range experience was good - no problems. Long, hard trigger pull will take some getting used to. Overall I really like the gun.

Your EAB13XX has a ring around the laser button but my EAB76XX doesn't. How odd.

There is a popular video site that has a video of how well the EAB serial number performs at the range. "Bodyguard 380 at the range" in case more were interested.

my EAB57XX doesn't have a ring either

I was a big proponant of the Bodyguard 380 when they first came out and liked it more than my Kahr P380 and hugely more than the LCP. I always shoot a couple hundred rounds thru any gun before I carry it to be sure it will be reliable. I love the feel of the pistol and the laser is great. At a little over 600 rounds it came apart on me, the takedown pin came out and the slide was launched off the frame. Talk about a bad feeling, this was the first pistol out of 100s I've owned that came apart while firing. I sent it back to the factory and S&Ws customer service is topshelf. Got it back with a new frame and serial number "EAB" but it was the old style frame unlike the one pictured above. I just lost confidence in the pistol and my dealer took it back.
What a shame because I really liked the BG380, I'll think about buying another next year when I'm more confidant the bugs are worked out. The new redesigned frame with the collar around the laser activation buttons is the frame you want on yours. The early EAB frames do not have this collar and I believe are the same as the EAA original frames. So when I sart seeing EAC numbers perhaps I'll try this gun again.
Luckily my Bodyguard 38 revolver has been troublefree from the get go, I wish my 380 had been.

A friend and neighbor got his yesterday - he's looking forward to getting it out to the range.

Just got my replaced BG380 back from S&W on Friday. It is a newly designed frame EAB7000 series frame with the rings around the laser buttons, stiffer spring wire, redesigned takedown lever with a much larger notch in it. As tight as it is in now, I can't ever see if coming out accidentially. The S&W customer support was outstanding and returned the gun with 2 new magazines and another zipper carrying case. But it did take 4 1/2 weeks inhouse before shipping my replacement. Hopefully they have everything resolved. I am planning to go to the range this weekend and put at least 150 rounds thru it to make sure.

And mine does have the rings with EAB04##. Could it be that the frames are coming from different contractors? Just a guess.

Based on info here, I went to my LGS tonight and looked at two BG380s. One was an EAA and the other was an EAB with the ring around the laser buttons. I told them about the issues and the fixes, and they had not heard about them.

I bought the EAB model, EAB5###, DOB 10-12-2010. The LGS guy threw in three extra mags (they actually had S&W branded mags in stock for it!)

Can't wait to go shoot it!

Congrats. You will love shooting this gun. It just feels good in the hand. WallyWorld has the best prices on the Winchester white box or Remington FMJ practice ammo at $31 for 100 rounds if you can find it in stock.

I've been looking at the various .380 for awhile now. I'm glad I saw this. Whats the price range for these?

I found mine at Academy Sports and Outdoors on sale for $429. Their normal price is $479.

I bought two 50 round boxes of PMC Bronze 90gr FMJ and one 25 round box of Hornady Critical Defense 90 gr FTX. I didn't bother to look at our local Wal-Mart since they never stock any handgun ammo. The PMC was $20 a box, and the Hornady was $25...at $1 a round, I won't be burning up a lot of that!

The BG80 does feel a lot better than the other 380s I have tried, including the Kahr, LCP, the Bersa Thunder (which didn't feel bad, it was just too big for a pocket pistol; at that size, I'd rather carry my M&P9c or G26), and the SIG P238. I have to admit, I kinda liked the P238, but I wanted a pistol that my wife could also carry in her purse on occasion too, and she was scared of the "cocked and locked" carry (she doesn't like my 1911s either) so I traded it.

I'm going to try to find some ammo at other Wal-Marts or Academy...I've ordered online before, but the shipping costs eat up any savings, so I might as well buy locally.

I paid $580 for mine, which is too much, but all the other gun shops in the area didn't have one. I deal there a lot, though, so the guy threw in three extra mags, which were marked $27.95, so that made it a lot better!

It could be. It took over 1 week to even get info about shipping the gun back to them

I was told I was getting a new Serial Metal frame replaced.
I take it not the "Whole" frame.

So, I am not really sure what they are doing or up to.. Maybe they are doing a few different replacement/repairs and seeing what happens with them? Maybe some people are getting a whole new lower frame and others are just getting the Metal frame with a new serial number

Edit: I just looked at the gun. AS they told me they only replaced the metal part of the frame not the whole part with includes the plastic, My old serial number had the laser screw taking out of it at about round 80 and marked the plastics part of the frame housing. which is still there.

Kinda pisses me off cause I asked them to check that and replace the whole frame

Looks like I am calling them tomorrow

I sent my EAA23XX in to S&W twice (trigger, take-down lever) and they told me they were sending me a new frame. It was returned to me on Monday and it looks like a whole new gun, including slide and barrel. My new EAB76XX doesn't have the rings around the laser buttons. They must have more than one machine making frames and at least one of them hasn't been modified for the new rings. Out of the box, fresh from the factory, the right laser button wouldn't work so I pulled the button, rotated it, and then reinserted it. Now it works. I am really discouraged by this gun and will probably trade it for a Colt Detective Special later this week. I've just had it with the Bodyguard.

I agree with LocoWeed, when I get my BG380 back I'm going to try and trade it for a Kahr P380. Probably take it in the as#, but at least I will have a fully functioning gun that I don't need to worry about.

Have you guys called S&W and asked for a check for the amount you paid?.

When I called the week before I got mine back they had me mixed up with another person and Asked where I wanted my check mailed to, LOL so that tells me they are willing to at least give money back

I am pretty new here. I looked all over for the place to post a new thread and could not find it. Best I could do was a "reply" opportunity.
Okay, here's my conclusion: I have now fooled around with a BUNCH of small pistols. While many of them are very nice they do not, in my opinion, offer the features of the plain, homely and CHEAP little BG. Manual safety, loaded chamber indicator, lock open on final round, easy take-down, ugly trigger pull to remind you if you accidentally grab for the trigger in error, easily carried totally out of sight and easy to get to.And if you hold it right this little rascal will punch a bunch of holes in a golf ball sized target.
I fondled and fussed with pistols costing three times as much and which were much prettier and made of real steel with space age sights and some other whiz bang features. Some had grips that surely would rip your hands after 25 hot rounds. Some I could barely hold. None were as reliable (I've had one FF in a bunch of rounds.
The Bodyguard is really ALL we need to do the job we want done...a small unobtrusive easy to care for and reliable pocket pistol.
Been shootin' since 1948. So there ya go boys, now you know my expert opinion. Ha Ha Ha!

Hey, welcome aboard, pistolpal. I think these tiny, locked-breech .380s like the Bodyguard and the LCP have really changed the paradigm - it's now practical to carry a .380 in just about any mode of dress (I'll spare you all the photos of me carrying my LCP clipped inside my swim trunks as I'm standing in the ocean ).

__________________
Now go make God proud...

Cabelas priced matched Academy Sports $399 prices for the M&P BG w/crimson trace laser and gave me my 5% military discount for a grand total before taxes of 379.05. The BG wo/laser was $375, I figure it was a free upgrade as the clip on lasers run $200 and up.