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  #1  
Old 01-17-2011, 09:09 PM
Col_Cotton_Hill Col_Cotton_Hill is offline
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Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy  
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Default Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy

From what I read on the serial # thread, it sounds like everything with a EAB # is all right. Does this sound correct.

Now let me ask you guy's which one you would buy. Keep in mind the only thing that was keeping me from buying one of these gun's was what I read about the hard trigger pull. Well I handled one at the gun show yesterday. I'd say with this particular gun, everything was great. No problem's with the laser or anything. Well I didn't have enough cash on me so I missed that one. It has a EAH #. To me, that's a real fresh one that I could feel confidant about. I could have got it at the show for $350. Trouble is the guy is now out of town until the middle of next week. He also lives too far away to pick up, so I will have to add $50 for shipping and transfer fee.

Well there's one locally for $400. It would come out to the same money. But, it has a EAB27XX#. Do you guy's think this would have the new frame for the take down pin issue. It does have the raised ring around the laser button. Does the raised ring necessarily mean the walking pin is fixed. I'm going to look at it tomorrow and if the trigger is as nice as the first one, I will probably get it as long as you guy's think that's a safe serial # to get.

So what say you. Get the local EAB#, or wait a week and a half for the EAH. I know there's a few place's to get them a little cheaper. But it all come's out the same with shipping and transfer fee's. Thanks.

Last edited by Col_Cotton_Hill; 01-19-2011 at 11:09 PM.
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Old 01-17-2011, 09:59 PM
Carnage_7 Carnage_7 is offline
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Are you really in that big of hurry to have the BG380 in your possession? I would wait 1.5 weeks and spend the savings on ammunition.
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Old 01-17-2011, 10:05 PM
Col_Cotton_Hill Col_Cotton_Hill is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carnage_7 View Post
Are you really in that big of hurry to have the BG380 in your possession? I would wait 1.5 weeks and spend the savings on ammunition.
There will be no saving's. It will be the exact same money. The only thing a week and a half will get me is a EAH# instead of a EAB#. You must have missed that part. That's the point of the whole thread.

Last edited by Col_Cotton_Hill; 01-19-2011 at 11:09 PM.
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Old 01-17-2011, 10:09 PM
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Default Prefix's

Personally I would wait the week and a half to have the higher prefix as some EAB's have issues as well. Not that any prefix can't have issues but the EAB is a little to close for me.
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Old 01-17-2011, 10:33 PM
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I have a 380 Bodygaurd with an EAB serial number and have fired over a thousand rounds now with no problems of any kind. I have tried five differant kinds of ammo and there have been no fails to fire or to eject. It is accurate and easy to shoot compared to other pocket 380s I have tried. Others may have differant experiences, but for me this has been a terrific gun.
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Old 01-17-2011, 11:13 PM
Carnage_7 Carnage_7 is offline
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Yea, sorry about that-I had the impression you would be seeing the dealer again in person. Anyway, I would go for the EAF model--S&W has had plenty of time to work out the problems with the A/B models.
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Old 01-18-2011, 12:14 AM
Goffman Goffman is offline
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It's an easy thing to check actually. Try to swing the takedown lever into its release position. If you have a heck of time pushing it through the full 90 degrees, then you're holding one of the "corrected" models. If it swings easily, you're likely to have problems with the takedown lever popping out during live firing.

The occasionally reported problem of the firing pin striker snapping off does not appear to be specific to certain serial numbers, or so it seems based upon what I've been reading and what I've experienced first-hand.

By the way, I am a satisfied owner of a BG380, even though it took two trips back to S&W to get it right.

P.S. The correction to the takedown lever problem does not appear to be a new frame. Mine was fixed with the old frame still in place. Either they have altered the takedown lever itself, or they adjusted the "spring" that holds the takedown lever in place. I believe it is the former, rather than the latter, although I can't say for sure.
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Old 01-18-2011, 12:18 AM
Goffman Goffman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Col_Cotton_Hill View Post
Does the raised ring necessarily mean the walking pin is fixed.
No, the raised rings have nothing to do with the takedown lever popping out. The takedown pin secures to the frame, which is inside the plastic body of the pistol.
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Old 01-18-2011, 12:45 AM
Col_Cotton_Hill Col_Cotton_Hill is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goffman View Post
No, the raised rings have nothing to do with the takedown lever popping out. The takedown pin secures to the frame, which is inside the plastic body of the pistol.
I think you might have misunderstood what I meant. I know the ring's have nothing to do with the take down pin. I meant does the raised ring mean you have a new frame,,,,also meaning that the take down pin issue should be fixed as well.
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Old 01-18-2011, 12:52 AM
Goffman Goffman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Col_Cotton_Hill View Post
I think you might have misunderstood what I meant. I know the ring's have nothing to do with the take down pin. I meant does the raised ring mean you have a new frame,,,,also meaning that the take down pin issue should be fixed as well.
I understood. My answer was unclear. I apologize for that.

The answer still is negative. I have read reports of pistols that have the raised rings experiencing the "flying takedown lever" problem. There does not appear to be an association between the raised rings and the takedown lever problem, except insofar as the later models have both the correction to the takedown lever and the raised rings. In addition, as I mentioned in my previous post, the correction for the takedown lever problem does not appear to be a correction to the frame itself. My pistol still has the original frame, but the takedown lever has been fixed. It so happens, though, that I also had S&W replace the body of the pistol, but the original frame simply was transferred to the new plastic body.

As I mentioned previously, the key is to check the tension on the takedown lever. If you have a heck of a time moving it at first, you have a "fixed" model.
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Old 01-19-2011, 04:51 PM
DHKracal DHKracal is offline
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New member here, so keep in mind that I may be completely wrong, but I am pretty sure that S&W is still following the same EAxxxxx pattern. Therefore, the newest SN that I have heard of is EAFxxxx. My gun is an EAFxxxx and was factory test fired in late December, so I doubt that there are any newer SN out there. Mine has only seen 150rds, but it functioned perfectly. I find myself playing with the gun (unloaded) all the time, so the laser buttons are slowly becoming impossibly hard to press, but I shot an email over to S&W and they are sending me 2 extra buttons to try some modifications on. I just couldn't justify sending a brand new, perfectly functioning gun back because the laser is hard to use. As for the takedown pin, it is a pain, but I definitely prefer that over it flying out. To answer your question; unless you have some immediate need for the BG, then I would wait to get the newer serial number. You may never have a problem with a EAB, but if you ever decide to sell it, I would think the newer gun would bring slightly more.
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Old 01-20-2011, 02:26 AM
Darkmoon Darkmoon is offline
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I've been waiting a few months to buy one, but they go on sale at Cabela's tomorrow. Fingers crossed they are EAFxxx!
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Old 01-20-2011, 12:09 PM
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I have two of the EAB series and have not had a single problem with either of them. The laser buttons have also been no problem to activate.
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Old 01-20-2011, 04:41 PM
Snoguy Snoguy is offline
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I just bought one yesterday with an EAH12XX S/N which my dealer had just received. It was test fired on 12/17/10. Everything seems fine with it so far, although I haven't been to the range yet.

Dave
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Old 01-20-2011, 09:14 PM
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I have an EAHXXXX I bought two weeks ago and put 500 rounds through it so far without a problem. Test fired on Jan 3. Laser buttons work fine on mine as well. Couldn't be happier with it at this point.
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Old 01-21-2011, 09:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkmoon View Post
I've been waiting a few months to buy one, but they go on sale at Cabela's tomorrow. Fingers crossed they are EAFxxx!
Cabelas sale is $369. Picked mine up for $349. at a local dealer 3 weeks ago.
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Old 01-21-2011, 11:44 PM
Darkmoon Darkmoon is offline
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They are listed for $350 in the ad they sent me and there is a $20 off of $150 coupon till the end of the month. Prices must be different across the country. They aren't usually my first choice.

Last edited by Darkmoon; 01-21-2011 at 11:49 PM.
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Old 01-22-2011, 06:58 AM
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Quote:
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They are listed for $350 in the ad they sent me and there is a $20 off of $150 coupon till the end of the month. Prices must be different across the country. They aren't usually my first choice.
Sounds good !
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Old 01-22-2011, 07:15 AM
Col_Cotton_Hill Col_Cotton_Hill is offline
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The Cabelas ad say's $349.99. I had all ready bought mine when this came out. But I went to the Cabelas in St. Louis just to see what the serial #'s were. They told me they got 30 in, and were gone the first day of the sale. He said they always sell out as soon as they get them.

He said the best way to get one from them is to call 888-474-4867 and order one. I assume this number is the one used for internet sale's. I don't know for sure.

Good luck finding one. All the distributor's are out is what every dealer I call tells me. So if you see one, even if it's priced a little high,, you better buy it!!
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Old 01-22-2011, 11:51 PM
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My original one is a EAA and was not able to locate any locally for a long time. Last week at a local gun show several EAF appeared and I bought one at $340 + tax. Felt lucky. Been a good gun so far (EAA) that is. I am sure the EAF will be as good.
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Old 01-23-2011, 01:10 AM
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Default BG 380

I have a Serial # EAEXXXX, bought in December. The fired case was from November 17. 300 rounds thru it so far. I bought a box of PRVI Partizan ammo and I had a number of rounds that I had to strike 2-3-4 times before they would fire. The primer strikes looked weak even after the rounds fired. I used 1 box of russian bear steel case ammo, with no problems. So far, 3 boxes of blazer used with one round I had to strike 2x to fire. I am now reloading and so far, no double strikes needed. I think the PRVI ammo must have had hard primers.
I am experementing with loads, and plan on firing 3 different loads tomorrow-25 rounds each loading. Then I will settle on a powder charge. I don't expect and failure to fire as I use Winchester primers. As for the takedown lever problem, mine has been no problem so far.
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Old 04-10-2011, 09:14 PM
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Default BG 380

Hey guys, New member here.

I just bought a BG thise week and it's EAK#. Has anyone seen any with this number. The take down lever is super hard to rotate and theres a grove cut into the underside of the lever that a small spring rod goes through as it's rotated to prevent it from backing out. So I'm sure this is one of the fixed models.

Have not fired it yet due to these damn 12 hr shift, but I will post any problems ASAP.
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Old 04-10-2011, 09:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgt Rock162 View Post
Hey guys, New member here.

I just bought a BG thise week and it's EAK#. Has anyone seen any with this number. The take down lever is super hard to rotate and theres a grove cut into the underside of the lever that a small spring rod goes through as it's rotated to prevent it from backing out. So I'm sure this is one of the fixed models.

Have not fired it yet due to these damn 12 hr shift, but I will post any problems ASAP.
I'm sure you're good to go on the takedown lever, but I've heard of problems with broken firing pins even into the EAJ S/N range. My 380 (EAH) had a broken firing pin which was fixed by S&W, along with a very hard to operate safety lever. No problems since I got it back from S&W.

Dave
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Old 09-06-2011, 02:29 PM
scottl1346 scottl1346 is offline
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i have a EATxxxx with a lazer that is not working
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Old 12-18-2011, 08:44 PM
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I picked up a BG380 on black Friday (2011) and I have EAX----. Picked it up at the local Gander Mountain for $329. Take down lever is a witch to operate. I only have about 50 rounds thru it, and so far, so good.
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Old 12-20-2011, 06:04 AM
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I originally posted this in another thread regarding problems with the BG 380s, but I found this old thread afterward and it seems like this would be the right place to ask the same questions. See below

Does anybody know roughly what the newest SN's are that have been produced for this gun to date? Obviously there have been a lot of problems with this gun, most of them resolved fairly early on except obviously for the firing pin related issue which I believe remains unresolved, and I really want to make sure that I buy one of the newest possible SN's if I buy one.

From what I understand and have read, the SNs started with EAAxxxx, and proceeded to EABxxxx, EACxxxx, and so on. This makes sense, but I've seen EAXxxxx SNs posted, and if each letter represents 9,999 produced, that's almost 250,000 manufactured in the last couple years. That seems ridiculously high to me for this model and over that period of time, so I presume this logic isn't entirely correct. Does the 3rd letter change every time there's a revision or something? If that were the case it would mean there have been almost 25 revisions since productions started, which also sounds high. If someone could clarify, and perhaps clue me in on the highest known SNs produced that would be great. I've tried to find this information elsewhere including on S&W's site to no avail as of yet.

TIA!
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Old 01-02-2012, 08:02 PM
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I bought one this afternoon. The serial number is EAZ2249 and the fired case envelope is dated December 16, 2011.
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Old 01-03-2012, 06:37 PM
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We have an EAV purchased 1-1-2012 and test fired 10-03-2011. I've fired 110 rounds through it and I am getting used to it but my wife is not able to pull the trigger full travel so it's useless to us as we bought it for her protection. If I can't find a gunsmith to fine tune the trigger ( I've talked to three so far and all including S&W have said they can't do anything with it) S&W actually told me "It is what it is!" That just pissed me off. Fifty rounds I put through were junk Russian steel case ammo bought from Walmart. I had at least ten FTF with that junk and at least three jams. I disposed of the second box I had purchased and ran some loads from Atlanta Firearms through it with no problems as also the Hornady's were perfect. At 5-7 yards the steel sights worked best for me, with the laser working better at 25 yards into a 12" target. The steel sights definitely need high visibility in low light and I'll work on that or buy some night sights if we keep the weapon. It seems to me that it's a no brainer to replace the spring with a lighter spring of the same length unless it won't impart enough force to the firing pin. It seems to me also that if there is a problem with firing pin breakage that maybe, perhaps, it's due to the spring pressure being excessive. If car and motorcycle manufacturers can make California compliant vehicles why can't S&W make a Bodyguard 380 for the rest of us who don't live in the leftist Massachusetts?

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Old 01-21-2012, 03:23 PM
HPD4344 HPD4344 is offline
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How's it going? First time poster...

I currently have a Walther PPS 9mm, HK USP Compact .40, and a Ruger LCP .380 for off duty carry. My LCP has been flawless since I got it a couple of years ago; however, my largest complaint are the sights (or lack thereof). I cannot stand them and so I set out to find a replacement for my LCP and settled on the BG380. I would be buying a brand new one, ordered directly from Smith & Wesson through my FFL. My question is...has S&W worked out the kinks with the present/current production BG380 models? I understand there were issues with early models...but are all those issues worked out?
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Old 03-04-2012, 02:00 AM
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I just got mine today and the some of the numbers on the test fire envelope are a little erased but it appears that mine said 2-10-2012. My serial starts with EBE1XXX. Havent had the chance to fire it yet but the takedown lever is still a pain to operate.
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Old 03-05-2012, 01:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum1b View Post
It seems to me also that if there is a problem with firing pin breakage that maybe, perhaps, it's due to the spring pressure being excessive.
Based on several threads on this forum about BG 380 firing pin fractures, the following seems to be true:

(1) While the rate of BG 380 pin breakage is higher than other S&W firearms, it does not seem to be an inevitability.

(2) The firing pin breakage issue does not seem to be relegated to a particular range of serial numbers. Rather, it seems to have happened/be happening across all serial numbers.

(3) Some gun have broken multiple pins.

(4) Inspection of multiple BG 380's with broken firing pins show that they all break in the same place: near the firing pin block. 2nd bodyguard 380 broken firing pin DONT DRYFIRE GeorgiaShooter has an excellent description in post #8.

The present working theory is one of a tolerancing problem. If this is true, then either a particular gun is prone to breaking pins, or it isn't, with the possibility that wear could lead to more broken pins. This can also explain why some guns have broken more than one pin. S&W may simply replace the pin without addressing the underlying issue.

In any case, there seems to be no evidence that the firing pin breakages are due to spring strength. I've got several hundred rounds through mine and dry fired it quite a bit, and so far, no broken pin. (Fingers still crossed.)

The BG 380 has a long, heavy trigger. No doubt about it. I don't understand the anger at S&W, however, since they freely advertise the trigger's weight, and most customers can actually handle a gun (or even shoot a copy) before they buy one.

Personally, I like the heavy trigger precisely because it makes the gun harder to fire. This is my primary carry gun (I only pocket carry) and the heavy trigger means it's difficult to have a negligent discharge due to something/somebody inadvertently pulling the trigger. This should never happen, of course, since the gun is never in my pocket outside of its holster, but I'll take every layer of safety I can get. (That said, I don't use the external safety on the BG 380. It's pointless on a DAO gun, and it is *extremely* difficult to actuate.)
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  #32  
Old 03-05-2012, 01:52 AM
BuckeyeChuck BuckeyeChuck is offline
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Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy  
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Originally Posted by Eclipsegs621 View Post
I just got mine today and the some of the numbers on the test fire envelope are a little erased but it appears that mine said 2-10-2012. My serial starts with EBE1XXX. Havent had the chance to fire it yet but the takedown lever is still a pain to operate.
The takedown lever will loosen up over time. Mine has gotten to the point where I can do just with my fingers, but it took a fair number of cycles for this to happen.
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Old 07-29-2012, 04:35 PM
OfficerWard OfficerWard is offline
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Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy Bodyguard 380 serial # info. Wich one to buy  
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(That said, I don't use the external safety on the BG 380. It's pointless on a DAO gun, and it is *extremely* difficult to actuate.)
...I do agree in my normal carry conditions...at times the gun is in my night stand and not that my wife would even want to touch it....if Im simply storing it there I will go ahead and use the external safety as one more shred of peace-of-mind. Other than that...it is indeed pointless.
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