Hello,

Been reading up on the bodyguard and some problems with the EAA series. I have also seen people posting with issues with the EAB serials as well.. though not as many as the EAA series. So I have been looking for one for a while.. very hard to come by in MA. found one, but it is of the EAB variety.

So what is the overall feeling on this run of bodyguards? Are the issues resolved in this series with the occasional problem that most guns will have in a "one off" situation?

Would love to buy this one if I can, but want to be sure.

Thanks,
FRAZZ

Anyone anyone. Bueller bueller

Hi Frazz,welcome to the forum.
In regards to the BG380,They are good little pocket guns.
With the lifetime warranty that S&W provides,I don't think you can go wrong.In the past cases of problems with this pistol,S&W has seemed to have corrected any deficiencies including replacement of some of them.

__________________
JR

While we're at it, how bout an EAJ serial #? I just bought one today. I'll be sure to post a range report after I shoot it next week.

I have an EAB Bodyguard that so far has fired 100 trouble free accurate rounds.

New member here. Just bought one several days ago with the EAB serial number prefix. I took it to the range and used up a box of their ammo (I don't remember the brand but was told it was Serbian made) out of 50 rounds, it missfired 30% of the time. I then used some Winchester 380 auto 95 gr. fmj and had no problems at all after 100 rounds shot. I was told that the Serbian had "hard primers" and this was not uncommon with this ammo. In my thinking, they shouldn't be selling this product. Has anyone else had similar issues with ammo? Needless to say, I want to feel comfortable with this new purchase and I need to feel confidant it will perform 100% in time of need.
Thanks for any information on this issue

Efg0907 here,
I just made a post about the serial number on my Bodyguard 380. The serial number starts with EAH and not EAB.

I bought my .380 Bodyguard yesterday and ran 100 PMC Bronze thru it.No problems. Really like the gun alot, trigger pull is a little strong and I have to agree with everyone else laser buttons are also kinda hard to push.Found it almost impossible to push with one hand grip. Very doable with both hands on the grip, using the other to counter the force needed to push the laser button. Still would recommend this weapon.Most other .380s I have handled feel cheap compared to the Bodyguard .380.

Yes, I did. It might not have been the same ammo (it was Russian or eastern European cheap steel case ammo of some sort). I have had a total of one "other round" FTF on the first pull out of probably 1,000 rounds (and that was in the first few rounds I put through my warranty replacement BG380).

I originally had an EAA serial number, which shot like a champ through many hundreds of rounds. Then one day, I noticed the takedown lever sticking out 1/4" or so in the middle of a long session. Fortunately I caught it before it exited stage left (since the next thing to happen would have been my slide flying down range). I hate it when that happens...

But I can't fault S&W warranty service - they got the gun turned around in short order, and replaced the frame. I can't be totally sure, but it seems like this one's got a better trigger (placebo alert).

The excellent S&W warranty does take most of the risk out of buying an early EAA or EAB serial number gun. If you shoot it a lot, any problem will eventually show up (like it did for me). If you don't shoot it much, a problem COULD show up when you really need the gun, but the odds are pretty much against that happening - whether it's worth waiting for a later serial number or not is your call...

Can you order weapons online? I just bought a new BG380 for $289, shipping included.

I was at the range last Friday with a friend of mine and his 380 flew apart. We determined that the takedown lever worked out and wasn't noticed until the slide flew off. I don't know the serial no. on this gun but it's on the way back to S&W for a look see.

I've had a EAFxxx Bodyguard for a month now; have put over 250 rounds through it of all different types; the takedown pin and laser button issues have been fixed in the EAA, EAB numbers, haven't heard of any probs and mine is flawless.

A little tight at first but now the safety and takedown pin have gotten a little easier to move which was only complaint when new. Great little pocket gun....

Ive shot the new one with the full array of Buffalo Bore 380s. function is perfect and accuracy is significantly better than many owners expect of their pocket pistols. The laser sight is fine in subdued light with plenty of time to activate it (with the "weak" hand). It is not a reactive sighting option.

new to the forum... so lets try this. I purchased my bg380 eaj*** at the gun show two weeks ago and have put about 200 rounds through it. My first reaction was oh no i bought a dud bc about 1 out of every clip ftf on the first strike but fired on the second hit for the whole box of 50 tulammo bullets (cheapo's at walmart) then i bought the winchester fmj's value pack and 200 flawless rounds. Buying good ammo made a big difference. i love this gun

wow! just bought a bg today .wish i had read this first ,went to get lcp but got bg instead my serial # is eaj hope i dont have same issues

I bought my EAJ BG several weeks ago. 50 rounds of Independence ( 8 missfires ), 100 rounds of Winchester ( 1 missfire ) and 100 rounds of American Eagle (0 missfires). Take down pin near impossible to put in the 6 o'clock position and barrel becomes disslodged when trying to reasemble slide after cleaning. S&W has it now and I'm stuck carrying a Glock 32 for concealed carry.

thanks i bought mine today supposed to pick it up in the morning .im gona tell them to keep it

I just got mine today (EAJ) and am having the same problem with the takedown pin right out of the box. I fired about 75 rounds of WWB FMJ hoping it would free up that pin a bit. I haven't had any misfires so far. I actually got a blister on my thumb from screwing around with that pin. IMO it's a very poor design. They should have taken a page out of Glock's book on that one like all the other manufacturers. My pin will only disengage if I force it and then it goes past 6:00 position. Then by moving the slide back and forth a little I can get the pin out.

The pin needs to go to the 9 O'clock position and it will come out. Don't worry about sliding over the detent area, it does not contact the takedown lever.

What it needs is to be finangled with other than how the instructions tell you to do it. Half the time while trying to get the pin out the slide slams a couple fingers in it. What happened was they had a problem with the pins flying out originally so they over engineered the pin to be nearly impossible to get out.

Use your spare mag floor plate, and rotate the pin to 9 O'clock.

I have about 500 rounds through my EAA since it returned from the factory for the takedown pin problem. Removing the takedown pin has become easier with use. Hopefully, it won't get so easy that it starts popping out on its own again.

FWIW, my warranty replacement (serial number EAH99xx) seems to be flawless so far. I shot another 100 or so rounds through it this weekend, and it worked like a champ. The first couple times I took out the takedown lever it was really stiff - and yes, it does have to rotate well beyond the detent, and no, it doesn't touch/mar it.

It was a lot easier to remove the takedown lever this time - seems like it just needs to break in a little.

All in all, I'm very happy with the little gun... it's very easy to conceal, is as accurate as anything that small could possibly be, has better sights than most anything in its class, and is backed by S&W warranty.

I forgot to mention that. Mine does the same thing. I also ended up forcing the pin to the 9 o'clock position. I should've spent a little more and bought the single stack Glock for concealed carry.

you still can...

__________________
Jack C

I did take the advice of someone who said to leave the empty mag in the gun during takedown and re assembly. The mag holds the slide back a little farther than the slide catch. Then I'm able to flip the lever to 9:00 without too much effort. I've fired 200 rounds through mine and it seems to be getting a little easier. I plan on calling S&W to see how long I have to take it out of commission if I send it back to them. At this point that's my only beef with this little gun. Another thing I found weird was while shooting, the brass just flies everywhere in a 12 ft. radius. I had cases going straight up and coming down on my head. I don't know if this is common with smaller handguns or what. My other semi autos make a nice pile in the same place.

My only complaint with the Bodyguard 380 was that the buttons to activate the laser were extremely hard to use. I had to push the buttons multiple times before the laser would activate. The gunsmith at the store I bought the gun from said there was no fix for this and that it was an inherent problem with this pistol; however, I contacted S&W customer support who sent me new buttons within three days for free, which were firmer. Now the laser activates easily and I could not be happier with this gun.

By firmer are they made of a different rubber or plastic material than the original?

Once they work out the bugs the bg 380 would be a nice gun w/o a laser. If you learn to point and shoot, you don't need a laser. I wonder about the legal ramifications of a laser.

Juries often think "Why didn't the officer just shoot the bad guy in the arm". Now you have a gun with "a fool proof laser" (I know the lasers arent fool proof) why did you shoot him 3x in the chest?