Folks: I'm more than a little upset....I bought a new 380 Bodyguard in Nov 2010 and I've sent it back to the factory twice now for FTF problems. I took it out today after receiving it back the second time, and I STILL have FTF problems! 3 out of 12 rounds failed to fire. All FTF rounds fired after the second "strike" on the primer. There were 3 different kinds of ammo used, and all 3 brands of ammo fired every time, THE FIRST TIME, outta my Ruger LCP. I am asking for suggestions as to what I should do. I would like to send my gun back to Smith for the 3rd and last time and have them refund my purchase price, but I doubt that they would do that. Help!

I contacted Smith on Monday and related my sad story. The rep said send it back with a note saying this is the 3rd time back for the same problem. He said that shouldn't have happened and that they will prolly send me a new gun!
Duh, ya think?
I'm awaiting my 3rd FedEx "call tag"
I'm gonna strongly suggest that they either replace the gun, or refund my money.

Sent back 3 times already? I'd have dumped it after the second trip.

Get them to refund your money. If they replace it with a new BG 380, when it arrives, take it to your local shop and trade it for a S&W CS9 or a Ruger LC9.

They should give out "S&W Beta tester" t-shirts with those BG 380's. Good luck! Regards 18DAI.

18DAI:
I don't feel right about dumping my gun problem on someone else.I'm dumping this one back on S&W where it belongs!

i had similar problems with one my dad got off gunbroker. the ad said handling marks but ANIB. i picked it up and got some of the tulammo from wally world. two shells in every mag would not fire. i then tried rapid fire with no problems. went back to slow fire, again two shots in every mag. then i tried a buddy's ammo, i think it was winchester. no problems after that.

may be an ammo issue, i don't know for sure. we'll test it again after dad comes and gets it. i hope it works,they sure are neat litle guns.

On Monday April 18th in the early AM, Smith agreed to send me the THIRD "call tag" for my 380 Bodyguard that has continuing FTF problems. Tomorrow will be one week, and still no "call tag". You bet I will call again tomorrow morning!

I tried calling customer service this morning and only got a recorded message that all the "agents" were busy with other customers and that I should either leave a message and number, or call back later.
Has anybody else encountered this?
Do they ever call back?

Leave a message and they will call you back. Sounds like you are setting them up for failure from the start.

They are a good company taht fixes their issues, but you have to have a little patience.

I buggered up my front sight on my BG 380....me, not them.... and the nice lady said she would send one out immediatley. I recieved the free replacement sight 5 days later and did'nt even have to pay for postage. Granted it was a 4 dollar part, but the point is they could have charged and did'nt for something I screwed up.

P.S. What were the three ammos that were used?

3 brands of ammo were: Remington,Independence(CCI), and PPU(prvi partizan)

I never had failure to fire but I did have a broken trigger and the takedown pin backing out. Laser buttons wouldn't work. After two trips to the factory (and the laser buttons were never repaired) I traded it in at a significant loss. Is this the kind of pistol you want to use for self-defense and bet your life on? Not me. I picked up an LCP and an LC9 to replace it and am very happy with those.

The only FTF issues I had were with Tulammo... must have really hard primers. Mine all went on the second or third strike, but I learned my lesson and only bought the one box. I've never had problems with any other "good" ammo (other than one of the first few shells I put through a brand new replacement gun).

FWIW, I really enjoy shooting my little BG380 (something you seldom hear from owners of similar pocket pistols), and I find it to be plenty reliable and accurate (within the realm of a very small pocket pistol, that is... buy something else for driving tacks).

I persisted and finally got thru to Customer Service yesterday and inquired about my "call tag". The fellow was very nice and informed me that last week Smith had a problem and that a lot of "call tags" never went out. He said I should have one by this Friday 4/30. He also said that I should not have to send the same gun back for the same problem 3 times! I told him that my letter with the gun was gonna ask for a replacement firearm. He said that should be no problem. Stay tuned,folks!

Should have bought a Ruger LCP with CT laserguard instead. NEVER had a problem with mine.

a guy i work with picked up the BG 380 about 2 weeks ago and did say that it seems very picky with ammo. a few rounds he had to pull the trigger 3 times. bit rediculous if u ask me reguardless of ammo! sorry to hear u had to send it back to smith that many times, hope all is resolved soon!

4/29/11--still no call tag from Smith!

My EAJxxxx Bodyguard has been flawless for 300+ rounds. No fail-to-feed, fail to fire or fail to eject. Rounds were fired in 3 range session of 100 rounds each. I have used only PMC FMJ ammo so far and I clean and lube the gun with CLP. Excellent grip, easy to control and locks back when empty - something other small .380s don't do.

A lot of us are very satisfied with this little pistol, hope you get yours fixed soon.

Ditto here... love mine, no problems, shoots great. Very accurate, flip is minimal the laser is right on after a little tweaking. I have to say, I have spoken with so many owners of these guns and other than a few here, not one word of problems.. oh well.

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Jack C

Guess I gotta call S&W again this Monday. It will be 2 weeks by then and still no "call tag"! Anybody else have to wait 2 weeks for a call tag when it's been promised twice?

The 380 BG, and I have an early model from the first shipments, never failed to feed or fire or eject. I had a laser switch problem that was fixed. I used common target ammo and DPX for carry. I also have a Ruger LCP which did fail at times. Both guns are very clean and lubed. Lastly, I carry the 380 BG, 'nuff said?

A good IWB holster, Kydex for the 380 BG.


FIST, Inc. Brooklyn, NY. The holster fits perfectly with good retention, steel clip.

New to the list but not new to this problem. Every gun I've ever had with FTFs (light strikes) was usually fixed by cleaning out the firing pin channel. Some firing pins can be taken out easily for cleaning the channel, others are easier cleaned in place. On the tough ones, and routine cleanings, I shoot and soak for several minutes the channel with either RemOil or CLP and then blow out with compressed air...not canned air, but it's better than nothing.

George

Here's a tip..........If you can't seem to get a Smith "call tag" sent in the mail, call them and ask them to e-mail you a call tag. I did that yesterday, after waiting for 2 weeks and several promises to send a tag. The e-mail tag was sent and I printed it and Fed-EX is picking up this 380 Bodyguard today. I asked for a full refund of my purchase price or I will accept a new gun if it has been tested with lots of ammo at the factory. I'm done with FTF's in a "Bodyguard"
Meantime my Ruger LCP keeps digesting everything I put thru it!

Nice to hear that Ruger works good... my BG380 is running flawless and eating everything I've fed through it. Ran another 100 rds through it, almost ready to find me an ankle holster so I can carry it for backup... to my M&P...

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Jack C

I rec'd my 380 Bodyguard on 5/17/11 after it had been sent back to the factory for the THIRD time for FTF problems. I took it down to the range and experienced 2 out of 28 rounds of either Reminton or CCI ammo that failed to fire, and one round stove piped. I had included a letter with my third return, which stated that I either wanted a full refund for what I paid for this gun; or I would accept a replacement that had been thoroughly tested for FTF prblems. Instead, I get the same gun back with the same problem!
In the meantime I continue to carry my Ruger LCP, which has never failed to fire with the same ammo that won't always fire in the Smith Bodyguard. Any suggestions on how I can get this Bodyguard problem resolved?

I don't believe you'll get it resolved online here, unless you sell it in the For Sale section. It sucks to hear your woes, I don't understand what could be wrong as mine and most everyone else that has purchased one have no problems whatsoever. Kinda like the LCP's, i've read story after story of problems with them, the Sig 238, pages of problems.. I believe your options are either dogging S&W or selling it and move on.. posting here isn't fixing it unless someone can figure out something you may be doing wrong while firing your BG... I find it hard to believe, someone didn't shoot that gun a bunch before returning it..

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Jack C

Have you tried insisting to speak with a customer service supervisor? Somebody there is certainly dropping the ball. I had a similar problem with Sig Arms a few years ago, and on my third send-back, I raised hell with the supervisor, who sent me a new gun.

You could try a polite but firm letter to the VP of Sales & Marketing at the corporate level, but they may never actually ever see your letter. I hate hearing stories like this. I've been in manufacturing (Leupold) and know that an occasional lemon will slip through the cracks. I believe in giving the company a chance to make it right, but this is ridiculous.


That may not be such a good idea after all. The S&W VP of sales was arrested at the SHOT Show on bribery charges. Oops.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/smith_wesson_vice_president_of.html

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Retired Police, Life NRA

I have had the same issues plus my screw from the leaser backed out and jamed the slide open.Got it back with new frame.look at the part of this vid on the slide,The spring that pushes the fireing pin back is to strong.
YouTube - ‪Bodyguard 380 COMPLETE disassembly‬‏

I rec'd my fourth "call tag" on this gun, and it will be going back for the fourth and final time as soon as I can get FedEx to pick it up. Stay tuned!

Today I rec'd a check from S&W for the full amount, including sales tax, that I paid for my .380 Bodyguard back in Nov 2010.

Case Closed!