I'm really interested in upgrading my Kel Tec P3at pocket gun and getting a S&W Bodyguard 380.

I seen the BG380 had some growing pains in 2010 when it came out, but now that its been thru all the beta testing, are all the kinks out of it?

Also when does S&W release its new line? I hear a rumor it was suppose to be April, and there is a possible pocket 9MM in the works.

I got mine about a month ago. Love it soo far. My sights are dead on. I haven't had any problems with mine yet. I've got about 100 rounds through mine. I have heard some concerns with them, but I'm really hoping the kinks are worked out by now.

If you get one that has a problem or two, S&W customer service will fix it, on their dime, including the mailing costs both ways. A fellow officer had one that the trigger failed on. I called customer service and had a shipping label the same day. Fed Ex picked it up the next day and it was back the following week. It has been sewing machine since, about 200 problem free rounds.

Mine is great so far.

You'd like to think the engineers have gotten on top of the initial minor issues that have occurred.

I've replaced a broken firing pin for one owner, and just the other day another instructor was telling me how a couple of the cops he knows have returned their BG380's to S&W, one for a broken firing pin and one for a broken hammer.

Considering these are both probably vendor supplied parts, I'd expect S&W and whatever vendor(s) they're using to resolve these issues (whether design or manufacturing) rather quickly.

After all, I'm sure they'd really not like to see LAPD de-certify the little .380 so soon after certifying it for use.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Yea I did some more research and it looks like the firing pin is a significant issue that S&W seems willing to ignore. I think I'm going to pass on the BG380. Its a shame though, the basic design of the pistol seemed great, with beefy steel slide rail in a gun with same as a LCP or P3at. I was even willing to ignore the craptacular laser and its problems, for a sturdy pocket gun.

Unfortunately major firing pin problems is the kiss of death for me. This was suppose to be a concealed carry gun to defend my family and my life. I can't have the fear of an epic failure to fire, and the gun become completely useless when I need it the most as a possibility.

I was shocked to read complaint after complaint of firing pin failure and how S&W customer service completely ignored the issue and act like there is not a problem. I thought this was S&W customer service not Taurus. BG380 owners would have pins break, then get a replacement only to have that one break a short time later. Owner are getting to the point where they are trying to manufacture their own pins out of filed down drill bits, because the S&W ones suck so bad.

There is a forum of just BG380 owners, and I advise anyone who owns a BG380 or is interested in purchasing one to take a look. Just google Bodyguard380 forum.

Smith and Wesson should be ashamed of themselves for putting out the BG380 and not working to fix all the problems.

They aren't "ignoring" the issue.

The possible occurrence of some of the company's MANY customer service people (who answer phones for the whole company's products/services) not having become familiar with an issue occurring in one of the MANY firearms being sold by the company has no connection to how the engineering and repair technicians are aware of, and are dealing with, any issues such as the firing pin breakage in some BG380's.

Last I heard they'd already revised the firing pin to try and eliminate the potential for a stress riser within the safety block notch. They might have done further modification by the time they actually put together an armorer program for the model line. They don't "ignore" these sorts of issues, but will continue to address them from whatever design and/or manufacturing perspectives might be required. (I could list other major, well known and respected firearm companies who have dealt with, and are currently dealing with, such issues in their own product lines. )

As an armorer I like to think I might sometimes get a little more insight into things due to info disseminated by the companies to its armorers, and I generally have more confidence in some of that info, and don't have to rely upon internet innuendo, rumor, erroneous gossip, second-hand "facts" or outright "the sky is falling" over-reactions.

There are BG380 owners/shooters out there who have had no problems with their guns. I have no doubt S&W is busy trying to figure out why not all of their customers are having the same satisfactory experiences.

The first year of a new model pistol being in the hands of the general public doesn't always go totally smoothly, you know.

In the meantime, there are other options in the .380 genre if someone prefers (some of which have developed their own group of unsatisfied owners & shooters, and then a number of satisfied folks, as well ).

Me? I tend to like my diminutive pocket-holster size guns to have revolving cylinders whenever possible.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

I'm sorry to disagree but I would bounce over to that forum, you will see an erie similarity to the old skyy(Sccy) Cp1 forum. These owners know the custome service reps by name and when they talked to Mr. X and Miss Y about an issue, and then call back next month after the gun is repaired with the same issue Mr. X will act like he never heard of a firing pin fracturing before. There are machinist on the site who are saying the pins are shattering under impact. Its simple bad metalwork and it could be easily fixed with a recall, but I have not seen one yet.

I'm noticing more and more internet review on the gun that initially gave high marks to the BG380, then later recanted because of failure.

Granted all new guns have issues. The Kel Tec P3at gen1stunk so bad that KTOG member were recommending people stick with the P32. The LCP had problems and the Sig P238 had problems, but most were resolved within the first year

The BG380 came out in 2010, and that is the reason why I started the thread. As of 2012 are the bugs fixed? So far the evidence I see leads me to believe the answer is still no.

Man i carry mine everyday. Ive had 250++++ thru mine and no FTF FTE or fireing pin problems. Bought mine OCT 2011.

Last I heard they hadn't finished putting together the armorer class for the BG380, so I haven't become familiar with the model as an armorer yet. I can only speak of the one broken firing pin I replaced for someone, and if I remember right it appeared as thought it might be a cast/machined part. I was told they'd introduced a radius at one spot of the relief notch for the safety block engagement to relieve potential stress.

It wouldn't surprise me if they did the same thing they did with the M&P striker, though, meaning changing over to a stronger MIM part with some sort of design revision. Maybe changing the design of the relief notch for the safety block. Time will tell.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Bought my Bodyguard 380 in Feb of 2012. Firing Pin broke on the 18th shot. Had to send it back to S&W for repair. A month later I got it back.

Its hard to trust the gun now

I know how you feel. Probably a normal reaction that many of us might feel (at first).

I remember talking with a fellow (works in the firearms industry now) who'd retired from a state agency when the P229's were still pretty new. He said the first 200 pistols they'd received had a problem with the trigger bars that caused them to "decock" without firing when the triggers were pulled. They were told it turned out to be out-of-spec, defective trigger bars, but they had to wait some time until Sig could get some replacement trigger bars. Everything turned out fine, though (and we all know what a fine pistol the 229 turned out to be for Sig).

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

I have had my BG.380 since November 2011. I have put 400 rounds through mine and have not had any problems to date yet. I carry it everywhere I go. I believe if the LAPD carries this as a BUG it must be worth something.

(Lowest Bidder)

Ruger LCP is also on the LAPD list.

I have had my BG380 for a little over a year, 300 rounds plus, no issues. My only complaint is the laser is next to impossible to operate if one really needs it to operate in a pinch.

I am told Plymouth County Sheriff's Office (Plymouth, MA) authorizes the BG380 as BUG for deputies.

Bought mine in November 2011, so far I have just a little over 850 rounds through it. Mostly S&B ball, along with a few hundred rounds of Federal. Cheap practice & break-in fodder. Sights are dead-on, not concerned with the laser (yeah, I tried it, it gives hits about 6" high at 10 yds.). Not a single glitch or hiccup to date.

I'll start carrying it as a pocket gun, after it continues it's stellar performance past the 1,000 mark. Just my personal "benchmark" for reliability, based on no particular reasoning. I just figure that is a good round-about ball park number for developing familiarity, reliability, and muscle memory.

The super-long trigger pull is one tough transition for me, but it's coming along. No reason to doubt the BG380 in my mind. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one to others.

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Virtute et armis

Back to one of the questions from the thread creator.... Any news on a subcompact 9mm from S&W??

So far, this is the list of what I will look at at the local gun store...
Beretta PX4 Storm Sub-Compact - 13+1 rounds - $440.00
KelTec PF-9 - 7+1 rounds - $240.00
Ruger LC9 - 7+1 - $330.00
Kahr Arms CW9 - 7+1 rounds - $360.00


Beretta - feedback is that it is to bulky for concealed carry? It will print more... And that the others were just a matter of choice and feel...

I was hoping to see a similar offering from S&W that I could evaluate before selecting one.

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Stay safe, stay alert
Wachuko

So here you ask for information on the "kinks" being worked out of this gun. You get replies from people saying things seem to be working out. And a day later you are telling us how terrible S&W is for not taking care of the problem.
I also researched the BG380 on the internet, reading reviews and threads telling about issues of takedaown pins falling out, laser retaining screws coming loose and jamming up the gun, and even firing pins breaking. But do yourself a favor and check the dates of those posts. I found very few posts about malfunctions and/or breakages after 2010. And the few that were after 2010 were mostly early serial number guns that were bought and not shot right away. If these are such horrible guns I can't for the life of me figure out why they are so hard to find in stock. I checked 6 gun shops daily for 3 weeks before I was able to get my hands on one in February. Four of them were delivered to the store on Thursday evening. I bought the last one Saturday morning. 200 flawless rounds through mine. Will be a lot more as soon as the bullets come in so I can start reloading.

I carry mine all the time. I also don't worry about the laser. It has better sights than all of the pocket .380s. I think that any time someone has a problem with any thing these days, they jump on the internet and gripe. We see mostly negative however small of a number that is compared to the many that function flawlessly.

Mine still works perfect, even after 2 months of pocket carry without being cleaned.

Well I picked up my BG380 at the end of July^2012 a week later the laser elevation screw fell out at after less than 100 round. At home while cleaning it the firing pin brokeoff now this is a late model high serial# gun so problems solved I think not!

Must be a hit miss kind of thing. I have stated before I bought my BG380 used and have had 0 problems with it. I Love the gun and carry it all the time. Now that being said I don't know why the previous owner traded it in. I don;t know if he had a problem with it and S&W fixed it and then he just traded it off or what. But anyway it works great for me and very very pleased with it.

I'm revisiting this old thread to again ask if the BG380 issues have been resolved. I just don't understand. Ruger switch to Ti firing pins when the LCP pins kept breaking. Why hasn't S&W done the same.

I'm waiting to see if anything new come out at the 2013 Shot Show. Maybe S&W will revamp the BG380, and fix the design flaw of having the laser access panel inside the gun.

What design flaw? Current design works great and adds very little bulk to the pistol. Easy to adjust external adjustments that put POI at exact POA (can't see how a prior poster hit 6" high at 10 yards?). Later versions have easy to use activation buttons, which are still located at your fingers natural resting position. Hold down screw does require a drop of loctite. Also the only lifetime laser warranty I am aware of.

The only time you need to mess with the laser inside the gun is when you change the batteries.

I would think any Kel-Tec owner (and/or a researcher like yourself with 9 months on the subject) would jump at the chance to upgrade to a gun that only requires a drop of loctite and its done. You no longer need a 10 step program of things to do before you should fire your first shot! And, in the event you need to hit your target, real sights, which changes pocket carry from just a rarely fired belly gun to a real gun. Plus, in the unlikely chance that you do need warranty service, you can count on perhaps 4 to 10 days down time instead of other manufacturer stated 8 weeks (2 months). Finally, if the day comes to sell your piece, much higher resale value, as new owner will be able to keep the same excellent lifetime warranty, instead of Kel-Tec's change in warranty service caused by lack of QA and too many worn out pistols being returned. Now, Kel-Tec warranty is no longer valid unless you pay shipping both ways, plus include a dated receipt listing you as buyer, from an authorized new retail seller, or pay a $40 "fee" + aprox $70 shipping, and don't forget the 2 month turnaround time. (S&W ships both ways on their dime, and even laser is covered for life).

Please don't take this wrong. As a tiny, light and low cost belly gun that you plan on only using in rare self defense situations, the Kel-Tek does that job. We would have kept the wife's if we needed its smaller and lighter size and only required the above. Wife wanted more accuracy and the BG380 dramatically improved that area with just a tad more weight and size. I find that I am carrying the wife's BG380 myself when jeans are on the tighter side, instead on my normal carry, Shield 40.

Google for more info, or to confirm the above.

http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/wa...sponsibilities