.380 Bodyguard Take Down Pin Blew Out!

Riverkilt · #1 05-08-2014, 05:32 PM

Bought a laser free Bodyguard last week. Manual is very general in its copy and the sketches are hard to see. Watched some you tubes before breaking it down to clean for the first outing. Lots of warnings that the takedown pin is a pain. Sure enough it was...but....I thought I had it back and functional. Wrong!

Took it to the range today and first mag blew out the takedown pin. Looked all over the ground for it...finally found it in my shirt pocket - got lucky. But at the range couldn't get it back in right from memory without locking back the slide. A huge pain. Gave up and shot my other .380s I'd brought (Glock 42, Sig P238, and Colt Mustang).

Now gotta deal with the damned takedown pin again...who knows for sure if I put it in right and it blows out no matter what or if I screwed it up so it could blow out. Don't think I'll luck out and make a basket in my pocket again if it blows out again.

Thinking about just selling the damned thing...I need simple things that work....

Any insight as to how stupid I am or what may have gone wrong is welcome.

3dots · #2 05-09-2014, 01:13 PM

This gun is no different than the original as far as the actual works go. I wrote up some things a while back on the BG380 and one section was about the TD lever:

Takedown lever-

"The initial production release did have problems with the pin falling out during cycling and has been fixed. The machining around the shoulder of the pin was modified to better lock into the retaining spring.

This created another issue and basically just involves the documentation and the molded representation of the amount of travel to unlock the pin. The manual still states that you should swing the lever 90° to unlock and remove the pin; the mold job on the polymer frame reflects the same.

In this position, you have to pry the pin out with a tool of some sort which is not correct and will damage the spring and pin. After the factory modification, you actually swing the lever to ~160° (over the molded reference point). You will hear and feel a very defined click and the pin will pop right out using only your fingers."

If you tried to pry the lever out the very first time, you may have damaged the shoulder or the spring.

shawn mccarver · #3 05-09-2014, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3dots

This gun is no different than the original as far as the actual works go. I wrote up some things a while back on the BG380 and one section was about the TD lever:

Takedown lever-

"The initial production release did have problems with the pin falling out during cycling and has been fixed. The machining around the shoulder of the pin was modified to better lock into the retaining spring.

This created another issue and basically just involves the documentation and the molded representation of the amount of travel to unlock the pin. The manual still states that you should swing the lever 90° to unlock and remove the pin; the mold job on the polymer frame reflects the same.

In this position, you have to pry the pin out with a tool of some sort which is not correct and will damage the spring and pin. After the factory modification, you actually swing the lever to ~160° (over the molded reference point). You will hear and feel a very defined click and the pin will pop right out using only your fingers."

If you tried to pry the lever out the very first time, you may have damaged the shoulder or the spring.

I wonder if S&W has revised the field stripping instructions in the owner's manual, especially if damage occurs if you only rotate the take down lever to the 6 o'clock position?

Riverkilt · #4 05-09-2014, 04:19 PM

Thanks! Did see you had to rotate it 180 to 270 on you tube before the first take down so didn't pry it. Got it fixed last night and studied the many you tube videos again. Took it out to the range today and ran 50+ rounds through it without losing the pin. No feeding problems. Did shoot low at 7 yards...adjusted for that in my mind and shot right on. First time I noticed how HUGE the trigger pull is. Got to where I'd stage it right before it'd fire and then fire it. Worked better that way.

shouldazagged · #5 05-09-2014, 04:26 PM

Quote:

...I need simple things that work....

Good argument for a J-frame and a Speed Strip.

mmroscoe · #6 07-12-2021, 09:17 PM

I am an older lady who bought a S&W 380 Bodyguard 2 days ago. This evening I took it out into my lakeside yard and fired 3 times. The casings fell in front of me as I was told they would. The fourth is who knows where because it was at this point that what I later learned was the take down pin fell out and is now lost in the bracken. I called the store (Academy Sports) and was told there are no returns and to call Smith & Wesson. Is this gun even safe to use? Seems to me that a brand new $400 gun should work. I'm glad I was not in the midst of a crisis and trying to save my life with this thing. Any help as to what to do next would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

mrmike7189 · #7 07-21-2021, 12:46 PM

use S&W customer service. They will send you a free shipping label.
Send it back to them, they will replace all the missing parts and send it back good as new. It's too bad Academy wont stand behing the products they sell. Dicks sporting goods lost a lot of customers that way. Eventually they just stopped selling guns completely.

18DAI · #8 07-21-2021, 04:02 PM

Welcome to the forum mmroscoe. Sorry your S&W experience happened with a bg380.

When you call the 1800 customer service number, you can also inquire about a refund. They use to do that. Or, you could also ask about exchanging the bg380 for a s&w 380EZ. The 380EZ, while bigger than the bg380, appears to run well. And AFAIK, does not come apart while firing it.

If you like 380, and want a s&w product to defend your life with, go with the 380EZ and get rid of the bg380. I would not advise anyone I know and especially anyone I cared about, to buy a bg380. Good luck! Regards 18DAI

mrmike7189 · #9 07-24-2021, 08:29 PM

I have both the BG380 and the Shield9 2.0 They are both in my carry rotation and though I prefer 9MM, I carry the 380 alot in the summer. I think the BG380 is a better quality pocket gun than most others on the market.

CAJUNLAWYER · #10 07-24-2021, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmroscoe

I am an older lady who bought a S&W 380 Bodyguard 2 days ago. This evening I took it out into my lakeside yard and fired 3 times. The casings fell in front of me as I was told they would. The fourth is who knows where because it was at this point that what I later learned was the take down pin fell out and is now lost in the bracken. I called the store (Academy Sports) and was told there are no returns and to call Smith & Wesson. Is this gun even safe to use? Seems to me that a brand new $400 gun should work. I'm glad I was not in the midst of a crisis and trying to save my life with this thing. Any help as to what to do next would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sorry this happened. When you bought it did you strip it down, clean it, lube it and then reassemble? Maybe you did not reassemble it correctly. Or if you just took it out of the box , loaded it and started shooting maybe the pin wasn't correctly positioned to begin with. The reason I post these observations is because my M&P 380 has been flawless. The taledown pin is a bit tricky at first but once one realized that it needs to be rotated almost all the way around at which time it pops out, it is really very easy to take down and reassemble.
As far as Academy not taking the gun back-they have a big sign that states that all sales on firearms are final and if there are any issues you take them up with the factory. Pretty standard with all the big box stores. Which is why one examines the gun carefully before purchasing. Which is why I do not buy guns from the big box stores unless they take the trigger lock off the gun and allow me to inspect and cycle the gun. In the past, at some of the smaller stores, they would pull out all 4-5 they had in stock and allow the customer to pick the one he/she wanted. I never bought the display-I made them go pull out one in a box-and then I would inspect it carefully-if I saw something I didn't like-I'd ask them to get another. If there was not another, then a decision would have to be made. To buy or not to buy-that was the question. Alas that is gone forever at least down where I live.
Don't give up on the M&P380 just yet-it is a fine weapon, one which I have full confidence in.
Oh. Welcome to the forum.

RenoHuskerDu · #11 11-25-2021, 08:59 PM

This malfunction just happened to my friend today as we did a little shooting after Thanksgiving dinner. I was watching him from behind and it was quite a sight on the 2nd round when the slide flew off and he was left holding the polymer body. The look on his face was priceless. I'm sure I would have also been surprised.

The group RSO, me, called cease fire and I examined his weapon, then everyone started looking for parts. We did manage to find the recoil springs, guide rod, and lockup pin, but they were quite a few yards apart.

He bought that BG380 new recently and had taken it down to clean and inspect it a few days ago. Given what I've read in this thread, we suspect that he didn't fully re-seat the lockup pin on reassembly. He didn't however force the pin out with a tool, despite Smith not correcting the 90° molded fencing to the 160° it should be. We got out my own BG380 and ran thru correct takedown and reassembly a few times. That's what friends are for.

mrmike7189 · #12 11-25-2021, 09:46 PM

My BG380 just hit the 500 round mark and I consider it" broken in" now.
the trigger and slide have really smoothed out.
When brand new, the slide lock was tight, the mag release tight, the trigger heavy.
Now everything works just right.

Redcoat3340 · #13 11-26-2021, 10:18 PM

I'll echo 18DAI, get the EZ. I got one now anticipating arthritis someday; instead of getting the 9mm EZ. Then I found a semi-deal on a 9 EZ locally and got the 9 as well. I'm now fully prepared for this old body to break down.

joebuck · #14 11-27-2021, 08:20 PM

Get a refund. The BG380 is junk. I can't believe it's still being made.

RenoHuskerDu · #15 11-29-2021, 12:45 PM

Anticipating trouble, I took my BG380 out yesterday and ran a box thru it. But the little old girl did fine. Mine was built before they started calling it M&P, not sure how old that is. I got her used for only $150, so I can't complain. She's a good ankle gun.

But I darn sure do check that lockup pin every time I handle it.