I Finally got the shipping label from S&W and sealed the pistol in the FEDEX Pak. Pickup is scheduled for this afternoon (8 Feb). After that, we'll hack the clock and report back with what happens.

As to hot loads, failure to follow directions, incorrect operation, abuse by the shooter, etc... We all know shooters who like to push limits. However, there is not even a chance any of that happened with this revolver so I will not entertain it. Simply put, this revolver with a limited number of "cycles" over less than a month malfunctioned. It is either a failure of an individual piece in the firearm, and/or a design flaw with this new BG38 Bodyguard action.

Regardless of the cause, it is all on S&W and a failure of their product. I'm sorry if that is hard to swallow for some of the dedicated S&W fans. I just want what I paid for, a handgun that works when I squeeze the trigger! I don't think that is too much to ask for.

More to come...

Edmo

I had a CCW student today with a brand new .38 Bodyguard. After firing the first cylinder full of ammo, she reloaded and brought the cylinder back into position but couldn't fire. I went to handle it as a misfire but I couldn't get the cylinder to open nor could I get it to turn. Finally, with some finagling (is that really a word?) I was able to get the cylinder to open up. The small ratchet paw in the center was stuck in the recessed position. A drop of oil failed to help. I finally thought I had it free and moving freely but it stuck recessed again. I sent her back to her dealer with an explanation and an UNSAFE remark at the bottom. They are sending it back to S&W. Tomorrow I have another new one for a class we’ll see how that one works.

Had another student with a new Bodyguard .38 today and it shot flawlessly!

That's funny!

Is your plastic pistol black or green - LOL!

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But then, what do I know?

Sorry to hear of your problem. I have had three bodyguard style guns, one steel, one scandium, and the current aluminum model 642. No malfunctions of any kind.
I know...goody goody for me. But what I mean to say is that this is not a common characteristic of these guns.
If you haven't sent it back yet, I wonder if you could remove the grips and side plate and take a photo of the internal mechanism. It sounds as though something is binding up the lockwork, which is inside the gun.
Only other thing I can think of is that the ejector rod is partly unscrewed. This would also make the cylinder very difficult to open.
But the trigger stuck backwards makes me think the problem is internal.

The OP is referring to the new bodyguard 38, not the traditional J frame body guard. The mechanism is quite different. BTW the 642 is a Centennial.

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NRA Benefactor

When they make a gun that has no mechanical issues 100% of the time I'll be sure to pick one up.
I personally don't care for the BG38 but I'm sure like any mass production the occasional error will fall through.
That's why they have policies to deal with these sort of things. As for being disappointed that this occurred your first time shooting it, I would certainly rather have a gun malfunction the first time I tested it then after say a few hundred rounds when I trusted it.

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27-2, 66-1, 640 Pro, 10-5

Ah yes... The 642 is a Centennial, not a Bodyguard and the new Bodyguard is a Centennial, not a Bodyguard. HAHA

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Centennial Every Day

So, what's to report?

I plead guilty to being a dedicated S&W fan, that's why I'm here. If I loved Glocks so much I'd be there.

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Just another brick in the wall

I had a call today from the boys at S&W reference this faulty BG38 Bodyguard revolver of mine...

Apparently, the S&W technicians looked over my 2 month old revolver and declared it "unrepairable". The customer service rep said it would be destroyed and they would send me a new gun.

Based on my experience with the Bodyguard model BG38, I advised him I didn't want another one and instead I wanted the replacement to be a "no lock" model 642 with laser grip sights. I'll call him back tomorrow to give him an FFL in my area so he can ship it and close this chapter.

Hopefully this new little J frame will work as advertised and this will be the end of my small gun problems. I've had good service from a stainless model 60 J-frame I bought in the mid-1980s and have heard good service reports from 642 owners. The trigger will be heavier than that on the BG38, but at least the gun will will function and make BANG noises.

In the meantime, yesterday I bought another tupperware gun to fill the missing gun void!

Edmo

Ouch! I gave S&W two chances (642, 21-4) at impressing me with newer revolvers. Both needed work to make them shootable. I'll stick with the old stuff from now on.

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SV,14,17,21,28,29,39,66,586

LOL #26 mike...stay tuned

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Maybe I'll head over to the Glop forum and see how many KABOOMS they had today.

Is this what they call Glop Perfection?

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Just another brick in the wall

That looks like it left a mark!

Edmo

Glop Perfection. LOL

I've been shooting "Glops" for about 13 years now with 1000's and 1000's of rounds downrange all with Glop Perfection.

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Centennial Every Day

I love the way you guys keep saying that S&W will make it right - Eventually. The whole point of buying a quality firearm is to NOT NEED them to "Make it right". They should have made it RIGHT when they MADE it!
My ol' Dad used to buy Big O tires and he had problems with them all the time. They kept replacing them with no hassle. When I suggested to Dad that he should buy a set of Michelins instead, he said (with a chuckle) Well, Big O stands behind all the problems I wouldn't have had if i hadn't bought Big O's!
When you buy something to protect your life, even if only once, it damned sure ought to function as intended. Its VERY disappointing to read about S&W problems like this. No wonder the old ones are much sought after.... H

This must be called S&W imperfection..... LOL!!!!!

I love them both, but I failed to mention S&W in my username..... My Bad!

i like stay far away from anything new and stick with proven models.

Amen brother!

I can't wait to get my hands on the 642 they are sending me as the replacement. Surely, it will work!

Edmo

Years ago, probably around 1984 or so, I purchased a new Model 624 that had some real rough spots at some points during the cylinder rotation. I sent it back to the factory under warranty and I have to say they really did smooth it out and make the cylinder rotation uniform all the way through. I still have it.

That does not do away with the issue described. The BG cylinder rolls clockwise, but I tried to roll it both directions when experimenting with this revolver to see if I could learn a way around this problem. I also have a habit of rolling the cylinder on the revolver after closing it to make sure it is locked.

The only time this is really an issue is when you don't have a full cylinder and you want to replace the cylinder so that the next one fires. Failure might mean disaster in a real life scenario. I could not figure out a way to guarantee that the problem did not come up. I wanted to like the BG, but after testing it, I just felt I could not get around that issue.

Because the normal 642 is less expensive, I am happy with that revolver.

Quite an interesting thread. I know how the OP feels although my same type experience was with a Diamondback .380. Thought it would be a neat little BUG. After about 300 rounds of nothing but FTF and E and A and B and everything you can name I took it back. Dealer took it back, no questions asked. I bought a Ruger LCP and have been completely happy. Here's my point and I think the point of the OP. What I got from the Diamondback forum folks was "send it back, they have fantastic customer service". Fantastic customer service for a brand new pistol. What about fantastic customer service for any brand new product? It just DOES NOT leave a good taste in you mouth. You shouldn't have it. I know anything can fail that's mechanical but the taste in your mouth stays the same. And, we're not talking about johnny come latelys here folks. We're talking about Smith&Wesson. It just shouldn't happen with a new S&W. Just my 2c. I only own one new Smith with the lock. I know that's not exactly the topic here but it's a sore subject with a lot of S&W fans. No failure yet but, then again, it hasn't had that many rounds through it and it's my wife's CC gun. In all fairness, I had a trigger reset failure in my Glock36 last week. I've still got to address that.

A number of years ago, I mentioned to my wife that the car needed new tires. She said, "Why don't we just trade it in?"

I had a Glock 23 that I shot 5,000 rounds before cleaning it the first time. Just couldn't get around the way it felt in my hand, so I traded it in. I guess that's why my wife wanted to trade in the car. She just didn't like it.

ECS

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

The 642CT replacement for my junked BG38 is still running well. I've got several hundred rounds (we'll say 401 rounds) through it and it still goes bang. It fills the niche I intended for the BG38 and I carry it on occasion. Like most light J frames, it is accurate if I do my part.



However, S&W apparently has someone who isn't checked out on screwdrivers down in the "put-the-grips-on" section. Below is the tweaked grip screw on the 642 straight out of the box. I fixed and reblued the screw... New in the box from the factory - Amazing!!



Another somewhat satisfied customer... Based on this saga, I think my next purchase will come in a non-blue box.

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!

Well, it's kind of like my wife tells me all the time. "Things just aren't like they used to be". And she's not just talking about guns. At my age you can well remember a lot of things that fall into this category. Hope the 642 continues to function perfectly. I've got one too.