My mother bought her first pistol (that is another story entirely. She used to hate guns and now has one of her own and loved shooting when I took her) a BG 38. I took her out for the first time today. For about the 1st 50 rounds or so, no problems. Then it started having problems. Pulled the trigger and nothing. Sometimes, the cylinder would advance and it would just click, other times it would not advance. We both ran into the same problem, and had it happen with both jacketed and lead nosed rounds. I would estimate it happened at least 10+ times in the last 5 cylinders or so, but I did not find any pattern to it. The gun was warm, but even after letting it sit for a bit we had the same problem.
I've never experienced this before, although I have more experience with semi-autos rather than revolvers, this seems very unusual for a brand new revolver.
Does anyone have any idea what may be causing this? Right now, I don't have a lot of faith in the gun for its intended purpose (home defense) and am inclined to have her ship it back to the factory.
Appreciate any input anyone can offer.
TIA

Are you making sure the cylinder is locked and indexed after loading?
This seems to be a common problem, but without handling the firearms personally I can't tell you exactly what it is.
If you don't feel like messing with it, send it to S&W. They should cover all costs associated with any repairs.

There have been many reported problems with the polymer Bodyguard 38 posted on this forum.

Do a search.

I believe so. I kept double checking to make sure the cylinder was locked and indexed.

Personally, this would not have been my first choice of a gun for her, and now that there are issues, I am even more nervous. Leaning towards sending it back toS&W.

Did a search. Most of what I found seemed to be related to the 380 version. However, what I did find about the 38 seemed to indicate timing and lock up issues. Sometimes, even after sending it back for repairs.

Not very confidence inspiring for a SD gun ;(

Darn, I hate to hear that tinman! I have been thinking of a polymer revolver and wanted to compare the Bodyguard 38 to the Ruger LCR.
Anyway, let us know how this comes out. I'm very interested.

She also shot my LCR today and is now trying to talk me into giving it to her

Send it back to S&W for repairs...

When it comes home, check it closely for function. I had to send mine straight back a second time for additional issues and it was deemed unrepairable after the second time back.

Good luck and keep us posted...

On edit: They allowed me to upgrade to a 642 J-frame after it broke the second time.

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!

I don't know what the problem is with your BG38 but one of the things that has to be done to make it index correctly is to allow the trigger to fully reset. I learned that with mine and from this forum. Move your trigger finger forward until it contacts the inside of the trigger guard. Mine works just fine.

Curious to see how far away from serial number CRP1XXX. Purchased new Oct 2010. That's pretty early in its production. I suspect there have been som mods since.

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Bob

This gun has completely different lockwork than a model 36 or any other smith.

I had a BG 38, I sent it back once for misfires. It started mis firing again then traded it in for a 637 and put CT grips on it. Never been happier, Its on my ankle right now.

Call or Email smith and they will send you a shipping label. They only had my gun 3 weeks door to door.

David

Edit, here is my story.
Loose BG38

I talked to her and she really likes the gun and wants to try and fix it. So I just emailed the company for return/repair instructions. We'll see what happens next.

Read through your story. I have to say you are more patient than I am. When it comes to a carry gun (especially a revolver) I am not willing to give it multiple chances. With a semi auto I will at least make sure the ammo is functioning and my grip is correct. Beyond that, I am a stickler for 100% reliability in anything I plan to carry. Never was much of a gambler

I had the same issues with mine I bought it 6 months ago. Would rotate cylinder and lock up but no boom. I put the rounds that the bg38 wouldn't/couldn't fire in my 586 and boom. It had poor timing and lockup, having to index the cylinder and resetting the trigger Smith said nothing wrong with the gun, I didn't want to learn to shoot a gun I was not fond of. Traded it for a 442 a week ago, should have bought that to begin with.

BG38 was just awful when I got it to the range.... So I got it home put grips on it, fired it 200 time with snap caps and made some custom loads. It worked perfectly and was a dream to shoot really liked but then the "mechanical issues" really put me off

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Thanks-T.J.

The plastic bodyguards are great to carry, if you don't care whether it works.

Not so much if you need to use it for sd.

They are too buggy for me.

Get rid of it!

Get a REAL Bodyguard : a Model 38. Always works.

You can find one easily.

Your Mom deserves it!

She's hard to replace.

My BG38 works fine if I allow the trigger to fully reset. The "indexing" problems went away once I dealt with the jerk behind the trigger...

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Bob

A 638 is the stainless-finish equivalent of the 38. Both have aluminum frames. A 49/649 is the equivalent design in a carbon/stainless steel frame. I sometimes carry a 638, but find the steel models more tolerable to practice with if I'm shooting more than a dozen shots or so. In a holster, I don't really notice the extra weight of the steel frames, but in a pocket the airweight models are easier to carry. Don't know if your mom is planning to carry hers, but if it's just for home defense I'd rather shoot a steel gun, given a choice.

I just got off of the phone with S&W customer service. They are going to pay to have it shipped back for repair. She really likes the gun and wants to keep it. However, as the above posters mentioned I like my mom and she is worth it, so she now has my LCR (which has been flawless and she also liked when I let her shoot it) on semi-permanent loan. That way, she can try to sort out the BG like she wants to do, and I have the peace of knowing she has something that works.
Here's hoping the factory can fix it.

funny, I keep reminding myself that there is that polymer piece of junk out there called a bodyguard. It looks like a counterfeit SW, much like those broomhandle Mausers made in China had fake German rollmarks.
Get your mom a steel revolver, and the first time she shoots it, she will love you even more.

Sounds like Bashing, Crying, & Whining to me from someone else who hasn't learned the manual of arms for the BG38—if they even own one— or hasn't bothered to seek out a legitimate repair or even replacement with S&W.

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Bob

So she got it back from the factory with no note of what was done. She has not had a chance to come up and shoot it with me again, but I pretty much advised her to sell it and put the money towards something else. Since she's new to guns she doesn't realize that it's usually not a moneymaking proposition and doesn't want to sell it for a loss :-) I told her if she only plans to use it as a range gun and not self-defense, she should be fine. But she certainly has her own mind and I haven't been able to talk her into anything that she doesn't want to do in my entire life and I doubt this will be a first.

I had the same problem with one when they first came out. It seems random until you figure out that you can set up the failure by closing the cylinder in a certain way.

I believe it is inherent in the design, and S&W will not acknowledge it. S&W either will not fix it, or cannot fix it. There are numerous threads on this forum with comments from people such as myself who have experienced this issue. Supporters of this unfortunate revolver always chime in to say theirs is fine, etc., etc.

All I was able to figure out is that whatever it was, I figured out back then how to make it happen every time by closing the cylinder in a certian way. I know it seems implausible. It has been so long that I cannot remember exactly what I was able to do, but it was apparent it was in the design.

Make sure it is unloaded and play with it, closing it and when doing so, apply pressure either clockwise or counter-clockwise, and I think it will become apparent.

I became convinced that most people who deny that it happens to their revolvers simply do not realize it is happening as it is very difficult to notice that the cylinder is not advancing when viewed from the rear, and they do not realize that the round firing is the one already under the firing pin, not the next one as most "range jockeys" simply do not pay attention. Since it seems to happen randomly without intentionally closing the cylinder in a certain way, it is not readily noticeable to someone not looking from the side, and when it does, the range practice ammo is blamed.

My advice is to get rid of it and do not look back.

If it were mine, that is definitely what I would do. However, I haven't been able to convince her of that. I plan to keep working on that. In the meantime, I gave her my LCR, which is dead on reliable and convinced her to keep that one handy instead.

If someone can teach me how to get mom to do something she doesn't want to do, I have a long list to start working on

I feel certain there are satisfied 38BG owners out there. Which is good. Although I've never owned one (there's a good reason for that) and considering my very limited experience with the 38BG along with stories like this one, all I can say at this point is no thank you.
Maybe I'm old school (heck I am old), but I'll stay with the J frames in various steel, stainless steel & alloy configurations.
Good luck in your search for your mom a gun. I remember giving my mom an M36 years ago for a house gun. Thankfully she never had to use it but she did enjoy shooting it.

If she likes the LCR, could you just trade guns with her? She keeps the LCR, which works, then you sell "your" BG38 and replace it with something you want - another LCR or whatever.

I don't want to take it from her. It took almost 70 years for her to buy her first gun I do think I have her talked into just keeping the LCR handy and not relying on the BG though.

are there any other grips for this pistol? Mine works but hate those little rubber grips

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Jim

Yes. You can install the Hogue Tamers for the Centennial models. They are made to be able to be used with the Bodyguard. There is some extra steps you have to do. You have to take out these little tabs on the inside and boom.

My Mom had bought a bodyguard and it actually works fine for her. She does not shoot it in large volumes but has not had an issue with it yet. I've dry fired it and never found any problems with it function wise. I was with her once when she shot it at the range and she did decent with it and it worked just fine.

I installed the hogue grips for her from one of my models because I think they are superior and let you get a better grip on the gun. But that's relative. Just depends on the person.

I don't doubt that these models are probably not as good as the other models and don't discount any of the issues other people have had. I'm just going by my Mom's experience and it really isn't a bad gun for her. She likes the laser too and shoots with it.

One upside to the gun is that it has a full length extractor rod. As opposed to the airweight snubbies that don't.

Took this pic right before I swapped the grip but then forgot to take a picture of them after. We then went to the range. It was Thanksgiving 2016.



I forgot where her 5th shot went but those 3 rounds are pretty darned good for 7 yards for an older gal that barely ever shoots. She did take her time to do that. But she did it.