I have a BodyGuard 380 I purchased this month (EAJ). Here is what is happening. I remove the magazine. Lock the slide back to rotate and remove the pin. When I rotate the pin (very hard to do) it releases the slide lock (pushes it down, letting the slide come forward) setting the release pin back to its locked postion. I had to hold the slide lock manually to keep it from being pushed down to get the release pin rotated far enough to pull it out. The manual said to rotate the pin to the 6:00 position. But I have to rotate it to the 9:00 position to get it to come out. Any thoughts on this?

I have to rotate mine past 6 oclock. I think that may have been because of whatever changes SW made after the disassembly pin ejections that the early BG's suffered from. Releasing the slide lock, no ideas there. Check your hand position perhaps, maybe inadvertently hitting it with your meat hooks? Good luck. I had laser button problems but the best advice was from the BG380 forum and now my buttons work perfectly. SW should have done this themselves and not made the owners figure out how to make their guns work. Now that the laser is fixed mine is 100%, loving it.

I purchased my EAF2*** BG380 a little less than a month ago from a local gun dealer. I have been shooting Winchester range bullets but keep it loaded with Pow'R Ball polymer-ball capped ammunition while carrying it. I just purchased a Galco TUC456 holster for it and I carry it at about 6 o'clock. It's pretty comfortable.
I was hoping to conceal carry my Glock 22 but soon realized that gun was not made to conceal. So I bought the BG. I really like it. I am able to easily point and shoot at close range with a high degree of accuracy. The stiff trigger pull takes some getting used to. I think with some more range practice and dry fire practice I will be much more comfortable with it.

I also struggle a bit with the pin. I have to "fiddle" with it to go back in. Sometimes I have a problem with the slide not returning all the way forward. I was playing with the laser removal screw and found that I hadn't tightened it and it backed out causing the problem.
The trick of pulling out the laser buttons and rolling them around like a booger before putting them back in worked like a charm. I can now activate it one handed with some difficulty but with two hands on the gun there is no problem anymore.
I am a fairly new handgun owner but I am happy with this purchase. I paid the full 399 plus tax for it and I feel like I got what I paid for.

9 o'clock position is where the pin comes out. The indentation on the frame is deceiving, but not to worry, the metal pin does not scrape the frame.

boog,

I did the "booger roll" also and it helped. Go to bodyguard380 .com and they describe the fix. It is not an improvement but a complete and total fix. Basically you take the hollow core of a Q tip, melt the end a little to flatten it, then use nail clippers to cut to the same length as the plastic nipple melt that end flat, reinstall. It should have come this way from the factory. They describe the process over there in great detail with pics. Took me five minutes and you will be happy and it will work perfectly.

The original design of the takedown pin actually would come out at the 6 o'clock position. It's the redesigned takedown pin that has to be rotated to 9 o'clock. I wonder if S&W will ever change the indentation in the plastic body of the pistol to reflect the change in the takedown pin.

I just took my new BG380 down for the first time today and found the same thing. Seems like S&W made the retention of the takedown lever very robust after the 1st gen issue.

I can't imagine why/how rotating the takedown pin would release the slide though... gotta believe it's the way the OP is holding the gun while trying to force the takedown pin to 9 o'clock (which is tough with the new design, at least when the gun is brand new).

I just got my warranty BG back (had an EAA8xxx, now have an EAH9xxx), and yes - the takedown pin is a LOT harder to get out (hey, it used to come out when firing).

The one thing that surprised me is that the new chassis doesn't have the "ring" around the laser buttons. That said, the buttons work just fine (takes a firm push to activate 'em, but I wouldn't want the activation to be any easier or I'll just burn out the batteries lighting up my pocket). Has the design changed since the "new improved" rings?

Did your previous pistol have the rings around the buttons? If not, you probably received back the same pistol body with a new metal frame insert (and new serial #, which is part of the insert).

That's a distinct possibility. It doesn't matter much to me one way or the other, as long as it works like it should (it was in great condition when I sent it in). And either the trigger is better, or it's a placebo effect, but I seem to be able to shoot more accurately with the replacement.

Either way, I've got no beef at all with S&W's warranty or customer service efforts. They got the gun turned around quickly and seem to have fixed what ails it.

Talked to S&W about this problem with the slide stop releasing when I rotate the take down lever to disassemble. (For the record my hand in no way comes into contact with the slide stop while rotating the take down lever). I was told it would get better the more I used it. They said it was like muscle memory and I just needed to give it some time. I was also told that as far as the instruction manual stating to rotate the take down lever to the 6:00 position when in fact I have to rotate it to the 9:00 position that "It would be nice if everything worked according to the manuals." I will be sending it in for repair to address the slide stop releasing issue. This just should not be. Will let you know what happens.

I purchased my Bodyguard this past weekend at a gun show and was getting familiar with it before going to the range. I too as soon as I turned the take down lever to the six o'clock position the slide startled me by driving forward. I also have a EAJ serial number. I had to hold the slide stop and turn the take down lever to about nine o'clock postion to field dress. I have big meat hooks but my fat fingers were not pushing that slide stop switch down.

If you leave the empty magazine in while you pull the pin and replace the pin it is slightly easier. The mag holds the slide back a little more than the slide stop and it won't slam shut on your fingers. You'll have to rotate the pin to 9:00 to get it out too. I don't know if that's standard procedure now with the newer serial numbers and maybe they forgot to update the manual? Either way, I'm not a fan of having to half *** anything on a new gun to include screwing with the laser buttons or using unconventional methods to field strip it.

If you rotate the takedown lever and don't push/pull on anything else, there's no way the slide stop is going to be released. My guess is that you're holding the gun by the slide (or at least applying a lot of rearward force to it), which will release the slide stop by moving the slide back far enough to allow the slide stop to move down out of the notch it catches.

Try holding the (little!) gun so that you're not touching the slide and I'll bet dollars to donuts the problem goes away.

Also, my new BG380's takedown lever was very stiff the first couple times I took it out, but it's getting easier every time as it "breaks in". I'd rather it is hard to remove, as opposed to the "self-removal feature" my EAA serial number gun had...

FyrFyter, I would not believe the remedy you had would work. But, it did. How the magazine being in can hold the slide from ramming forward I don't know. You other guys that always blame things on the user don't realize there can be differences in guns like anything else coming off an assembly line. I specifically said no fingers or anything else came in contact with the slide stop (Or the slide). I was holding the grip with one hand and a thumb and finger on the take down lever while field stripping . When that lever goes past six o'clock the slide slams forward. The manual says the take down lever should come out at six o'clock, mine doesn't. I suspect by rotating the lever past six o'clock it raises to make it over the indentation. This may cause the pressure to allow the slide stop switch to move down. The opposite may apply to the magazine being in to counter the pressure and the slide stop switch staying engaged. I don't know. But I do know the manual and my gun are not matching protocol for field stripping.

You know what they say about buying a new model vehicle it's first year out. Give them a couple years and a few guinea pigs to get the bugs worked out. Same thing applies to most anything mechanical.

I heard that! I was hoping the bugs would be out with the later serial number. But like anything mechanical you fix one problem and that causes another problem. Any way I like my little gun.

FyrFyter,
I just called S&W customer service and he said you have to rotate the take down lever past six o'clock. He said there is movement on the slide when you do that and to hold the slide stop switch so it doesn't move forward. I asked him if they were going to change the manual and he said "probably not".

Did the guy sound disgruntled when you said Bodyguard 380? I had to call them and ask to send the laser adjustment wrenches that I didn't get with mine and they sounded like they were in a hurry to get me off the phone.

Yes, he sounded like he was busy and the problem I asked him about he seemed to think it was no big deal.

You would be incorrect. My new BG380 serial# EALxxxx does the same thing. Rotating the takedown pin anywhere past 5 oclock position disengages the slide stop (much less rotating it to the 9 oclock position.) I have to manually hold the slide stop up to get the pin out. It's a PITA. S&W says I shouldn't have to do that....send it back.

Armchair quarterback alert, so bear with me. The two controls share zero common parts, points of contact, etc. besides the slide. I believe that while pressing very hard (necessary) downward on the newer takedown pins you are applying pressure to the slide. Any pressure on the slide in the rearward direction, ie any pressure that is not straight down, will allow the slide lock to release. If you can use something hard and non marring, like hard plastic, to press down on the pin without contacting the slide I would bet that the slide would miraculously not release from the lock back. Tiny gun, big mitts, darn hard takedown pin, that is the recipe. YMMV.

Texas Solo, let me know how it comes out if you send yours back. I have been living with holding the slide stop up until I get the takedown pin rotated to the 9 o'clock position. Or, like FyrFyter told me, leaving the magazine in holds my slide stop in position like it is supposed to work.

I just purchased the bodyguard 380 to compliment my 40 S&W compact. I have only fired 6 rounds through it, but wanted to field strip it, to make sure the manufacturer lubricated it properly before I fired too many rounds through it. Without holding the slide in a manner to release the lock, and then rotating the pin, past the 6:00 position, the pin would not move. It felt as though the pin would come out at 9:00, but with the slide not locked, I was not comfortable releasing it. When the manufacturer "suggests" the proper disassembly, and you do something contrary to instructions, I don't trust them to stand behind the product, if something breaks. It sounds like more people are having this problem. I need more info before I force the pin out.....

Bob, this is not a unique problem. They have not updated the manual. First, empty the mag and re-insert it into an empty weapon. Then lock the slide back. Without putting too much pressure on the slide rotate the takedown lever to the 9 o’clock position, if needed use a piece of plastic, it will not mar the composite body of the gun, the lever will not touch the ridge around it as you pass the 6 o’clock position.

That should do it.

I am also having this issue, and at first I thought I was bumping the release while trying to pry down the lever. I held the gun firmly, being very careful not to touch the slide release and its very visible that rotating the take down lever to approximately 6:00 slightly raises the slide causing it to snap back closed.

It is virtually impossible to get the pin out at 6:00 like it says in the owners manual, I will try the 9:00 position as mentioned here if I can stop the slide from releasing. Any suggestions?

This is my first handgun. I liked the size and feel of the gun. I bought it to learn how to shoot safely and accurately before I apply for a concealed carry permit. I have shot, disassembled, and assembled handguns in the past but never with the difficulty I'm having with by BG. I have a newer model, has the ring around the laser, and if I can find a way to disassemble I will be very happy with it overall.

Many of my autos require a slight rearward pressure on the slide when working its pin or release i.e. GLOCKs use a release. You have to develop a special hand hold. When I first got my BG380 it too would drop the slide stop/release because the "cam" action of the pin would move the slide ever so slightly. I just started using my special hand hold to hold the slide rearward and it works great. Oh, and I use a floor plate from a magazine (removed to replace with a pinky extender) to turn the pin. Works pretty good.

Hey everyone, new to the forum, I have made a video review of the BG .380 with a tear down and reassemble, hope this review helps, please watch other gun reviews and shooting videos of mine while you are there, rate and leave your comments, questions. thanks and safe shooting. Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 gun review and field strip HD - YouTube

Just bought the BG380 and I can't get the breakdown pin to rotate even to the 6 o'clock position let alone the 9 o'clock position. I have not been able to take the gun down to clean it yet. Any suggestions?

I bought my BG380 in October (EBUxxxx) and at first it was hard to remove the takedown pin. After 200 rds and four disassemblies for cleaning, the pin is getting easier to remove. The pin has a machined groove in the shaft where a straight rounded spring engages the groove when the pin is assembled in the 3 o'clock position. (works like a cam-loc fastener on aircraft). You will see this when you get the pin out. Here is what I did: With the slide locked back the barrel should be loose (it should wiggle). I put a couple drops of RemOil on the pin shaft. It's hard to see when the gun is assembled but the oil will get in there. I then pinched the take down lever between my thumb and forefinger and worked it back and forth until it would rotate to the 6 o'clock position. It took a few times and was somewhat hard to work. At the 6 o'clock position you have rotated the pin so the retention spring is not in the pin groove. At this point you should be able to wiggle and pull on the pin until it comes out. The first time you may need to pry the lever out slightly to get a hold of it with your fingers. Hope this helps.