380 Bodyguard problems solved yet?

I have a BG 380 EAN serial. Purchased in May 2011. I have 300 rounds through it of Winchester WB FMJ flat nose and 50 rounds of JHP with no FTF, FTE, or FTL issues at all. My take down lever is stiff but no trouble to use. My only issue is the laser buttons, they are hard but it would never be used in SD. Things happen to fast for that. This is a pocket gun and it is a good one. I guess like someone else said, some just are hard to please.
 
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les strat said:
Not unless they moved the laser switch to the grip!
Click to expand...
I'd buy that!
icon14.gif
Or even if they'd remove the safety & put the laser switch there.
 
Just get a 442 and you dont have to worry about FTF its light as hell and goes bang everytime you pull the trigger.I carry it everywhere.
 
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Shuz said:
What's a 442?
Click to expand...

It's a performance car built by Oldsmobile. :)

The Oldsmobile 442 (pronounced four-four-two) was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. It was introduced as an option package for F-85 and Cutlass models sold in the United States beginning with the 1964 model year. It became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971, then reverted to an option through the mid-1970s. Oldsmobile revived the name in the 1980s on the rear-wheel drive Cutlass Supreme and early 1990s as an option package for the new front-wheel drive Cutlass.
:D

or a Smith and Wesson 442 Airweight 5shot revolver. about the size of the BG380 but wider for the revolver. I carry one in the waste band sometimes but like BG for pocket use..
 
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Aubie said:
I have a BG 380 EAN serial. Purchased in May 2011. I have 300 rounds through it of Winchester WB FMJ flat nose and 50 rounds of JHP with no FTF, FTE, or FTL issues at all. My take down lever is stiff but no trouble to use. My only issue is the laser buttons, they are hard but it would never be used in SD. Things happen to fast for that. This is a pocket gun and it is a good one. I guess like someone else said, some just are hard to please.
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it has nothing to do with being "hard to please" i payed money for this thing i want every part working lazer, slide everything. its **** that every other gun i own with thousands of rounds through them still work and this ones has 10 rounds and its broken. i guess its true that S & W are better as boat anchors
 
scottl1346 said:
it has nothing to do with being "hard to please" i payed money for this thing i want every part working lazer, slide everything. its **** that every other gun i own with thousands of rounds through them still work and this ones has 10 rounds and its broken. i guess its true that S & W are better as boat anchors
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Easy there neighbor... going a bit over the top aren't we.. If we could only keep things in perspective, I'm sure it isn't the end of the world, you sound like you also live close to Springfield and probably own a few S&W. You will be taken care of by S&W, no need to go boating out of the box. But if you need a boat anchor, I have a few gallon jugs filled with concrete I'll trade ya for that BG... :)

Where ya live, I'm in West Spfld, shoot up at the S&W range on Monday nights...
 
I just purchased a BG380 with EAR4XXX serial number. Took it to the range about 30 minutes after I bought it and put 200 rounds of various std velocity .380 through it. No failures of any kind. Laser OK. I do need to tap/slide the iron sights a tad, though. But, the rounds go exactly where the dot is at 20 - 25 feet. It is in my pocket right now and gets swapped out with an M642 depending upon attire. Oh, the take-down lever is a little difficult to rotate, but, a wood dowel works better than my thumb.
 
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I purchased a BG380 in July with EAPxxxx serial number over 200 rounds no problems. It's a great pistol.....
 
I just picked up my 2nd BG380 today. It's an EAS. My first one was EAA and I never had a problem with it. But I can tell the difference in the laser button and takedown lever in the new one. Firmer buttons and tighter takedown lever. I haven't shot the new one yet, but it almost feels like it has a slightly better trigger.
 
BG380 manual page 11 and Ruger LCP

Loco Weed said:
Your Bodyguard is not rated for .380 +P ammo.
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From page 11 of the Bodyguard 380 manual:

"WARNING: DEATH, SERIOUS INJURY AND DAMAGE
CAN RESULT FROM THE USE OF INCORRECT
AMMUNITION OR BORE OBSTRUCTIONS. NEVER
USE RELOADS OF ANY KIND.
“Plus-P” (+P) ammunition generates pressures in excess of the
pressures associated with standard ammunition. Such pressures
may affect the wear characteristics or exceed the margin of safety.
Use of “Plus-P” ammunition may result in the need for more
frequent service.
“Plus-P-Plus” (+P+) ammunition must not be used in Smith &
Wesson firearms. This marking on the ammunition designates that
it exceeds established industry standards, but the designation
does not represent defined pressure limits and therefore such
ammunition may vary significantly as to the pressures generated
and could be DANGEROUS."

Page 11 from the RUGER LCP manual:

The RUGER® LCP pistols are chambered for the .380 Auto cartridge. Do
not attempt to load any other cartridges into the magazine or chamber of the
pistol. Do not use “+P” ammunition.
The RUGER® LCP pistols are compatible with standard factory ammunition
loaded to U.S. Industry Standards, including hollow-point loads loaded in brass
or aluminum cases. No .380 Auto ammunition manufactured in accordance with
NATO, U.S., SAAMI, or CIP standards is known to be beyond the design limits or
known not to function in these pistols. Do not use “+P” ammunition.

There....in a nutshell :)
 
I have EAL BG380 and it worked great for the first 400 rounds and then
it started with the light primer strikes I tried all diffident brands of ammo and now it's back to Smiths for a tune up. If this fixes it great and if it don't I am going to buy an LC9, I can't be leave S&W put this gun on the market before all of the bugs were worked out just pisses me off.
 
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Just picked up an EAT today. The trigger seems worlds better than the Ruger LCP. you can easily stage the trigger right up to the sear breaking point and then break it. Also, a full quick pull feels better than the LCP too. don't get me wrong, it's a fairly heavy pull, but I can squeeze off quick dry fires without having the laser jump around much at all.

I'll have to take it to the range later this week to give it a real breakin.

the other item I checked out was the take down pin. I read so many posts about how difficult it is and that you need to use something hard to get the pin past the 6 o'clock position, etc. ....and similarly, put the pin back in the gun was troublesome to many out there.
Well, I am pleased to say that I had no trouble rotating and removing the pin with my thumb.... and reassembly was equally easy. The pin gets hard around 5 o'clock but a simple thrust with the thumb and the pin rotates right around to 9o'clock and out is came!
 
new 380 bodyguard 2/27/14

take out shooting jams all the time with live rounds clean clean and more cleaning did not do the trick very unhappy with this gun
 
I don't know what to say but I purchased my no-laser model two weeks ago and could not be happier. Friends who have this model, as well as the laser model, all like theirs.
 
I had some work done on mine at my lgs the gunsmith told me that these guns where made sloppy!! So he said there was burrs in there that he stoned out and did some polishing in there and the thing runs great I can feed it whatever it wants to eat!! With no FTF or no light strikes. I have around 800 rounds threw it now with the round count going up every week!! I have put almost every brand of ammo threw it that I can find on the shelf. No hand loads yet still collecting brass when I get to 1000 I'm going to start reloading!!
 
turbo38gn said:
It's a performance car built by Oldsmobile. :)

The Oldsmobile 442 (pronounced four-four-two) was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. It was introduced as an option package for F-85 and Cutlass models sold in the United States beginning with the 1964 model year. It became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971, then reverted to an option through the mid-1970s. Oldsmobile revived the name in the 1980s on the rear-wheel drive Cutlass Supreme and early 1990s as an option package for the new front-wheel drive Cutlass.
:D

or a Smith and Wesson 442 Airweight 5shot revolver. about the size of the BG380 but wider for the revolver. I carry one in the waste band sometimes but like BG for pocket use..
Click to expand...

Thanks for the Oldsmobile plug ! :) I worked as an electrician at the Lansing Main plant from '78 until we tore the plant down in 1998 to build a Cadillac Assembly plant. Oldsmobile Lansing was a great place to work and live. :)
 
380 woes

kenrivers said:
take out shooting jams all the time with live rounds clean clean and more cleaning did not do the trick very unhappy with this gun
Click to expand...

My 380 body G has been working pretty well after S&W put a new Crimson trace laser in it, the first 3 times i took it to range i didnt get through 50 rounds with out it giving me grief. Now two times out its been great except tonight when cleaning it the nut insert that the laser screws into broke away from its hold down point. i got to send it out again, I HOPE they have a fix for it.
 
I bought my fiance a new one with an EBNXXXX serial. She got through less than a single box of ammo before the retaining screw for the laser backed out. She had to send it back to get that fixed.

It has been very picky about its diet. She has had numerous feeding issues with three different types. Blazer Brass has worked without any problems.

Tonight, she took it to the range and had to stop firing after a few rounds. One of the coil retaining pins had backed out.

She has fired less than 500 rounds through it. This is the second time that it has failed. She likes the Bodyguard. I think that hers has proven it is unreliable. She has been discussing purchasing a Glock 36. I am buying it for her tomorrow. Personally, I had been considering a Bodyguard for myself. After this, I will decide on either a Sig 938 or a 238.

We have a number of Smith and Wesson firearms. They have all been without problems except the .380 Bodyguard. That one has really been disappointing.
 
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