2nd bodyguard 380 broken firing pin DONT DRYFIRE

[ekrauos]

Update:

My wifes bodyguard (serial # earlier in thread), has over 700 rds through it and still running OK. Have not shot any more euro ammo, only winchester and gold dot. Only malfunction so far is slide fail to lock back on two occasions, but that was probably finger placement.

I no longer carry my BG380 (serial # earlier in thread), it is backup nightstand gun, and could serve as a temporary carry gun (for me or wife) if my new carry gun ever fails. It now has the laser removed and the safety stays off. Anyway, I dry fired it maybe 50 pulls when i got it back, put a box of 50 winchester through it with no problems, and have maybe dry fired it another 100 times since then, and no problems yet. I still do like it as one of the better options for super compact 380 platform.

I went old school, and now pocket carry a LCR357 with XS sights and gold dot short barrel 357 ammo, I am very accurate and efficient with it and confident in my ability with it, and fully trust it's reliability. It has over 500 rounds, runs 100%. I have also really come to like the original point and click interface, the 1911 is now retired to the safe and bowling pin duty.

 

[Streak]

Got mine about 3-4 weeks ago, EBS----. About 150 rounds so far (Gold Dot, Silvertip and hardball) and I like its accuracy for a pocket gun. No malfunctions to date, but I'm crossing my fingers. LOL. Hopefully, they have it worked out. LEOSA qualifications coming up in the next few months and I'm planning to get checked off on it. I have a model 37 and a Glock 26 on my list of approved weapons so far, but plan on adding the little .380 to my "approved/carry" stable for those dressy occaisions when it's harder to hide the others.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Hmmm. I dry fired my BG maybe 3-400 times the first night when I got it two years ago. Used a drop of oil/polish mix at the base of the hammer and sat there pulling the trigger till it smoothed out an hour or so latter. ( The action and blister on my finger.) I have maybe 250 rounds through the gun since. No issues.

 

[Hiflyer141]

2nd firing pin broke

I bought one a week ago and found the trigger pull to be long thats not a problem but for it to break has been estimated at 12lbs!
I took it to the range and fired close to 100 rounds, during firing the elevation screw fell out, took it home and started to clean it and the firing pin fell out? Last 1/3 broken off!
Never mind the difficulty in pressing the left side laser activator!
Going back to the dealer tommorow and see what happens because of course Smith is off on vacation till Aug13!
I really like the handgun and already bought holsters and XS sights for it so I have alot invested! Would like to keep it but we will see!
Oh I did dry fire many times with snapcaps to loosen the trigger pull!

Well I got it back from Smith and dry fired with snap caps and the firing pin broke again! What Gives!! Its going back 2nd time let see what happens!!

 

[AlexII]

Does anybody know roughly what the newest SN's are that have been produced for this gun to date? Obviously there have been a lot of problems with this gun, most of them resolved early on except obviously for the firing pin related issue, and I really want to make sure that I buy one of the newest possible SN's if I buy one.

From what I understand and have read, the SNs started with EAAxxxx, and proceeded to EABxxxx, EACxxxx, and so on. This makes sense, but I've seen EAXxxxx SNs posted, and if each letter represents 9,999 produced, that's almost 250,000 manufactured in the last couple years. That seems ridiculously high to me for this model and over that period of time, so I presume this logic isn't entirely correct. Does the 3rd letter change every time there's a revision or something? If that were the case it would mean there have been almost 25 revisions since productions started, which also sounds high. If someone could clarify, and perhaps clue me in on the highest known SNs produced that would be great. I've tried to find this information elsewhere including on S&W's site to no avail.

TIA!
Eric

Just bought mine today, 9/23/12. Factory test fired 2 rounds 8/20/12. S/N EBSXXXX

 

[Hiflyer141]

2nd firing pin broke

My serial number starts with EAZ and my firing pin broke Monday. I had just got it back from S&W that very day and now it looks like another trip back up North.

Same here how many times do they need to break before Smith makes a revision or returns our money!

 

[Col_Cotton_Hill]

When I called someone I know at the company, he told me he thought he'd heard the firing pin had recently been revised to incorporate a radius at a spot that was previously a sharp corner (where some firing pins are reported to have been broken).

Fastbolt.

At this point in time, do you know of a more "CONFIRMED" firing pin revision. Or is it still a thought he had heard type of deal. I sure hope it is a for sure thing now. I have a new BG on the way and wasn't aware of this issue.

So what happened to all of the youtube vid's.

 

[carlson1]

Don't want to resurrect an old thread, but has anyone heard about a recent Bodyguard breaking? I purchased one before reading this thread (will not happen again) and it has not arrived yet. I am worried about the screw on the laser and also this firing pin breakage.

 

[Hiflyer141]

3rd firing pin breakage!

Make sure you point out to them that it's the second firing pin, then hopefully they'll make sure one of the new revised firing pins goes into the gun (since those may not have entered the regular spare/repair parts chain, yet).

Well after the 3rd time of the firing pin breaking Smith will be sending me a new weapon! Lets see what happenens!
Well it will take 3 weeks since they are backorderd!

 

[Boris B]

Just to keep readers updated on this issue.

Firing Pins still breaking when dry fired.

BG380 purchased 3/16/13

Serial # EBZxxxx

Test fired by S&W 2/20/13

Pin broke just like all the rest.. currently at S&W for repair.

 

[3dots]

I'm tuned in, Boris, and anxious to see the results and what they send back. You know, they don't have to do a recall, just machine a pin and mail them out. It's not rocket science!

 

[Rider414]

I have a EBYXXXX BG380 - this was/is my summer ride! I hope I can trust it. I have north of 600 rounds through the little guy. Only a laser issue thus far.

 

[maspingu]

Broken Firing Pin

My BG is less than a week old, shot about 20 rounds through it and the firing pin broke and fell in my hand while holding it at home. I did do a significant amount of dry firing, but can't imagine I made it to even 200 trigger pulls. Called S&W, spoke with two people who both told me they haven't heard of this and that dry firing should be perfectly fine. Initially I was going to send the gun back, but was told the shipping label would reach me via mail in about 5 days, and then after they received the BG, another 2-4 weeks could go by before it was returned to me. After reading through this and other forum threads, looked up the replacement of firing pin instructions which is very simple to do from what I saw, and called S&W again to cancel the shipping, and asked them to ship me a new firing pin instead for my own installation, I paid for expedited shipping $15 for 2day. My serial number is KAC#### and the casing date was from Jan of 2013. I thought the gun would be flawless in design and issues by now, but was proven wrong within a week. I am glad though that it broke in my hand and not when in a situation I really needed it. What's scary is that this firing pin can break and the small piece fall right off anywhere you are and you would never know until the day you tried to fire it. Do we know if there is an aftermarket firing pin that is made with better material to prevent this breaking at the end of the firing pin where the hammer strikes?

Update with added info:
I took the slide off and carefully took a look at the firing pin safety and how the gun works when pulling the trigger. I put the small piece that fell off of the firing pin back in the hold and pushed it with a small screw driver while looking at the other end inside the slide where the firing pin head comes out through and see that I can move the firing pin back and forth but not all the way through without pushing the small silver looking piece of metal where the back of the firing pin is under the slide and then saw the firing pin goes through entirely and I see the tip of the firing pin come out the slide to hit the primer of a casing. I think the problem really is with that safety that moves up so the firing pin can be pushed through all the way by the hammer when the trigger is pulled. I assume it must not be going all the way up every time and causing this extra pressure on the pin, eventually breaking it which also means the pin is of poor quality metals because the strike really isn't some great force. Has anyone though of removing this safety and using the gun without it? I know the safety is there to prevent the firing pin from going forward unless a trigger pull is executed which I can fail to see that actually happening when I pull the trigger. I see a little lever that sits inside the housing and right under where that little guard button is but I don't see it actually move when I pull the trigger and watch it push the button up or anything. I can't imagine this hammer going back by itself and striking the firing pin unless you actually pulled the heavy trigger, so maybe removing this safety will prevent the breaking of the firing pins? Obviously not something S&W intended for you to do, but maybe their design was poorly executed and they're causing the FP to break because of this "Safety". I'd like to hear what you guys may have to say about this.

Update again: found that the safety for the FP is pushed up all the way at the end of the trigger pull by that metal piece in the housing. With your BG fully assembled, put a flashlight to the back and pull the trigger all the way and hold it then barely let it go and pull it multiple times while you watch the back, you'll see the FP safety "plate" move up and down and on the right you will see the lever being pushed up each time you pull the trigger and go down when you slightly release it.

 

[carlson1]

I am sorry for your troubles. I guess I am fortunate. I have two. I bought one new and one used. I have has zero problems with mine.

 

[maspingu]

I am sorry for your troubles. I guess I am fortunate. I have two. I bought one new and one used. I have has zero problems with mine.

Thanks, glad to see that at least some people don't have all these issues. I am curious though, do you or have you dry fired the gun? If so, how much would you say?

 

[JDP530]

I have run about 200 rds thru my new BG purchased a couple of weeks ago. I have only dry-fired it two or three times. The gun fired flawlessly with the Remington and Monach brands of ammo. But I used some other imported ammo purchased at the ranges recently and had many fail-to-fire rounds.
I will be back at the range, possibly tomorrow, and will run some Remington again. I may have caused some fouling of the fire pin by oiling it that could have caused the FtF. I have cleaned up the gun and hope to run some ammo again w/o any issues.

Guess I am using the wrong terminology for the misfires by calling it a fail-to-fire.

 

[Schlepprock]

The firing pin issue must be hit and miss. Like I said in another thread,we have about 400 rounds down range and we've only had one fail to fire,I said in the other thread that I haven't dry fired it,but I actually have just a couple times.Serial #ebwxxxx,I hope we don't end up with a firing pin problem but so far so good.I would like to say that this gun is as accurate as any I have,very good shooting gun,we like the long trigger too,its my wifes CCW..it just takes practice shooting to get comfortable with it..jmho

 

[JDP530]

Going back

I took my cleaned gun to the range today and ran about 75 rds thru it. Didnt bother to finish the second box because of all the fail-to-fire issues (misfires) I had, sometimes two or three pulls to fire off a round. So I called S&W and they are sending a shipping label so that I can return it. I just hope they get the problem resolved. I took time to clean the firing pin as best as I could, tried four or five brands of ammo, and still had the FtF (misfires) problems.

 

[Boris B]

My BG is less than a week old, shot about 20 rounds through it and the firing pin broke and fell in my hand while holding it at home. I did do a significant amount of dry firing, but can't imagine I made it to even 200 trigger pulls. Called S&W, spoke with two people who both told me they haven't heard of this and that dry firing should be perfectly fine. Initially I was going to send the gun back, but was told the shipping label would reach me via mail in about 5 days, and then after they received the BG, another 2-4 weeks could go by before it was returned to me. After reading through this and other forum threads, looked up the replacement of firing pin instructions which is very simple to do from what I saw, and called S&W again to cancel the shipping, and asked them to ship me a new firing pin instead for my own installation, I paid for expedited shipping $15 for 2day. My serial number is KAC#### and the casing date was from Jan of 2013. I thought the gun would be flawless in design and issues by now, but was proven wrong within a week. I am glad though that it broke in my hand and not when in a situation I really needed it. What's scary is that this firing pin can break and the small piece fall right off anywhere you are and you would never know until the day you tried to fire it. Do we know if there is an aftermarket firing pin that is made with better material to prevent this breaking at the end of the firing pin where the hammer strikes?

Update with added info:
I took the slide off and carefully took a look at the firing pin safety and how the gun works when pulling the trigger. I put the small piece that fell off of the firing pin back in the hold and pushed it with a small screw driver while looking at the other end inside the slide where the firing pin head comes out through and see that I can move the firing pin back and forth but not all the way through without pushing the small silver looking piece of metal where the back of the firing pin is under the slide and then saw the firing pin goes through entirely and I see the tip of the firing pin come out the slide to hit the primer of a casing. I think the problem really is with that safety that moves up so the firing pin can be pushed through all the way by the hammer when the trigger is pulled. I assume it must not be going all the way up every time and causing this extra pressure on the pin, eventually breaking it which also means the pin is of poor quality metals because the strike really isn't some great force. Has anyone though of removing this safety and using the gun without it? I know the safety is there to prevent the firing pin from going forward unless a trigger pull is executed which I can fail to see that actually happening when I pull the trigger. I see a little lever that sits inside the housing and right under where that little guard button is but I don't see it actually move when I pull the trigger and watch it push the button up or anything. I can't imagine this hammer going back by itself and striking the firing pin unless you actually pulled the heavy trigger, so maybe removing this safety will prevent the breaking of the firing pins? Obviously not something S&W intended for you to do, but maybe their design was poorly executed and they're causing the FP to break because of this "Safety". I'd like to hear what you guys may have to say about this.

Update again: found that the safety for the FP is pushed up all the way at the end of the trigger pull by that metal piece in the housing. With your BG fully assembled, put a flashlight to the back and pull the trigger all the way and hold it then barely let it go and pull it multiple times while you watch the back, you'll see the FP safety "plate" move up and down and on the right you will see the lever being pushed up each time you pull the trigger and go down when you slightly release it.

No No No ... Didn't you get the memo. The issues with the BG380 have been fixed. The MIM firing pin is as good as any other and is not a significant problem. I know this because I have been told by those in the know that assure me this is so. End of story..

lol... The fact that you "Called S&W, spoke with two people who both told me they haven't heard of this and that dry firing should be perfectly fine."

That's the biggest joke of the day.. Of course maybe the persons on the phone were hired yesterday..

And to answer your question about an aftermarket Firing Pin YES.
Galloway Precision is working on fixing some issues that S&W ignores.. link below.

Bodyguard 380 Performance | Galloway Precision

S&W fanboy's to the rescue in 3..2..1..

.

 

[Boris B]

Oh I forgot this.

maspingu,
I sent my BG in to S&W earlier this month, my total round trip time for the gun was like 15 days total.

Of course it will depend on their current work load and work that you require to have done... but they are pretty efficient in that respect, imo.