Bodyguard 2.0 issue- won't manually feed Hornady Critical Defense

[Marksman14]

Hello all, first time on this forum and unfortunately it comes with an issue with my new Bodyguard 2.0. I put 100 rounds of Fiocchi FMJ through it. Absolutely zero issues. Trigger broke in nicely, everything ran as expected and it was quite accurate. Cleaned it up and put it back in the safe.

I received my shipment of hornady critical defense today and loaded everything up so I could run a few rounds through it before putting it on carry duty.

Upon trying to load it, 90% of the rounds ended angled upward, fed about half way and locked up pretty good. I tried both the 10 and 12 round magazines, loaded fully, minus one round, using the slide lock, as well as sling shotting the slide. Nothing made a difference.

I've watched everything I could on the firearm and can't find anyone having issues like this- everything I have found shows the round catching between or on the "first" feed ramp, if it has issues at all. I haven't seen anyone report this type of failure to feed, and certainly not from manually loading the firearm.

At some recommendations, when I first received the pistol, I left the slide locked to the rear and loaded up the magazines to help let the springs settle in...just in the event someone suggests this as a possible fix. I will do my best to post the photos, but its my first time here so I apologize if they don't show up properly.

I did message S&W about the issue, but if there is a simple fix that I can do here, I'd rather give it a go versus sending it in.

Thanks!

 

[TJm15.38]

I think you should try other ammo. When I first bought my Glock 42 ten years ago, I had a similar problem with critical defense. .380 ACP pistols that are small can be finicky about ammo. I have since settled into a round profile FMJ or Remington hollow point that weighs a minimum of 95 grains. Now the pistol runs flawlessly. Nevertheles, there is something about the magazines or feed ramp that just doesn't give me the reliability I want with truncated HP bullets like the Critical Defense. These days I handload 100 grain FMJ Hornady and shoot 95-grain factory FMJ exclusively. Not sure a HP is even going to expand out of this short barrel.

 

[Warren Sear]

Have you thoroughly cleaned the pistol and magazines?

Is the pistol lubricated properly?

 

[Marksman14]

Have you thoroughly cleaned the pistol and magazines?

Is the pistol lubricated properly?

Very thoroughly, and lubed properly. If anything due to it being new, its a little over lubricated; KG products for cleaning, ALG lubricants. Nothing on the interior of the magazines though where lubrication could potentially cause issues.

The hornady has literally been great in every .380 I've fired it in, including some of those that were known for being finicky. Really hoping I can get it running in this thing, especially since the reviews I've found have indicated it runs great on the platform.

I went back and manually fed some of the ball ammo to see how that felt. I noticed a slight hitch, however the round still makes it way into the chamber...and obviously it ran without issue.

I don't mind trying gold dot or HST in this, aside from the fact that I now have 90 dollars worth of CD ammo that I don't need, but Im not sure which one has a more "rounded" bullet design and theres still the nagging feeling that something isn't right with the gun considering the reviews suggest it should eat this ammo without issue.

In another post here, I saw that a member knocked the edges off of the "lower" feed ramp and gave his a good polish. I was going to try that, but the way the round is orienting doesn't really indicate to me that the lower feed ramp is the issue. The angle it jams at is a much higher angle than the feed angle of the magazine when the magazine is inserted with the slide locked back.

When it locks up, the rear of the casing is below where it is when the feed lips have control of the round....and the front is obviously higher. The edge of the case and the "flat" tip of the bullet aren't anywhere near the feed ramps, so Im not sure this would solve the issue. It appears to me that the magazines are so oversprung, that the round pivots up at the front of the feed lips as the round is attempting to chamber. Since the hornady bullet is angled and relatively straight, there is nothing at the front of the round making contact with the top of the chamber until the angle is so harsh that it simply wont feed.

Not sure if this makes sense, but if lock your slide to the rear and insert a loaded magazine and observe the angle and location of the round compared to the side photo I posted, it may make more sense. It simply doesn't jive.

 

[Beju]

These days I handload 100 grain FMJ Hornady and shoot 95-grain factory FMJ exclusively. Not sure a HP is even going to expand out of this short barrel.

View attachment 703787

A lot of the .380 JHP that does expand won't meet the FBI 12" minimum standard, so FMJ and JHP that reliably don't expand from short barrels may be preferable, as long as they penetrate deeply enough to hit the vitals.

Remember people, 12" of bare gel penetration is not 12" in the human body, which is also made up of more elastic structures (skin) and harder structures (bone). You also want to have enough penetration to hit vitals after potentially passing through an arm pointing a gun at you.

 

[Cheyenne WYO]

What do you mean by "manually feeding" the gun? Are you riding or easing the slide forward while chambering a round? Semi-autos are not designed to be loaded that way. Either slingshot it or load it from slide lock using the slide stop lever.

 

[Marksman14]

What do you mean by "manually feeding" the gun? Are you riding or easing the slide forward while chambering a round? Semi-autos are not designed to be loaded that way. Either slingshot it or load it from slide lock using the slide stop lever.

Manually as in attempting to initially load the firearm administratively versus the firearm cycling during firing.

During my testing, I definitely rode the slide slowly to see if there was an obvious catch point, but I was unable to detect anything obvious.

The failures I described in my OP were achieved exactly how you suggested. Magazine inserted on a closed slide, retracted briskly and released with full spring power, or magazine inserted on an open slide and the slide closed via slingshot or slide stop/lock being depressed.

 

[kilo charlie]

Mine feeds CD with no problems. In fact, mine has fed about 5 different brands and types without a problem. Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[Marksman14]

A lot of the .380 JHP that does expand won't meet the FBI 12" minimum standard, so FMJ and JHP that reliably don't expand from short barrels may be preferable, as long as they penetrate deeply enough to hit the vitals.

Remember people, 12" of bare gel penetration is not 12" in the human body, which is also made up of more elastic structures (skin) and harder structures (bone). You also want to have enough penetration to hit vitals after potentially passing through an arm pointing a gun at you.

100% this. If I am going to use this, the fact that it penetrates more than other JHP's and tends to expand a little less is actually preferable. Im not thrilled about using a .380 defensively, but the size and weight of the firearm was the initial appeal; it fills a role when my 365XL and Staccato CS simply print too much. The fact that it catches on one of the most popular and widely used defensive loads however put a damper on that...

 

[Marksman14]

Mine feeds CD with no problems. In fact, mine has fed about 5 different brands and types without a problem. Hope you get it sorted out.

Did you test those at around the 100 round mark, or did you have a few more rounds through yours when you tried them?

If you don't mind me asking, what other types of ammunition did you try?

 

[kilo charlie]

Did you test those at around the 100 round mark, or did you have a few more rounds through yours when you tried them?

If you don't mind me asking, what other types of ammunition did you try?

Hornady Critical Defense, Fiochi hardball, Winchester silvertip, Aguilla hardball, Remington hollow point (not sure the name). I was mixing all of these from the very first shots.

 

[55ffpw]

You're not alone

I'm having the same exact same issue with Hornady Critical Defense in my Bodyguard 2.0. It jams in the exact same way. Some end up feeding but I probably see about 40% FTF.

I havent had any issues with round nose but it feels like the ammo tip hits that gap in the feed ramp hard. You can feel the extra bump when you slingshot the slide forward. I really would like to carry this pistol as now my Shield+ feels so much bigger and heavier but I can't trust the Bodyguard like I can the Shield+. I don't think I have ever had a malfunction after thousands of rounds through the Shield+.

 

[55ffpw]

Added some photo attachments.

 

[MikeNV]

I'm having the same exact same issue with Hornady Critical Defense in my Bodyguard 2.0. It jams in the exact same way. Some end up feeding but I probably see about 40% FTF.

I havent had any issues with round nose but it feels like the ammo tip hits that gap in the feed ramp hard. You can feel the extra bump when you slingshot the slide forward. I really would like to carry this pistol as now my Shield+ feels so much bigger and heavier but I can't trust the Bodyguard like I can the Shield+. I don't think I have ever had a malfunction after thousands of rounds through the Shield+.

I had the same issue with my BG 2.0 before I polished the feed ramp. Here's a link to the thread:

Bodyguard 2.0 Polishing

 

[cracker57]

I would also check the COAL of the CD compared to the other brands. Also polishing the feed ramps is one of the first thing I do with new pistols. if done correctly (don't remove to much just polish) it can hurt nothing.
If mine I would take some ammo that works and shoot a couple hundred rounds to loosen things up a bit. Then try the CD again.
Good luck and keep the troops posted as to the fix if you find one.

 

[youngolddude]

I wouldn't mess with a new gun under warranty. Before sending it back, run at least 100 fmj through it if you haven't. Some of my guns are picky and others aren't.

 

[ImDrRich]

Please check your feed ramp for anything unusual, despite the fact that you say it feeds most other rounds. I polished mine regardless of the fact that it was fully functional.

 

[55ffpw]

I had the same issue with my BG 2.0 before I polished the feed ramp. Here's a link to the thread:

Bodyguard 2.0 Polishing

I gave it a light polish yesterday and didn't notice much improvement. There is still some of the coating on the lower ramp, it's not fully bright yet. I'll get it bright. I don't see any lip on the ramp though.

 

[55ffpw]

More polishing, same results, however I think I may have found the issue. I believe that there is a slight ridge at the top of the upper ramp in the chamber entrance that would explain why rounds are kicking up instead of forward.

You can see the area circled in the photo, I believe that easing that area will result in properly feeding ammo. I believe that even my round nose ammo is hitting that and kicking up but the round nose allows the bullet to tip forward and chamber.

 

[Doug M.]

.380s can be finicky. My Glock M42 took several hundred rounds (don't recall now, but I wrote it up here) before it would work right with carry ammo. I'd plan on running at least 300, preferably 500 rounds of FMJ before trying duty/carry ammo.

Some pistols don't work right with some ammo; probably tolerance stacking. You may need to try other ammo. I don't recall what it is or where I saw it, but LAPD only allows one load for .380s; I'd try to find out what that it is and try it.