Bodyguard 2.0 Owners: Impressions after a few months?

[ImDrRich]

There's been a more than a few threads here about the BG 2.0.

After some minor tinkering (recoil spring, front sight off, etc.), mine is a great little gun that is firmly in my EDC rotation.

What say you, after some months of fixing, carrying, and shooting?

 

[BLLefkay]

Had mine for 3 months now, love it. Mine had the lower ramp lip/edge which I removed. Also installed an original Bodyguard rear sight. Got 3000 rounds through mine. I have occasional FTFs with my cheap steel cased range ammo, ran several other top brands with no issues. Still waiting for aftermarket support since I like to tinker with my guns.

 

[BKLooney]

I've had zero issues outside of not liking the sights very much, but they serve well enough for the purpose. I'd like to replace the front sight with something less dim and a brighter color...and replace the gigantic rear u-notch.

Although the mags were somewhat of a bear to load for a bit, they do ease up as time goes on. I had a little trouble a time or two getting the recoil spring to seat correctly but not much.

It's in my pocket as I type.

 

[Rob613]

I don’t own one but I was looking at one with a 101724 date at a LGS the other day.

Seems S&W is using early purchasers as beta testers.

The feed ramp lip was gone, the recoil spring was fixed and the 12 round mag loaded hard but wasn’t impossible to fill.

 

[nam6869usmc]

I've pocket carried a P3AT, LCP Gen1, LCP Custom, LCP Max, and G42 and I would pick my BG 2.0 over all of them by a wide margin. I have approx. 450 rounds through it using WWB 95g FN and Precision One 90gr XTP +P's and it has ran flawlessly.
It's quite a perfect little high capacity package and I had no feed ramp lip or recoil spring issue's.
Muddy River Pocket Holster

 

[Thiokol]

Mine is a few months old and I now have 500 trouble free rounds of WWB & 100 rounds of self defense ammo through it.

 

[WCCPHD]

Don't want to hijack the thread, but has anyone found an OWB leather holster for the gun? I can't abide kydex and don't do IWB or pocket carry. Been a LEO too long to change now.

 

[geeollie]

R. Grizzle is making holsters for the Bodyguard 2.0.
I have 3 of his. They are excellent.

The High County with zero cant (straight pull) is probably the perfect OWB leather holster. Mine is on order.
Check his LEO discount and his expedited service if interested.

 

[Thiokol]

Don't want to hijack the thread, but has anyone found an OWB leather holster for the gun? I can't abide kydex and don't do IWB or pocket carry. Been a LEO too long to change now.

I carry mine in a Galco Stinger made for the Ruger LCP Max. It was a bit stretched out from the LCP but it still holds the BG well. A brand new one would probably be a snugger fit.

 

[GnarlsR2]

I bought my BG2.0, no manual safety, in August. This is the first S&W firearm I’ve purchased. I’ve owned firearms since 1977. On a new firearm, I always field strip, carefully clean and lubricate as directed by the “Safety & Instruction Manual”. I also disassemble the mags, clean and lightly lube them. I discovered the 12-round mag follower defect right away and fixed by trimming off the little point on the follower. Upon reassembly, I also noticed the issue of getting the guide rod spring assembly to seat into the end of the slide. I’ve never experienced that with any firearm I’ve owned. It took me several frustrating attempts before I discovered the cause. After pressing the end of the twisted spring under the guide rod flange with a screwdriver and centering the spring on the guide rod flange it finally seated on the barrel.

The next issue was the amount of grip and pull it took to rack the slide, it was insane! I actually drew blood 3 times getting my finger caught in the ejection port while trying to rack the slide. After about 200 rounds with 3 different bullets, it shot flawlessly. My shots landed low left. I researched more YouTube videos and viewed about 10 more reviews. I saw that my issues were now being posted on multiple independent reviews. One reviewer explained the issue with the design of the trigger safety. It is a thin flat padal and is wider than the trigger. This is a concern for being too easily able to pull the safety against the trigger causing an unintended discharge. I noticed that after about 100 rounds at the range, the sharp edges of the trigger safety caused some unusual pain in my trigger finger. The front sight could be brighter. The rear sight slot allows finding the front sight very quickly. For me, in a sudden close encounter self-defense situation, the first shot or two will most likely be a “point and shoot”.

I called S&W Customer Support and the rep I spoke with offered to send out a new guide rod spring assembly. When I explained the issues I experienced she expressed no empathy and was not interested in my feedback. After 16 days I received it and it’s just like the original one. I noticed there is a photo of a new narrow trigger safety on their website - S&W BODYGUARD 2.0 NTS, SKU# 13927. (I later found out that photo on their website is just a very misleading rendering and NOT the actual trigger.) I called S&W about the narrow padal on the trigger safety and there is no option but to buy another BG2.0. This gun is marketed as a super light pocket carry for self-defense. It’s not for competition, hunting, or range fun. S&W has been manufacturing firearms for 170 years. It is incomprehensible that they could release a firearm strictly designed for self-defense with obvious design defects. Surprisingly, I believe this pistol has been voted “2024 Handgun of the Year” by two different organizations.

The grip with the 12-round mag, texturing, mag release, trigger feel, light weight, short range accuracy, concealability, all make this handgun very comfortable to shoot and pocket carry. At 15.3 ounces with 13 rounds, it is a feature-rich pocket carry option. With the Muddy River Tactical, Kydex custom fit for the BG2.0 pocket holster, it feels very comfortable in my pocket and makes a very safe draw.

However, the oversized trigger safety padal and the trigger pull at 4 lbs. 2.4 ounces, I’m still a little concerned about an accidental discharge. The negative reports on the manual safety and my own experience with manual safety on an EDC makes the manual safety not an option on this pistol. Unfortunately, the amount of force required to rack the slide may eliminate this pocket carry as good choice for some females. Based upon my experience and the many reviews that are published I’m not sure this is the right pocket carry for me. It is very unlikely that I will buy another S&W firearm. As one of the top 5 firearm brands, and the most raved about new handgun, I’m very disappointed in the quality control and design choices of Smith & Wesson, and the lack of quality customer service I experienced.

 

[txmiller]

For great leather 2.0 holsters, try Kusiak Leather. Check out their website and you tube channel. I’ve got both a IWB and OWB and am completely satisfied.

 

[TheOnlyZani]

Buddy, I’m the one who posted about the front sight. I ordered my new sight from S&W CS on 10/28, they still have not even shipped the part yet.. god awful customer service which should speak volumes about their operation, considering I’m ordering what should be the easiest part to ship and should be one of their most abundant parts. I couldn’t imagine the wait time for sending an entire firearm to them for repair. Could take a year plus for simple work at their rate. It truly is my last S&W, I’m past the point of being mad about it.. it’s extremely disappointing. Typically if a company lacks in QC they’ll try to make up with service, SW skipped out on both unfortunately.

 

[dickydalton]

I've been waiting a month for a guide rod spring assembly. I'll have to call them again.

 

[CajunBass]

I've had mine for a couple of months now, and several hundred rounds, both ball and hollow points. No problems. I tend to shoot it low left, but I shoot a lot of small guns low left. I'm convinced it's a "me" problem, not a "gun" problem. Shooting from a bench with my elbows rested results in a POA hit, as does shooting with a laser cartridge. That red dot of laser light, goes straight to the sights.

I had the problem with the recoil spring, but a tip here on the forum taught me to just take a screwdriver and pop the end of the spring under the flange. No big deal and it's just part of the routine now.

The slide was hard to rack at first, but either it broke in, or I got stronger. No more problem. I might rack it 50 times resetting the striker when dry firing with the laser. Again, I don't even think about it anymore.

Same with the mags. They were hard to load, so I used a magazine loader. First an Uplula, then a cheap 3D printed version that was made for the BG-2, that I got off Ebay or about 10 bucks or so. Now I can load the mags by hand, but don't bother too. The mag loaders work just fine and I see no reason to beat my hands up.

The only modification I've done is a Talon Grip. Cheap, easy to install, or take off if I decide I don't like it. So far, it stays.

For a holster, I dug around in my bag O holsters and found an IWB Bianchi Model 100, size 09, originally for a Walther PPK/s that seem to fit the BG2 almost perfectly. A little long, but that's not a big deal to me. I never pocket carry so can't comment on that.

 

[TwinV10]

I bought the BG 2.0 a month or so ago after carrying the Ruger LCP Max for two years. I've shot about 200 rounds through the BG and twice that through the LCP. I've had a few FTF and other anomalies with the BG that could be ammo or something else. The sights had to be drifted over it shot 3" left at 5 yards. The feed ramp looks fine. I have never ever had a single issue with the Max. So right now if I had to pick one to save my life its definitely the Ruger at the moment. Time will tell.

 

[VictorLouis]

Is there a recent post regarding the trigger-safety? My Search-Fu is weak........

Something about it having been narrowed? Pluses/minuses, or just sumpin' to be aware of?

 

[BLLefkay]

Is there a recent post regarding the trigger-safety? My Search-Fu is weak........

Something about it having been narrowed? Pluses/minuses, or just sumpin' to be aware of?

My trigger safety is same width as trigger, no issues and I’m not sure what the benefit of a narrower one would be if it has been redone.

 

[GnarlsR2]

The trigger safety on my BG2.0, purchased in August, has a flat paddle trigger safety that extends in width 0.60mm or 0.0235 inches wider than the trigger where the safety will sit when pulled. That is about 6 sheets of common printer/copier paper. The purpose of the trigger safety is simply to reduce the chance of contact with something that would pull the safety against the trigger and cause a possible unintended discharge. This pistol was purchased solely as a pocket carry in a Kydex holster specifically designed for the BG2.0 in a pocket.

What would be the design criteria or logic for that trigger safety?

 

[scruffy]

My take on the BG 2.0. Finally done with the BG 2.0. Mine worked well for close to 600 rounds, but never cared for the way it ejected. I tried all types of factory ammo (stayed away from wide mouth hollow points) and ejection was erratic to say the least. Some ejected shells landed at my feet, some hit me on the shoulder or top of the head, some ejected to the right a few feet at 3-4:00 and some ejected almost straight forward or 9:00 to the left. I was never comfortable with this as to me that inconsistency was just a short step away from a FTE or other stoppage.

Finally it began somewhere around 650 rounds. Several FTE with different ammo and few FTF. All happened with factory Hornady and American Gunner( FTX and XTP) and Federal Punch. I decided I would shoot FMJ only and tested 100+ rounds of Speer Lawman 90 gr. The crazy ejection seemed a little better but no more failures to feed or eject. Figuring FMJ was the answer, I began to carry the BG 2.0 with 10 rounds of the Lawman ammo. After a week I tested it as carried at the range and no issues. Today (a few weeks later) I again took it to the range in "as carried" condition and ran into a failure to feed on the 3rd round and again a few rounds later. Enough. I simply can not trust this gun as a self defense piece and it's certainly no target or range toy.

My 642 PC goes back in my pocket starting tomorrow. If I feel I may need more than 5 rounds my P365 (2,600 rds, zero malfunctions) will be IWB. Shame, I really wanted to like and carry the 2.0 with confidence but it's a complete no-go for me.

 

[GnarlsR2]

scruffy, it's interesting that you mentioned the crazy ejections. I noticed that today for the first time. Next range day I'll have one of my buddies watch the brass fly.