Bodyguard 380 laser button issue's. Don't send your gun in just yet.

[Col_Cotton_Hill]

So you got your new gun and now the laser button's are hard to activate. IMO,,,sending your gun in for new button's is not the fix. Let me explain.

When I bought mine, I had no issue's at all with the button's. But, I went ahead and had S&W send me some new one's for when I did have an issue. I put the new one's in, and THEN had issue's with hard to activate button's. Put the original's back in, and now they didn't work right either. I thought I some how messed up my laser. Put the new one's in again and they now worked. Tried the original's again and they were perfect again.

So after switching different button's back and forth many time's, I came to the conclusion that the new button is not the fix. Just taking them out and rotating them is. It also seems to help by squishing them around in your finger's. I also put a witness mark on the inside of the button. I then used that to try different position's until I found what seemed like the sweet spot. I imagine that will change with use.

I have not needed to do the Q-tip/tube mod yet. But I would do that before I sent my gun back in just so S&W can rotate the button's so to speak.

Hopefully someone is working on a new design. But I kinda doubt it when all they're basically doing is rotating the button's by putting in the same poor design,, to pacify customer's.

In case you some how missed it, here's the ultimate fix.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/161937-ultimate-bodyguard-380-laser-button-fix.html

 

[Loco Weed]

My BG had laser problems out of the box. Then the trigger broke and I had to send it in to S&W, also mentioning the laser buttons. I got it back and there was no fix on my buttons. Then my takedown lever failed so I sent it back to S&W again, also mentioning the laser buttons. S&W replaced the frame and on the new frame the laser buttons still didn't work. I saw the Q-tip trick but didn't try it. Instead I went to the local gun shop and traded in my BG at a loss. Between my own problems and the many problems reported by others I decided the BG isn't reliable enough to carry as a self-defense gun. Since then I have picked up a Ruger LCP and a Ruger LC9 to meet my needs.

 

[pedropcola]

I totally agree that you shouldn't have to work on new guns. In a previous thread I mentioned that almost every major manufacturer is putting out guns before they have been properly wrung out so it is not just SW but it still sucks. Mine has exhibited zero functional issues with the exception of the laser buttons. IF mine had reliability problems or ejected the takedown lever or something like that I would get rid of mine also. The only problem with mine is the buttons and in five minutes, one q tip, nail clippers, and a lighter the problem is beyond solved. Read the thread, follow the directions, this is not gunsmithing this is extremely easy and so simple that eventually SW will do this themselves. They will include a simple plastic grommet with its own part number that will do what this simple fix does. They must be taking a beating in shipping costs back and forth and their "fix" isn't a fix at all, it is a prayer that the new buttons might be magically stiffer than the old.

If your gun is reliable and the buttons are the only issue. Don't be stubborn just do the fix. Mutter "I shouldn't have to do this to a new gun" under your breath for the whole five minutes if it makes you feel better (and you would be right as well) but do it nonetheless. My BG shoots better in every aspect than my friends LCP and it shoots better than my much bigger, heavier, Interarms era PPK/S.

 

[Goffman]

If your gun is reliable and the buttons are the only issue. Don't be stubborn just do the fix. Mutter "I shouldn't have to do this to a new gun" under your breath for the whole five minutes if it makes you feel better (and you would be right as well) but do it nonetheless. My BG shoots better in every aspect than my friends LCP and it shoots better than my much bigger, heavier, Interarms era PPK/S.

Agreed. My BG380 has had a few more problems than just the laser buttons, but I can't say anything but good about the "shootability" of the pistol.