Bodyguard 380...the first problem?

[Goffman]

Follow-up on the follow-up:

FINALLY had time today to make a trip to the range with my BG380. Previously, the pistol made a trip back to the factory to repair the broken firing pin shaft. Since the trip to the factory, I've dry-fired the pistol (with snap caps) probably 500+ times. The trigger definitely has smoothed out, although, like beer, the trigger is an acquired taste. (Note: my wife hates the trigger on the BG380, but she has been spoiled by the trigger on her Kahr P380.)

I put 150 target rounds through the pistol today, including 50 Federal American Eagle and 100 Speer Lawman. I had one failure to ignite, but a second strike solved the problem (gotta love the second strike capability). Otherwise, the pistol worked flawlessly (i.e., zero FTEs). The take-down lever remained in place without assistance from me, despite my concerns about the many reported problems with the take-down lever popping out, and despite shooting the pistol in a "rapid fire" format several times today.

I am much more accurate with the BG380 than I am with either of my j-frames, although that probably has more to do with the operator (me) than with revolvers themselves. During the range time today, I regularly put multiple rounds through the same hole or created adjoining holes, which is remarkable considering that I have less than one year under my belt with firearms (although much practice this year).

Bottom-line: despite the reported problems, and despite the problem with the firing pin shaft on my pistol specifically, I was VERY impressed.

 

[VBVAGUY]

(heavy sigh)...looks like I might be the first "problem" case for the Bodyguard 380. I put in a snap cap, dry fired it, and a piece fell out of the back of the gun on to the floor. I'm new to semi-autos, but it looks to me to be the back end of the firing pin, the part with which the hammer makes contact. The piece that fell out appears to be sheared off fairly cleanly. I can't imagine how that could happen. Any thoughts (other than "don't be the first to buy a new model")?

P.S. More pics in the next post in this thread.

Goffman that is exaclty what happened to mine. The same size piece too. Mine was also a very early EAA10xx serial number. I had fired mine approx. 450 times and probably did about 2500+ dry firing with snap caps before that happened. I glad that yours came back fine and that you are enjoying it now. I am eagerly waiting for mine to come back so I can fire mine again. God Bless

 

[weisermouth84]

To be fair, I really do not think it is a revolver vs. autoloader issue. Seems to me to be a QC and quality of raw materials issue. I have a S&W 4566 autoloader that has NEVER had a failure to feed or failure to extract/eject. Issues with revolvers as of late include IL caused failures, weak primer strikes out of the box, and the infamous barrel falling off scandium frame guns. http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...38621-329pd-kaboom-pics-new-pic-post-1-a.html

FAIL

I wasnt aware of the scadium frame problems. I just bought a 360 and was very happy with it. Hope this doesnt happen to mine

 

[Goffman]

I wasnt aware of the scadium frame problems. I just bought a 360 and was very happy with it. Hope this doesnt happen to mine

I wouldn't worry too much about the scandium frames. There are far more revolvers of that type in circulation than there are reported problems. I, myself, have a 340PD, and it has functioned flawlessly through 1000+ rounds of 38 special, mid-power 357 magnum, and full-power 357 magnum. No signs of problems whatsoever, other than a sore hand/wrist when I put too many full-power 357s through it in one session.

 

[weisermouth84]

Good to know. I havnt heard of to many problems. I think its a sweet shooter with .38's but i agree with ya on the 357. itll do a job on ya after a while.

 

[Goffman]

I'm the original poster on this thread, writing again with a new update.

For all of the folks who have purchased the EAA-series BG380, don't get too confident in the security of the takedown lever until you have put a LOT of rounds downrange. A number of folks have reported the spontaneous loss of the takedown lever during live firing, resulting in both a bullet going downrange (as expected) and the whole upper half of pistol going downrange (not expected).

After the repair of the first mishap with my pistol, in which the back end of the firing pin shaft snapped off and came flying out the pistol (mentioned in my original post here in this thread), I put 150+ rounds downrange with no issues. In a second trip to the range, I put another 100 rounds downrange with no issues. I figured I was in the clear, and that my pistol did not have the dreaded problem with the takedown lever. However, part way through the third box of ammunition, the takedown lever popped out, and I was left holding the grip only. I had to walk five feet downrange to collect the rest of my pistol. I then put another seven rounds downrange with no issues.

I called S&W, and the CS person acknowledged that the company has found "a problem with the tolerances". I will be sending the pistol back and receiving at least a replacement frame, if not an entirely new pistol.

So, let this serve as a cautionary tale: make sure to put your BG380 through its paces before you rest easy about the takedown lever problem.

However, leaving aside these widely reported problems for a moment, the BG380 really is a fine design. Having had now a fair amount of practice with it, I actually like it more than my wife's Kahr P380. It's a full-service pistol in a pocket-sized package, ridiculously accurate for its size, great sights, seemingly not finicky about ammunition, etc. Once these problems are ironed out, I have no doubt that it will be the pistol I choose to carry most often.

 

[Goffman]

Latest and greatest:

Call S&W on Oct 29, 2010. Received the return shipping label on Nov 4, 2010. Shipped off my BG380 today, Nov 5, 2010. Looking forward to receiving a new pistol.

Before I shipped it off, I took a bunch of "close up" pictures of various aspects of the frame and slide in the hope that I will be able to figure out what has been changed in the EAB series, relative to the original EAA series.

 

[vipermd]

Goffman- I am glad that it is running and I am sure that S&W will take care of it. In 1992 I got my first 629, went out to shoot with "target" loads I had for the 29. Off a rest @ 25 yds I did not hit the backing board 28" wide X 32" high???? This was my one hole loads and I could not hit the target. Finally with the rear sight all the way to the left and a 2 foot hold off I hit the backing board!!! S&W was apologetic,sent UPS label, and returned in less than a week. THEY PUT THE SIGHTS BACK TO ZERO POSITION ???? Needless to say I SPOKE to them, and they replaced everything without improvement till they checked the frame which was drilled off center a few 10 thousands. Moral of the story, this was not a new model, they fixed it, PCS action job for my trouble, I put night sites on it and It shoots great, as for sigma's never had a problem. Think of all you learned in this process!! Be Safe.

 

[Goffman]

Goffman- I am glad that it is running and I am sure that S&W will take care of it. In 1992 I got my first 629, went out to shoot with "target" loads I had for the 29. Off a rest @ 25 yds I did not hit the backing board 28" wide X 32" high???? This was my one hole loads and I could not hit the target. Finally with the rear sight all the way to the left and a 2 foot hold off I hit the backing board!!! S&W was apologetic,sent UPS label, and returned in less than a week. THEY PUT THE SIGHTS BACK TO ZERO POSITION ???? Needless to say I SPOKE to them, and they replaced everything without improvement till they checked the frame which was drilled off center a few 10 thousands. Moral of the story, this was not a new model, they fixed it, PCS action job for my trouble, I put night sites on it and It shoots great, as for sigma's never had a problem. Think of all you learned in this process!! Be Safe.

Thanks for your note, Vipermd. Ya, I'm pretty confident that S&W is going to sort it out. Althought it's been a pain in the butt (two trips back to the factory, plus countless hours fiddling with the laser module, laser buttons, etc.), the BG380 is such a handy little pistol that it's difficult to not be happy with the purchase. And, as you said, I have learned a great deal about semi-autos in the process.

 

[Kilkenny Kid]

Kilkenny Kid

The perils of Pauline or buying a brand new model. Mine went 200 rounds, then I found out I was one of the ("few"?) that had the take down lever come out when firing the pistol.

At least S&W responded and quickly. My BG380 is now on it's way back to Springfield MA for a new lever/frame replacement on their dime-total warranty work. Supposedly they have the problem solved

I have also heard of trigger problems, this forum again. Supposedly we are the few of many happy customers. Time will tell.

 

[Goffman]

Follow-up on the follow-up of the follow-up:

I am the original poster on this thread, and I really hope that this is the last post concerning my saga with my BG380.

So, my BG380 has a serial number in the EAA19## range. To the best of my knowledge, I was the first to report a broken firing pin striker (broken firing pin shaft), a problem that developed while using snap caps before I had been to the range even once. Since then, the same problem has been reported by at least one other person. S&W replaced the firing pin shaft, and I have had no further problems in that regard.

Then, my pistol came apart on the second trip to the range, at about 250 rounds total (over two trips). It appeared to be caused by the same problem that others have reported, namely the takedown pin popped out during live firing. I sent my pistol back to S&W again.

Unlike others, though, what I received back from S&W earlier this week was not a new frame (nor a new serial number). Rather, S&W replaced the slide, the takedown pin, and the plastic body of the pistol. The frame and barrel are the same. I'm not sure about the return spring or the guide rod. Although the repair report that I received back from S&W was blank (as it was the first time that I sent the pistol back to the factory), I suspect that the gunsmith kindly and generously replaced the slide and plastic body because I requested it, rather than because it was necessary to fix the problem with the takedown lever popping out on its own.

The takedown pin is now extremely stiff (i.e., difficult to rotate and difficult to remove). Rotating it into the "release" position is challenging to put it mildly, and the takedown pin then has to be pried out of the frame. Yes, it's that stiff.

At any rate, I took the pistol to the range today and put 200 rounds downrange with no problems. I'm about to clean it, and I'm hoping that the live firing earlier today has loosened up the takedown pin a bit. I guess we'll find out.

Problems aside, this really is a great little pistol. Accuracy is ridiculously good. The trigger seems to be getting better and better over time. The pistol is tiny, yet it never feels as if you can't get a good grip on it, which is a compliment that I cannot extend to the Ruger LCP (YMMV). I do hope that my BG380 is fixed permanently, but, if not, I will not hesitate to send it back to the factory and then put it back into service upon its return.

 

[edorfox]

The takedown pin is now extremely stiff (i.e., difficult to rotate and difficult to remove). Rotating it into the "release" position is challenging to put it mildly, and the takedown pin then has to be pried out of the frame. Yes, it's that stiff.

Hi,

Just got my EAB88XX Bodyguard. I like it too. The pin is easy to remove if you simply continue to rotate it till it points forward. I found this out by accident and thought I had scraped the polymer frame/body but, no, it doesn't touch.

Ed

 

[Goffman]

Hi,

Just got my EAB88XX Bodyguard. I like it too. The pin is easy to remove if you simply continue to rotate it till it points forward. I found this out by accident and thought I had scraped the polymer frame/body but, no, it doesn't touch.

Ed
/edorfox/Bodyguard 380/Nik_0010Large.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks much, Ed. Ya, I figured that out last night as I was stripping the pistol down for post-range cleaning. Like you, I stumbled on it by accident when the pin spun too far forward, and I, too, figured that I must have scraped something. None the worse for wear though. Definitely makes getting the pin out a lot easier.

 

[dkees]

Good Golly! I've been keeping up with this saga and it has caused me to carefully wipe down my 1962 M36 and tell it how much I appreciate its 100% functionality all these years.

I'd hate to have that worry in the back of my mind that my gun was going to come apart in my hands.

 

[sprkthead2]

Same exact thing happen to mine after firing 50+ rounds and dry firing. Its the newer version with a ring around the laser switch, newer serail no.(will look and see, it was built around Dec 2010.) Its going back to S&W for warranty service. Did anyone get a free magazine after warranty service?