Continuing major problems with Bodyguard 380

[Old cop]

I've owned the following tiny .380 pistols: Glock, Ruger & Smith. All seem to have problems of one sort or another leading me to believe there is a dimishing return when size & weight are significantly reduced. I currently have an LCP purchased just before the release of the LCPII and it runs fine until I get to around 70 + rounds (gun is dirty), then it begins to stovepipe. Knowing it works through 2 mags I carry it only when I cannot conceal my M&P 340, like when wearing dress slacks or a suit & tie. My EDC will continue to be a J frame b/c they always work.

 

[buckyjames1]

Hey, first off I dont know how old your pistol is, the # of rounds it had, how you take care of it etc. All I know is there are thousands of happy BG 380 owners out there that dont need to get on a forum to complain about their pistol and the ones who unfortunatley do have a issue come online looking for a solution and it gives the impression of a large scale issue, there is no mass problem with these guns. I carry my BG380 every day and I would stake my life on it.
S&W makes thousands of BG380's each year. Like anything else that's mass produced you're gonna find a few lemons... jeez, if you're not happy with the pistol send it back & they will fix it, that is what a warranty is for. Use it. But it's not going to magically fix itself by lowballing S&W on the foums.

Looks like you, failed to read original post, he sent it to S/W and it still is malfunctioning.

Always a laugh to get someone who states "Mine works great and therefore represents the thousands out there therefore yours should work. " Or the famous "Don't come on a S/W forum bashing S/W products" even though the product is not functioning as intended.

Please do explain how his direct experience with a pistol is somehow negated by your lack of evidence with a statement like " There is no mass problem"

 

[mrmike7189]

I like to hear about problems from other owners. It keeps me informed and aware of what to look for should I notice a problem. As for mass problems, I think that CaptRon is correct. There is NO mass problem. Just a few finicky guns, and a few lemons out there.my .02

 

[Helderberg]

I own both of the models, the laser model is about four years old. It has been good for me and I fully realize that does not help those of you that have had a bad gun from S&W. When I took the two of them to the range I found the new gun, after about 30 rounds, did not lock the slide back and it would have a failure to feed on the last round on any or all of the four mags. To make a long story shorter I took the gun into my shop, I completely realize the the gun is brand new, I found the tab that engages the flat on the mag on the last round was short and not riding up the lever. It would either not come up enough or it would hold the mag follower up and not feed the last round. In my case, I weighed my options, tore the gun down, not recommended to those without proper tools and experience, put the slide lock back lever in my vice, used a punch to lay it out about 2mm or so and now, as the second photo shows it engages the flat correctly. I know, I know, I should not have to do this to a new gun, etc. Problem is, I really like the platform and the company so I was willing to do what I believe was necessary to correct the problem. No I do not feel that we, everyone, should have to correct the problems with any new purchases from any manufacture but this is what worked for me and I can live with it. As a final note, I have been through the S&W Armour course for M&P handguns but this little gun was a education and a challenge. Small parts and springs, big old arthritic hands. Just my .02 but if you are having a problem with the slide not locking back it might be that you have a similar problem to this and can direct the repair person as to where to look to correct it. Hope this is of some help to someone.
Frank.

 

[bonspy]

Did I just get lucky?

I had been searching for a good, dependable .380 for a while when it I finally asked my regular gun dealer his thoughts. He pulled a Bodyguard 380 out of his pocket and directed me to his range. I fired 3 full magazines through it. I liked the long trigger pull due to the fact that I can't understand having a gun that I need to cycle a round into the chamber to use the thing. I mean, it's a defensive weapon and should be ready to use on a moment's notice. The long pull meant to me that I wasn't going to have an accidental discharge and shoot myself. I liked the fact that it had all of the features of full sized gun in a small package. I particularly liked the laser as I can imagine that any time I would need to use the gun would be low light situations and thinking that a laser which can be deployed in less than a second might just deter a person from further attempts at violence. After all, they have no idea what size of gun they're facing, they just know that someone has a gun pointed at their center mass. I very much liked the feel of the gun and the fact that I can conceal if very easily. That's a real problem for me since I'm fairly tall but slim. I'm 6'2" and go about 165 pounds, so my full sized 9mm's are way too bulky to be concealed very well.
Out of the box the gun was accurate and the laser was right on at about 8 meters. I have run somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 rounds, plus or minus, through the gun and the only trouble I have ever had was with an aftermarket 10 round magazine my wife nabbed for me. That magazine was intended only for use on my home range anyway, but I would warn all of you BG 380 folks off any such thoughts. I have to recycle the gun every time to put another round into the chamber. Aside from that the gun has been perfect.
I'm not such a fanboy of any particular brand of gun, though I do have a liking for Ruger products that goes back to the 1980's when I was working as a private investigator/bodyguard in the Detroit Metro area. At the time I carried a Colt Combat Commander and occasionally a Colt Gold Cup. I carried 1 extra mag with my Colts. Having gotten used to the Colts in the military I was very familiar with them. That all changed when I ran across a shootout in a Detroit neighborhood and these guys were using MAC-10's. It had nothing to do with me I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I suddenly felt like I was carrying way too few rounds. I went to a dealer and picked up a Ruger P-85 and it felt a lot like my Colts. It was accurate and after fitting it with Pachmayr grips and 3 extra magazines, I felt I could at least hold my own in that very (at the time) dangerous town. Hence my liking of Ruger, that led me to buy my first 10/22.
Regardless of all of that, I have gotten to love my BG 380. At least in my case the gun has been flawless and has
become my favorite pistol to shoot. I have been able to "walk" shots on target up to 50 meters away and I'm no Jerry Miculek.
With as much as I love my BG 380 I do read about folks not having as much success with the gun as I have had with it. I have no doubt that every manufacturer has problems with certain firearms. It is very concerning to me that people have had Smith & Wesson work on their guns and still continue to have problems. It just doesn't make sense that a manufacturer like S&W can't fix a gun that they designed and made, no sense at all. I mean what the heck?
I hope that somehow S&W can get these things worked out, I mean it sure doesn't make a lot of sense to carry a gun you can't count on when you NEED it. So good luck to all of you out there that have problems with these guns. I trust mine and that's all I can say really.
Each and every gun is different, I get that, but it's really strange that 1 gun comes off the line perfectly and the next is a box of junk. How the heck does that happen?
Best of luck to you all and safe shooting to everyone out there.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

I've been busy but here is the "post" SW fix. They said said they polished the feed ramp and put in new magazine retention pin in, etc. I put on a Talon grip and then took it to the range. I shot 250 rounds mostly +P ammo but also some CCI ball ammo. I had one misfeed and that was my fault. I dropped the round and it created just enough of a ding in the brass for it to jam. I also had one magazine eject, but again my fault, my thumb hit the release button. So after changing my grip I had zero issues. It is acccurate and I now can say I am happy. I know it likes +P ammo and CCI ball ammo. It is currently loaded with Buffalo Bore +P 95gr JHP.

 

[garddogg56]

Hey Col.I did not know the BG.380 was rated for P+ ammo.I've never used anything but regular ammo,no steel or alum.,I have over 1400 rounds thru mine not one problem.

 

[Matt21]

BG 380 firing issues

I bought a BG380 last year for the wife. Took it out last weekend to shoot it for the first time (been busy). When I went to shoot it, i could squeeze the trigger all the way back and nothing was happening. I watched the hammer and it appeared that the hammer was not going completely to the point of releasing and sending the firing pin forward. I tried dry-firing and.. same thing. The gun was taken apart when first bought and oiled and inspected. i am not an armorer so, inspected to the best of my ability. Anyone else experience the same thing or similar?

 

[Skyyr07]

I have had mine about 10 years it's my carry around and I've never had an issue i do agree the trigger does a pull back however it recently saved my life i do disagree with good customer service in the process of being attacked by 10 people the laser glass was busted and s&w pretty much told me to screw myself however the laser company replaced the laser no problem highly recommend them

 

[Model 15-4ever]

Holy necropost!

 

[GnarlsR2]

I think it's obvious this gun has more issues than the magazine. After cleaning and oiling them, I still got the stovepipe and light strike. I don't see how even the worst magazine could cause those particular issues, anyway.

This gun has serious issues, and while I'll make one more attempt to deal with them, I'm not going to make excuses for it. This is totally unacceptable, and S&W should be ashamed. This is not some notorious cheap '70s Jennings or something; it is a premier American brand with a general reputation for excellent quality.

David

"This is totally unacceptable, and S&W should be ashamed."

Very well stated.

This handgun could have been the “Best Pocket Carry Handgun of the Decade”.

I love the way this gun shoots, feels in my hand and in my pocket. At 1 lbs. 1.1 ozs. with 10 rounds, 10-round mag, in a Muddy River Kydex holster, in my pocket, it is nearly unnoticeable visually and by weight and size.

The only two design features I would change are the trigger safety and the dim orange front and, difficult to find quickly, rear sight. For sights, I’d prefer something like the Dawson Precision Sight Set for the S&W M&P C.O.R.E. pistols.

I don’t know if the amount of force required to rack the slide could be lessened, but it’s a bear to rack? Of course, the sights could be accurately aligned during production.

Until I can put another 500 rounds through it without any failure to fire, it will not be my EDC or backup.

 

[Model 15-4ever]

"This is totally unacceptable, and S&W should be ashamed."

Very well stated.

This handgun could have been the “Best Pocket Carry Handgun of the Decade”.

I love the way this gun shoots, feels in my hand and in my pocket. At 1 lbs. 1.1 ozs. with 10 rounds, 10-round mag, in a Muddy River Kydex holster, in my pocket, it is nearly unnoticeable visually and by weight and size.

The only two design features I would change are the trigger safety and the dim orange front and, difficult to find quickly, rear sight. For sights, I’d prefer something like the Dawson Precision Sight Set for the S&W M&P C.O.R.E. pistols.

I don’t know if the amount of force required to rack the slide could be lessened, but it’s a bear to rack? Of course, the sights could be accurately aligned during production.

Until I can put another 500 rounds through it without any failure to fire, it will not be my EDC or backup.

I think you need to read from the top. The thread is about the original Bodyguard 380, not the 2.0 recently released version.