Fail to Feed in Bodyguard .380

[kbm6893]

Mine has been stone reliable. Not one light strike. I only have thr two factory magazines with it. I took 18 rounds of my reloads to just test for function the other day. Only took one magazine. Don't recall which. Three cycles through the one magazine for 18 rounds total. Every single time, the last round would fail to chamber. It would fire 5 fine and then the 6th would be pointing up in the magazine. Cleared the jam and they all fired fine.

I go home thinking maybe it's my reloads. So I take 12 factory rounds and both magazines back to range. One fed and cycled fine, then other same thing. Last round pointing up. Re-chambered and fired fine. Like an idiot, I didn't take notice of which mag it was.

Go back this morning with the last 38 rounds of my reloaded batch. Both mags marked. Fired three cycles through the finger-rest magazine. All fed and fired fine. Fired three cycles with the flat bottomed magazine. One malfunction, but not the same. Last round fed and fired every time, but one time the magazine did not lock open.

Fired last two rounds quick double tap from the flat based magazine. Fed and fired fine. Mag locked slide open.

Ideas? The mag springs do feel very weak.

 

[Execpro]

First I would ask if it is the Bodyguard 380 (first production) or the new M&P Bodyguard 380.
Then I would ask how many rounds fired through pistol.
There were some people that said the original mags had issues that were thought to be weak springs.
Have you disassembled the mags and cleaned them lately?
Sounds like you could have a weak spring or assembled mag incorrectly (NO offense! Don’t know your level of firearm expertise). I have had many pistols over 50+ years and have on RARE Occasion assembled mags Improperly. Also check the follower for wear. Don’t know if this post is of any help, but I would take the mag apart and look for any obvious issues.

I just purchased new mag springs from Galloway Precision ($10 each with free Shipping and no tax. Took 4 days from order to delivery) that are 10% increased rate springs for my M&P Bodyguard 380. I’m not taking any chances that the mag springs are weak. Might give that some thought.

Be SAFE and Shoot Often!

 

[Gamecock]

I'm not familiar with the Bodyguard 380. A look on the net shows the "M&P Bodyguard 380."

M&P(R) BODYGUARD(R) 380 | Smith & Wesson

If this is it, I note its weight is 12 ounces. That is very light. Light guns don't have the mass to resist the slide's recoil. You have to provide it with your grip. As a general recommendation, if you are having function problems with a tiny pistol, grip it harder. A firm grip is required. The smaller the gun, the tighter the grip needed.

 

[kbm6893]

First I would ask if it is the Bodyguard 380 (first production) or the new M&P Bodyguard 380.
Then I would ask how many rounds fired through pistol.
There were some people that said the original mags had issues that were thought to be weak springs.
Have you disassembled the mags and cleaned them lately?
Sounds like you could have a weak spring or assembled mag incorrectly (NO offense! Don’t know your level of firearm expertise). I have had many pistols over 50+ years and have on RARE Occasion assembled mags Improperly. Also check the follower for wear. Don’t know if this post is of any help, but I would take the mag apart and look for any obvious issues.

I just purchased new mag springs from Galloway Precision ($10 each with free Shipping and no tax. Took 4 days from order to delivery) that are 10% increased rate springs for my M&P Bodyguard 380. I’m not taking any chances that the mag springs are weak. Might give that some thought.

Be SAFE and Shoot Often!

It’s the newer M&P Bodyguard. I’ve had it for probably 3 years? When the newer version first came out. No laser.

I have had the mags apart and usually do after shooting. I’m fanatical about cleaning my Guns. I thought maybe the Mag was put back together wrong but nope. All good.

How many rounds? Maybe 400-500? It’s not a range gun as you know. I did just have the newer Galloway Precision metal mag release installed. S&W replaced the plastic one with a metal one but when I got it back the magazine would eject while firing. Probably my finger hitting the release. It took very little effort to eject the mag. The Galloway one cured that, at least.

So reloads and factory, clean gun with clean mags assembled correctly. I guess I’ll load up 100 more and take it out again. I don’t want to spend a ton of time shooting this gun. At 15 feet they all land in a paper plate firing at a steady pace. All I’m looking for in this type of gun. At 10 feet a much tighter group.