Inconsistent lock-back on empty mag .380

[ec fan]

I have zero experience with .380 pistols, but I just bought an M&P Bodyguard 380. I've not had a chance to shoot it yet, and likely won't until after the new year, but so far I like it.

However, with the magazine that came in the gun (the one with the finger extension), the slide only locks back on the empty magazine maybe one time in three. I can't tell anything that I'm doing differently when it happens. The second, shorter magazine that came with the gun hasn't shown that problem so far, if I'm recalling correctly.

My question is, is this anything I should be concerned with at this point, or phone S&W about? I'd expect they'd ask if it consistently locked back after shooting the last round in the magazine, and of course I don't know that yet. On the other hand, I know that it "should" lock back every time.

If it matters, I have field stripped it and lightly oiled it per the manual.

I've read that others have had this problem with some .380s, but I don't recall what they did, if anything. What is it that would cause this? None of my four 9mm semi's do this.

I appreciate any thoughts and advice anyone would like to share.
Thanks!

 

[Doug M.]

Shoot a few hundred rounds through it before getting concerned. The action cycles differently in modest ways when fired as opposed to cycling by hand, and the vast majority of mechanical devices need at least some break-in.

 

[gwpercle]

Shoot it a few hundred times....with ammo , give it a break in chance . Then Complain if has problem(s).

 

[rodspade]

I had a similar problem with my LCP II. I fixed it with extra power magazine springs from Wolff. Galloway sells springs for your BG380 mags - but try shooting it first!

 

[ec fan]

Thanks, guys!

I'll wait and see how it does after firing the last round in a magazine. That may be awhile as I don't get to go shooting very often.

To my chagrin, after working with it more, I've found that it also fails to lock back sometimes with the other magazine, so I guess the problem wasn't the first magazine. This is inconsistent, as sometimes it locks back just as it should, but at least half the time it doesn't.

The magazines are very easy to load compared to the ones with my 9mm guns.

Again, thanks. I'll just have to be patient!

 

[bigggbbruce]

Until you shoot it you can not assume anything. We all know what happens when we assume.

 

[thewittmp]

I've had issues with mine due to grip - where the thumb is creating pressure on the slide-lock. A friend of mine with very different grip (thumb sticking away from the slide) did not have any issues.

 

[ec fan]

Until you shoot it you can not assume anything. We all know what happens when we assume.

Thanks, LOL. I know what assume makes of "u" and "me," and I won't assume anything yet, other than it often doesn't lock back on an empty mag when the slide is racked. I was wondering what might cause that, and whether I should do anything about it yet. Hopefully it will behave better when I get to shoot it.

My other semi's (9mm, M&Ps and Glocks) consistently lock back on an empty mag whether racked or after the last shot. I'll take the advice to wait until after I shoot it and see how it does then before I call or anything, though. But it seems to be getting more frequent. I racked the slide with both empty magazines several times throughout the day today, firmly reinserting them each time, and it did not lock back even once with either magazine.

I've had issues with mine due to grip - where the thumb is creating pressure on the slide-lock. A friend of mine with very different grip (thumb sticking away from the slide) did not have any issues.

Thanks--I just checked to see if I am touching the slide lock, and I'm not at all. And it did it once with a family member, too, on Thanksgiving. Guess I'll just wait until I get a chance to shoot it, whenever that may be.

After nosing around some more in several forums, apparently this is not a rare problem with this model. If it still does it when it's actually fired, I'll definitely contact S&W about it then.


Thanks, guys, for all your responses!

 

[ScaryWoody]

I have found the magazines S&W uses are problematic. In my 45 Shield I found the follower had issues with tracking smoothly. If you disassemble the magazine and push the follower up using the spring you can see if it tracks smoothly all the way. I found the follower would hang on the front and drag which caused nose diving. Also, it was not seating at top height very easily. I sanded the sharp edges and mold residue and it cleared up my issues. At worst you eliminate the magazine from the problem.

 

[ec fan]

It may be too soon to tell, but I'm thinking the problem may be the magazines that came with the gun. They were just amazingly easy to load, maybe TOO easy.

I had bought two more S&W magazines for it when I bought the gun, and finally got around to opening them last night. Although it is not difficult to depress the followers on them (not nearly as difficult as my 9mm mags), they are just a little more resistant than the two that came with the gun. Slightly stronger springs?

Last night I tried each of the newer ones a dozen times, and again a half-dozen times with each just now, and the slide always locked back, every time with them. And still failed to lock back with the original ones.


After I've tried them many more times, I may phone S&W to see if they'll replace the original ones.

Or I might attempt ScaryWoody's suggestion, but I'm now thinking the springs in them may just be slightly too weak. There's not a huge difference in the resistance, but enough to notice.

Keep your fingers crossed that these new ones continue to function correctly. Obviously, I'd much rather it be a magazine problem than a problem with the gun itself.

And someday I'll get to actually shoot it!

 

[Rastoff]

I've not had a chance to shoot it yet,...

Like bigggbbruce said, until you've shot it, you don't know anything about this gun. It's like saying you're having a problem with the steering on a car that you've never driven.

Also, all the springs in a .380Auto are very weak. Just manipulating the gun by hand won't give the same results as shooting it. It really doesn't matter how many times you rack the slide by hand, it's not the same as shooting.

So, go shoot. Then tell us how great it is.

 

[ec fan]

Yes, of course I know it's not the same as shooting it, but I also know that the slide "should" lock back on an empty magazine when racked by hand, too. I've never had that with any of my other four semi's.

Granted, it's what it does when shot that matters, but "something" is causing it to fail to lock back now. I was wondering what might cause that. Right now the difference seems to be the magazines; time will tell. I guess I just like for things to work as they should all the time.

I'm eager to shoot it, but where I live I don't have a place to do that very conveniently. It will probably be after the holidays before that happens.

 

[vortex360]

Until you shoot it you can not assume anything. We all know what happens when we assume.

Nice assumption. Jajaja.