New Bodyguard broken

[reddhawk]

Hi,
Brand new, never shot, in the box, Bodyguard 380 - malfunction. I opened the box, chamber checked it and removed the magazine. All was good until I attempted to replace the mag. Something was blocking complete insertion. I tried the other mag and same thing. I rapidly pushed it in but no success. Mag won't go in! Then I pushed the mag release button and it allowed complete insertion - what? This gun will go back to the factory pronto! I can't fathom why S&W Quality Assurance would allow this *** to be released for sale. Apparently the mag release blocks the mag. It was purchased from an internet dealer otherwise I wouldn't have brought it home.
Thanks for the rant.

 

[handlebar]

seems to do what mine does, and every other BodyGuard. I think that is normal.

 

[lmacrichter]

Keep inserting the mags and when it is broken in they will work fine. I see this complaint all the time and the problem is normal but works itself out.

 

[97sho]

Just got my mp bodyguard today. It has the exact same problem you discribed. I took the mag all the way out then just started to insert it. Using the palm of my hand I slammed the mag in the whole way then removed it and repeated that action about 30 times. After that it inserted the same as my S W Bodyguard.

 

[Mcwsky09]

The surfaces on the magazine and the catch which need to get past each other during insertion are not beveled or ramped etc so pressing in the release button until the leading edge of the mag is past the catch makes a huge difference. The other thing you gotta watch is that you are not holding it such that you are blocking the mag release on other side from moving as this will make it much more difficult. In other words during insertion the mag catch must move and if you are blocking it then it takes more force to move it.

 

[Rickgus]

We purchased a new Bodyguard 380 end of last year and our LGS warned us before we ever left his shop to use the magazine release button when inserting a magazine until the pistol has seen some range use. It should begin to loosen up once it has been broken in. He said definitely do not slam the magazines home! He said leave that for the movie stars!

 

[97sho]

RedHawk, if you only use you hands to slam the mag into the pistol, you won't hurt it. Firing it will break in certain things,however fixing the mag insertion problem isn't one of them. To use the release button to insert the mag is not per design.

 

[Iwant2shootlikehickock45]

It's normal try shooting it first

 

[buckshotshorty]

I habitually press the mag release button and turn the firearm upside down at the same time when inserting any mag in all my guns. They fall right into place doing it that way.

 

[PersDef]

Hi,
Brand new, never shot, in the box, Bodyguard 380 - malfunction. I opened the box, chamber checked it and removed the magazine. All was good until I attempted to replace the mag. Something was blocking complete insertion. I tried the other mag and same thing. I rapidly pushed it in but no success. Mag won't go in! Then I pushed the mag release button and it allowed complete insertion - what? This gun will go back to the factory pronto! I can't fathom why S&W Quality Assurance would allow this *** to be released for sale. Apparently the mag release blocks the mag. It was purchased from an internet dealer otherwise I wouldn't have brought it home.
Thanks for the rant.

Redd, as others have said, this is a known issue with new MP BG380's out of the box. Initial mag insertions do require pressing the release button, but this will quickly smooth out as you begin using the gun and eventually the mags will insert without having to press the release button. Not a malfunction, just some rough edges on the release catch from manufacturing.

 

[hokiefyd]

Is the magazine release removable from the gun? I wonder if they couldn't be hand beveled to smooth the process.

 

[martybee]

Been wondering the same thing.

Looking at the magazine catch/release from the mag well it looks like it could be beveled or chamfered to allow for the easy insertion of the magazine, if you could remove the assy. from the frame.

mb

 

[federali]

I Guess This Isn't a Joke

As you guys know, if this gun was being presented to a law enforcement agency for possible adoption or to authorize its use, it would be rejected out-of-hand. True, semi-autos usually require a break-in period but such difficulty in inserting a magazine falls outside normal break-in considerations. I was part of the national team that selected semi-autos for my agency when we transitioned away from revolvers. No way, Jose!

On many other threads, people are quick to condemn Glocks because they're ugly. But, ugly or not, they work nearly every time, right out of the box, thus, their widespread use in law enforcement.

Perhaps the magazine catch may be removed and beveled a bit to insure smoother seating?

 

[CaptRon956]

I'm just gonna do a capt. Picard faceplant & walk away from this one....

Didn't your salesman have presense of mind to go over the pistol with you?

That is perfectly normal for the bodyguard, you have to depress the mag release in order to smoothly insert the mag... It is not beveled, dont ask me why S&W changed it. The older BG380's didnt do that... If you call Customer service they will tell you that is normal.


From this moment on, if there are any more first time posts about the Shield or the bodyguard, I'm not even going to look at the thread....

 

[reddhawk]

Thanks to all contributors. I'll wait for a response from S&W C/S before attempting anything to make the gun work as designed.
The last thing I expected from S&W was a do-it-yourself 'project gun', right out of the box.
Lesson learned.

 

[Decipher]

As you guys know, if this gun was being presented to a law enforcement agency for possible adoption or to authorize its use, it would be rejected out-of-hand. True, semi-autos usually require a break-in period but such difficulty in inserting a magazine falls outside normal break-in considerations. I was part of the national team that selected semi-autos for my agency when we transitioned away from revolvers. No way, Jose!

On many other threads, people are quick to condemn Glocks because they're ugly. But, ugly or not, they work nearly every time, right out of the box, thus, their widespread use in law enforcement.

Perhaps the magazine catch may be removed and beveled a bit to insure smoother seating?

No, Glocks are chosen by many law enforcement agencies because Glock gives them away at deep discounts. As someone in another thread mentioned, Glock bought their way into the market. They're fine but they're not the epitome of firearms. They're not without their flaws. We don't need to get into all of this, but EVERY manufacturer has their issues. This Glock fanboy stuff gets old. I don't see anyone here claiming that S&W is the best brand out there. I don't know what Glock does, but they have the quickest-to-defend-the-brand loyalists I've ever seen. Do you get a kickback when you buy one?

This magazine catch is NORMAL for a new BG380. Is it a design flaw? Yes, in my opinion, it shouldn't happen right out of the box. It does work its way out but NO ONE should carry their weapon until they've properly broken the weapon in with several hundred rounds. For me, that means 500 continuous, flawless rounds. By then, based on what everyone I know who owns the BG380 says, the gun will be properly broken in and the mag catch won't be an issue. It's pretty short-sighted to drop consideration for a weapon based on something that is related to break-in. By that logic alone, pretty much every gun will be tossed out of consideration, except for a Glock, of course!

 

[Iwant2shootlikehickock45]

Go check out the glock42 380 model. It has had way more issues than the bg380.

 

[Iwant2shootlikehickock45]

Thanks to all contributors. I'll wait for a response from S&W C/S before attempting anything to make the gun work as designed.
The last thing I expected from S&W was a do-it-yourself 'project gun', right out of the box.
Lesson learned.

I imagine they will tell you it is normal. Mine shoots just fine. You can slam the magazine in if you want

 

[hokiefyd]

I suppose the magazine release on the Bodyguard is a plastic piece, then (without a metal insert, like the Shield and larger guns have)? That's normally not a good recipe for long term durability. I know...I've got a Kel-Tec P-32 with a plastic magazine release that engages with a metal magazine. Sure, the plastic will wear-in. But it'll continue to wear, and continue to wear, etc.

If the Bodyguard's magazine release is plastic, I wonder if there's not an aftermarket metal one.

 

[bulldogman]

Ah yes, the joys of pocket .380's and it's not just the Bodyguard.