New Bodyguard broken

How many people who carry a Bodyguard .380 carry a spare magazine? My guess is a lower percentage than average for larger guns, because the whole reason you would carry it is so you can carry very light. Nevertheless, I would agree that this is a design flaw. If it has been corrected on newer ones, maybe they would replace it if you complained.
 
Break In?

Just scratching my head wondering why any gun would "break in" and achieve easier magazine insertion or latching. Maybe if you inserted a magazine over and over into battery without depressing the release button the latch surface would wear down or bevel a bit. I always push the mag release button on any clip fed pistol to reduce friction and wear on the latch and keep from scraping the finish off the magazine. Yes, I know, non-tactical situations. I know BG's latch open on an empty magazine. Ruger LCP's don't and the resistance from the incredibly strong mag spring is way higher than that of the mag release, making that last 1/in. of insertion pretty stiff as the top round is pushed down in the magazine. BG's would be the same if attempting to load on a closed slide.
 
Georgia Yankee said:
How many people who carry a Bodyguard .380 carry a spare magazine? My guess is a lower percentage than average for larger guns, because the whole reason you would carry it is so you can carry very light. Nevertheless, I would agree that this is a design flaw. If it has been corrected on newer ones, maybe they would replace it if you complained.
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I always carry a spare mag regardless of what I'm carrying. It's good practice and really doesn't add that much weight. It's low enough that it shouldn't matter.

I don't carry a spare expecting to get in a full shootout, but I'd rather have extra brass and not need it than need them and not have them.
 
The biggest design flaw is that the BG380 isn't round. :P If my old six-shooter runs dry and I still have bad guys, I pull another round gun. :D
 
I have to correct my previous statement about the 90 degree mating surfaces. I was looking at the top of the mag catch rather than the bottom - and of course the bottom of the catch is what the magazine encounters first - on my BG380 - that surface is beveled/angled.

(if this works) in one of the attached photos there is a shot up the mag well with an arrow pointing to the bottom of the mag catch, plus one with the magazine body (no guts) meeting the mag catch as viewed from the top and a shot of the magazine with an arrow pointing to the mating point on the mag.

You may be able to see on the mag catch a roughly circular area which is worn a bit which is where the mag meets the catch. There is also a flat bottom on the catch that protrudes into the well - I may have to look some more if the mag is encountering that flat bottom before meeting the angled portion.

In any case - the mag catch must be moved out of the way in order for the magazine to be inserted. This cam be done by you manually - or my the magazine being inserted, which will require more force than if the mag catch is moved out of the way. If you are holding the firearm such that you are blocking the mag catch from moving out along the right side of the grip (as viewed from behind with muzzle forward) - then it will require even more force.

Possibly solutions to mage the insertion easier which should not affect operation of the firearm or mag drop could include a slight chamfer to the leading edge of the magazine - either by bending it in slightly (not enough to interfere with the projectile) or by sanding/grinding/filing the edge of the magazine such that the outside is angled - this might only take a mm or so of adjustment. OR - alter the profile of the mag catch so that it is more angled or at the very least knock off the edge where the flat bottom meets the angled side.
 

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My wife has had a BG for a while now. She shoots it extremely well, reloads fast and has never complained one bit about the mag hanging up without depressing the mag release. After reading threads like this I'm just so freaking glad I have her to go to the range with rather than some of you knuckleheads. Breaking in guns is the fun part. :-)
 
I never said I have a problem with the BG380 magazines. Only that they do behave differently than other firearms I own where some are easier and some are harder to insert or can be easier to insert if certain things are done such as not blocking the mag catch or partially pressing the mag catch. Just as some have longer heavier trigger pulls and some are easier to rack than others.
 
WSanford said:
My wife has had a BG for a while now. She shoots it extremely well, reloads fast and has never complained one bit about the mag hanging up without depressing the mag release. After reading threads like this I'm just so freaking glad I have her to go to the range with rather than some of you knuckleheads. Breaking in guns is the fun part. :-)
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We bought the BG for my wife prior to the last Christmas season. Our LGS advised us of the magazine insertion problems and cautioned us to hold the release button in when inserting the magazine. He said in time and with more firing that need will go away. It really has never been an issue to either one of us and we probably will continue doing so long after the need, but only out of habit. The LGS said "leave the slamming of the magazines" to the movie stars. I really agree with that seeing it doesn't take that much effort in pressing that release button!

Oh, and I don't know that breaking in the guns is the fun part. I know in some cases that part can be very frustrating to some! If you get a pistol that turns out to be "issue free" I would agree with you!

Rick
 
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goes away after break in period.
thats been my experience.
surprised me first time i tried to load a full mag and couldn't
 
reddhawk said:
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.
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OMFG..... This is completely NORMAL.... You have to press the mag release to insert the magazine on the newer M&P 380's. It's all over You Tube in the reviews & online forums as well.. If you call S&W Customer service they will tell you it is normal.. If you look at the magazine it has straight walls, not beveled, if you look inside the pistol grip the mag catch is straight, not beveled... The older versions of the pistol slid in, but not the new M&P versions... It is NOT a malfunction.
 
CaptRon956 said:
OMFG..... This is completely NORMAL.... You have to press the mag release to insert the magazine on the newer M&P 380's. It's all over You Tube in the reviews & online forums as well.. If you call S&W Customer service they will tell you it is normal.. If you look at the magazine it has straight walls, not beveled, if you look inside the pistol grip the mag catch is straight, not beveled... The older versions of the pistol slid in, but not the new M&P versions... It is NOT a malfunction.
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I'm afraid the redundancy, or repetition of posting the same Q&A's in the forum threads is normal! I find my self doing it too.
Human nature I guess. When you want an answer, you want it NOW!
I find myself posting a topic, or asking for info on a subject that has been discussed many times in various threads and then kick myself for not searching for the subject before I post!
It is "Like Déjà vu all over again"

mb
 
I noticed the same thing when I bought my new M&P BG in November, didn't bother me much, called CS and he pretty much told me it will wear itself. I told him I could get it in without pressing the mag release but I had to slam it, he said go ahead, if it breaks, it's warranty. LOL. I just sat there with one mag and slightly pushing on the release button and worked it about 50 times, took 10 minutes and BOOM, smooth as silk now.
 
federali said:
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.
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The LAPD has authorized this gun (backup only) for departmental use.

I have a bodyguard 380 (the model with the Insight laser), and never had this problem at all.
 
You haven't lived (bled) until you have slammed home the mag on a PPS.
Hint, bring plenty of absorbent materials.
My problems with various BG380's isn't the mag catch.
 
3rd time's the charm

A bit late to the discussion as I just joined the forum but thought my recent experience might be of interest.

I have two new BG380s, one without the mag problem and one with. I sent the one with the problem to S&W three times and on the third time it came back with the mag sliding in perfectly. Not sure what they finally did, but it works now.
 
ObliqueApproach said:
I sent the one with the problem to S&W three times and on the third time it came back with the mag sliding in perfectly. Not sure what they finally did, but it works now.
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I'm guessing that on the third return (and still functioning 'normally'), they went ahead and beveled the mag release for you.
(but that's only a guess)

(Oh... CaptRon... I finally got suckered in to looking too. :) :D)
 
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Magazine release on M&P Bodyguard 380 is plastic, and when loading, it can sharply catch on the metal retaining notch on the magazine, causing it chip/break. I have 2 BG380's. One completely broke, the other one shows small irregular chips in the plastic magazine release. Plastic-to-metal. Not a good design. S&W should have made this mechanism metal-to-metal. So, make sure to press that magazine release button when loading! I hope a replacement metal release mechanism becomes available. Lifetime warranty is great, but I wasn't expecting to have to send both pistols back for repair. Shoots great, however.
 
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