New to the forums. New Bodyguard 380 owner

[Tmogto]

After following the bodyguard 380 for the past year or so I have finally decided to make the purchase. $360 out the door and EAX serial. Im excited to finally own one and to bring it to the range to test her out. Now I also am aware of most of the issues that have plagued it as well and i am hoping I should have no major issues with mine. If anyone has any advise or reccomendations regarding holsters or ammo or cleaning , or even potential pointers or future trouble points to look out for It would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Badkarma 1]

Since it is new I'd recommend at least 100 rounds of ball ammo just to check functioning and get the parts meshing, sorta like the first few miles on a new car. And welcome to the forum! Dale

 

[USAF385]

I've had my EAM9xxx for 6 or 7 months now and haven't had any of the issues I've heard others mention. My only complaint is the somewhat heavy trigger (especially for a gun with a manual safety), but it's nothing that ruins the gun.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[vytoland]

welcome to S&W. glad you are here.

 

[Bronco48]

Welcome to S & W land!!

 

[Tmogto]

Thanks everyone! Im really hoping s&w has finally worked out all the bugs with this pistol so its 100% reliable

 

[bmdsail]

New Body Guard Owner

I recently got the IWB Kubiak holster for the BG 380 and love it

 

[38-55]

I've put a couple hundred rounds through mine so far with zero problems. From what I have read you probably shouldn't dry fire it too much, but after all it is not a target pistol, and I doubt you would notice much difference in the trigger pull after extensive dry firing. Just my opinion.

I started reloading .380 because of the insane factory prices. In my neck of the woods, .380 is almost $10 more than 9mm. Made some test loads using a 100gr truncated cone lead bullet, loaded to about 800 fps and they shot real well out of the little Bodyguard. .380 is about as small of a pistol cartridge as you would want to reload. I also load .45 ACP and it calls the .380 it's 'leetle friend'.

 

[CMSRet]

Purchased my BG380 (SN EAL0XXX) in May or June last year. Take it to the range every couple of months (along with several others) just to keep in practice. Never liked the trigger pull (initially very hard, then looong) but I thought I'd get used to it and to some degree I did. At the range yesterday a spent round stovepiped in the chamber. Had to have help to clear it. Would no longer function. I.e, wouldn't chamber a round. Took it home and tried to field stip it to see what was wrong....couldn't get the slide back far enough to lock it and remove the retaining pin. Something broken inside preventing the slide from moving back far enough. Tried to call the 800 number and after about 45 mins on hold just gave up. Called a repair facility nearer my home. That number answered almost immediately and informed me that: 1) S&W 800 was taking over an hour to answer, 2) They were having numerous problems with the BG380 and 3) to best get help register a problem on the S&W website. Well, I sent an email to the Cust Svc dept but haven't received a reply yet. Stated the malfunction issue, inability to center the laser vertically and lamented the quirky trigger pull. Will attempt to contact them again on monday. EDIT: Took it to Academy today...Nice folks! They are going to send it to S&W for me.

 

[AZBG380]

... At the range yesterday a spent round stovepiped in the chamber. Had to have help to clear it. Would no longer function. I.e, wouldn't chamber a round. Took it home and tried to field stip it to see what was wrong....couldn't get the slide back far enough to lock it and remove the retaining pin. Something broken inside preventing the slide from moving back far enough.....

I wonder if the laser battery door screw loosened and has blocked the slide mechanism? I've read about that occurring and making the gun inoperable. I wanted to wait until the initial problems had been resolved in this gun and it seems as if they have. I purchased my BG 380 (EAX8xxx) at a local gun show before Christmas and have put just over 100 rounds through it so far. Almost all were reloads I purchased at the show - only 2 failures to fire and both fired on the second strike. That is one feature I like about this gun. It also fits my hand better than the LCP and KelTec P3AT, and I shoot it much better with or without the use of the laser. Even though it is not really a range gun (I have an SR9c for that) I like that it has real sights, and I actually have enjoyed shooting it at both indoor and out door ranges. I'm looking forward to learning from the other BG380 owners here, and will be interested to hear how your gun's issue is resolved.

 

[weaponschief]

What kind of AMMO are you all using in your BG380? Just got mine last week and it was fine with SW AMMO, but when I tried to put Monarch 94 grain through it, it would fire the first round and not the second. The firing pin was leaving a small impression in the primer, but it was apparently not hard enough to fire it. Was thinking the Monarch was not that good of AMMO. Will try to Winchester AMMO next time I go to the range and see if that works better. Love the little pistol, really easy to conceal.

 

[Old cop]

The only other advise I might offer is once you get through the break-in period w/FMJ then test it with the self defense load you plan to use. Little guns can be tempermental.

Good luck.

 

[x-ray]

I purchased a new bodyguard 380 on Thanksgiving day 2011 (EAT SN# range) and its functioned perfectly - literally without fail for over 600+rounds. I purchased 10 boxes of Federal Champion ball ammo the same day (it was on sale for $12.99/box 50) It went through all 500 just fine and is very accurate when i do my part with trigger control.

Mine has also worked great with the cheap Tula ball - it was on sale at midway for $10/box and I stocked up. It has fed about 75 rounds of Hornady critical defense hollow point and about 50 rounds of Federal hydroshock hollow point without any failure. I feel both of these defense rounds are fairly decent HP ammo, but usually expensive.

I feel comfortable carrying this little gun as
1. I do actually carry it where i didn't the other heavier guns - back pain problems. I literally forget I am carrying it -its that light.
2. I feel its reliable
3. I can shoot it well

This little 380 changed my opinions about pocket guns, I never liked them before this gun.

 

[awowen]

I have had my BG for just over a year now and have fed more than 500 rounds of widely varied ammo through it without a single failure of any kind. I routinely carry this little jewel in a DeSantis pocket holster.
My only (small) complaint, as many others, would be with the reluctant laser switch. Still the best pocket gun on the market and with Hornady CD it is effective.

 

[weaponschief]

Thanks all, will get it broke in well with a few more hundred rounds and then see what happens. Till then, guess I will feed the Monarch rounds to my Walther PPK/S. It seems to like it better. BG380 is much easier to conceal and I also forget I have it on me. Most of the time, not even using a holster. Just tucked in to a pocket or belt.

 

[olman]

Bodyguard 380 trigger

Had mine now about 3 months. Always goes "boom" when trigger is pulled, which is the only problem. Longest trigger pull I have ever had on any handgun. Am selling or trading soon.