Not the best day at the range

[ColRJBrinkman]

I finally was able to go to the range to break in both the MP Bodyguard 380 and the 45 Shield. Both were brand new, oiled clean and ready to fire. I'll start out with what good there was.

The 45 Shield: 100 rounds of Federal 230gr ball, 100 rounds of Freedom Arms reman 230gr ball, 25 rounds of Buffalo Bore 230gr JHP, 25 rounds of Winchester 230gr JHP and 14 rounds of Underwood +P 120gr Extreme Defender. I had 20-30 failures to feed. Mostly using the Federal ball, but it did it with every round except the Buffalo Bore and Underwood. My shooting technique with the Shield had something to do with it and seemed to get better shooting 6 magazines back to back rapid fire with the Freedom Arms with no issues.

The ugly. Bodyguard 380. The only rounds it shot without any issue were the Underwood. It hated 90gr Remington and Winchester ball. I only went thru maybe 100 rounds as it had multiple issues - slide not locking back after last round,failure to eject, failure to feed, failure to extract, multiple stove pipes, every other shot and when I thought it began to shoot well using the Winchester HST 90gr the magazines would eject every other shot. I even had one of the range guys shoot it and the magazines would eject every other round. We both shot it one handed vs two handed. Made zero difference. My wife is SO PIXXED that I didn't get her the Sig vs this *** Bodyguard.

For shxts and grins I ran a 100 rounds of 230gr ball, JHP, HST and Underwood Extreme defender thru my Hipoint JHP without any issues.

I left the 380 with their gunsmith to look at it and hopefully it will be sent back to SW for repair or replacement.

As of today....not a fan of either SW. I had such high hopes of both. Likewise, any recommendations to reduce the "pain" of the kick of the Shield? I was using shooting gloves and after that many rounds my hands had had enough.

 

[ontargetagain]

Sorry to hear of your mishaps with your Shields. I don't own the 9mm so I can't comment. I do however have the 45 shield and can't say enough good about it so far.
I don't know your previous shooting experience, I don't know your experience with small light weight semi-autos. Putting if 264 rounds through a small aggressive gripped carry gun and some +P rounds on top of that should pretty much leave anyone with some hand fatigue or pain in my opinion, that is a lot of rounds to put through a full frame target gun!
I know the Hogue makes a nice looking HandAll grip for the Shield that may be a nice aid on both guns for about $10-$12.

I honestly was impressed with how little recoils the 45 transmitted with narrowed grip.

Failures to feed could be from how the bullets were set in the mags, might help to tap them on something firm to set them back tight in the mags. Limp wristing might have contributed to the failure to feed if the slide did not make the appropriate travel cycle.

The Bodyguard sounds like the challenge. I am realizing that compact guns have a narrower latitude for error and seem more sensitive to variations that other guns tend to absorb. They are what they are and with a little learning curve are pretty darn amazing.

I'll give you credit for that endurance of shooting that many rounds with small lightweight guns!
Karl

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

It was the 45 Shield not the 9. All magazines are always tapped back after loading them with a Magula speed loader. I will contribute "limp" wrist as this was the first time shooting a compact 45 for a majority of the feed issues. I know that ammo can be finicky so I wont use Federal ball anymore.

I researched both the 45 compact and 380 compact field and went with SW for both as they both had great reviews. Hopefully SW can fix the 380. I had to extract quite few rounds from the chamber with my knife as the extractor did not.

I am only 5'5 with small hands, but my Army tends to get in the way of pain vs gain too many times.

 

[Dad_Roman]

Sorry bout the poor performance on both counts. (Seems odd doesnt it? What are the odds of you getting TWO lemons?)

Anyways, the wife and I ran our new Shield 45's for 2 days at the range with 500 total downrange. I had -0- failures. She had 2 FTL's but immediately called them on herself, not the gun. (she knows when she is getting weak at the end of a long session)

After 2 heavy days at the range with 3 Shields (I also had a 9) and appx 750 rds downrange, yea, we were tired

We are partial to Houge's. Have them on about everything we own including AR's etc. She will put a layer of 1/16 self stick padding on the grip first (walmart) and then have me put a Houge on over it. While I dont do that to my guns, I WILL admit its ccuuussshhhhy

Hope you have better luck

 

[RILEY31]

My MP Bodyguard 380 has over 1500 rounds threw it without a single failure except when my son in law shoots it.Then it fails about every 3rd shot because he limp wrist the gun.Make sure you are not limp wristing the gun.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Have somebody else shoot them . . .

 

[Shield9mm]

I shoot 90gr winchester on my BDG never had any issues. For the shield grip I would recommend hogue beaver tail grip have one on my shield9 even though have no complains the grip is much better and help to keep the gun in control. Haven't shot my shield 45 yet just got it last week hopefully this weekend will have a chance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Arik]

Have someone else shoot. Have several people just in case.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[SmithNWesson]

I have some issues with the BG380 also, failure to eject and some times it will not lock back either. I do have a theory that it is due to my magazine(s). I may try buying magguts to change out the internals and see if the problem remains.

 

[gqllc007]

For what it's worth I have the .45 Shield as well. It has been 100% flawless for me with 10-15 different manufacturers of JHP and FMJ. ON THE OTHER HAND my wife can barely make it through one magazine without 3-5 failures to feed. It's your grip most likely. My wife is limp wristing. She carries a Glock 43 usually with no issues. The .45 Shield is just too much for her

 

[Dad_Roman]

The .45 Shield is just too much for her

The 45's HURT. Thats for sure.

My wife is loving hers BUT she has 1/16 inch self adhesive foam from wally crafts dept and she wraps her handle with it. Then on goes the Houge Beavertail over that. Then xacto off the excess foam thats sticking out. Now it doesnt give her any trouble at all. Has her Shield9 set up that way too (with a handall Jr.)

She DOES get tired after about 150rds. Had 2 FTL's in 250rds and she called em on herself. (at the end of the day)

 

[ExcitableBoy]

It's already been said, but it surely sounds like "limp-wristing". The inertia of the slide needs something fairly solid to react against to cycle and feed properly. It's pretty elementary with all handguns, but hand, wrist and forearm should be locked together in a straight line. No need for a "death grip", but a pretty solid hold is required. I don't know what kind of arm extension you are employing... fully extended as in bullseye shooting, maybe? Try, perhaps, the two-hand "push-pull" technique, with your arms drawn in slightly. Everything should be nice and tight but not to the point of rigor mortis. It should also reduce the problem with any recoil sensitivity that you and your wife may have.

Good shooting.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

Thanks for the input. I will attribute the 45 to bad technique. I did have one of the range guys shoot the 380 and he had all the same issues I had especially with the magazines ejecting after one-two rounds.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

I also ordered the Hogue beaver tail mentioned above in the post. Hopefully with that I shouldnt have issues with 45 Shield. As for the BG 380, they replaced the magazine release mechanism and according to the GS/Range shop it is now ok.

 

[ExcitableBoy]

Do you mind sharing the technique you've been using? Just curious... and a little easier to diagnose apparent problems.

Keep us up to date.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

I have had zero issues with my 1911, HP JHP 45 nor the Beretta M9. Albeit they are full size semi-auto pistols vs compact. The range guy did say my technique on the Shield was wrong and yes this was the first time shooting a compact weapon also the first using shooting gloves. Once I took the gloves off and changed my the way I was holding the Shield and arm position I was able to shoot 6 straight magazines one after another without issue.

The BG though repaired NOW I have not went back to the range to see if it has no issues.

 

[kthom]

My .45 Shield certainly does not hurt me to fire it. In fact, I'd just as soon shoot it as compared to my 9MM Shield. We are all different, so I'm making no assumptions or accusations here. Just stating my experience. I will say that both my Shields require a good, firm grip and stance to operate properly. Small, lighter weight guns with strong springs absolutely require that. Technique can sometimes be improved. But it is also possible that another handgun might be a better choice for you (or for me, for that matter!).

I agree that you should allow other folks, preferably well experienced shooters, to fire your Shield and Bodyguard and see what they experience. You can get a better idea where the problem may lie! Good luck in sorting it out. You need a gun that fits your hand and that you can shoot well. Whatever it is, whatever caliber it is, you will do your best work possible with that gun if it is well made and reliable.

 

[fdw]

Sorry to hear you have problems. I have both and 0 problems with either. The 45 shield is a sweet shooting gun... you will learn to enjoy it.

 

[ExcitableBoy]

ColRJ:

Good to hear. Thanks.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

I like 45. So I will grow to like the Shield. Two others at the range shot the BG, one was the gunsmith. Both had the same issues that I had with it. After repairing the magazine retainer and tweaking it, then taking it back out to the range, he said there were NO further issues with the BG. I have yet to shoot it since the repair, but I am going back to the range Monday am and I will let you know about both.

I am not inexperienced. 25 years military and I have been shooting a 1911 45 and M9 and even a DE 44 for decades without any issues. These are the first compact weapons so my shooting style will have to be adjusted. But the BG had issues out of the box.