Not the best day at the range

[Teasip]

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.

As a comparable new shooter compared to many of you, I can only relate to how I handle such similarities medically. If you find something/don't find something that you should, have someone else exam the patient. If both find the same scenario then that is the most likely answer. The fact that two experienced shooters had the same issue makes me question the firearm (380).

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

I will be going back to the range this Friday. I have the Hogue beavertail on the Shield and another 100 rounds. Both weapons have been cleaned and lubed and we shall see.

 

[Dad_Roman]

PositiveMentalAttitude....I love it.

I wish ya the best. I think you will change your mind overall fairly quickly.

While I would NEVER question your expertise (and I am a beginner by comparision) I have to say that you stated your background is in 1911's and the like. I love these Shields but Ive' only been at this sport for a few years and only own poly guns.

That being said, I would politely recommend you consider watching Hicock45 on shooting the "Shield" model in general (9mm at the time...he may have one out on the 45 now). We picked up a few tips on how to handle a compact and it made a HUGE difference in our shooting enjoyment.

I had a Hogue Handall on mammas but ordered us the Beavertails. They came in, I put one on mine. Ran a quick 80 through it this last weekend. I thought it was great.

Again, best of luck, let us know!

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

That being said, I would politely recommend you consider watching Hicock45 on shooting the "Shield" model in general (9mm at the time...he may have one out on the 45 now). We picked up a few tips on how to handle a compact and it made a HUGE difference in our shooting enjoyment.!

He does have one on the 45 Shield and I have watched it, prior to buying the Shield as I almost bought the Springfield XD Mod 2 40 but decided to buy the Shield instead.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

UPDATE. Range report from today. The Hogue beavertail helped and I shot 100 rounds of Federal econopac (Ammo from Walmart) 230gr ball, 25 rounds Federal HydroShok165gr and 10 rounds of UW Extreme defender. I had the range instructor watch my technique and all was perfect there. However, I still had 6-7 failures to feed, usually the second shot would not feed but it was all from the Federal econo pack. So I will attribute those to that particular Ammo as the other Ammo had zero issues.

The BG.........same issues, stove pipe after first shot, magazine ejecting after 75 rounds. FTF/E same issues. So I called SW and will be sending it in it for repair. If it comes back and still does it, I will be selling it and getting her the p238.

People make fun of Hi Points. My JHP 45 has now shot over 300 rounds of every type of ammo from cheap Russian import to +P and reloads. It has had ZERO issues and if it wasn't so darn big and heavy I would carry it daily. I trust it 100% to protect my family and myself. I have zero trust in the MP 380 Bodyguard and only about 85-90% in the Shield. I will go buy the rounds I know the Shield shoots 100% (Federal 165gr HydroShocks/230gr HST, Buffalo Bore 230gr JHP and UW Extreme Defender, and have one more day of 100-200 rounds of shooting before I call SW. I guess a 4% failure rate at the range with cheap range ammo is acceptable to many. It is not to me.

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

Took the Shield to qualify for my CCL and had zero issues. I was using 165 and 185gr ammo and apparently those are the rounds that work for me. I had totally cleaned and oiled the Shield and the three magazines prior to class as well. As for the BG, haven't heard back from SW yet.

 

[rwsmith]

I'm sure you know....

I'm sure you know not to 'limp wrist' when shooting. Brace your wrist and let the recoil carry your arm up. The .45 should be made to work much better without much trouble..

I'm not going to say that about the .380. I've heard that the later models are more reliable than the old, but I keep hearing stories like this.

I've had days where nothing worked and I couldn't hit a thing and a few days where everything worked and I couldn't miss. Most trips are in between.

 

[MichiganScott]

Can't help but wonder if the guns were cleaned and lubricated in accordance to the owner's manuals prior to the first trip to the range. It seems like we have an inordinate number of problems the first time someone takes their new gun out to shoot it.

 

[85V65Sabre]

Can't help but wonder if the guns were cleaned and lubricated in accordance to the owner's manuals prior to the first trip to the range.

Below is the first paragraph from this thread.

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 almost never clean or lube a firearm before shooting.
I check it to see if it functions properly, if it does it's off to the range.
If I have issues with it's function then I will disassemble clean & lube before shooting.

I'm not saying this is what everyone should do, it's just how I do it.

 

[Dad_Roman]

I'm not saying this is what everyone should do, it's just how I do it.

I accept your methodology. Im the exact opposite

 

[MichiganScott]

Below is the first paragraph from this thread.

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.

Missed that. I still can't help but wonder if a lot of original failures are because of lack of cleaning and lube. What looks like grease is stringy preservative.

 

[Dad_Roman]

Missed that. I still can't help but wonder if a lot of original failures are because of lack of cleaning and lube. What looks like grease is stringy preservative.

Lots of people have mentioned the amount of oil that seems to come on a Shield45. Mine was dripping with oil so much so that the nice padded silicone wrap they come in went directly in the trash. (9's seem to come bone dry)

Now, with that thought let me shift gears to something I have noticed. I am the type that cleans everytime its shot. When the Shield9 was being broken in it took many hundreds of rounds before any slide wear marks of any kind appeared on the slide guides. The Shield45 had wear marks appear almost immediately and after 450 rounds are fairly dramatic in comparision to the 9.

This brings some questions to my mind....(for everyone)

1. Was yours this wet when received?
2. You runnin yours wet or dry?
3. Internal working pressures: Is lube much more critical for the "larger" round?
4. How would you judge the "wear marks" on yours at this point?

 

[OLDSTER]

My Bodyguard has 350 rounds of Hornady American Gunner 90 gr. XTP through it 100% flawless. HOWEVER; pocket-sized pistols are ammo finicky. So with that in mind, when I took it to the range the first time, I tried several different types and brands. My Bodyguard was not 100% reliable with anything but Federal, Winchester, Remington, or Hornady. I does not like foreign ammo ( hard primers, steel case, slightly thinner cartridge bases). I now feed it a steady diet of the Hornady and not one issue of any kind. One more thought; pocket pistols like to be clean and well oiled with a fine oil like Rem-Oil. I like .380 pocket pistols and have owned a Kel-Tec P3AT, Kahr P380(still own), Ruger LCP. They have all been "ammo sensitive". So far, I like this Bodyguard the best

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

With my Shield these are the ammunition that it shoots 100%

Underwood 120gr +P Extreme Defender-Primary carry Ammo
Federal 165gr Hydra-Shok
Hornady American Gunner 185gr XTP
Winchester Kinetic HE 185gr JHP
Hornady 185gr Critical Defense
Underwood 185gr +P XTP
Underwood 230gr +P FMJ
Freedom Munitions 230gr Reman FMJ

 

[vortex360]

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.

Do you depress the magazine release button on the 380 when you insert a new magazine? If not the magazines are probably falling out because the plastic on the release button has been worn out. Always remember to depress the magazine release when inserting a new magazine instead of forcing it in.

 

[85V65Sabre]

Do you depress the magazine release button on the 380 when you insert a new magazine?

No, it's a MAGAZINE RELEASE button!!!

 

[ColRJBrinkman]

My top three ammunition: L-R
Underwood +P 120gr Extreme Defender 1420fps/537
Underwood +P 185gr XTP 1200/592
Winchester Kinetic HE 185gr JHP 1110/506

This is how I have my magazines now loaded with the above 3 in sequence and repeating for my Shield and I have had zero issues shooting that combination.

 

[Dad_Roman]

Sounds like your having some + days

Good deal.