S&W Bodyguard 38 - BG38 trigger complete failure

[Headless]

Hello all.

I'm an owner of several S&W pistols and have always been satisfied with their guns in the past; i've owned a 659, 5906, CS40, 642, 22A and finally, and most recently, a brand new Bodyguard 38.

First of all let me start by explaining something about the BG38. Unlike my model 642, the BG38 uses a single star shaped circle with indentations that engage with the cylinder to rotate the cylinder when the trigger is pulled. The trigger appears to function totally differently than my 642 (and other J frame) trigger. It appears that this trigger mechanism is flawed to the core.

Tonight my BG38 totally locked up, trigger and cylinder, while dry firing the gun. The trigger locked in place fully cocked, and the cylinder release rubber button was stuck forward and would not return to it's neutral position; this problem was caused, as far as I can tell, just by pulling the trigger partially, then releasing it and trying a complete trigger pull.

I've found 2 other reports of the same type of thing happening to other people and would like this post to be a log of my encounter with this design. At this moment, my pistol's trigger is totally locked in place and the cylinder cannot be closed. To get the cylinder open AT ALL, I had to carefully insert a screwdriver from the bottom of the gun, in front of the trigger, and push the 'hammer' upwards, while applying some pressure forwards on the trigger. With the hammer moved out of the way, the trigger resets and the cylinder release works again. Trying to fire this pistol at this time completely locks the cylinder and trigger every time the trigger is pulled.

I don't consider this design to be reliable whatsoever. I cannot replicate this problem with my 642. I'm going to try and get a video of this in action posted on my youtube account.

 

[MDMarauder]

Sorry to hear you are having problems. I never cared for the BG38 after handling one.. Hope S&W gets it sorted out for you.

 

[photoman]

At this time, I would not recommend the BG38 for self defense use. You are correct that the lockwork is a completely new design and there have been various reports of problems similar to yours along with other issues. Hopefully, Smith & Wesson will get it all worked out and a -1 will come out soon.

 

[Headless]

At this time, I would not recommend the BG38 for self defense use. You are correct that the lockwork is a completely new design and there have been various reports of problems similar to yours along with other issues. Hopefully, Smith & Wesson will get it all worked out and a -1 will come out soon.

Yeahp, neither would I.
I went ahead and took the gun back to the gun shop I bought it from today. They are going to order a set of crimson trace grips for my reliable 642 and put the remainder of the value of the BG38 towards a .357 mag that i've been eyeing. They can deal with S&W. They did say they'd let me know what S&W claims to be the problem w/ the pistol, however.

This oughtta teach me to be the one who says 'oh heck, i'm sure they got it right....'

 

[coach22]

I posted this 11-22-2011

The Model 38 and 638 are great.
The new Bodyguard is a strike 3 gun.
Strike 1: Placement of cylinder latch.
For someone who has never shot a Smith before,
they can learn where the new release is.
For someone who has shot Smith's forever,
muscle memory will always go to the old location, on the side.
Strike 2: To activate the laser, a right handed shooter has to reach over
the top of the gun. The hand is no longer in a shooting position
and has to be reset to fire the gun. Bad when every second counts.
Strike 3: The cylinder rotates opposite from the way all other Smith's do.
Emergency...you have time to load one bullet. Memory puts it at 1 o'clock.
Pull the trigger and the bullet is now at 4 o'clock. No bang.
Actually, there is a Strike 4 too: Other J frame grips don't fit it.
Smith reinvented the wheel and made it square.

 

[goldenbb]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I have been down this road with so many firearms...

All the manufacturers are trying to get in on the Concealed Carry Permit Craze (TM) and are offering up the worst shyte I have ever seen. It is infuriating that so much time and effort has been wasted on duping the public. S&W is just the latest to fall in with this disaster. Instead of using CAD and CNC technology to provide us with quality, gun makers have decided to cut a lot of corners instead.

The 442 and 642 are what I consider bottom of the line decent, but you really need to go up to a Model 60 to get something I would call "good." And all those .380 ACP pocket guns are just jokes--all of them. And the 9mm ones aren't any better. Think before you buy: If you are really going to need to protect yourself, spend the money and don't go too small. Oh, and there are lots of used Gen3 Smiths around at good prices right now.

 

[mag318]

I've had nothing but a positive experience with the new Bodyguard 38. I bought one when they were first released and it has been a reliable and troublefree revolver. I have shot well over 1K rounds thru it and found it to be very comfortable even with hot +P loads. Sure the cylinder rotates clockwise and the cylinder latch is on the top of the frame, and half the frame is plastic. Regardless I think this is a good design and a pleasure to shoot, my dealer can't keep them in stock.

 

[lyodbraun]

I agree its a nice little gun to have, mine has been good to me for the most part trouble free, the only real problems with it is the fact it shoots high and to the left for me, when it gets warm out again or I go to a indoor range I will try it out some more and see if it continues to shoot this way.. Ive sent S&W a email bout it and will see what they tell me..

 

[shootist2121]

I've sent mine back twice for sight issues. I've given up on Smith fixing the Poa to match Poi. I have resorted to filing the front sight which at least now has me on at 10 yards. I have had little issues with the laser.

Be Safe

 

[lyodbraun]

I've sent mine back twice for sight issues. I've given up on Smith fixing the Poa to match Poi. I have resorted to filing the front sight which at least now has me on at 10 yards. I have had little issues with the laser.

Be Safe

yeah I sent a email to S&W but prob wont hear anything back till the new year, any pics of your front site ?? Ive tried the laser on target and its off as well I have it in line with front sight.... Im gonna wait for our new local gun shops indoor range to open to try it out some more, before I decide what to do with it I prob wont sell it or trade it though LOL.

 

[EAKohler]

I have one of the BG38's and while I haven't shot it a lot I like it just fine. I have the laser sight adjusted to where the bullet strikes where the laser dot is. I haven't really been using the iron sights.

 

[leonpress]

What problems are there with the BG38? I just picked a new one up today for home protection. It seems OK although I have not fired it as yet.

 

[5Wire]

No problems with mine. Several hundred rounds downrange and lots of dry firing. Laser works and the gun shoots to wherever that little dot shows up. It's not my best little gun but it is just fine for its intended purpose.

 

[lyodbraun]

when you guys are using the laser how far away is your targets ? im just gonnna have to wait till our local gun shops indoor range is done to be able to adjust my laser and get it on target, cause if I use the iron sight I have to shoot down and the right of center to get it where I want it ... in time I will get it shooting where I want it..

 

[5Wire]

I practice at 7 yards alternating cylindersful laser on, laser off in hopes of refining my hand eye coordination. I empty each cylinder as fast as I can reacquire the target with laser or "muscle memory". Any further, I might practice more but in a dangerous situation, I'd try to get away.

The laser can be pretty precise at any distance you can see it and hold steady enough to get off the shots.

 

[mag318]

Since my Bodyguard shoots to the point of aim I align the laser dot just above the front sight at 7 yards. Shooting this revolver from the hip and other none aiming positions is a lot of fun with the laser and a great training aid. It's amazing how accurate this thing is employing the lazer.

 

[5Wire]

I've seen where some laser users set the point of aim to the offset distance of the laser from the bore axis so that—for the most part—one need compensate only for elevation when shooting. This makes sense to me but I have yet to try it much beyond 50 feet where I can barely see the dot in the shade and I'm not so good a shot or consistent enough to regulate that fine a point of impact very far out anyway. But I totally agree with mag318 that shooting from different positions, as long as you can see that little dot, is a total hoot, and targets, beware!

Like mag313, my BG38 shoots to the point of aim but I didn't notice that until I got the laser dot and .38 hole pretty much in the same place shooting from rest at 21 feet. Then I looked at the fixed-sight picture. Punkin' on a post at 7 yards, go figger.

 

[EAKohler]

"when you guys are using the laser how far away is your targets"---I have been practicing at about 7-8 yards. I got the gun for close work, if needed, like in my house or car.
Allen

 

[lyodbraun]

yeah next time im at the range I will try it out at some of the close range like most have said ... thanks for all the input.. if there are any updates keep them comming

 

[5Wire]

I posted this 11-22-2011

...Strike 1: Placement of cylinder latch.
For someone who has never shot a Smith before,
they can learn where the new release is.
For someone who has shot Smith's forever,
muscle memory will always go to the old location, on the side.
Strike 2: To activate the laser, a right handed shooter has to reach over
the top of the gun. The hand is no longer in a shooting position...

Not so. If you are going to actually carry the gun, you can practice with the latch and it is truly ambidextrous. The laser can be activated with the off-side thumb in a Miculek type crossover grip. That is if you haven't used the laser to help refine point and shoot hand-eye coordination.

Strike 3: The cylinder rotates opposite from the way all other Smith's do.
Emergency...you have time to load one bullet. Memory puts it at 1 o'clock.
Pull the trigger and the bullet is now at 4 o'clock. No bang.
Actually, there is a Strike 4 too: Other J frame grips don't fit it.
Smith reinvented the wheel and made it square.

If you have time to reload or reindex the trigger, it wasn't as much of an emergency as you thought. It's not an assault gun. It's not a range gun. It's an entry level self defense gun, economically priced, if you can't get away, keep pulling the trigger up close and personal until five bangs are up. Don't like it, don't buy it. It works fine for its intended purpose.

So, using the baseball analogy, a base on balls.