So I just won a new BG380.....

[Nakanokalronin]

I just won a NIB BG380 for $310. I'd like to get some input from you guys on the trigger,recoil, quality and anything else you can think of.

To put some light on my experience with small .380s, I've owned and/or shot a P3AT, LCP, P238 and DB380. Right now, the keeper is my P238. Very little recoil, great night sights and it has the best trigger out of the other 380s I've shot/owned.

Now I know the BG380 has a DAO trigger but it's a true DAO with second strike capability (if you find it necessary or not) unlike the LCP and P3AT. I am also used to DAO guns like a J-Frame and the LCR I currently use when bike riding.

I also know that S&W improved the laser module so it dosn't move during recoil. I'm not sure what else they improved but comments from the middle of last year to now seem pretty positive so I think they got all the kinks worked out.

I'm really liking the M&P series of guns and am currently waiting for my LGS to get a Shield in stock and call me when my name on the list shows up. In my carry line-up I like to have an IWB gun, pocket gun, ankle/bike gun and a small back-up piece. The BG380 would be the pocket gun once it proved itself at the range with different brands of ammo.

I keep reading how tough the trigger is but I think people are used to a striker fired poly gun like a Glock, XD and M&P. I know it's not going to be like that but it can't be all bad. The lack of BG380 posts on here seems like maybe people have lost interest in the little guy. Any and all comments are welcome.

 

[Lost Lake]

Sounds like you bought a BG380 for $310. Was it an auction?

Pretty good price! I paid $289 for mine new with the LE discount.

I love mine. It just plain shoots and hasn't had a glitch in hundreds of rounds. Maybe 600 rounds and 400 dry fires???

It has a snappy recoil, but not bad.

 

[BuckeyeChuck]

Thoughts on my EDC, the BG 380:

(1) The trigger is long and heavy. It is not easy to shoot and based on hearsay, it may not compare favorably to the P238.

(2) The takedown lever is ridiculously difficult to actuate the first few 10's of times you use it. I actually had to use a tool the first few times. Now I am able to move it easily with finger pressure, though I won't say the finger pressure is light.

(3) The laser set screw backs out. If you don't catch it, it may block the slide from coming back, meaning you cannot access the screw to tighten it. I recommend working a tightness check into your routine maintenance.

(4) The laser buttons are iffy. The left side button on my gun seldom works at all, and I've developed an uneasy rappor with the right side button. The laser on my gun usually works well, though for a time I had a problem with it randomly shutting off after shots. This problem has gone away and I consider it a non-issue until it recurs.

(5) The sights are *excellent* for a gun of this size. I prefer using them to the laser.

(6) The grip is good if you don't have large hands, which I don't. My hands are long and my fingers are thin, so I get a good grip on it. I use the extended base plate and have found that it doesn't detract from pocket carry.

(7) Recoil is snappy. You learn to manage it. Some report that their hands hurt after firing it, but I can dump 100 rounds down range and never experience that. (I usually shoot at least 50 though it, and often 100, at the range.)

(8) It fits oh-so-nicely into the pockets of any pair of pants I wear: dress slacks, jeans, cargo shorts, etc.

(9) Overall, I say the gun is difficult to shoot well. At the range, I seldom practice for accuracy, meaning I don't spend five seconds between shots and try to put all the shots through the same hole. That's not the gun's purpose. Instead, I focus on double taps to center of mass. The trigger is so heavy and long that I struggle with the muzzle dropping, so I've learned to aim at the neck, and the double taps tend to wind up in the chest. I can often fire two the chest and still hit one to the head.

Before buying the BG 380, I rented it and the LCP and shot them side by side, over and over again. That BG 380 was a much better fit for me and I had no difficulty with my decision after the comparison.

I enjoy my BG 380. If/when I get to rent a Shield, the BG 380 may be relegated to carry-it-sometimes status.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

Sounds like you bought a BG380 for $310. Was it an auction?

Pretty good price! I paid $289 for mine new with the LE discount.

I love mine. It just plain shoots and hasn't had a glitch in hundreds of rounds. Maybe 600 rounds and 400 dry fires???

It has a snappy recoil, but not bad.

Yep it was an auction. NIB for $310 seemed like a pretty good price, especially since my LGS wants $420 for one before tax. As long as the recoil is no more than the P3AT I had, I don't think it will be bad. The one I handled at my LGS felt really good in the hand.

 

[krdshrk]

I shot my friend's BG380 - I would have bought one if the Beretta Nano hadn't came out.

I like the gun - the trigger is long and relatively heavy, yes, but it's like a DAO Revolver - it's a steady trigger pull which is good. I don't like short, light trigger pulls in pocket guns.

The recoil is not bad for such a small gun - it is a bit snappy but not nearly as bad as a lot of other pocket .380s.

The sights are great too.

Don't know that much about the laser module.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

Thoughts on my EDC, the BG 380:

(1) The trigger is long and heavy. It is not easy to shoot and based on hearsay, it may not compare favorably to the P238.

I'm used to the long trigger pulls on the P3AT, LCP and DB380 so hopefully it just gets better than the one I just handled today.

(2) The takedown lever is ridiculously difficult to actuate the first few 10's of times you use it. I actually had to use a tool the first few times. Now I am able to move it easily with finger pressure, though I won't say the finger pressure is light.

Thanks for the heads up. Not a big deal since I'm not in a competition for fastest gun cleaning.

(3) The laser set screw backs out. If you don't catch it, it may block the slide from coming back, meaning you cannot access the screw to tighten it. I recommend working a tightness check into your routine maintenance.

I did read about this and will probably use some locktite on the screw.

(4) The laser buttons are iffy. The left side button on my gun seldom works at all, and I've developed an uneasy rappor with the right side button. The laser on my gun usually works well, though for a time I had a problem with it randomly shutting off after shots. This problem has gone away and I consider it a non-issue until it recurs.

Even though I'll probably never even use the laser, this is good to know. I saw a Youtube vid of a guy using 2mm long sections of a pen refill tube to help the buttons be more positive. To bad nobody has made a little flashlight module replacement.

(5) The sights are *excellent* for a gun of this size. I prefer using them to the laser.

The sights are defiantly better than most pocket guns.

(6) The grip is good if you don't have large hands, which I don't. My hands are long and my fingers are thin, so I get a good grip on it. I use the extended base plate and have found that it doesn't detract from pocket carry.

I just got back from my LGS just so I could handle a BG380. The grip is equally as comfortable as the P238, maybe even more so. My fingers are long and my hand is largish but it still felt great with the thumbs forward grip I use on semi-autos.

(7) Recoil is snappy. You learn to manage it. Some report that their hands hurt after firing it, but I can dump 100 rounds down range and never experience that. (I usually shoot at least 50 though it, and often 100, at the range.)

I'm not recoil sensitive and I'm pretty used to small snappy semi-autos. Only a few have been ridiculous and they usually had terrible grips/texture.

(8) It fits oh-so-nicely into the pockets of any pair of pants I wear: dress slacks, jeans, cargo shorts, etc.

Big Plus!

(9) Overall, I say the gun is difficult to shoot well. At the range, I seldom practice for accuracy, meaning I don't spend five seconds between shots and try to put all the shots through the same hole. That's not the gun's purpose. Instead, I focus on double taps to center of mass. The trigger is so heavy and long that I struggle with the muzzle dropping, so I've learned to aim at the neck, and the double taps tend to wind up in the chest. I can often fire two the chest and still hit one to the head.

I shoot my carry guns in a defensive manner as well after the initial 100rds or so. Hopefully with my other DA 380 experience, it won't be too bad.

Before buying the BG 380, I rented it and the LCP and shot them side by side, over and over again. That BG 380 was a much better fit for me and I had no difficulty with my decision after the comparison.

I enjoy my BG 380. If/when I get to rent a Shield, the BG 380 may be relegated to carry-it-sometimes status.

The P238 is my sometimes carry gun right now. I only pocket carry when I absolutely have no other choice, but it's a very important option in my carry line-up since it's better than not carrying at all. I'd say I carry IWB 90% of the time, pocket carry 5% of the time and use my LCR in my 5.11 holster shirt for bike riding and other activities for the remainder 5%.

Thanks for all of the comments!

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I shot my friend's BG380 - I would have bought one if the Beretta Nano hadn't came out.

I like the gun - the trigger is long and relatively heavy, yes, but it's like a DAO Revolver - it's a steady trigger pull which is good. I don't like short, light trigger pulls in pocket guns.

The recoil is not bad for such a small gun - it is a bit snappy but not nearly as bad as a lot of other pocket .380s.

The sights are great too.

Don't know that much about the laser module.

It sounds like other guns I've owned and shot before then. I can transition from SAO to DA/SA to DAO pretty well so it shouldn't be too bad.The laser is a secondary thing to me and probably won't be used. Maybe I can figure out how to put a tiny flashlight in there instead.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

Well I rented and shot one and here are my thoughts.

The trigger is no heavier than the P3AT or LCP. Pulling straight through or staging the trigger was no problem at all. Accuracy was pretty good and reliability was 100%, especially since my LGS rarely cleans their rental guns.

Although it has a completely different trigger than my P238, it was just as comfortable while shooting.Sights were easy to acquire and the grip was very comfortable the entire time.

I paid for the one I won on GB so it should be in my hands by next week at the latest. I like keeping proficient with different trigger pulls so this will be a good edition.....plus my P238 needed a buddy........and I just wanted it.

 

[jstanfield103]

I just bought one at my LGS, I used to have the Ruger LC9 did not care for it. I picked this BG380 up and fell in Love with it. Took it to the range and was very impressed at how accurate this little gun was at 15 yards. I like the Laser also, it will be good at night if needed. Fits perfectly in my pocket and I forget it's there. Easy to take down.
A+ on the BG380 now if only my M&P Shield would come in.

 

[krdshrk]

If you need some extra mags, Let me know - I thought I was going to buy a BG380 at one time and bought some mags

 

[Nakanokalronin]

If you need some extra mags, Let me know - I thought I was going to buy a BG380 at one time and bought some mags

Thanks for the offer but I just bought a bunch off of sleezbay for $21 shipped each.