CGhelofxr
Member
Anybody have one, if so looking for opinions good, bad and ugly
SW380
- Thread starter CGhelofxr
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If you already have one, keep it until it breaks and then sell the parts. If you are thinking of buying one save your money unless you find one cheap. The slides are a zinc alloy and do not hold up like steel does. They are a handy little pistol, but there are better alternatives these days. S&W cannot always repair one when it goes south due to lack of parts.
Best Regards,
ADP3
Best Regards,
ADP3
Ofc.JL
Member
Yep, what ADP said. Gun is obsolete thru S&W. No parts or service. Very poor choice of materials in manufacturing. "Zamak" slides. Just will not hold up.
Which is too bad, because I always thought the SW380 was a neat concept pistol, save for a few engineering problems. 1 problem was the use of "Zamak". Always was, and still is, IMHO, a poor choice of material for firearms. Walther loves the stuff. Another was a just horrible dis-assembly procedure. S&W supplied with it, a plastic handled punch to drive out the "key" rear frame pin to field strip. A person had to drive out that frame pin to take the silly thing apart. Another was the magazine retention method(although I thought it not a bad idea.). 2 squeeze clips at the bottom of the grip, on the magazine. People hated it. Another problem, no bolt hold open feature. A person shot it till it went "click". Just a piss poor pistol all the way around EXCEPT for 1 thing: Size! It was 1 of the first true pocket .380's around. If they would fix the problems and bring it back out, I would buy one. But like the SIGMA, damage to it's reputation is done, and can't be undone. It just would not sell to the public due to it's ruined reputation.
Which is too bad, because I always thought the SW380 was a neat concept pistol, save for a few engineering problems. 1 problem was the use of "Zamak". Always was, and still is, IMHO, a poor choice of material for firearms. Walther loves the stuff. Another was a just horrible dis-assembly procedure. S&W supplied with it, a plastic handled punch to drive out the "key" rear frame pin to field strip. A person had to drive out that frame pin to take the silly thing apart. Another was the magazine retention method(although I thought it not a bad idea.). 2 squeeze clips at the bottom of the grip, on the magazine. People hated it. Another problem, no bolt hold open feature. A person shot it till it went "click". Just a piss poor pistol all the way around EXCEPT for 1 thing: Size! It was 1 of the first true pocket .380's around. If they would fix the problems and bring it back out, I would buy one. But like the SIGMA, damage to it's reputation is done, and can't be undone. It just would not sell to the public due to it's ruined reputation.
Jaysq
US Veteran
Yes, I still have one that I bought back in the late 90's. It is not a pistol that is made to shoot for fun, because it is not a lot of fun to shoot. It is so light and after about 50 rounds....the fun is out of it.
It is a royal pain to break down to clean because you have to use the special furnished tool to drive out the pin. You also have to use the tool in the barrel to re-assemble the slide.
On the plus side, it has not failed me. It is a great pocket gun as there is nothing to hang up on your pocket. I still use it....when nothing else will work.
I don't think this gun was ever made to shoot much, just a pocket carry defense gun. I don't know what the trigger pull is but it is pretty light. There are other much better choices today and I would not buy it again, in today's market.
[/url]Christmas 2013 & Guns 055cf by Jerry Jaynes, on Flickr[/IMG]
It is a royal pain to break down to clean because you have to use the special furnished tool to drive out the pin. You also have to use the tool in the barrel to re-assemble the slide.
On the plus side, it has not failed me. It is a great pocket gun as there is nothing to hang up on your pocket. I still use it....when nothing else will work.
I don't think this gun was ever made to shoot much, just a pocket carry defense gun. I don't know what the trigger pull is but it is pretty light. There are other much better choices today and I would not buy it again, in today's market.
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OP
CGhelofxr
Member
Thanks for the help, I was gonna buy one but I think I will look for a BG380.
Ofc.JL
Member
CG; get a new BodyGuard. And I mean of very recent manufacture. S&W improved the trigger as I understand it. Date is on label of box, it's just that, straight date number as in month, day, year.
That poor old SW380's time is long over, even if you get one in good shape. No parts, no service, period.
That poor old SW380's time is long over, even if you get one in good shape. No parts, no service, period.
Protected One
Member
A much better choice. I have one, and I love it.
martybee
Member
Yes, he is right! I have one; Runs like a singer and fits in your pocket like a deck of cards.
mb
Got one shortly after they hit the market. For me it was the perfect BUG or pocket pistol. No levers to snag, no sharp edges and lightweight. I'd been looking at .380's for a quite a while and nothing on the market back then was what I wanted.
I still have it. It's got a lot of miles on it since traveled with me back and forth across the country.
The trigger is typical of polymer pocket guns. It's not going to rust very easily. The gap between the frame and slide some people complain about is there on purpose to ensure functioning when dirty. Accuracy was more than good enough at 7 yards. Recoil to me was a non-issue, much better than an Airweight .38 J frame.
The only problem from the start was the last round would have a feed jam regardless of ammo. I tolerated it because the gun filled a specific niche for CCW. Last year I finally sent it in to Smith and it came back with totally new magazines. Works fine now.
I semi-retired it about 5-7 yrs ago due to better choices for lightweight pocket 380's or 9mm's. Now I'm using a Kahr 9mm but if I'm going into a known dicey area I'll throw the Sigma into a pocket just in case as second gun.
The Sigma 380 got a lot negative comments, most not deserved. The gun was strictly designed for the pocket carry role. Not a target gun nor a gun you shoot a lot and need to take apart to clean. I've never taken mine apart, just blow compressed air through the slide gap to get the lint out. I've never lubed it either, doesn't need it.
As much as I like the Sigma 380, it's design has been surpassed by newer designs from various makers.
I still have it. It's got a lot of miles on it since traveled with me back and forth across the country.
The trigger is typical of polymer pocket guns. It's not going to rust very easily. The gap between the frame and slide some people complain about is there on purpose to ensure functioning when dirty. Accuracy was more than good enough at 7 yards. Recoil to me was a non-issue, much better than an Airweight .38 J frame.
The only problem from the start was the last round would have a feed jam regardless of ammo. I tolerated it because the gun filled a specific niche for CCW. Last year I finally sent it in to Smith and it came back with totally new magazines. Works fine now.
I semi-retired it about 5-7 yrs ago due to better choices for lightweight pocket 380's or 9mm's. Now I'm using a Kahr 9mm but if I'm going into a known dicey area I'll throw the Sigma into a pocket just in case as second gun.
The Sigma 380 got a lot negative comments, most not deserved. The gun was strictly designed for the pocket carry role. Not a target gun nor a gun you shoot a lot and need to take apart to clean. I've never taken mine apart, just blow compressed air through the slide gap to get the lint out. I've never lubed it either, doesn't need it.
As much as I like the Sigma 380, it's design has been surpassed by newer designs from various makers.
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