Would It Be Wise to WAIT to Buy a Bodyguard 2.0?

[walkin' trails]

I can’t tell you whether to buy or wait. They’ve been out on the market for a while. They haven’t developed a horrible track record since initial teething problems were documented on YouTube. I haven’t fired one but from my observation, they look like a useful .380. I’ve only had one shooter bring one to the range to qualify for her CCW. It performed flawlessly for all 25 rounds that went thru it. May have even been the first time she fired it. I think it’s certainly a better shooter, sight and grip being considered, than an LCP.

 

[Rule3]

 

[TwinV10]

The sights are frankly ridiculous. Imagine watching a football being field-goal kicked between the goalposts. There's your 2.0 sight picture. The precision possible is minute of sweatshirt at 21 feet. XS sights sells replacement sights, which cost more than 1/3 of the price of the pistol itself. Good luck with that. Fortunately, the inexpensive and available OG Boduguard 380 rear sight is the same dovetail, with a correctly sized rear notch. I installed one, and accuracy was quite good out to 50 feet.

So you're saying the pistol is accurate enough at the range it WAS DESIGNED FOR? Plan on shooting someone 30+ feet away with your tiny lil gun in a self defense situation? Enjoy the jail time.

 

[Model 15-4ever]

Sorry to pee on the parade of the 2.0 blinder boys. No machine is perfect, and you must accept the limitations. Perhaps they are acceptable to you, and that's perfectly fine. But denying they exist, is a trip to Fantasy Island.

... The trigger safety was never about forcing your finger to pull from the center of the trigger. Somebody just made that up...

Frankly, the only one "making something up" is you.

From the current Glock Manual (p.7):
"The trigger safety is designed to protect against firing if the pistol is dropped or the trigger is subjected to lateral pressure."

So yes, the trigger safety has TWO functions. The design of the 2.0 paddle trigger safety compromises the second function, especially in a pistol with relatively short trigger press, carried in non-conventional means such as a pocket, pouch, or in tight fitting holster of flexible material.

...
The BG 2.0 rear sight is designed for fast target acquisition at close range. Extreme accuracy at a distance is not much of a consideration for a "pocket gun".

Limiting your capability to shooting at 5-10-15-20 feet - or whatever - is a choice. It's OK if that is your choice. However, it's not mine, nor is it any kind of legal requirement. The factory 2.0 sights are not precise enough for accuracy under stress at speed, at anything other than very close range. I say this as LE firearms instructor for nearly 35 years.

So you're saying the pistol is accurate enough at the range it WAS DESIGNED FOR? Plan on shooting someone 30+ feet away with your tiny lil gun in a self defense situation? Enjoy the jail time.

My apologies, but your concepts of legal self-defense lack a sound basis in the law. The internet unfortunately is filled with misinformation, which gets regurgitated. I am a lawyer, in addition to a retired LEO.

How close does an attacker armed with a firearm have to be to kill you? Do you have a cite from your state's laws on that?

How close would you like to get to the offender in a mass shooting, or a psycho with a flamethrower?

You can freely accept the limitations of the sights on the 2.0. That's a choice. But you can't deny them, and I'm pointing out reality. I'm not the only one to do so. I changed the rear sight and the results were satisfactory out to 50 feet. When I get time to get to the outdoor range, I'll test it further.

 

[kbm6893]

I've had my M&P Bodyguard 1.0 for several years now. Other than the additional capacity, which isn't at all important for me for a gun with this purpose, I just don't see the need to get one. That may change. I like new toys and 98% of the guns I own don't get carried. All I know is that at 7 yards or so, all my shots hit a paper plate and that's all I ask for a gun this size. I like the heavier trigger pull on a pocket gun, and my own gun has never failed to fire or eject, and 90% of what I shoot in it are my own handloads.

But you can't ignore the near constant gripes about sights not being centered and magazines not loading to capacity. I surely don't have those issues with my BG 1.0.

And since I really don't want to lose my house or everything I have worked for, I'm not engaging a psycho with a flamethrower or a mass shooter. I would shoot them if they were directly threatening me, but even a good shooting will bankrupt you.

 

[greenlief]

Seeking advice from wise forum members!

I have never owned a 380. I am a big fan of pocket carry and my usual daily carry is a LCR or Hellcat in my front pocket.
I don't NEED a new pocket carry gun, but I picked up a Bodyguard 2.0 in my LGS a couple weeks ago, and I LOVED it!

Since holding one for the first time I have watched a lot of videos and read many articles and posts. I joined this forum to learn more about the Bodyguard 2.0.

Many people have had no issues, but there do seem to be an unusually large number of complaints about the Bodyguard 2.0.

QUESTION: Do you think S&W will iron out the frequently reported issues (feed ramp burrs, RSA problems, TS going from too tight to too lose, misaligned sights, etc.) in the next year or so, OR are these issues here to stay because they are caused by poor QC?

All replies appreciated!

Most of these issues are mostly tied to Smith & Wesson's inconsistent QC on this model.

 

[agksimon]

I shoot my Bodyguard 2.0 and make consistant hits at an 8" plate at 25 yards. Split times aren't fast because of the distance for a small gun, but the shots can be done with this gun and the different sights I have on it. Too bad my video of me doing it won't load here, file too big.

 

[tarheel13]

I shoot my Bodyguard 2.0 and make consistant hits at an 8" plate at 25 yards. Split times aren't fast because of the distance for a small gun, but the shots can be done with this gun and the different sights I have on it. Too bad my video of me doing it won't load here, file too big.

That sounds really good. It's always a trade-off...... accuracy for speed. With the stock sights you can acquire the target faster but with less accuracy. I read a report where a shooter tried aiming at 10 yards with the stock sights. First with the front sight lined up with the inside of the right post of the rear sight.... then with the front sight lined up with the inside of the left post of the rear sight. The POI moved by an average of 8 inches. If 8 inches is "good enough" for defense and 10 yards is "good enough" on distance, then the stock sights are good enough. But of course these things are subjective and your 25 yards is excellent.

 

[JoeB51]

I picked up a Bodyguard 2.0 a month ago. What I have found is S&W has dealt with the follower problem.
The stiff slide will always be unless they add weight to it.
The recoil spring is a problem but if you learn how to put it in its easy. I use the bottom edge of my bench. Slide in right hand push the outer spring forward along with the slide it pops right in.
Stiff mags will always be a problem until they are made longer an 1/8" would do but the pressure needed to load will not go away it is needed to raise the cartridge into position in order to load it. This has to happen in milliseconds. The smaller the gun faster things have to happen.

 

[CouchPotato]

I've followed the BG2.0 saga closely.... Despite probelms I've had with QC on the Shield Plus and S&W customer service, and despite problems others have reported with everything else, I was very excited about the BG 2.0. The design and ergonomics are simply superior.

The botched launch of the BG 2.0 didn't dissuade my enthusiasm. I remember holding a copy of Concealed Carry Magazine in my hand with a full page advertisement for the BG 2.0 with S&W customer service on the phone telling me that there was no such thing as a BG 2.0 and that the advertisement was fake.

When the BG 2.0 launched, the internet immediately flooded with people's problems so I waited. I know S&W and I'm fully aware of their lack of QC.

Finally a few months ago I handled my first BG 2.0 at a department store after they just got them in. Even with an empty chamber, it wouldnt go into battery at all unless I hit it hard on the back of the slide.

I've wanted a small 380 for years, however there is no way I can trust the Bodyguard 2.0 as a self defense tool.

As long as sales stay strong, I think it's unlikely S&W will pause production in order to fix quality control problems. They tend to let these issues persist for years.

Once sales decline, S&W will launch new versions of the BG 2.0 and at that time I'll reevaluate the platform again and attempt to cherry pick a good one from a local store.

I might not ever buy one.

 

[Cheyenne WYO]

Too bad my video of me doing it won't load here, file too big.

If your video is on a personal Youtube channel, you can link it by hitting the Media icon and pasting the URL. I remember that video, and I think your splits were good for the distance, considering the size of the gun.

 

[agksimon]

If your video is on a personal Youtube channel, you can link it by hitting the Media icon and pasting the URL. I remember that video, and I think your splits were good for the distance, considering the size of the gun.

Here's a link to the video:

 

[Scbuckeye]

I've followed the BG2.0 saga closely.... Despite probelms I've had with QC on the Shield Plus and S&W customer service, and despite problems others have reported with everything else, I was very excited about the BG 2.0. The design and ergonomics are simply superior.

The botched launch of the BG 2.0 didn't dissuade my enthusiasm. I remember holding a copy of Concealed Carry Magazine in my hand with a full page advertisement for the BG 2.0 with S&W customer service on the phone telling me that there was no such thing as a BG 2.0 and that the advertisement was fake.

When the BG 2.0 launched, the internet immediately flooded with people's problems so I waited. I know S&W and I'm fully aware of their lack of QC.

Finally a few months ago I handled my first BG 2.0 at a department store after they just got them in. Even with an empty chamber, it wouldnt go into battery at all unless I hit it hard on the back of the slide.

I've wanted a small 380 for years, however there is no way I can trust the Bodyguard 2.0 as a self defense tool.

As long as sales stay strong, I think it's unlikely S&W will pause production in order to fix quality control problems. They tend to let these issues persist for years.

Once sales decline, S&W will launch new versions of the BG 2.0 and at that time I'll reevaluate the platform again and attempt to cherry pick a good one from a local store.

I might not ever buy one.

I’m with you on this…. Shame on S&W.

 

[RevV67]

Thank you all for your replies to the question asked in this post.
I found one that appears not to suffer from what appear to be the most frequently mentioned issues (poor feed ramp alignment, nonfunctional mags, off center rear sight, RSA issue, ) and picked it up.

It's SO small, great for deep concealment.

Comparison Picture: Bodyguard 2.0 and Glock 26

 

[pedropcola]

Yikes. Two points. Hand cycling rounds doesn't really tell you much if anything. And absolutely ZERO stores would ever let the gun be cycled with live ammo. I doubt they would even allow you to use snap caps/dummy rounds.

My gun went back for the manual safety getting too loose. It came back fixed and it is still my carry gun and gets shot a decent amount for a pocket gun. If I was rich I would shoot it even more because it is like shooting a cap gun. It is as close to shooting a 22, recoil wise, as I have ever seen. Only gun that shot softer (380) has been a Sig 238 which is a fine gun if you like pocket 1911 style actions.

I also had the recoil spring issue and they sent me 2 spares. Good news, bad news. The spares would do the same thing. Good news is I figured out what the 100% fix was. When the end of the spring overrides the RSA you literally just push it down and in so that the edge is underneath the RSA again. It is harder to explain than to do. Once you get it back in place which takes 2 seconds it always drops right in like it should. The slide won't allow it to get out of whack once installed. Should they fix this? Yea, but it is so easy to rectify I don't even think about it anymore.

For this size gun it is an absolute tack driver. That video above could be recreated easily. It shoots soft and contrary to all the "reports" that bad mouth the sights, they actually work well. If you can stack rounds you can stack rounds with this gun stock. If you can't, then it ain't the sights.

 

[tarheel13]

And absolutely ZERO stores would ever let the gun be cycled with live ammo. I doubt they would even allow you to use snap caps/dummy rounds.

I've only made that request in one store and on two separate occasions with two different employees and two different pistols. Nobody blinked an eye. On both occasions I provided the ammo and on both occasions more than one mag was cycled through. In one instance, because there was a problem with smooth cycling, the employee pulled a new box of ammo off their shelf (which I did not purchase) and re-loaded the mag with that for comparison.

At no time did I ever suggest that I should hold a loaded pistol in my hand inside their store. I understand they can't take liability for that. But apparently this place trusts their own employees to do the best they can for customers. I don't know what other stores would say about such a request, since I never asked in any other store. Did I get the only store in the country that will do this for their customers? Sounds unlikely.

My LGS is a locally owned small business with about 10 employees and a couple of gunsmiths. They have ordered pistols for me with no advance payment and called me when it came in. This is what an LGS should be and they have earned my loyalty.

 

[ladder13]

Too late for me, bought the first one I saw shortly after release.

 

[kbm6893]

Too late for me, bought the first one I saw shortly after release.

The 2.0? How has it been treating you?

 

[ladder13]

The 2.0? How has it been treating you?

2.0

Not a malfunction in about 400 rds. Shoots a bit left but I haven’t played with the sights yet, nor have any intention of changing them. To me, it’s a close up situational gun not a target gun.
It is light, small and easy to carry. The recoil is snappy but not punishing, for me. I have somewhat large hands but have no issue with gripping the gun.
Others opinions here vary.

 

[kbm6893]

2.0

Not a malfunction in about 400 rds. Shoots a bit left but I haven’t played with the sights yet, nor have any intention of changing them. To me, it’s a close up situational gun not a target gun.
It is light, small and easy to carry. The recoil is snappy but not punishing, for me. I have somewhat large hands but have no issue with gripping the gun.
Others opinions here vary.

How’s it compare to the 1.0? I know the trigger is lighter but I mean feel and recoil between the 2? My 1.0 has been flawless and it’s shot almost nothing but my own reloads. Don’t shoot it more than 7 yards and it’s mostly yank and crank to simulate self defense shots. They all land in a paper plate. Good enough for me.