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Thread: Anybody shooting the Bodyguard .380?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Anybody shooting the Bodyguard .380?

    Anybody here have alot of trigger time with an S&W Bodyguard .380? I examined one at the fun store and it seems like a neat piece for $250.00. The trigger felt similar to my 637.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  2. #2
    Banned

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    Owned one for 5 days.......kept jamming with both magazines!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I took one on trade this spring. I hadn't had a full box through it. I. Shot about 30rds of Rem ammo that came with it and had no problems. I have noticed that some of the low end imported ammo in 380 & 9mm don't work to well, in any pistol. Haven't had any low end 32auto but probably the same. Guys were complaining about jams & stove pipes in Ruger LCP with whatever Cabelas sells low end. Might have been Herters but don't remember for sure. I've had several LCPs and had no issues with them either. The ammo I was running was the bulk Rem 100pk.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I bought a new Bodyguard 380 about a year ago. Roughly 1 out of 4 rounds wouldn’t fire due to light strikes. Turns out that’s a common problem. I considered sending it to S&W under warranty, but I was feeling sick of it, so I consigned it for about half price with full disclosure and was glad to see it go. I won’t be buying another no matter how cheap. That super light DA trigger pull is nice, but iffy ignition is not.
    "Time and money don't do you a bit of good until you spend them." - My Dad

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Mine works fine and both mags work OK too. It worked with any ammo that I fired through it as well. I like it. I carry it when I need to be more low profile. Mostly in the summer when it is shorts and T shirt weather.

  6. #6
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    I have only shot hand loaded cast in mine, but it has had no issues.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Sounds good. How far does this gun throw brass? The LCP I used to have sent them into orbit, whereas my Glock 42 sends them just a couple of feet.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    I ran 50 rounds thru one at the indoor range, it was in their rental fleet. It functioned flawlessly, they only let me use one magazine so I don't know about any problems there. It worked well, seemed to be accurate enough but that short grip, the light weight and the 380 recoil made it very unpleasant after 5 rounds. I did all 50 but I said I'd never buy one and I've proven to myself to be a man of my word. I did buy 2 of the 380 EZ, now that's a very pleasant 380.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master AnthonyB's Avatar
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    Never would have described the BG380 trigger as light and pleasant, but my family has three. Mine has probably been shot the most, and it runs handloads just. Daughter and daughter in law seem to like theirs as well.
    Tony

  10. #10
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    Lefty Red's Avatar
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    I had a couple, and experienced light strikes with all ammo I used in it. These were new productions in 2018.

    Ran across an older that was done up for the LA State Police and it was awesome. Still have it and carry it. I think it was produced in 2014ish, had the older laser on it. Best $200 OTD I ever spent!

    Lefty
    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    A few years ago bought a new Bodyguard. I had lots of ftf and fail to fire so I sent it back to Smith. They did not correct the issue so I sent it back again..When it came back I still had the same issues so I asked for and received money back, including sales tax.
    I now have a couple of Keltecs and a Taurus TCP, and have had no problems with them like the Bodyguards!
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  12. #12
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    Seems to be a iffy 50-50 kinda deal- buddy bought 2 one with laser and one without I believe- one ran wonderful and the other had the above mentioned light primer strikes, and that was for the best because when it did manage to fire the spent case wouldn’t eject; my buddy if a tinkerer and a recovering engineer so he decided to fix the problems- last I knew the problem pistol is still in pieces in a bowl on the work bench, both were new in the box, the one that runs seems to run well and the trigger is nice, and he got them during the S&W rebate days on sale already so he had under 500 into both- seems pricey in that only half of them work!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    I bought one about 2 years ago. I've put several hundred rounds though it...both factory and reloads. I've never had a ftf with mine. It does pitches brass all over the place...but my indoor range is relatively small and easy to sweep up. I actually like mine...its not a high quality piece...but the one I have seems to be reliable....so I'll be keeping it for now. Its easy to conceal as a pocket gun.

    redhawk

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  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Wow, looks like this one can be a risk. I'll ask the local shop owner about the Bodyguard. He sells bunches of them and should know better than anyone.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    This may not apply to you, but for what it's worth my wife was interested in a .380. She tried multiple different guns including the S&W which she immediately hated due to the recoil. It was the same with the Ruger LCP II. She narrowed it down to a Sig P238 and a Springfield 911. The Glock offering was also a contender for shootability, but she didn't like the look. Ended up with the Sig.

  16. #16
    In Remembrance

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    Haven't had mine over six months but so far I've been happy with it. I had trouble with Blazer Aluminum that wouldn't feed and some off brand foreign stuff that was Berdan primed and wouldn't fire being hit 5-6 times the firing pin. Roughly 20 of 50 rounds had huge craters in the primers but wouldn't fire, I refuse to think it was the gun.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    if you don't shoot crap ammo in it the function is flawless. I shoot powder coated handloads in mine and I NEVER have had a misfire or anything else for that matter and ive prolly shot mine over 2000 times.Buy one and enjoy.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master

    Lefty Red's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by phantom22 View Post
    This may not apply to you, but for what it's worth my wife was interested in a .380. She tried multiple different guns including the S&W which she immediately hated due to the recoil. It was the same with the Ruger LCP II. She narrowed it down to a Sig P238 and a Springfield 911. The Glock offering was also a contender for shootability, but she didn't like the look. Ended up with the Sig.
    Those are my two picks for a pocket 380! I will give the tie to the SA911. That was the only pocket pistol that could match my Glock 42 for ease of shooting and accuracy.

    But your wife does have great taste! Nothing wrong with a beautiful P238!

    Lefty
    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  19. #19
    Boolit Master Rodfac's Avatar
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    My #2 son and I have a pair of them...as close to 100% reliable with both factory FMJ and hand loads...I haven't however tried it with cast bullets. Both guns have over 500 rounds through them and I consider them and excellent choice for my wife and DIL when purse carry is the only possible option. For me and my son, we use them for pocket carry when a bigger gun is too difficult to conceal. Rod

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Boolit_Head's Avatar
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    My wife got one with the laser after listening to the counter person at Academy. I took her to the range and afterwards she wants me to get rid of it and get her a Glock like I suggested she got. The trigger was to strong for her hands. I even tried putting a trigger kit in it and it did not help.
    On every question of construction let us carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.

    Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Johnson, June 12, 1823

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