Smith And Wesson Forums banner

Bodyguard 2.0 Light Strike Troubles

7.2K views 35 replies 22 participants last post by  RJR573  
#1 ·
Bought a brand new Bodyguard 2.0. Cleaned and oiled it and went to the range. I wanted to compare it to my Ruger LCP Max, which has been modified with MCarbo's trigger, and all the springs they sell for the Max. Out of a grand total of 55 rounds fired through the Bodyguard 2.0, I experienced 4 light strikes, which left a dimple on the primer, but failed to fire. The first light strike, I removed the round, removed the mag, placed it back in the mag. Tried again and it fired. Tried the same technique for the next 3 light strikes. After reloading a light strike 4 times on one of them, I took that round and placed it in the Ruger Max, and it fired no problem. I let a friend try the Bodyguard 2.0 and he suffered one of the 4 light strikes I had. The Ruger Max ate every round that went through it, so it's definitely not the ammo brand, and I've yet to experience a light strike with the Max . When I got home, I cleaned the gun, placed my .380 training laser in the chamber of the Bodyguard and it never worked. Thinking the batteries might be dead in the .380 training laser, I put it in the Ruger Max and it worked flawlessly. I then extended the firing pin on the Max, and then on the 2.0, and I noticed quite a difference in the amount of firing pin extension coming out of the Max as opposed to the 2.0. The pistol is now in Springfield, Ma., where it's being evaluated for my problems. I'm thinking either the firing pin is too short or something might be wrong with the firing pin spring. Anyone else have this problem yet?
 
#8 ·
Apparently, you missed the part where I stated the Ruger Max I have has never suffered a light strike and cooked off all the bodyguard light strikes, but the 2.0 suffers from them constantly?? Also, I've never heard of a 500 round "break-in" period to fix the following issues: failure to eject, a failure to feed, light strikes, and the slide locking closed, (recoil spring?). But if this is the case, Smith and Wesson should put this info in the owners manual, which it is not.
 
#9 ·
I actually bought 3 laser end caps, (the part that holds the 3 batteries and where the striker hits) for my .380 laser cartridge from iTarget Pro, because the rubber where the striker hits had a small dimple in it from the LCP Max striker hitting it over and over, and the bodyguard 2.0 could never actuate the laser, however the Ruger Max always actuated the laser. After installing a new end cap on the laser cartridge, the .380 laser cartridge now works in the Bodyguard 2.0. Unfortunately, the 2.0 is now back at Smith Wesson to rectify my light strike/failure to fire issue.
 
#6 ·
It took 6 weeks to get mine back for the "light strikes" and the paper inside the returned box said "no issues found". When I took it to the range to test again, I experienced 2 light strikes out of 50 rounds fired. I then placed the light strikes (with a dimple on the primer) in my LCP Max which cooked both off so it's definitely not the ammo. A friend has a Bodyguard 2.0 with an extraction issue and a recoil spring issue, which might be related to the extraction issue. Her gun feels like it's locked/seized up when the slide is racked, so it might be a problem with the recoil spring/guiderod, which also might be linked with her extraction issues.
 
#7 ·
Just put 100 rounds through mine today. It was the beginning of my break in. Went to take it apart again to clean i noticed a roll pin by the take down lever was coming out. It's actually sharp and will not go back in at all. Guess this is going to S&W so the pin can be fixed/replaced.
 
#10 ·
I am having the light strike issue as well. Also having a return to battery issue. Every mag i have to bump the back of the slide 2-3 times to put into battery. At this point I fail see see the glowing performance I read of these....and yes it's "broken in". 300 frustrating rounds of magtec, pmc. Federal, and Remington all of which have issues. It has been cleaned and oiled. Also tried polishing the feed ramp. Nothing helps.
 
#13 ·
For not going back into battery, I think it's either a problem with either the recoil spring or feed ramp. A small suggestion, try polishing the feed ramp, which is in 2 places on the gun. A feed ramp is on the frame and the other one is on the barrel. You'll see them wen you match them up. As far as the light strikes goes, I just sent mine back to SW for a second time. First time it came back NOTHING WRONG. PASSED RANGE TEST. bs. It's not the ammo as my Ruger Max has never suffered a light strike. I really don't get all the positive rave reviews for this gun either. I've had trouble wit mine since I got it.
 
#11 ·
A friend and I both bought the BG2.0; mine has been flawless, but his wouldn't fully return to battery. We looked in the chamber and mine was smooth, whereas his had a lot of tool marks in it. We used a Dremel with a carbide impregnated 10mm flat end bit to clean up the chamber and it now runs completely trouble free.
 

Attachments

#17 ·
Just got mine back. This was the second time I sent it in to SW for "light strikes". All the return paper said was issue- problem with light strikes. There was no explanation on what they did, tests, firings, etc. I have yet to bring it to the range to test it out, but when I do, I'll bring along my Ruger LCP Max in case I get another light strike, I'll put it in the Max. I really don't want to start carrying this yet as it's unreliable.
 
#19 ·
I just got mine recently it's been going well, although I only fired about 150 rounds through it there was only one round that had a light strike, I ejected the round and reloaded it, and it worked the second time, I'm not sure if it was the ammo or gun, I will use it some more and see.
My original BG with laser that ran good for a while then I started having light strike problems sent it in to S&W got it back and still experience the same issue; I ended up trading it in.
 
#20 ·
Yes.... I bought some range ammo and brought out my BG 2.0. Roughly 1 or 2 per mag were light strikes. I put the same ammo through my Ruger Security 380 and they all worked fine. I just received a batch of Magtech 124 grain JHP and ran 50 rounds through the BG 2.0 today and they all cycled just fine.

So.. I'm interested in what S&W said after you got your BG 2.0 back. Did they agree the firing pin was short or did they say "No problem"?

I have seen heavier springs available for the Bodyguard and other article which claim these will fit in the Bodyguard 2.0. Of course you add 1 -1.5 pounds of pull to a trigger that is already not exactly a fine instrument. I am inclined to leave it alone and just accept that some ammo has harder primers that wont work well in the BG 2.0.
 
#21 ·
My problem sounds a lot like what ya'll are having. If you open the slide and drop a shell in the slide will not close completely. The shell seems to keep tbe extractor claw from grabbing the edge. However if I rack a shell from a mag it workes just fine. I even bumped the slide to try to get it to grab the manually fed shell, and it wouldn't budge. Anyone else with this problem?
 
#22 ·
I'm going to go out on a limb and wager the pistol is not designed for rounds to be hand fed. So the extractor claw isn't going to snap over the rim. It's designed such that the bullet is intended to slide up underneath the extractor claw as the round comes out of the magazine.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I've had 5 intermittent light strikes with new BG 2.0, in 250 rounds. Either I get perfect hard primer strikes or just a small dimple, nothing in between. Doubt ammo is the problem, same boxes of ammo fire in 380 EZ and LCP Max. When I get light strikes, no other symptoms, fully in battery.
Shoot both 10 & 12 round magazines equally, but all 5 light strikes using the 12 round magazine. Everything else reliable.
Edit: Unsure if magazine related, but Smith Wesson sending me a new 12 round magazine to test. If 10 round magazine fails too, it will have to go back for repair.
 
#32 ·
Bought a used bodyguard 2.0. Not sure of round count on it. Everything functions perfectly during dry fire. Went to range with some Fiocchi Range Dynamics and had 6 failure to fire out of 12 rounds. Some of the rounds when reloaded went off the second time and the others just left another dimple.
 
#33 ·
Took my brand new Bodyguard 2.0 to the range today using Magtech 95gr 380 Auto. Ran 100 rounds of which 35 to 40 were light strikes. I was able to eventually fire all the light strikes but some took 4 retries to work. I was only able to get through 10 rounds uninterrupted ONE time. It should be noted that I did not clean the gun before firing, however, after about 10 light strikes, the RSO at the range put some oil on the slide.
 
#36 ·
I recently bought a Bodyguard 2.0 and also feel that both the recoil and the striker springs are a little on the weak side compared to most other pistols I have.
I've had a LCP Max for about a year now and it definitely has a stronger recoil spring and puts deeper dents in the primers.
So far I've not noticed that anyone is making extra power recoil and Striker springs for the Bodyguard
I like everything about the bodyguard other than the spring issue.