Follow up about my S&W BG .380

tag-a-long · Apr 15, 2011

Okay, I purchased my .380 new from Kolt.. Ran 4 clips thru it and the take down pin came out while firing. I called Smith and they said "no problem, send it to us and we'll take care of it and you". For two months, I hear nothing. Not that they had my pistol, not that they were taking care of the problem. I get a call from Frank Branches, Tech Services Rep at Smith. They are going to ship me a pistol with my barrel, and slide but with a new chassis. This means a new serial number. So, I have to pay to have it transferred to me again. I call Kolt and give him Frank's number so he can do all of the FFL stuff he needs to do. Two weeks go by and now my pistol is in at Kolt's shop. I go to get it, there is my pistol, different serial in my original box. No extra clips like they said they were going to do and no FFL info so Kolt can transfer it to me. Just a typed paper stating that the serial EAAXXXX has been replaced with EALXXXX.. and the old frame has been destroyed... WTF? Aren't these guys professionals? So I call Smith. Customer service voicemail to voicemail. Finally get a guy that tells me... Don't be mad that the original was failing and you were risking your skin carrying it... You have a new chassis. Don't be mad that the box you have doesn't match the serial you have. Its like putting a new engine in a car. Don't be mad that there is no FFL info there, we can take care of that. There was never a problem with the design of any BG .380. Well ****, why did you destroy the old frame if there was no problem with it? This after Frank had told me they redesigned them to keep the pin from falling out and that there were approximately 10,000 out there with that issue. This guy Mark in Cust. Srevice says Frank isn't a "pistol guy"... So, I told him, Don't be mad I want my purchase price back. He said to send it to him and he would... and I quote "Put it in the vault and sell it in two days." If you get a BG .380 EAL3645, it is a used barrel, action and clip... Smith's customer service as a whole sucks... I will never purchase another smith product. I know there are bad and good guns. Sometimes you get a lemon. I can accept that. Companies need to take care of the customer. Follow up with transactions for service.

I love dealing with Kolt and Santiam Buyers. Always fair, willing to take care of the customer. He is sending the .380 back for me at no charge. He knows that he will make it back when I get my refund and go in to get a different backup piece.

turq · Apr 15, 2011

Look at the CZ 83 in 380, 12 rnds. and I've not had one problem round in over 500 rounds fired. CZ will take care of any problems IF you might have one.

tag-a-long · Apr 15, 2011

Thanks for the info turq. I'll have to do that. Don't like being without a smaller piece for those times you can't carry the glock. Warmer weather is coming sometime!

sadiesassy · Apr 15, 2011

I just bought one for my wife and here are my comments: ( Ignoring the topic of "Are 380 adequate guns).
1. No problems turning on the laser - Not sure why you use pulsed vs plain laser? Any comments
2. Take down handle / knob - Took us a while to figure out how to field strip the gun and getting the Take Down knob off and back on. From what I understand they replaced the spring to a stronger one to solve the issue of it coming out. I am asking for a replacement just in aces it comes out or decides to break. Probably the weak point of the gun
3. Only came with one magazine
4. Fit nice in my wife's hands . I could even hold it - With my S&W Chief Special - I only get two fingers around the handle.
5. The allen wrench for the laser adjustment and getting into the battery case is about 1/64 inch. SO I am getting another and painting them orange.
6. Has a long trigger pull - Once we understood that we adapted to it.
7. Wife shot about 1x3 inch groupings at 15 yards.
We have about 100 shels through it . Time to put another 100 through it and see how it works.

billdeserthills · Apr 15, 2011

tag-a-long said:
Okay, I purchased my .380 new from Kolt.. Ran 4 clips thru it and the take down pin came out while firing. I called Smith and they said "no problem, send it to us and we'll take care of it and you". For two months, I hear nothing. Not that they had my pistol, not that they were taking care of the problem. I get a call from Frank Branches, Tech Services Rep at Smith. They are going to ship me a pistol with my barrel, and slide but with a new chassis. This means a new serial number. So, I have to pay to have it transferred to me again. I call Kolt and give him Frank's number so he can do all of the FFL stuff he needs to do. Two weeks go by and now my pistol is in at Kolt's shop. I go to get it, there is my pistol, different serial in my original box. No extra clips like they said they were going to do and no FFL info so Kolt can transfer it to me. Just a typed paper stating that the serial EAAXXXX has been replaced with EALXXXX.. and the old frame has been destroyed... WTF? Aren't these guys professionals? So I call Smith. Customer service voicemail to voicemail. Finally get a guy that tells me... Don't be mad that the original was failing and you were risking your skin carrying it... You have a new chassis. Don't be mad that the box you have doesn't match the serial you have. Its like putting a new engine in a car. Don't be mad that there is no FFL info there, we can take care of that. There was never a problem with the design of any BG .380. Well ****, why did you destroy the old frame if there was no problem with it? This after Frank had told me they redesigned them to keep the pin from falling out and that there were approximately 10,000 out there with that issue. This guy Mark in Cust. Srevice says Frank isn't a "pistol guy"... So, I told him, Don't be mad I want my purchase price back. He said to send it to him and he would... and I quote "Put it in the vault and sell it in two days." If you get a BG .380 EAL3645, it is a used barrel, action and clip... Smith's customer service as a whole sucks... I will never purchase another smith product. I know there are bad and good guns. Sometimes you get a lemon. I can accept that. Companies need to take care of the customer. Follow up with transactions for service.

I love dealing with Kolt and Santiam Buyers. Always fair, willing to take care of the customer. He is sending the .380 back for me at no charge. He knows that he will make it back when I get my refund and go in to get a different backup piece.

I am an FFL myself & that "no charge" is because S&W will gladly send an FFL a free label to return any gun they deem under warranty. Don't give anyone props for doing nothing.

tag-a-long · Apr 15, 2011

billdeserthills said:
I am an FFL myself & that "no charge" is because S&W will gladly send an FFL a free label to return any gun they deem under warranty. Don't give anyone props for doing nothing.

Smith and Wesson sent me a label to ship it back for warranty work. Kolt is shipping it back for my refund. Not using their label.

tag-a-long · Apr 15, 2011

sadiesassy said:
I just bought one for my wife and here are my comments: ( Ignoring the topic of "Are 380 adequate guns).
1. No problems turning on the laser - Not sure why you use pulsed vs plain laser? Any comments
2. Take down handle / knob - Took us a while to figure out how to field strip the gun and getting the Take Down knob off and back on. From what I understand they replaced the spring to a stronger one to solve the issue of it coming out. I am asking for a replacement just in aces it comes out or decides to break. Probably the weak point of the gun
3. Only came with one magazine
4. Fit nice in my wife's hands . I could even hold it - With my S&W Chief Special - I only get two fingers around the handle.
5. The allen wrench for the laser adjustment and getting into the battery case is about 1/64 inch. SO I am getting another and painting them orange.
6. Has a long trigger pull - Once we understood that we adapted to it.
7. Wife shot about 1x3 inch groupings at 15 yards.
We have about 100 shels through it . Time to put another 100 through it and see how it works.

I guess the pulse is to help distract whoever you are pointing it at...

There is no spring to hold the takedown pin in... It seems that serial EAA0001-EAA9999 have the issue with the pin. I have been told all others are a redesigned chassis.

Good idea about the allen. Its a tiny bugger. The long trigger pull is what it is. No fix for it.
I have one mag here for the BG .380 that I would gladly sell you. If you are interested, let me know by pm and we can work out the details.

I loved the accuracy for a little DAO pistol with that kind of pull. Just not keen on the reliability factor and the customer service efforts from S&W...