My Smith & Wesson customer service experience


AndeyHall

Active member
I bought a Bodyguard 380 over a month ago for a backup gun. The next day I noticed that you couldn't insert a magazine without pushing the mag release button in. So since I couldn't get it working, I sent it back through the dealer I bought it from. Over a month later, I call S&W to see what the deal is. They tell me it hit their shipping department to be shipped back the day before. Cool deal. But then she said the notes on it said no repair was made as nothing was seen to be repaired. I got a little pissed with her at that point, so she told me that sometimes if it's a very minor repair that is what they will put. Yeah...so I'm skeptical that it even got fixed. Here it is 2 weeks since that conversation and I call back today and it's still sitting in their shipping department with a note saying "they needed my dealers FFL information". So I asked the customer service agent what I needed to do to get it taken care of and he said nothing, their people would be taking care of it. So I called my dealer to see if they knew anything about it and he said that he has never ever heard of that and that they have never had to give their FFL information to S&W for a repair because they're an authorized dealer and their stuff is already on file. So the S&W customer service guy couldn't give me any advice on how to know if and when it ever ships out. I feel like I'm getting hoo-dooed.
 

I can't speak to their shipping issues, but my BG also needs to have the mag release depressed to load. Why did you call this a defect?
 
I was less then impressed by them myself. I bought an M&P 9MM early in 2013. It has a 17 round magazine. For the next 7 months there were no magazines to be found other then scalpers, which I would not pay. So I send an email to S&W and ask whats up. It seems like they did not support their customers after the sale. I told him that I had no trouble buying for my Sig, Ruger and Springfield's. But for the last 7 months they had nothing in stock, nor did anyone else. The rep told me that they did not make their own magazines. He also said that S&W is selling firearms as fast as they can make them and that the other brands I mentioned, wished they had S&W problems. So I got the impression that my business was not that important. So for right now I will support the other brands.
 
I agree, but I can't immediately call it a defect. I've only put 50 rounds through mine and can't speak to whether this is simply a breakin issue or not.

I was actually hoping the OP had information to educate me on this specific firearm. I do know that this issue WAS a breakin issue with my Kel Tec.
 
Welcome to the club!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a whole website about incompetent service & defects on the bodyguard and S&W. their lying about shipping is documented as SOP for them - I know first hand - they lied to me each time too - took calls to supervisors and supervisor's supervisors to get mine back in only 4-5 weeks each time it was supposedly in the shipping dept.......

My bodyguard had too small an ID barrel - took 4 - count it - 4! trips back to them before they finally fixed it! called me an idiot along the way! 6 months back and forth. Last trip they broke the sites and I refused to return it just fixed them myself. Idiots and total incompetent service folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I will stick with Glocks thank you very much.

PS; yes, if you research this common problem with them you will find it IS a defect. IIRC the fix is some fillng of rough edges on top of magazine
 
I agree, but I can't immediately call it a defect. I've only put 50 rounds through mine and can't speak to whether this is simply a breakin issue or not.

I was actually hoping the OP had information to educate me on this specific firearm. I do know that this issue WAS a breakin issue with my Kel Tec.
Yeah I thought maybe it was supposed to be like that but I did some research online and also tried out 3 different ones in the store and found out it's not supposed to be like that. I bought mine for a backup duty gun so I want it working flawlessly.
 
Mine was a simple in/out of mags a few times (like with most firearms I own I go though some slow to fast drills on getting mags in/out/etc) IE getting used to it.

Once the mag is in - and you shoot.. does it go bang? o_O
if its a BUG - are you gonna carry extra mags for it? or use the 6+1 as last resort? if your only gonna have the single mag for it - why would putting it in cause an issue? does it go in with a bit more shove? jw.. I know when I first got my Bodyguard - the mag release spring was rather stiff for mag release (not nearly as stiff as XDm though) but eh - after a few mag drop tests (mag in, then mag drop / repeat a few times)

Cause all guns are different - not like same line different - but like my 92FS doesn't have same set up as my XDm kinda different.
other then that idk - Ive not had any issues with firearms recently - though I did have an issue with a Kel-tec Sub 9 back in the day... but I no longer have that. It was not a major issue - but the butt piece would come off completely because the "glue" that glued the plastic to the metal failed.. but only when the retaining pin was removed - otherwise it was fine.
 
Mine was a simple in/out of mags a few times (like with most firearms I own I go though some slow to fast drills on getting mags in/out/etc) IE getting used to it.

Once the mag is in - and you shoot.. does it go bang? o_O
if its a BUG - are you gonna carry extra mags for it? or use the 6+1 as last resort? if your only gonna have the single mag for it - why would putting it in cause an issue? does it go in with a bit more shove? jw.. I know when I first got my Bodyguard - the mag release spring was rather stiff for mag release (not nearly as stiff as XDm though) but eh - after a few mag drop tests (mag in, then mag drop / repeat a few times)

Cause all guns are different - not like same line different - but like my 92FS doesn't have same set up as my XDm kinda different.
other then that idk - Ive not had any issues with firearms recently - though I did have an issue with a Kel-tec Sub 9 back in the day... but I no longer have that. It was not a major issue - but the butt piece would come off completely because the "glue" that glued the plastic to the metal failed.. but only when the retaining pin was removed - otherwise it was fine.
I tried getting use to it and just couldn't. But honestly, when you pay for something like that, you shouldn't have to get used to something that isn't functioning properly. Yes, even though it's a BUG, it came with 2 mags so I'm carrying the extra. I'm the type person that, if it could help save my life, it ain't gonna just sit on the dresser at the house. And we just got new exterior tactical vests with all the pockets so storage isn't an issue. But I tried everything I could short of drop kicking this thing and the mag still wouldn't go in. I whacked the butt of the gun on the table a few hard time and it still wouldn't go. If it comes back and hasn't been fixed, I'm probably gonna blow up on somebody on the phone. Especially reading all this about how they're notorious for doing that sort of thing.
 
Doh I hate to hear this about S&W I have been thinking about the new BG for a back up but I have just started looking in to them. The mustang poly is looking better and better
 
my experience

Working at at a large firearm store I've dealt with a lot of smith and wesson and even did a 2 hour basic armor/sales course with the reps.

Pros:
-great ergonomics
-low bore axis

Cons:
-terrible trigger and long reset (pro is ok)
- mags are sticky to load like the ruger sr9 mags
- lots of machining imperfections (looked at mine under a low power microscope and the about of burrs was crazy! Glock was near perfect)
- it's a glock rip off. Smith paid $40 to glock for every gun sold of their sigma and sde series and this gun resembles glock internals.

With a Apex trigger job or the pro they are a fine gun. They are reliable, but from my shooting and dealing with them I'm less and less impressed with them compared to Springfield and glock.

At one point in the armor class the recoil spring was sticking out of the slide past the barrel and the rep says it happens turned the muzzle towards the ceiling and hit the gun on the table incredibly hard to bring the spring back in.
 
Dang Andy - that sucks. I had thought it was not that bad - but if it was, then its probably a defective mag release. Something that should be "easy" to fix.
they could just replace the mag release and should work - since as you said it went in if you held it in.

I know its kinda sucks buying anything that fails to work.. :/ ive never bought a gun that did though.

My only question is - when you bought it? did you handle it in the store before taking it home? cause where I buy from - I got to handle the very one I bought.

Anyway GL with things, hope it all works out. though - try not to let it get to you too much cause stress is a silent killer ;)
 
S&W's customer service is all over the map.

Some people get superb service. Others have nightmarish experiences.

I had both in the same incident.

I sent them a 4" 29-2 to get a "spitting" problem fixed, involving a factory defect in the forcing cone.

While in their possession, the gun sustained some deep nicks in the barrel, that appeared to have been caused by improper use of whatever tool was used to remove the barrel.

They tried to deny it, but I had before and after pictures.

They then wanted to reblue the gun. I wanted a new barrel. They claimed not to have any.

I ended up having to, on my own dime, buy a replacement barrel. Just to be safe, I bought two. Good thing, since one wasn't usable.

Unfortunately, that barrel was finish worn, and now the gun HAD to be reblued. They tried to give me a hard time.

I had a lawyer friend contact their corporate counsel. At that point, things got serious.

My friend was contacted by a VP, who agreed to pay for both the replacement barrel AND the reblueing.

So, in one incident they went from being inept and dishonest, to making a more or less reasonable effort to [sort of] make me "whole".

Of course the gun is basically worthless to a collector now (I have the box and tools too). It only has value as a self-defense gun.

S&W customer service? Flip a coin.
 
I have one of those and the mag does not do what you described. The laser stopped working and I figured the battery was dead. When I took it apart I found the contacts are just kinda stuck the with a small piece of yellow plastic . In short they fall off and are not fun to get to stay in the right spot when reasembling. Trigger does suck but I got used to it. I find it very accurate for its size. But to date have not had to deal with customer service.

Sent from my SM-N900V using USA Carry mobile app
 
S&W has done fantastic work on several pre-lock revolvers, and turnaround was invariably much quicker than I expected. In the unlikely event I have a problem with them in the future, the last thing I would do is to get involved in the trendy howls of outrage on social media. There are classier and more effective ways to solve problems.
 
S&W has done fantastic work on several pre-lock revolvers, and turnaround was invariably much quicker than I expected. In the unlikely event I have a problem with them in the future, the last thing I would do is to get involved in the trendy howls of outrage on social media. There are classier and more effective ways to solve problems.
Classier ways to solve problems with one of the largest gun manufacturers in the world? Yeah, maybe if you're one of the CEOs. Little old me ain't solving any problems, even by social media. I've called multiple times, about to call again. They act like they couldn't give 2 sh!ts if I get my gun back in a timely manner, get it back fixed, or hell even get it back.
 
Just got off the phone with the lovely folks down at S&W and now I'm even more confused. This guys says he's not seeing where there were ever any issues with FFL information, and he's showing that it isn't even in the shipping department yet, that the final repairs were done on it today, they shot it, and that it should be going out any day now. So here's my timeline here:
Call #1 - No issues were found to be repaired, and it had just hit the shipping department to be sent back.

Call #2 - 2 weeks later it is still in the shipping department and the hold up is lack of FFL info.

Meanwhile FFL information is taken care of and call #3 is to make sure they got all the info they needed.

Call #4 - No information indicates there was ever a problem with the FFL info, nor that it was ever even in the shipping department, as it is now in the repair department "finishing up".

I've almost completely lost interest in the gun.
 
Just got off the phone with the lovely folks down at S&W and now I'm even more confused. This guys says he's not seeing where there were ever any issues with FFL information, and he's showing that it isn't even in the shipping department yet, that the final repairs were done on it today, it was shot, and that it should be doing out any day down.
In my situation, nobody at S&W seemed to be talking to each other either.
 

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