P380 slide incomplete return problem

[HDoc]

5330

Continuing to have a problem with incomplete slide return on my P380
ser# RC8xxx. 500 to 600 rounds, cleaned and lubed according to gospel.
Spring installed correctly, yada yada yada. Pushes in to correct return with minimal effort with finger.
Just e-mailed Kahr.
Any wisdom ?

[HDoc]

If this is a new problem . . . tired recoil spring?

Otherwise . . . ammo issue? What brands are you using. One should work.

None of the above . . . Kahr is your best shot. Be sure to ask for a no cost shipping label.

Had the problem during the break-in period, went away, came back.
Used S&B,WWB,Speer,PMC range quality ammo. Can't say it happened
with SD ammo, but I'm not really inclined to fire @ a buck a bullet to see
if it goes away....

Be sure to ask for a no cost shipping label: oh, you betcha!! But do I have to pay for a FFL return ?

[HDoc]

If they replace the frame, they will ship it back via an FFL. If they only replace other parts, they will ship it back directly to you.

Sounds like you just need a new recoil spring assembly. When you describe the problem to Kahr, if they offer to send you a replacement . . . go for it. If that doesn't work, you can call again and possibly return the gun.

Best of luck!

Funny, that's what I said to them. They replied to my e-mail in 45 minutes.. now that's very good, but they wanted to have me return the whole gun. I'll wait and see how they react to the spring assembly idea.

[East River Guide]

Are there any aftermarket recoil springs that people have tried that fixed this?

[HDoc]

Kahr sent me a new spring assembly to see if it solves the problem.
No hassle, 5 days from first e-mail to Kahr to delivery of spring.
Range visit coming up!

[DJK11]

Doc,
Here is my post from a while back concerning P380 recoil springs.

My P380 was returned after 540 rnds. after replacing the recoil springs a couple of times within 30 days. Of the 540 rnds. about 120 rnds. were various hollow point SD rounds with ZERO malfunctions. All problems were with FMJ.

A few months back I experimented with the older and new P380 recoil springs. Older springs measure:
Inner= 4.7 lb
Outer= 6.8 lb

New springs measure:
Inner= 8 lb
Outer= 7 lb

The new heavier spring helps the return to battery by overcoming the pre-set of the striker spring.

I like the feel of the recoil with the heavier spring BUT the last 1/4" of rear slide travel felt hard and gritty and low power rounds ejected straight up.

I mic. the springs, two sets of each.

Older:
Inner wire= .028, coil dia .300
Outer wire= = .035, coil dia .374

New:
Inner wire= .033, coil dia .300
Outer wire= .035, coil dia .371

So, I used the older outer and new inner springs and that combination removed the hard, gritty feel and feels very smooth. The slide cycle is very smooth and all rounds eject consistently.

I found the inner spring would bind because the outer was a smaller diameter and hindering slide travel.

[HDoc]

Doc,
Here is my post from a while back concerning P380 recoil springs.

My P380 was returned after 540 rnds. after replacing the recoil springs a couple of times within 30 days. Of the 540 rnds. about 120 rnds. were various hollow point SD rounds with ZERO malfunctions. All problems were with FMJ.

A few months back I experimented with the older and new P380 recoil springs. Older springs measure:
Inner= 4.7 lb
Outer= 6.8 lb

New springs measure:
Inner= 8 lb
Outer= 7 lb

The new heavier spring helps the return to battery by overcoming the pre-set of the striker spring.

I like the feel of the recoil with the heavier spring BUT the last 1/4" of rear slide travel felt hard and gritty and low power rounds ejected straight up.

I mic. the springs, two sets of each.

Older:
Inner wire= .028, coil dia .300
Outer wire= = .035, coil dia .374

New:
Inner wire= .033, coil dia .300
Outer wire= .035, coil dia .371

So, I used the older outer and new inner springs and that combination removed the hard, gritty feel and feels very smooth. The slide cycle is very smooth and all rounds eject consistently.

I found the inner spring would bind because the outer was a smaller diameter and hindering slide travel.

Thanks for this data. My P380 has a serial of RC8xxx and is only five months from manufacture so I'm not sure the springs would be different, but I'll eyeball them and report back. I'm going to try a variety of bullet
weights and see what gives.

[DJK11]

Doc,
An easy check;
Does the inner spring slip easily into the outer spring?
Can the inner spring easily pass through the outer spring from end-to-end with out the coils binding?
Is the inner spring shorter than the outer?

When I tested the newer heavier rate springs, the first thing I noticed was they did not easily fit together. This was about one year ago and with two sets of springs.

[rogerthedodger]

I find this very interesting. My P380 shows a similar problem. When you slowly release the slide, it will stop about 1/8 inch from full battery, and feel gritty when trying to push it. I experience an occasional lite strike about 2 in 100 rounds, which I attribute to this problem. When I remove the barrel & spring, the slide is smooth. I may have an older spring set, and try your solution. My frame has been replaced by Kahr.
Roger

[Cokeman]

Try removing your full mag and trying it.

[rogerthedodger]

I find this very interesting. My P380 shows a similar problem. When you slowly release the slide, it will stop about 1/8 inch from full battery, and feel gritty when trying to push it. I experience an occasional lite strike about 2 in 100 rounds, which I attribute to this problem. When I remove the barrel & spring, the slide is smooth. I may have an older spring set, and try your solution. My frame has been replaced by Kahr.
Roger
I tried the new inner spring with the old outer, but do not see a any change. However, went to the range today after more polishing of components. I shot 30 blazer, one fail to go into battery,I pushed it into battery then fired ok. Shot 70 rounds of Hornady CD, only fail to go into battery once was on first round. No lite strikes when I kept my eye on FTGB.
More polishing today.:mad: Guess my problem is not the same as yours. Well, good luck to to you.

[rogerthedodger]

Try removing your full mag and trying it. Mag is empty when I slowly return to battery and it hangs. Thank you.

[Cokeman]

Yours is busted.

[Disapointed]

Is this your 2nd post on this issue? If so I remember replying about having the exact same problem. Then I got my rear chewed by some dink thinking I didn't read your post and was responding to a different problem than yours. Our p380 did the exact same thig with 5 different brand of bullets. The P380 is back at Kahr currently, will post results when it comes back. When dissasembled and I dropped a bullet in the barrel, it would not seat all the way. A snap cap would not even go into the barrel. Almost as if the chamber needed .002" reamed and seating clearance checked.

[CJB]

If it were .002" it would have been ok in actual operation. Can almost guarantee its not a matter of short chamber. Could be rifling lead being not right for the shape of the bullet, but ... hard pressed to see how short chamber would be there, its just watched too closely.

.... unless...

The locking surface-to-breech length were not right, and some numbnuts decided to shorten the barrel's hood in order to get the barrel into the short space it had to fit in. That would, in effect, shorten the chamber. That total space on the slide is a critical dimension, so I'd guess they hold it to something like -.000 and +.00? or so. Its critical. Certainly not more than a few thou' total allowable deviation, especially when considering the barrel has to be made in a way to provide stacked tolerances that still get the chamber right, and no excess slop when locked. All three of my Kahr's show evidence of light fitting at the hood, so I'm guessing they cut the chambers, like almost all commercial makers, on the plus side of the SAAMI spec.

Interesting train of though though... short chamber and why.

[Cokeman]

Is this your 2nd post on this issue? If so I remember replying about having the exact same problem. Then I got my rear chewed by some dink thinking I didn't read your post and was responding to a different problem than yours. Our p380 did the exact same thig with 5 different brand of bullets. The P380 is back at Kahr currently, will post results when it comes back. When dissasembled and I dropped a bullet in the barrel, it would not seat all the way. A snap cap would not even go into the barrel. Almost as if the chamber needed .002" reamed and seating clearance checked.

Mine did this until I polished the inside of the chamber.