P380 part 2

[steve350]

A bit ago I posted issues I was having with my brand new P380. After 250 rounds I was getting FTF's so I sent it back to Kahr.

They changed every part in the slide assembly. I think the only reason they didn't give me a brand new slide is probably because I had night sites put on it.

Anyway, I've put another 250 through it with 0 problems. I also have a Ruger LCP and for defensive ammo I am using Winchester PDX1 with no issues.

I tried this ammo in my P380 and I could not even get one round to feed. It would jam every time.

I am looking for a good defensive round that the P380 doesn't have any issues with. Thanks in advance.

[jocko]

I like corbon powerball. feed like a fmj round

[steve350]

Thanks. I will try those and I am going purchase a box of Hornady Zombie Max as well.

[Jeff00042]

I'm having good luck with Hornady Critical Defense. Have not tried Powerball or PDX1.

[linksrds]

Both of the above rounds mentioned work equally well in my P380.

I do like the Hornady though, because I can actually slinghshot the slide with that round.

[redwing2]

Ran 2 boxes of Federal hydra shok through it and functioned just fine.

[jdavis]

My P380 functions fine with Win PDX-1. I have had success with Gold Dot and Remington Golden Sabre also. I feel confident with any of the three however, Gold Dot is my preference for EDC.

[jocko]

6 months ago every one of the above reports would have been negative towards functioning of the P380. I thnk today 99% of the bugs have went south of the border to join their two legged non welcomed.

[steve350]

My P380 functions fine with Win PDX-1. I have had success with Gold Dot and Remington Golden Sabre also. I feel confident with any of the three however, Gold Dot is my preference for EDC.

That's real interesting. I can't even get one bullet to chamber. I am hoping the ones I ordered will work. If not, its going back to Kahr AGAIN.

[wyntrout]

I had a few FTF's with 95-gr Ranger T's in my newest P380, but the last time I tried a few they chambered and fired. I've had no problems with Speer Gold Dots or the Buffalo Bore +P Gold Dots. I carry with the latter and it's the stoutest .380 ammo... with a bonded bullet, too.

One of my recent posts on .380 Defense ammo:

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=11845&highlight=Buffalo+Bore+Gold+Dots

Wynn:)

[kleake]

I know this is an older thread, but I have a P380 that has a hard time feeding PDX1's. It looks like the jagged leading edge of the bullet is hanging on the feed ramp. If I don't pull the first round up just right in the magazine, it will fail almost every time. This is the only ammo I have had a problem with and I'm trying to see if I just need to go with different ammo, or if this is a problem that needs fixing.

[jocko]

go with different ammo. Why fight it, to many good 380 roundsout there. Find what feeds reliabiliy and stick with it. Mine never like 102 grain golden sabre,so I sh!t canned them and wentto corbon power ball and never looked back. I seriously doubt if the BG will notice any difference either.

U might also give the feed ramp a damn good repolishing and also the chamber. U never know there just could bn thatlittle burr somewhere causng it. Ur not gonna hurt anything.:Amflag2:

[kleake]

That's kinda what I was thinking, I just didn't want it to be a sign of future problems. I'll let my wife use up the PDX1 in her SIG and i'll go with something else. It's been excellent with all other brands, but I think that little jagged edge is causing the issues. If I watch as it chambers, the slide moves forward and as it catches the rear of the round to push it it place, it pushes the tip down causing it to catch. It will never load those slowly, and only 50% by releasing the slide lock. It only seems to do it on the 1st round out of the mag and never beyond that. It has also never failed to load when firing, so it's only when you try to chamber the first round.

[jocko]

I would bet u a dollar to a donut that after you put a couple hundred more rounds out of that gun, it will feed that round OK. Once that gun loosesn up and smooths out, quirky things just seeom to dissappear. Try um in about 200 more rounds, and let us know.

but I think ur wise tolook elsewhere anyhow.

[kleake]

That may be true, but I know when it misses the ramp its wedged pretty tight so I don't know if more breakin would take care of it! The ramp is hitting in the middle of the hollow point and those jagged edges aren't going to give any where a smooth faced hollow point would go ahead and slide up onto the ramp. It could be the magazine holding the round too tightly as well since the last 4 round do perfectly fast or slow. Since I carry with 1 in the chamber and 6 in the mag, I am confident it will load through the first mag, but if I had to change, that's where I would be concerned.

So far I'm at about 150 rounds. The first 50 were horrible, misfeed or stovepipe at least once per magazine, usually twice. after 50 rounds though, it's been perfect with everything I feed it other than these PDX1's, and it's been perfect on those if I don't count first round when I put the mag in. I love it otherwise, so I am sure it's a quirk with the ammo and this ramp design so I'll keep shooting stuff through it, and see how it does.

[ReManG]

Have you done the follower mod thread yet?

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6943

I did this to a P380 that would barely feed even the Critical Defense which is a pointy round compared to the Gold Dots that wedged like you described. It also helped to deburr the feed lips on the magazines if you have not done that either. This follower mod did the trick for the P380 I was helping a friend with....The mag is at least 50% of any feeding problem....

[cloud]

That may be true, but I know when it misses the ramp its wedged pretty tight so I don't know if more breakin would take care of it! The ramp is hitting in the middle of the hollow point and those jagged edges aren't going to give any where a smooth faced hollow point would go ahead and slide up onto the ramp. It could be the magazine holding the round too tightly as well since the last 4 round do perfectly fast or slow. Since I carry with 1 in the chamber and 6 in the mag, I am confident it will load through the first mag, but if I had to change, that's where I would be concerned.



I have a p380 put about 400 trouble free rounds through the gun .Last time at the range the spent brass was hitting me in the face was failing to lock open on the last round. Sent it back to kahr they replaced the barrel and extractor , recoil springs, and magazine springs. Talked to the gunsmith (nice guy) and he said he replaced the barrel because he did not like the way it would feed ammo. Only been able to put 1 six round mag through it since I got it back. no problems so far.

[kleake]

I have made no mods as of yet, but by looking at what that mod is doing, it very well could solve the problem because yes, it's as if the the 1st round is doing a nosedive into the ramp. Gonna look into this more.

[ReManG]

The follower is $11.00 plus shipping, so it is cheap if you mess it up, and only do one at a time until it feeds well.

http://www.kahr.com/Pistol-Parts/Kahr-039P38-Magazine-Follower.asp

I also polished the breach face with nail finishing polisher from the cosmetics department. They are like the old emery boards, but come in much finer grades and only cost a few bucks for a couple of them. They are rigid enough that you can get them on the breach face and not round the edges off if you are careful... Have you checked the round being able to slip under the extractor? I found that the extractor rear pin mod where you sand the pin down (I went .025" for mine) that holds the rear part of the extractor spring, this lessens tension and allows the rounds to feed better. Good luck and let us know what you find...

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=17326

[kleake]

I think that post nailed the issue. The follower I think is where the problem is at based upon how I have to manually pull the nose of the first round up before I slide the mag in, and even at that, it only "sometimes" solves the problem. I didn't get a chance to look at it last night in detail, but i think that is where I will start.

As for the extractor, so far it hasn't created any problems. The first 50 or so rounds it may have hung a tad since I had to tap a few fully into place, but since then it's been great once the nose is on the ramp properly. I may polish it just to be sure though.

[ReManG]

Aww crap, Now the rumor on the internet is that the Glock 42 may be a P380 sized .380. This may pose a dilemma for me getting a P or CW380... nuts... On the other hand, I do know how to work a Kahr now... and they are available....

[clayflingythingy]

My WAG is it would be at least a year before you can lay hands on a Glock 380 if they intro one.

[jocko]

If it ain't made here,i seriously doubt if it can even happen. There 380 they make now is only availalbe in this cuntry for LEO's only due to our stupid fokking point system for importation. And it is a big fokker indeed..

[iyaucyas]

Get a dremel with a buffer attachment and some mag polish from an auto parts store and polish your feed ramp and your FTF problem will go away. Make sure you complete the proper prep. It work for me. Now, my P380 is flawless.

[Jimbo]

Mine eats Hornady Critical Defense like candy. No issues.