New P380 Jams

[TXshooter3]

I bought a new all black Kahr P380 with a Crimson Trace recently for front pocket carry after reading several great reviews of .380's on different websites. While waiting for it to be shipped, I found a great deal on Winchester white box ammo. After I bought 500 rounds of the ammo, I found this forum and read a post that the WWB ammo can jam in the P380 due to the flat tip. :( After I received the gun I took it to the range to shoot the recommended 200 rounds for break in. It would jam every other magazine, but I assumed it was due to the WWB flat tips, so I went ahead and shot 220 rounds. After I took it home, I cleaned and lubed all the points as recommended on this site.

I bought a 3 boxes of Hornady Critical Defense ammo and went back to the range today and it still jams. Per the manual, I'm locking the slide back, inserting a full magazine, then hitting the slide release. I shot all 60 rounds and the first round always fires, but almost every time, one bullet in the magazine would jam. Most of the time, it looks like the round is getting caught on the ramp. I pushed the back of the slide and it loads the round each time this happened. A few times, the slide doesn't come all the way forward and push it into the battery. I also had one stove pipe. Another problem is that half of the time the slide didn't lock back after the last round.

Any ideas?? I love the gun, but I'm not about to trust my life with it at this point. I guess I'm going to have to send it back to Kahr and see if they can fix it.

After reading a lot on this forum, it seems like Kahr has some quality control issues with the P380 since many other owners are experiencing the same issues.

[jocko]

PM sent.

[kahrsport]

just about to place an order for a p380... now i wonder if i really need it... cm9 and mk9 already bagged and all... hmmm

[steveschu]

just about to place an order for a p380... now i wonder if i really need it... cm9 and mk9 already bagged and all... hmmm

Dont let the known unfortunate P380 users discourage you, order your P380; sometimes the small size is just perfect.

[PYROhafe]

PM sent.

Now why would you go and keep your wonderful wisdom from us all?
I just got the p380 in yesterday, and cant wait to take it to the range, but if I have some hiccups I want all the help I can get from ol jocko! (the all knowing one!) :cool:

[JERRY]

Now why would you go and keep your wonderful wisdom from us all?
I just got the p380 in yesterday, and cant wait to take it to the range, but if I have some hiccups I want all the help I can get from ol jocko! (the all knowing one!) :cool:


ya mind sharing the words of wisdom? tribal knowledge has its place ya know?

i toyed with the idea of a P380 by trading one of my LWS's but discretion got the better of me because of the problems ive read here of the same issues over and over, not new ones, the same ones. id like to know what can be done before frustration sets in.

what is it oh mighty wise one that will make the Kahr run without sputter? Super unleaded? :p

[jocko]

I have said it numerous times. The P380 is the best on the market WHEN IT DOES AS DESIGNED and I mean that with every other 380 out there that works as designed to. It is just that good of a lil bastard. Nothing in its class. Not cheap but neither is life.I own one, it went back once. It has been Ok since back but I have not shot it much either, but the last time I put a 50 round sthrugh it, it was flawless. A FIRST FOR THE GUN TO. For me the jury s still out on this gun. I think some of the issues the bigger kahrs have had that we forum members seem to be able to walk a new owner through to get it going right does not apply to the P380. We don't seem to hear of alot of in house fixes for the P380. They are better today that is for sure. U buy a new one today I think ur chances of getting a good one compared to a year or so ago is 75% .

Some of the issues with the lil bastard IMO is certainly shooter error to. It is a very very small ass gun, hardly any grip, gun wants to move around in ones hand more than the big frame gun, Then things start to go south. IMO it is a gun to range use 50 rounds and then pack up and go home, Try the 200 round stuff like u can with the big kahrs and I think your gonna get "shooter" induced issues--that the gun will get blamed for. Just my opinion on this,so don't take me to court over my opinion.

Knowing what I know now,,,, would I buy anutter one . NO I would not, not ony because of its past history, but I seem to be able tocarry my PMJ9 anywhere I want to go and for me it is firepower. The 380 is nice BUT it ain't a 9 either. So my P380 presently is at my sons home, ..

We have read some dandy great reports in the last few months, certainly something that a year ago was rareir than t!ts on a boar. Just sayin.

[socialwork911]

just got my 380 back from kahr....the trouble I had was due to a cracked frame..they say, it does rack and not stick(the org. problem-so they did fix it)....so my all black/night sights lil bastard was just cleaned and lubed....have my federal FMJ(round tips) ready to go....will shoot 50 rounds and report back, I hope it's fixed as it shot great and handles great....I do expect so issues till it breaks in 200-300 rounds...not nothing major..we'll see

....will also be shooting my glock 17..which eats anything w/o ever a hiccup

[jocko]

I assume u had to reregister the lower frame being they sent u a new one??? Hope all works well for u

[gasem]

I wish there was a better way on this forum to easily access the knowledge base of listed problems and how people have cured the ills of their firearms save a trip to kahr. I was having nosedives with my pm9 until I did the CW9 mag fluff, plus I polished the metal under the mag lips to a mirror to reduce friction. Now my gun is flawless on any ammo I stick in the pipe. It took ten minutes. I'm sure there is a ton of the same wisdom for the p380. My p380 shipped today, based on what I have read mostly on this forum. Fingers are crossed and prayers are offered

[jocko]

I am assumingu readthe kahr tech section under the propper prepping thread to gain this knowledge of the magfluff and what u did to makeit a better magazine. Thereis a new thread now call newbies that helps direct a person to some of these threads to. It should help alot.

I would suggest u do the same to ur P380 when u get it before u even attempt to go to the range with it.U sure found out what might at first seemed like horsesh!t actualy ikn ur case WORKED. I am assuming u had some followers grabbing on the mag release to and u cured that also. Nice work.

[socialwork911]

i read all the prep threads an followed them....did that with my first 380...got 49 shots without a hiccup....guess that 49th one cracked the frame :).........did all the prep with this "new" 380 too.....hoping for the best....for me the Kahr 380 seemed the best...give it a try....I did? if it doesn't work out....I'll sell it and maybe try a Rohbaugh 380? or a TCP..I know a Big difference in price....but that is part of the "gun fun"...I can always CC my glock 17 :)........it works perfectly...until glock comes out w/a single stack small/pocket 380...:)

my advice to newbees is go on give the Kahr 380 a try...when it works its the perfect cc pocket 380, IMHO and YMMV

[jocko]

rehrbaugh 380's are very ammo sensitive, within a ounce of a PM9 in weight even and yup very exensive. If I was gonna go rohrbaugh I would go with the R9 and just have the firepower and about the same size but even lighter. Neither are a true range gun IMO. Shoot the ammo they specify and most never have issue, u don't have alot of ammo choices. One thing is for certain, u don't see alot of Rohrbaughs sitting around anywhere..

I would put both the Rohrbaughs in the class of a gun that u carry often but shoot seldom.. I sometime wish I had an R9 but when I see the price and the ergo's of the gun, I really appreciate my PMJ9

rohrbaugh 380 specs kahr pm9 specs.

bbl. 2.9" bbl 3.o"
length 5.2" length 5.4"
height 3.7" height 3.9"
weight 13.5 oz weight 14 ox
capacity 6 380's capacity 6 9mm

as u can see there is not much difference in the gun, except the firepower

the R9 and R380 are both identical in size and weight and price but not firepower..

[kerby9mm]

I must disagree with Jocko on the p380 being the best. My p238's perform without malfunction with any brand of ammo including WWB. Different design yes but still 380. IMO reliability is peace of mind. Just sayin.

[kahrsport]

yes but the p238 is no where in the league of the p380 in terms of concealeability or carriability... the cm9 wins over the p238 in every aspect and that's a big gun compared to the p380... just sayin

ps - ditto for the mk9

[kerby9mm]

I also have a mk9 & mk40. The p238 is smaller than my mk9 which is smaller than my mk40. Reading dimensions & comparing side by side are not the same. By the way Kahrsport you didn't adress the reliability issue I mentioned. As far as in the league of concealability the p238 is a “mousegun” just like the p380 is.

[FLBri]

I'm going to weigh in here, as I own perfectly reliable versions of both the P238 and the P380. The biggest single advantage of the Kahr is weight. Though the P238 is , technically, longer in length it conceals just as easy. I believe it has to do with the angle of the grip and the shape of the slide. Though not as thin at it's widest point, the P238 "feels" thinner in the pocket because of it's grip/slide shape and relief points, and for me, draws out smoother (again because of the grip angle). The P238 is listed as 1/2" longer, but that dimension is accounting for the beaver tail protecting the hammer ... very incidental as it applies to carry.

I am more accurate with the P238 as it jumps less in my hand. For myself, the P238 is the right balance between light ... but not too light. There are also times when weight becomes more important (think suit coat jacket pocket) and I might favor the Kahr.

If you are comfortable with "cocked and locked" ... I am, and I know many aren't, so I don't want to start that debate all over again ... is also a huge determining factor between the two guns. I'm ok with both platforms. I find application for both weapons.

[jocko]

I must disagree with Jocko on the p380 being the best. My p238's perform without malfunction with any brand of ammo including WWB. Different design yes but still 380. IMO reliability is peace of mind. Just sayin.

it is also a 380, but no single action will ever ride in my pocket call it safe on cocked and locked, or what ever, two different guns IMO. same caliber, so u got me there. . My german Mak was a 380 and it was a real shooter, I didn't put it in that league either. I truly feel most shooter call a 380 a double action , I think the P238 breaks that part of the mold. IMO it should shoot beter, most any singlel action will out do any kahr,DEESIGN. Lots of good 380's out there, I guess my statement that IMO the P380 is the best of any out there WHEN IT WORKS AS DESIGNED. I still feel that way.

[socialwork911]

jocko-thanks for the on the R9...a friend of mine has one and let me shoot it at the GR....a very snappy shooter...didn't like the mag release on the bottom either...so that is why IMHO, I think I'd like it in 380..less snappy...yep it is shoot little, carry always...that is fine with me....shoot 1-2 mag every 1-2 weeks....

that said....I hope my 380 is fixed and a keeper...I know there can be break in issues fo the first 200-300 rounds...if after that..I don't know...maybe go with a TCP...then the rohrbaugh....after that..maybe caryy a cop :)

the p380 seemed like the best for me of the bunch

[kahrsport]

the dimensions of the p238 from long ago experience in my hand is foggy to me but i can for sure say that it was not as light as the p380...
if i must ccw i will not go lower than a 9mm given the fact that the cm9 and pm9 exists... and if i must own a steel frame then the mk9 fits the bill...
that said the p380 is a very special 'mousegun' that is for a small niche in terms of utility... what if i am at the beach in beach shorts?... only a p380 will do...

[jocko]

good point.