New to a P380 and am hopeful

[BrickTop]

First off I am new to Kahr Arms and really love the look and feel. But my first trip to the range I got about 120 rounds through it almost flawless. I was very excited because I had read a lot of horror stories on there. Well into the 120 + round its stops feeding! I noticed that the front extractor was gone! Yep gone!

Sent the gun to Kahr at their expense round trip which was excellent! So I take it to the range again and have major FTF, I was using the Walmart FMJ flat tips and not sure if that was my problem. I put the same ammo into my SIG 238 and it ate them all day long with 0 problems!

Any recommendations? I have done all the preping work and getting a bit frustrated that I paid so much and its not very reliable right now. I know they are small guns but the 238 is a champ! I love the Kahr cause I can carry in my gym shots with no problem!

I talked to another guy at the gun shop about it and he told me to not field strip until I put 500 rounds through any gun, he said just clean it after every 50 rounds with clean/lube. Thoughts on any of this? I love this baby and dont want to send her packing, but will if she doesnt settle down :)

[yqtszhj]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about what happened to your P380.

Question, the Walmart FMJ flat tips that you mention, are they FMJ 380 rounds that are blunt on the front of the round? Or was it hollow points?

Hang in there and we'll figure it out.

[RRP]

BT,

I have also had trouble feeding Winchester White Box ammo in my P380. Oddly enough, the 50 round packs eventually worked after break-in, but the 100 round value packs do not feed at all. I get several failures per magazine.

One would think it's the same ammo, just packaged differently, but I was able to duplicate the problem often enough to believe the value pack ammo is manufactured to lesser tolerances.

Another thing that helps with successful break-in, is to run the gun wet. There's a lot of friction in all the moving parts, and until these parts mate to one another, it helps to lube it well.

Lastly, these tiny guns want to be held very firmly. That's not easy to do, when you can only get two fingers on the grip. But if you limp-wrist at all, you're more likely to have failures to return to battery, since some of the energy is absorbed by your body.

Don't give up on the P380. Be patient with break-in. You will eventually love this little pistol.

Good luck. Please keep us posted.

[phil413tx]

I could not agree more with the Winchester white box 100 packs. I had the exact same problems. I thought my gun was crap because it would have so many failures with the white box. Then I tried several other types of ammo and then the little p380 ran like a champ! I noticed that most ammo in the gun runs great. I love it now that I have figured out the problem ammo. I also love shooting the Speer gold dots for self defense through the gun. It really likes those. I agree that you should not give up on this gun.

[BrickTop]

Guys thanks for the support! I did have the blunt 100 pack from Walmart, they fed like a champ through my sig but the Kahr had some issues. I have ran some independence through it before and they ran well. When you say wet can you elaborate a bit on that? Wet = Lubbed up?

[RRP]

When you say wet can you elaborate a bit on that? Wet = Lubbed up?

Yes, well lubricated. More lube (oil or grease) than you would normally use when you place the gun in service. I've found it to be helpful in reducing the friction in the moving parts of a new, tight, gun.

See the lubrication diagram to identify all the necessary lube points. I would add extra lubrication at all suggested points, especially the slide rails.

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=308

[BrickTop]

Excellent feedback! I will lube her up :) I also added the pierce extenders to both my magazines to avoid limp wristing but will keep an eye on it on my next trip! I plan on going next Monday, will post up my results and use different types of ammo as well.

[DKD]

There is also a very simple Magazine follower modification that be done to aid in feeding problematic rounds. I have done this with success on a P380 when it didn't feed the first two rounds of one of my preferred hollow points {Speer Gold Dots}. Just ask the guys at this site for the link...the fix will only take some minor sanding of the follower...only take a few minutes to do. It changes the angle of the bullet feed from the magazine in relation to the feed ramp.
I also agree, run the pistol well lubed ...or wet while breaking her in.

[BrickTop]

I will do a search and see if I can locate the thread with the feeder fix. The Gold Dots are my fav too, I have not shot any through it though...wanted her broken in before running those types of rounds through it ;)

[JFootin]

Here's the thread:
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6943

[BrickTop]

Here's the thread:
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6943

Thanks JFootin!

[yqtszhj]

Guys thanks for the support! I did have the blunt 100 pack from Walmart, they fed like a champ through my sig but the Kahr had some issues. I have ran some independence through it before and they ran well. When you say wet can you elaborate a bit on that? Wet = Lubbed up?

I'm not too sure about those blunt nose rounds for breakin. You got anything else to compare them? After breakin it may not be an issue.

Let us know how your next trip goes.

[RRP]

I'm not too sure about those blunt nose rounds for breakin. You got anything else to compare them? After breakin it may not be an issue.


I agree with you. I prefer to avoid truncated bullets in sub-compact pistols. They feed fine in larger pistols, but that flat nose bullet has trouble going around sharp bends in the sub-compact's feed path.

[Glock23]

Maybe the P380s are different, but the first 100 rounds through my CM40 were truncated, with no problems.

[BrickTop]

Maybe the P380s are different, but the first 100 rounds through my CM40 were truncated, with no problems.

I do have other ammo that I am going to feed through it wet but the Walmart ammo was a total fail! The Sig 238 ate them up like nothing, not one FTF or FTE problem...still hopeful for the Kahr though...love this gun!

[Cole125]

My P380 took a good 300-400 rounds before it was 100 percent reliable.

[jocko]

i just have a bad fobia with 380 trunbcated ammo. They shold realy be OK as the falt portion of the bullet really should not be banging into the feed ramp, but I just pas son any of that ammo for my P380, just because, I can. Ihave no issue with it in my PMJ9 and K9 for range fodder. Maybe some of these bigger framed 380's would eat a tuncated round with ease but I will not buy um for my P380, because it bothers ol jocko.....

[BrickTop]

i just have a bad fobia with 380 trunbcated ammo. They shold realy be OK as the falt portion of the bullet really should not be banging into the feed ramp, but I just pas son any of that ammo for my P380, just because, I can. Ihave no issue with it in my PMJ9 and K9 for range fodder. Maybe some of these bigger framed 380's would eat a tuncated round with ease but I will not buy um for my P380, because it bothers ol jocko.....

I have a Sig 238 and a Baretta the eats what you give it, this is my first experience with a Kahr and the need to pick ammo based on the fire arm... I guess if you want to the small light and nice weapon from Kahr you need to pick your ammo...dissapointing in my eyes but it is what it is...going to the range tomorrow to put some rounded 380 ammo through her! Running her as wet as a virgin is on prom night too!!!