P380 - Range Report

[SGT5711]

Friday, I got to spend nearly all day at the range with a friend. When I shot my P380, I had one light strike FTF and the slide locked open before empty once. My friend had multiple light strikes and the slide wouldn't lock back on the last round for him. I thought the problems might be with his grip, though it looked okay to me. I took it back and put 4 straight flawless mags through it. I asked him to fire it again and he still had problems. While watching him fire, I found once where the slide did not fully return to battery, probably just an eighth of an inch. I took it back and then experienced light strikes, and noticed I had to push the slide forward fully after almost every round after that. When I did push the slide forward, there was no resistance at all. We put 100 rounds through it, and brought the total for the gun to approximately 400. I was firing Fiocchi FMJ, and it has ate it very well in the past. It should be noted; I replaced the guide rod with a stainless steel one before this range trip. Only problems I have ever had with this gun have been an occasional light strike or slide lock issue (before or not after last round), but they were very infrequent and during break-in. Is there anything I can try to do, or should I just send it into Kahr for a check-up?

Other than that, I had a great day though. I fired 100 flawless rounds through my K9. My friend really loved it too, and was damn accurate with it. He couldn't believe how it fit his hand. I also got my PJ Holster tuckable IWB for it Friday in the mail. Wore it almost all day today and I barely noticed it was there. Very impressed with Paul and the craftsmanship of his holsters. Plan to order more soon.

Also fired my S&W M&P 15-22, and got to fire my friend's Sig P238, S&W .38 revolver, Glock 35, Sig 522 rifle and his Colt M4.

I liked his Sig P238, and found it just as accurate as my P380. The sights are bigger and easier to acquire quicker, but I still don't think I want to carry anything other than a DAO pistol in my pocket.

[SGT5711]

bump for some advice

[SGT5711]

Any advice fellas?

[jocko]

callkahr or email kahr attn. jAY AND ASK FOR A NEW SETOF RECOIL SPRINGS FOR THE 380. SEEMS LIKE THAT SOLVES ALOT OF ISSUES. bECAUSE ur kahr is new the springs SHoluld BE oK but we need to start somewhere.

I would also advice giving the feed ramp a good polishing and the chamber also. Ur not gonna hurt anything. While ur at it, take the mags apart and with some fine 600+ grit paper polish the under side of the magtazine feed lips. Again ur not huring a damn thing . Double check tos ee that the maG Springs are also installedcorrectly. We have seen some in backwards and it will effectfeeding. Eliminate all the possabilities that you canin house and then if all else fails, kahr shouldbe contacted and have them issue a pre paid pickup on the gun

in thinking of sendig the gun to kahr for a CHECK UP. ur gonna pay both ways and that is costly, if ur gun is doing good. If u have issues that you cannot fix and they reoccur and reoccur and reoccur, then thatis different.

Have u yet tried any defense ammo in the 380. Normally that stuff is hotter than most fmjrounds and they sure seem to make the gun run right to. Icarry and shoot corbon power ball in my P380 due to excellent feeding.Lotsof good 380 ammo, find whatworks perfect and just stick with it to..

[SGT5711]

Thanks Jocko. I will see about some new recoil springs. I took your advice a while back and already polished the feed ramp and chamber, but I didn't do the mag feed lips. Mag springs are installed correctly. I carry Hornady Critical Defense, and it has fed reliably, but unfortunately I have precious few left and I haven't been able to find any in months. Thanks for the advice. I really don't want to send it to Kahr if I don't have to, but now that I finally received my K9 holster, and it is running flawless, I could do without my P380 for awhile.

[dsk]

First, make sure to learn how to disassemble the striker channel and clean the crud out of there. On mine not only was there crud, but also metal slag from machining the extractor groove that went into the striker channel.

Second, these pistols like to be run clean and wet. When dry and/or full of fouling they get really tempermental.

Third, the recoil springs don't really have enough oomph to close the slide once they take a set and have to be replaced frequently, as in every few hundred rounds. That's the price you pay for a pistol engineered to the absolute minimum dimensions for a .380 automatic.

[josp]

I'll second the advice of a clean gun, lubed properly, and new recoil springs. I have about 500 through the new springs and not one failure yet. They were sent free as well ;)