P380 - Slide Resistance causing FTF?

[ttret10]

I recently purchased a new-in-box P380 (Model KP38233; manufactured within the past 6 months).

I have a question for this group -- for those of you who have reliable P380s: When you manually pull the slide back about 1/4" and then let it go, will your slide always return back to its forward-most position (return to battery)?

My P380 does not. It reaches a fair amount of resistance at about 0.080 to 0.125" from it's forward-most position. Fyi, I've put about 500 rounds through my P380 (CCI Blazer, Win white box, Speer Gold dot).

In contrast, however, when I manually pull the slide back 1/4" on my PM9 (model KP9193; manufactured within the past year), it will always return back to its forward-most position. I probably have put through about 500 rounds thru the PM9.

The reason why I am asking about other people's experience with their P380s is that I occasionally experience a failure to chamber the round completely with my P380 (e.g. 2 failures to return to battery in my last 200 rounds; slide stops about 0.080" to 0.125" from forward-most position). I'm trying to understand whether this slide resistance that I feel when manually cycling the slide (at about 0.080" to 0.125" from forward-most position) might be the primary cause of the failure to return to battery issues that I'm experiencing. It would seem that if, whatever is causing this resistance were removed, the firearm would be as reliable as my PM9.

Fyi, my P380 has been back to Kahr once already. Slide resistance was there from day one -- Kahr replaced the springs.

[muggsy]

During the last quarter inch of slide travel the striker is pre-loaded and the barrel cams into lock-up with the slide The recoil spring should have enough power to return the slide to battery. When Kahr pistols are new the are very tight and this could be contributing to your problem. Is your gun properly lubed? How many rounds have you put through the gun?

[ttret10]

I've put about 500 rounds thru it. This last time when I went to the range I put about 200 rounds thru (that brought it up to the 500) it was lubed prior to going to the range but I didnt lube it during the 200 rounds.
My PM9 works fine in this respect (returning the slide to battery) and is about the same age. But my P380 has a lot of resistance over the last 1/8"

[muggsy]

Are you lubricating the slide stop pin and the kidney shaped hole in the barrel extension? Did you lube the outside of the barrel. Do you see any peening of the barrel lug or slide?

[ttret10]

Yes. All those points are lubed. Kahr repaced the barrel when it went back the first time (there was a nick on the side edge of the feed ramp). I didnt notice any peening on the slide but I'll check again (the resistance was there with the prior barrel too)

[MarkB1]

Perhaps polishing the extractor might help if the extractor is part of the problem.

[dsk]

The slide on mine goes all the way forward but it's very weak. I already replaced the recoil springs, and it was stronger initially but since shooting it the recoil springs feel weak again. And to make matters worse, first one and now both of my 6-round mags refuse to lock the slide back, even on a clean, empty pistol. What in heck are Kahr's springs made out of..... butter?

[ttret10]

Hmmm. I wonder if the springs on the p380 are exceeding the spring material's yield strength during recoil. That might explain the possible permanent deformation (what you are seeing as becoming weak). Ill try to ask that the next time im on the phone with them. I talked to kahr yesterday and they want me to send my p380 back again. Hopefully it will get fixed this time.

[dsk]

I don't think it has to do with yield strength. I had kept one of my mags loaded throughout the summer, when I unloaded it I discovered it no longer locked the slide back. My other magazine still did. Just for test I loaded that one to full capacity and left it in my safe. I finally took it out last weekend and unloaded it, tried it in my P380, and now it won't lock the slide back either. So both magazine springs have lost a significant amount of strength just from being left loaded for roughly 3 months. And the recoil spring loses tension after just a couple hundred rounds of use. When they're new and fresh the slide snaps closed pretty well, but now both of my used sets have barely enough strength to close the slide completely and that's it. It sounds to me more like they need to have a talk with their spring supplier, or else go contract with somebody like Wolff who actually knows how to make a durable spring.

[mbaza3]

I experience the same behavior in my P380 when I use lesser quality fmj ammo and it is dirty or not lubed up. I never have an issue with my carry ammo dirty or not with failing to return back to the front position. I use the Hornady 380 critical defense 90 grain ammo.

[ttret10]

Have you used cci blazer brass? If so, do you also experience the issue with this ammo?

[DJK11]

I've put close to 3000 Blazer Brass through my P380 without issue.

[ttret10]

That's good to know DKJ11. I have the issue using blazer brass.