New guy

[Bill]

Hi all, new guy here. I have been using this site for a while now to learn about the Kahr P380 while deciding what I needed for a pocket carry. In the end it was the P380 or the Micro Eagle and I went with the Kahr. Got it yesterday after a long wait for my favorite gun store to track down an all black. I've read all the break in stuff and cleaned her up with a nice lube last night and have been cycling the slide... A lot. Even though you all warned me I was surprised at how much smoother she gets after this treatment. One thing you could never communicate though, this baby is TIGHT ! I know you warned me, but man.
Well, I'll get to the range tomorrow but thought I'd sign on and go from "lurker" to member today.
Bill

[Bawanna]

Hi Bill, welcome to Walmart!

Oh, wrong hat, visualized rapid hat and personality change.............................

Hi Bill, welcome to Kahrtalk, glad you found us. You've lurked long enough, time to join in the fracus.

Do let us know how things progress with your new 380. I predict a love affair in the very near future.

[kwh]

Inquiring minds want to know. Keep us posted.

[b4uqzme]

Welcome Bill. I went with the Micro Desert Eagle myself but only because I'm a diehard steelie. Enjoy your new pistol. It should be a keeper.

[Bill]

Went to the range today to begin the break-in for the new P380. Took along a couple “range buddies” for her too. A North American Arms .22 mag, an Amadeo Rossi .38 Special, and my wife's little pet, a Colt Pony Pocket Lite. We had a nice afternoon.

We fired almost a half a dozen different brands of ammo through the P380 and the Colt. We had a box of Remington 95 GR, FMJ. That was flawless in both little guns.

The Kahr suffered stove pipes on a half a dozen PMC Bronze 90 GR, FMJ. Interestingly, ALL of these failures were with the extended round magazine.

Had a problem with the initial loading of Hornady 90 GR FTX defense loads a couple times but otherwise chambered and ejected as advertised. I always loaded the first round with the slide release but a couple times I sling shot the first round after a FTL and the following round went in fine with that technique.

Similar problems on Remington Golden Saber 102 GR brass jacketed hollow Points.

We tried to fire a box of 88 GR Remington .380 that must have been 15 years in the drawer and both guns said no-way, no-how to those. No surprise and a lesson.

The little Colt ate everything but the “antique” rounds without a hiccup.

If you have seen those cute little 22 magnum revolvers at a gun show or your LGS and were wondering… There’s not a lot to hang on to and with every shot it tries to jump right out of your hand! Somehow we both managed to keep from embarrassing ourselves but we had a hard time hitting the target with it. In fact, my wife, Amy, who is a very experienced shooter, shot way low with it, like in the dirt in front of the target low before she got the hang of it.

The Interarms Rossi shot surprisingly well. Predictable recoil, accurate, pleasant to shoot after the little .380s and .22 mag. We picked that one up at a garage sale years ago for almost nothing and this may be the first time we ever shot it. Nice surprise.

So that is the story so far. About a hundred rounds through it and as anticipated the Kahr had a little trouble settling in with defense rounds and fired the FMJ’s well. It had noticeable preference for the 6 round magazine which I'll want to investigate. I will clean and lube the new P380 again, polish up the chamber and feed ramp a little more, clean and polish the magazine feed lips, gather up a few more varieties of ammo and give ‘er another run in a week or so. I really like the way she handles and look forward to a long and comfortable relationship.

[rjt123]

Nice range report on the first time out. Keep us posted. And welcome to KahrTalk! Best place on the 'net to hang your hat.

[RevRay]

How did it happen that the username "Bill" wasn't already used? Go figure ... anyway, welcome and keep us posted on how the gun performs.

[Bill]

How did it happen that the username "Bill" wasn't already used? Go figure ... anyway, welcome and keep us posted on how the gun performs.

I Know! I guess the P380 was meant to be...

[Bill]

I have a couple photos but am having trouble getting them up. The FAQ says, " visiting the User Control Panel (http://www.kahrtalk.com/usercp.php), and clicking on the 'Pictures & Albums' link" but when I go to User Control Panel I can find no link to Pictures and Albums. Someone help me find it?
Thanks.

[rjt123]

Bill,

The rules of the road on KahrTalk say you have to have 30 posts before you can use an avatar or post photos. You could use Photobucket and post a link from there.

[Bill]

Swing and a miss on Photo Bucket. Definitely an ESO problem... Equipment Superior to Operator. Maybe tomorrow...

[b4uqzme]

Just start talking a lot and racking up posts....;)

[RevRay]

That's what you get for being a lurker for so long ... you could have racked up lots of posts saying absolutely nothing worthwhile like me.

[Bill]

Sent 120 rounds down range today to complete the break-in. Had only two FTFeeds. interestingly, they came about midway through the session and only one magazine apart??? And the first from the 6 round mag the second from the 7 round mag. The first hundred rounds were split with Remington UMC FMJ and Lellier & Bellot FMJ. Both FTF were Remingtons. Then I finished with 10 rounds each of Remington Golden Saber and Winchester PDX1 defense rounds. Both flawless. Pretty good day.

She feels a lot smoother now. Could be that I am more used to the way she handles but I prefer to think that she literally is smoother. Also, I began the session with a new Pachmayr grip which I really liked. Right after the 2 FTF I pulled the grip off for two magazines but the stock grip felt skinny and I missed the feel of the new Pachmayr from the first shot. So I replaced it for the rest of the session. One thing. The Pachmayr is smooth on the inside and actually moves around on the P380. If it doesn't begin to seat-in soon I may add a thin layer of contact cement. I don't want to permanently glue it to the gun, but I don't want it to slide around and possibly get in the way of the magazine either. So... developing...

Last thing on the Kahr, Accurate is the word! Most of the day was just grinding through the last of the 200 round break-in but when I put a clean target up I got tight groupings and was really impressed. I really like this gun!

Range Buddies for this trip were a Glock 23, great shooter, supper accurate but no soul. I have never been a fan of Glocks but I married two of them. Meaning, when I got married my wife had two of them, right? And they are good shooters, just ugly.

2nd range buddy was a really nice nickel plated Colt Detective Special in 38 Special. Super light trigger in single action and interminable trigger in double. Pretty gun but hard to shoot for me. So just Blah.

That's it. Except to say one more time, man I really like this P380. She is everything I had hoped.

[Bill]

Washed the sleeve with dish soap and it is not "slick" any longer. Also, I said contact cement may be an option above but should have said Rubber Cement. I doubt anything will really stick to the Polymer but the rubber cement could be just the ticket to make things more snug.

[SaltyNC]

Bill,

You hit 30 posts. Now you have to post pics or it didn't happen. :) I like the look of the black P380. I was so close to going that route, myself, but ended up cheapening out with a CW380, but I think it looks fine. Had I known it would shoot so well, I probably would have spent a little extra to get the P380 DLC. Funny, usually its the silver stainless slide that costs extra, but with Kahr, its the other way around in since all their slides are stainless in their polymer line and the black is an extra treatment.

Once you break it in, do you plan on carrying it? Pocket?

SaltyNC

[Bill]

Bill,

You hit 30 posts. Now you have to post pics or it didn't happen. :)
SaltyNC

Range Buddies for the first hundred rounds... Colt Pony, North American Arms .22 mag. revolver, Amadeo Rossi .38 Special and the new Kahr


http://www.kahrtalk.com/picture.php?albumid=124&pictureid=786

[Bill]

This is about 50 rounds just trying to push as many rounds through the gun as I could and not really noticing placement much. Afterwards I thought, "Hey. Not bad for just plinkin"
http://www.kahrtalk.com/picture.php?albumid=124&pictureid=784

[Bill]

Then about midway through the 120 round session I put up a clean target and really liked what I got from the next 7 rounds.
http://www.kahrtalk.com/picture.php?albumid=124&pictureid=785

[Bill]

I should have noted that the targets were set at 7 yards.

[T0RMENT]

Nice groupings. I notice you have a tendency to shoot a little low and left as I do.

For others here, what's the consistent thing Bill and I do that causes this? Yanking trigger a little?

Found this...


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r193/GSXRSNAIL/double_correction_zpsabf45eb7.jpg

[Bill]

Bill,
I like the look of the black P380. I was so close to going that route, myself, but ended up cheapening out with a CW380, but I think it looks fine. Had I known it would shoot so well, I probably would have spent a little extra to get the P380 DLC. Funny, usually its the silver stainless slide that costs extra, but with Kahr, its the other way around in since all their slides are stainless in their polymer line and the black is an extra treatment.

Once you break it in, do you plan on carrying it? Pocket?

SaltyNC

Yes, on this little guy I really like the black over black. It was hard to find but my LGS was willing to put in the effort and I just let him go at it. Took him a good two months, he kept turning up silver guns and I kept saying I would wait for the black. And then finally...
This will replace my S&W 640 no dash as a carry gun. I wore the Smith IWB but I'm thinking' pocket for his one.

TORMENT- Now that you mention it, it is pretty pronounced isn't it. Clearly 90% of my hits are on the left side of the target. I'm generally further to the right:)