gun papa
04-25-2014, 10:31 PM
When my Wife got her Kahr P380 in around September of 2013, there were few Kahr P380's around in the flesh to handle. We ended up getting the gun new from a gun store off of Gunbroker for $550. After shipping and transfer it was $600.
We did the break in thing, and the gun fed everything I threw at it. If you sling-shotted the slide correctly and held the gun firm, the gun functioned as it should. The only nagging failure being that of the slide not locking back consistently. The gun has about 500 rds of all types through it now, and I am very fond of the gun and look lovingly upon it as you would a tiny puppy. Even though I offered myself to do the work of breaking the gun in, and I could shoot it to my heart's desire, it was not mine. I wanted one of these guns for my very own.
Since Glock screwed up with the large G42, I again found that the dimensions of the P380, and my want of a Browning locked breach, the P380 was the only gun right for my intended purpose, pocket carry. However, $600 did not sit right with me. That is WAY TOO MUCH $$$ for a pocket gun.
This AM I rousted my FFL dealer out of bed so I could transfer to me, the CW 380 I had sent to him. This gun the CW 380, like first, was a Gunbroker purchase from a gunstore. The price $311. After shipping and transfer, it was $350. A $250 reduction over the P380. MUCH BETTER!
I inspected the little gun with a jaundiced eye for flaws, but found none at all.
Now that I have the two guns side by side you would think I would be critiquing the places that resulted in the cost savings, the exterior. But no. I do not think that the exteriors are all that much of a big deal. Sure, the sights are different, and some of the machine work is fancier on the P380, big deal.
Here is what I see between the two guns.
1. The magazine release, though the same, is easier to manipulate on the CW380, where the P380 requires a bit of concentration.
2. Lock up on both pistols is tight and just the way I like it.
3. The CW 380 does not have the 1/8" out of battery, weak recoil spring feel that the P380 did. The CW 380 returns to battery fully, every time I cycle the gun, even when riding the slide.
4.The trigger on the P380 is less pull weight and length of travel than the CW380. (This may just be that the P380 is broken in with 500rds. I hope so, because I love the P380 trigger. We shall see.)
5. I have discovered that the magazine of the CW 380 when placed in the P380, pushes the P380 slide lock further up, and THAT may be the cause of the failure of the P380 to slide lock. It may be a follower issue. I will test and find out, (See pics below of the slide lock position with each magazine. There is a gap as the slide lock is not pushed up by the follower of the original P380 magazine. It leaves the slide lock in an area where the slide can decide to lock or not on its whim.)
6. I have not fired the gun yet, so I cannot say anything about function. I have sling-shotted every different kind of ammo I have available, and the gun goes into battery with everything, no issue.
Those rounds include.
Fed Hydra Shok
Winchester flat nosed white box
Aguila 95gr HP
Blaser 95gr FMJ
Remington 95gr FMJ
Hornady Zombie bullets
95gr TMJ Handloads
7. The CW380 may be 1/8" longer of a slide than the P380.
VIDEO of first shooting is UP!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKTOb0D_PY
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-11069-1398478432462_zps56c12c49.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-11069-1398478432462_zps56c12c49.jpg.html)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-812-1398478384059_zpsabd7b278.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-812-1398478384059_zpsabd7b278.jpg.html)
The picture appears that the P380 is shorter, but it is not. That is just machining differences.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-10906-1398478333148_zps2512db0d.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-10906-1398478333148_zps2512db0d.jpg.html)
NOTE that the slide stop is not elevated fully using the original magazine in the P380, leaving the slide stop not to lock the slide open. the magazine did the same when inserted into the CW380.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-11083-1398478240949_zps7df1f7bf.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-11083-1398478240949_zps7df1f7bf.jpg.html)
Note the fully elevated slide lock when the CW380 supplied magazine was seated into the P380. This may be the issue of the intermittent slide locking open with the P380 that the gun has had since aquirred.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-5631-1398478176624_zps3c6d833d.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-5631-1398478176624_zps3c6d833d.jpg.html)
VIDEO IS UP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKTOb0D_PY
We did the break in thing, and the gun fed everything I threw at it. If you sling-shotted the slide correctly and held the gun firm, the gun functioned as it should. The only nagging failure being that of the slide not locking back consistently. The gun has about 500 rds of all types through it now, and I am very fond of the gun and look lovingly upon it as you would a tiny puppy. Even though I offered myself to do the work of breaking the gun in, and I could shoot it to my heart's desire, it was not mine. I wanted one of these guns for my very own.
Since Glock screwed up with the large G42, I again found that the dimensions of the P380, and my want of a Browning locked breach, the P380 was the only gun right for my intended purpose, pocket carry. However, $600 did not sit right with me. That is WAY TOO MUCH $$$ for a pocket gun.
This AM I rousted my FFL dealer out of bed so I could transfer to me, the CW 380 I had sent to him. This gun the CW 380, like first, was a Gunbroker purchase from a gunstore. The price $311. After shipping and transfer, it was $350. A $250 reduction over the P380. MUCH BETTER!
I inspected the little gun with a jaundiced eye for flaws, but found none at all.
Now that I have the two guns side by side you would think I would be critiquing the places that resulted in the cost savings, the exterior. But no. I do not think that the exteriors are all that much of a big deal. Sure, the sights are different, and some of the machine work is fancier on the P380, big deal.
Here is what I see between the two guns.
1. The magazine release, though the same, is easier to manipulate on the CW380, where the P380 requires a bit of concentration.
2. Lock up on both pistols is tight and just the way I like it.
3. The CW 380 does not have the 1/8" out of battery, weak recoil spring feel that the P380 did. The CW 380 returns to battery fully, every time I cycle the gun, even when riding the slide.
4.The trigger on the P380 is less pull weight and length of travel than the CW380. (This may just be that the P380 is broken in with 500rds. I hope so, because I love the P380 trigger. We shall see.)
5. I have discovered that the magazine of the CW 380 when placed in the P380, pushes the P380 slide lock further up, and THAT may be the cause of the failure of the P380 to slide lock. It may be a follower issue. I will test and find out, (See pics below of the slide lock position with each magazine. There is a gap as the slide lock is not pushed up by the follower of the original P380 magazine. It leaves the slide lock in an area where the slide can decide to lock or not on its whim.)
6. I have not fired the gun yet, so I cannot say anything about function. I have sling-shotted every different kind of ammo I have available, and the gun goes into battery with everything, no issue.
Those rounds include.
Fed Hydra Shok
Winchester flat nosed white box
Aguila 95gr HP
Blaser 95gr FMJ
Remington 95gr FMJ
Hornady Zombie bullets
95gr TMJ Handloads
7. The CW380 may be 1/8" longer of a slide than the P380.
VIDEO of first shooting is UP!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKTOb0D_PY
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-11069-1398478432462_zps56c12c49.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-11069-1398478432462_zps56c12c49.jpg.html)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-812-1398478384059_zpsabd7b278.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-812-1398478384059_zpsabd7b278.jpg.html)
The picture appears that the P380 is shorter, but it is not. That is just machining differences.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-10906-1398478333148_zps2512db0d.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-10906-1398478333148_zps2512db0d.jpg.html)
NOTE that the slide stop is not elevated fully using the original magazine in the P380, leaving the slide stop not to lock the slide open. the magazine did the same when inserted into the CW380.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-11083-1398478240949_zps7df1f7bf.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-11083-1398478240949_zps7df1f7bf.jpg.html)
Note the fully elevated slide lock when the CW380 supplied magazine was seated into the P380. This may be the issue of the intermittent slide locking open with the P380 that the gun has had since aquirred.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/photobucket-5631-1398478176624_zps3c6d833d.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/photobucket-5631-1398478176624_zps3c6d833d.jpg.html)
VIDEO IS UP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKTOb0D_PY