P380

[Jollyrogers]

If Glock had come out with a single stack 9mm, I would never have experienced the Kahr micro series of pistols.

So I have had a Glock or two for a few years now, and honestly have been a fanboi because they have worked reliably and are
very utilitarian (not to mention the blue box pricing). When the G42 came out, I was disappointed it wasn't a 9mm... but I got one regardless as I was looking for a slimmer single stack for CC this summer. I was down to the G42 and the PM9. I went Glock and unfortunately, it wouldn't run for me, so I took it back to my LGS, and traded it back for the PM9. I honestly fell in love with this little Kahr.

Well I decided to get me a mouse gun and picked up a P380 I have been looking at for a few weeks now! So when I can't IWB, I can now pocket carry. The PM9 was just a tad heavy/big for my pockets, but works well for me AIWB. Now I get to see if the little P380 I got will run as well as it's little big brother:D Off to clean, lube, and am gonna leave the slide locked back for a day or so... It's supposed to rain, so probably won't get to shoot till Friday or Sat.

.

[berettabone]

I would imagine that a lot of people were disappointed, that it wasn't a larger caliber. Good luck with the P.

[gun papa]

Good luck. I love them. I am tempted to buy the ones that do not work, at a reduced price, to see if I can get them running.

I was waiting for what Glock was producing to be announced, and excited when the said a "pocket carry" .380. That was until I saw that the dimensions were as big as the G26. Why would I give up caliber and capacity for a thinner, less powerful gun of the same size.

I am a converted Glock fan, after dislike of many years, but I digress.

I am a tall fellow and I can easily hide the G19 or G26. I adore both guns, but sometimes I do not have the option to carry a belt holstered gun. This is where the utility of the Kahr micro .380's come in.

[Jollyrogers]

Well I had a break in the rain (sorta) today when I got home from work, so stepped out back and shot some steel with the P380. My wife laughed at me, something about I couldn't take it and had to go play with my new toy :cool: I told her I was shooting her ammo :001_tt2:

I had cleaned it when I brought it home and locked it back and dropped it in the safe over night, so 24 hours locked back. Ran 50 of PMC through it, it did perfect with the 6 round mag, and had a couple stove pipes with the 7 rounder. Not bad. Fun as hell to shoot. So I ran 12 rounds of my loads that I do for my wife's BG380 for plinking. It hated it, to light of loads for sure.

So I cleaned it after shooting… I want to comment on getting that recoil spring guide rod and spring(s) into the guide rod hole correctly. It's a bad word with a B. It can be done obviously, but gotta be just right. Anything longer and it isn't gonna happen! Also, noticed it is mating up between the polymer guide and the slide and seems to be smoother then when I started. So pretty much how my PM9 did, 'cept it is easier to get the guid rod in :)

So all in all I am happy with the P380 so far. Gonna break it in some more w/ some store bought, and see about working up a load it likes. Then put some Federal Hydra Shocks through it once I am over the 200 round count and see if it runs them reliably. If so, pocket time and will get an appropriate holster.

PS: I tend to shoot it left!!! But super accurate when I get it right!

[gun papa]

Cool. I am glad that you like it. I took mine out for a bit today. They are very accurate, so long as you do your part. It will take clay pigeons at 25 yards. I was impressed.

[Jollyrogers]

That is impressive. I am only hitting 4 and 8" steel at 15 yards.

[muggsy]

When you two start popping Ritz crackers at 50 yards you'll have joined my league. :)
(Just kidding. I couldn't see Ritz crackers at 25 yards.)

[Jollyrogers]

Cause I ate them when you were loading up those mags! ;)

[Jollyrogers]

Finally the rain has cleared out!!! Got home and got some quality time with my little P380. FMJ 95grn PMC, Fiocci, and Blazer.
PMC - 2 FTE in 50.
Blazer - ate them like candy. Zero failures in 50.
Fiocci - Fails to chamber using slide lock or slingshot. Ejects fine, but fails to feed. They will fit the chamber, but after 4 shots, set them aside to try in wife's BG380 and will not buy again.
Put a box of 90grn Federal Hydra-Shoks through it using both 6&7 round mags. 100% reliable and damn fun fun to shoot.
So I am pretty happy, with the exception of the Fiocci and my tendency to push it left!
Also running a sticky holster and actually like it for quick tuck into wasteband or pocket!

[dirksterg30]

I have the same issue with the Fiocchi. Won't chamber in my P380, but chambers in the wife's Bodyguard. 380. She hasn't shot her Bodyguard yet, but they chamber manually. Looks to me like the Fiocchi ammo I have is out of spec. Out of a random sample of 20 rounds out of 250 rounds I have on hand, all 20 rounds would not fit in a case gage. Other rounds I tried such as Hydra-shoks and Winchester FMJ fit the case gage just fine.

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk

[Pointblank]

From my experience with Fiocchi 380s is that the overall length tends to be be shorter and chokes some pistols. They work fine in my wife's LCP and my Mustang Pocketlite, but jam my SIG P232 which never has malfunctioned on anything else.

[Jollyrogers]

Thank you for the feedback on Fiocchi!!! I will prob try in the wife's BG380. But I reload and have a case gauge, so I will run through there also. Not sure why I didn't think of that to start with!!!

So this will prove two things. One, the P380 chambers are tight, like many have pointed out here, and to make sure ammo is at SAAMI specs or don't run it, and two, Fiocci 380 is not within SAAMI specs!

So Blazer ran so good, my real LGS got some in yesterday and I grabbed a few more boxes to run through it when I shoot it next. Gonna mic that Blazer, wish I knew what powder CCI used also for these loads...

[Jollyrogers]

So here is blazer brass dropped into a case gauge:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/nynetaby.jpg

and here is Fiocchi 95gr FMJ dropped into the same case gauge:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/7ypyge8u.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/bamega9e.jpg

That is enough for me. They will drop into the chamber, but won't feed reliably... and I believe this does explain why. I am sure if the P380 chamber was a little larger it would be fine... They work fine in my wife's BG380 though.

[Turbomonster]

I have noticed that Fiocchi and Tula Brassmax brass are made differnt from the other types of ammo I have and my P380 hate them. If you look at the angle and the flat part before the rim, its a steeper angle and shorter angled part. Also the flat part before the rim is longer. That could be some of the issues. Please exuse me highly technical terms.

[DKD]

The reason your shots are going left is pretty easy to explain. First the pistol is very small which affects your grip. If your using a two handed grip place more off hand pressure if your right handed.
Another cause could be too much finger on the trigger due to the small size of the pistol. When this happens to me on small pistols I just watch my grip and use more left hand pressure and the problem goes away.
Give it a go and I think your will be amazed. I have moved my group by a much as several inches using this technique.

[Jollyrogers]

thanks for the feedback. I known it's me pushing left when I shoot, not the pistol. I can get it right most the time, just need to practice with it more. For the most part I am good with it, unless I start hurrying my shots.