New CW380,dissapointed.

[timboy]

I recently traded in a diamondback db380 in on a Kahr cw380 in the hopes that it was a better quality and functioning gun,now I am not so sure I did the right thing.

I took it out today for its break in with high hopes after following all of the great prep advice on this site.
I ran 300 rounds through it and it only had one failure to feed but a consistent problem with the slide not returning all the way forward,stopping with the end of the slide flush with the end of the grip frame,requiring smoking the back of the slide to get it into battery.
Running the slide by hand if you ride the slide you can feel the loss of spring tension as it nears the end of the grip frame.
So I guess I have to call Kahr and see what they say,$120+ in ammo down the crapper so far.

Anyone have a similar problem?

[TheLastDaze]

Sorry to hear that, I too have one on the way and have great hopes it will perform.... I would not call it a complete waste of ammo as you deliberately kept feeding a gun that wasn't performing...

Like feeding a car gas when there's a leak in the hose... I have zero experience with Kahrs so far so others will chime in with real world advice, but while I try to ramp up my post count : ) let me suggest clean the gun, lube, and with mag out rack that sucker like there's no tomorrow.... Then after around 200 plus times take it out and dump 50 into it...

[yqtszhj]

Sorry for your frustration. Im curious if you cleaned it during those 300 rounds. One thing I might try once if they don't ask for it back is clean it real good since you've been shooting, oil it well (maybe a little on the wet side), and try one box of some full power full metal jacket ammo. Im glad you didnt have any ftf or other jams. I think what you are facing will clear up. Possibly after a good cleaning since your breakin is done.I've had 4 kahrs and after a good first shooting and a good cleaning they do run better.

Also make sure to hold it firmly in the beginning. A little bit of loose grip in the beginning will cause what you are having now. I have a glock that would do that too in the beginning but it cleared up also.

[leftysixty]

Pull the barrel out, drop a live round in the barrel. The base of the case should be even with, or lower than the end of the barrel. If I'm not clear enough, search "plunk test".

There have been cases of the chamber/freebore being incorrect.

Also some bullet shapes will engage the rifling before the slide is completely in battery. A more pointed bullet will be less likely to do that.

I'm sure that others will be along to give you a better explanation.

Good luck, it will work out.

[shlike]

Sorry for your frustration. Im curious if you cleaned it during those 300 rounds. One thing I might try once if they don't ask for it back is clean it real good since you've been shooting, oil it well (maybe a little on the wet side), and try one box of some full power full metal jacket ammo. Im glad you didnt have any ftf or other jams. I think what you are facing will clear up. Possibly after a good cleaning since your breakin is done.I've had 4 kahrs and after a good first shooting and a good cleaning they do run better.

Also make sure to hold it firmly in the beginning. A little bit of loose grip in the beginning will cause what you are having now. I have a glock that would do that too in the beginning but it cleared up also.

+1 What he said. I experienced the same thing with my CW380 when going through the break-in period. It would occasionally fail to go fully into battery, requiring a nudge on the back of the slide. I kept the gun clean and lubed, using only full-power factory ammo, and the problem went away after about 150+ rounds. After that, it has functioned flawlessly. I now have over 1000 rounds through mine without a single hiccup. That being said, I do not use reloads in this gun, only full-power factory ammo. It is not fussy, and will eat whatever factory ammo I feed it, both FMJ and JHP.

[TheLastDaze]

. That being said, I do not use reloads in this gun, only full-power factory ammo. It is not fussy, and will eat whatever factory ammo I feed it, both FMJ and JHP.

I only intend to feed mine handloads, so it will be interesting to see how it performs... my loads casings are within spec so it should be a non-issue... however I do have one box of factory perfecta I'll probably shoot first (just to be rid of it)

[gb6491]

Timboy,
Welcome to the forums:)
What ammo are you using in your CW380?
Regards,
Greg

[timboy]

I kept feeding ammo into because problems can be expected during the first 200 or so rounds during break in,not unusual in my experience but this problem didnt go away.

I used 250 rounds of Remington UMC fmj and 50 rounds of crappy brass cased tula ammo just to see how it ran...worse than the Remingtons...not suprising.
I did wipe and re oil the slide contact points,barrel a few times during the process.
I think the gun just has a binding or spring related issue as it really feels and sounds odd while slowly running the slide by hand without a round in it.
Also the side cover bulges out near the end of the trigger travel,it seems like the trigger bar is pushing it out.

[CharlieR]

It will smooth out after more rounds. I am in the process of breaking in my second P380....up to around 300 rounds now, only failed to go into battery once today. First outing it was a lot. My first P380 was the same. After around 500 rounds, it was perfect in all respects. This new one is smoothing out nicely.

Charlie

[gun papa]

My Wife's P380 had same issue. Kahr would not respond to e mails. I just bought $9 in replacement springs. No more issues.

[TheLastDaze]

My Wife's P380 had same issue. Kahr would not respond to e mails.

EVERYONE should be fired in their Customer Service department..... !!!! Unless of course there is a chance you had the wrong email address..... :-)

[GeezerD]

I had the same problem with a CW380 that I bought a while ago. The first time out, I put 25 or 30 rds downrange with 2/3 FTF. I discovered that the cartridge rim was catching on the extractor as a result of sharp corners and rough finish on the extractor and breechface. After polishing and breaking some corners on the extractor and breechface, I took it back to the range and put 150 rds thru it with no issues.

There is no way that it should take 300 to 500 rds of ammo to break in a new pistol. It is a result of companies reducing the amount of fitting and finishing on a new gun and letting the consumer wear everything in with a lot of shooting.

GeezerD

[timboy]

OK just tore it down did a good cleaning and noticed the hood of the barrel has been contacting the inside of the slide,it happens in the last portion of slide travel as the barrel moves into lock up,there are marks on the inside of the slide and the very edge of the barrel hood is now deformed from hitting.
It explains why it needed that little nudge to send it home.
I will get ahold of customer service and find out how to send it back for thier examination.

[gun papa]

OK just tore it down did a good cleaning and noticed the hood of the barrel has been contacting the inside of the slide,it happens in the last portion of slide travel as the barrel moves into lock up,there are marks on the inside of the slide and the very edge of the barrel hood is now deformed from hitting.
It explains why it needed that little nudge to send it home.
I will get ahold of customer service and find out how to send it back for thier examination.

Picture? What you describe sounds normal on both of our guns here.

[gun papa]

EVERYONE should be fired in their Customer Service department..... !!!! Unless of course there is a chance you had the wrong email address..... :-)

It was the same address as the first time I did get a response. The response I received from Jay was about the same problem the OP described. Jay said it was normal, but 400+ rds later it was the same. I just bought new springs. Fixed it.

[DavidR]

I have the same problem with my CW380. I bought it in July and have had return to battery problems from day 1. It seemed to get better after I did some internal polishing but it started up again last week. I have about 500 rounds through it. Never had an FTF or an FTE. Battery failures have occurred with Aguila FMJ, Blazer Brass FMJ, Federal Hydra Shok and Lehigh XP. Never had a battery failure with Hornady Critical Defense and one of my three mags seems to work fine.

I called Kahr Tuesday, spoke with Gino. He sent me a shipping label. I shipped it Wednesday and it arrived at Kahr Friday morning. I hope whatever they do to fix it won't screw up the fact that it has never jammed.

[DavidR]

OK just tore it down did a good cleaning and noticed the hood of the barrel has been contacting the inside of the slide,it happens in the last portion of slide travel as the barrel moves into lock up,there are marks on the inside of the slide and the very edge of the barrel hood is now deformed from hitting.
It explains why it needed that little nudge to send it home.
I will get ahold of customer service and find out how to send it back for thier examination.

Mine had what you described but I don't think that's abnormal. I polished the barrel and the slide in that area but, as posted above, still had battery failures.

[gun papa]

This is what we were experiencing, corrected, 500+ rounds in April. No response to my E mail. Fixed it with new springs.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/20140513_115443_zps9662ce72.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/20140513_115443_zps9662ce72.jpg.html)


If this barrel hood to slide mating deformity is what you are referring to, it is not the cause of your issue and is normal mating wear, IMO.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/barrelhood2_zpsed8c850d.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/barrelhood2_zpsed8c850d.jpg.html)

[timboy]

Here are some pics,its the best I can do with my tablet.
In the first picture the pick is resting on the damaged area in the second pic its hard to see due to the grainy pictures but there are lines where the barrel has been dragging down the slide.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/blazing_photos/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140831_181822.jpg (http://s129.photobucket.com/user/blazing_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140831_181822.jpg.html)http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/blazing_photos/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140831_181945.jpg (http://s129.photobucket.com/user/blazing_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140831_181945.jpg.html)

[timboy]

That first picture is exactly what is happening with mine and the marking on the barrel hood is very similar!
To me that is not normal part wear in that is piss poor fit and finish,they really should do better than that.
Did the new springs look the same as the springs you replaced,is length etc?

This is what we were experiencing, corrected, 500+ rounds in April. No response to my E mail. Fixed it with new springs.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/20140513_115443_zps9662ce72.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/20140513_115443_zps9662ce72.jpg.html)


If this barrel hood to slide mating deformity is what you are referring to, it is not the cause of your issue and is normal mating wear, IMO.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/barrelhood2_zpsed8c850d.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/barrelhood2_zpsed8c850d.jpg.html)

[gun papa]

Springs looked different. I will post when I get back.

[timboy]

Springs looked different. I will post when I get back.
OK thanks,was the gun new when you got it?

[gun papa]

OK thanks,was the gun new when you got it?

Please direct your attention to the picture. The springs are clearly different. To answer your question, yes, the gun was new when we purchased it.

Let me state my opinion that I do not believe there was much, if any spring degradation of the original springs from use. The original springs were weak since new out of the box, and the issue of not returning to full battery shown in my prior picture was apparent from onboxing.

In this picture are original recoil springs, (right), and new replacements from Kahr, (left). While the inner springs appear to be the same length, the new spring is thicker gauge, and with firmer tension.

The original outer spring is clearly shorter. Replacing the springs, both of them, solved the problem with my Wife's gun failing to return to battery. I had NO issues with the failing to return to battery with my CW380, and its factory springs resemble the newly purchased springs shown in the image.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gunpapa/springs1_zpsa3674f32.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/gunpapa/media/springs1_zpsa3674f32.jpg.html)

[gun papa]

To me that is not normal part wear in that is piss poor fit and finish,they really should do better than that.


In my opinion, in any moving device where two pieces have contact, the meshing of those parts is understandable, especially where tolerances are extremely close. The peening of the contact point of the barrel hood is not unusual, I do not think. Rather, preferable. A manufacturer can only fit parts so well, the rest meshes upon use. In both of the Kahr 380 guns we own, the barrel to slide lock up is so tight, you can not move it at all by pressing down on it. this lock up has a distinct effect on the accuracy potential of the gun, and our guns are damn accurate. I will wait until I have another 500+ rounds before I consider polishing the peened area.

The alternative to the peening is to have a loosey-goosey put together gun. I have no complaints based on the accuracy which I am getting from the piece, which I stated before is exceptional.

[yqtszhj]

Fyi, ive had bad luck with UMC ammo in kahrs, a beretta 92, and other guns due to low power ammo. Always had good results with American eagle, blazer brass, PMC, seller and bellot. Also had bad results in a LCP with independence ammo.

[timboy]

Gun Papa,thank you very much for the pics and help,that is a pretty big difference.
P380 slides are a little shorter from what I understand,I wonder if a batch of cw380 pistols left the factory with the wrong springs,may bee from a p380?

[gun papa]

If that were the case, the spring should have worked fine as the gun pictured is a P380.

[timboy]

Well I got a shipping label today,I am planning to send it out Thurs or Fridayafter I take some better pictures for my own record.
I really hope they make this thing right,I want this gun to be a keeper.

[AFDoc]

You may want to consider shipping it early in the week so it is not sitting in a truck or warehouse over the weekend. just a thought for peace of mind...

[gun papa]

I continue to believe that the Kahr 380 line gives me just what I want in a micro gun platform. Micro, locked breach, accurate, and reliable. I say this overall. It is asking for it all. I do not mind the minor kinks, overall the guns are amazing, especially in the value line. This weekend, I carried the CW in a front pocket, condition 3 in what is popularly termed, a non permissive environment, where I could not have carried another gun . I was thankful to have it and felt in no way that the gun would be discovered.

[WLEEP]

I would not call it a complete waste of ammo as you deliberately kept feeding a gun that wasn't performing...

I'm not so sure a high post count is a sign of intelligence around here. Remember what Abraham Lincoln said "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

[gun papa]

I would not call it a complete waste of ammo as you deliberately kept feeding a gun that wasn't performing...

I'm not so sure a high post count is a sign of intelligence around here. Remember what Abraham Lincoln said "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

I believe the OP'S issues are minor, based on experience. The OP asked for advice and was provided that advice by those with experience with this model. Last I checked, these forums are visited by members to discuss our Kahrs, and to provide Input as a community.

Looking over a thread that is now 4 pages in legnth, I only see your single addition in the negative, and then you further the response with an insult, backed by a quote not even of your own creation. By your remarks, I would not challenge your intellect, but I will call you a troll.

[timboy]

Again I was trying get it broken in 200 rounds is not a majical number when met fire arms start shooting perfect,hense the additional ammo,the gun seems to have a manufacturing or assembly issue that didn't clear up during break in.
My first post was born of frustration after getting rid of a lemon in the hopes that Kahr would have a better pistol for my needs,I hope they return me just that
Perhaps follow your own advice next time and remain silent if you have nothing of use to post.

I would not call it a complete waste of ammo as you deliberately kept feeding a gun that wasn't performing...

I'm not so sure a high post count is a sign of intelligence around here. Remember what Abraham Lincoln said "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

[Bawanna]

The bottom line is Kahr will fix it and make it right. No question about that.

I can't see from the pictures, the little buggered up area on the corner shouldn't be causing much of an issue and we see that.

It could be peening, the barrel just not fitting properly to the slide. Don't see that often lately but it could be.

Let Kahr take a look. Include a not clearly describing your issues and results. Ammo type etc.
I'd include the magazine with the gun so all the variables stay the same.

Keep us posted. I always seek happy endings and I'm looking for one in this case too and I shall have it.

[DavidR]

Again I was trying get it broken in 200 rounds is not a majical number when met fire arms start shooting perfect,hense the additional ammo,the gun seems to have a manufacturing or assembly issue that didn't clear up during break in.


I'm in the same position as you. 500 rounds and still experiencing intermittent battery failures. The problem seemed to improve but would not completely go away. I don't consider the ammo a waste as I enjoyed shooting it and improved my trigger pull.

The gun is back at Kahr now and will hopefully return fixed. In the meantime I picked up a Ruger LCP so my little Kahr has a some competition for the right front pocket.

[timboy]

I'm in the same position as you. 500 rounds and still experiencing intermittent battery failures. The problem seemed to improve but would not completely go away. I don't consider the ammo a waste as I enjoyed shooting it and improved my trigger pull.

The gun is back at Kahr now and will hopefully return fixed. In the meantime I picked up a Ruger LCP so my little Kahr has a some competition for the right front pocket.

Well I hope they can sort these things out for us,let me know how yours turns out as you should have yours back well before I do.
When I was 380 shopping I was looking to get a lcp but the long heavy trigger pull pushed me to a striker fired diamondback db380 as kahrs cw line was not out yet and the p380 was way more than I could justify spending.
I sometimes wish I had just bought the Ruger and adapted to the trigger,I have two other Ruger pistols and a 10/22 and love all of them.
Whe

[TheTman]

Hell, Kimber customer service wants my friend to put a total of at least 800 RN-FMJ rounds thru his Officer sized 1911, (Ultra Crimson Carry II?) before he tries any more HP SD ammo. I think that gun is going up for sale soon, and he is going to end up with a CM9 or CW9 or CT9 even, or similar. Something less bulky and easier to conceal. He had an LC9, but gave it to his son, since the son was toting around some Makarov knockoff pistol that was poor quality, and not very accurate, and is much more likely to run into trouble than his dad is. I'm trying to get him to go with a Kahr, since like me, he has muscle spasms, and I don't think he needs something with a light single action trigger. The Kahr gives me some wriggle room, so if I were covering someone, waiting on the cops or whatever, A muscle spasm or sneeze or something won't cause me to fire the pistol. The Kimber was an impulse buy, he picked up during a break in his CC class. it had the laser grips, and it fit his hand really well. And is a damn fine looking pistol. He didn't put much thought into actually carrying it though, and when he does carry, the chamber is empty, so what good is that.

[DavidR]

Well I hope they can sort these things out for us,let me know how yours turns out as you should have yours back well before I do.
When I was 380 shopping I was looking to get a lcp but the long heavy trigger pull pushed me to a striker fired diamondback db380 as kahrs cw line was not out yet and the p380 was way more than I could justify spending.
I sometimes wish I had just bought the Ruger and adapted to the trigger,I have two other Ruger pistols and a 10/22 and love all of them.
Whe

Apparently the gen2 LCP has a new trigger. I found it to be shorter than the CW380 and smooth. I'm a little more accurate with the LCP.

[DavidR]

Well I hope they can sort these things out for us,let me know how yours turns out as you should have yours back well before I do.

One week after FedEx delivered my CW380 to Kahr I received an automated email acknowledging that they have the gun and have entered it into the processing queue. No ETA for actually looking at it.

[muggsy]

Ya know, it never fails to amaze me. A guy buys a top quality firearm built to very close tolerances feeds it the cheapest crap ammo that he can find and then wonders why the gun won't function properly. He then blames the manufacturer for putting out a substandard product and bad mouths both the product and the manufacturer on an internet website without ever giving the manufacturer a chance to make the product right. He never stops to think that there are tens of thousands of these guns in daily use that function just as intended. I guess that's what comes of being of the me, me, me generation. End of rant.

[DavidR]

I've only used factory fresh ammo in mine - Blazer, Aguila, Federal, Hornady and Lehigh. Failures to return to battery from day 1 with all of them except Hornady. It's more likely that this top quality gun was defective the day it was manufactured and never should have left the factory. Just sayin' ...

[TheLastDaze]

It's more likely that this top quality gun was defective the day it was manufactured and never should have left the factory. Just sayin' ...

bet you haven't had any of those issues with the Elsie..... great gun, love mine

[TheLastDaze]

I guess that's what comes of being of the me, me, me generation. End of rant.

I take offense to your post.......








Its the I,I,I generation... :)

you do however mention cheap/shoddy ammo manufacturers, I think they deserve equal attention on the internet, If I can make better ammo in my garage and have it feed through everything I put it in, then why can't they.... They're a full production plant using NEW brass,and should have tight specs, the only ammo I truly check for QC is my 40 and I only grab a few per 100 to look at... I only use MIXED range brass and have yet to encounter issues.....and I've shot thousands of rounds thus far.. okay, maybe two light strikes but still that's .002%

[timboy]

One week after FedEx delivered my CW380 to Kahr I received an automated email acknowledging that they have the gun and have entered it into the processing queue. No ETA for actually looking at it.

I sent mine out yestererday at 3:44 pm and got that same e mail today at 11:48 today.


Ya know, it never fails to amaze me. A guy buys a top quality firearm built to very close tolerances feeds it the cheapest crap ammo that he can find and then wonders why the gun won't function properly. He then blames the manufacturer for putting out a substandard product and bad mouths both the product and the manufacturer on an internet website without ever giving the manufacturer a chance to make the product right. He never stops to think that there are tens of thousands of these guns in daily use that function just as intended. I guess that's what comes of being of the me, me, me generation. End of rant.
Not even wasting my time on this one.


I've only used factory fresh ammo in mine - Blazer, Aguila, Federal, Hornady and Lehigh. Failures to return to battery from day 1 with all of them except Hornady. It's more likely that this top quality gun was defective the day it was manufactured and never should have left the factory. Just sayin' ...
Yup,send them out the door and let the warranty department sort them out.
If these were top quality guns then this forum would not be full of people complaining or asking how to fix them but I guess we are the first guys to have problems with a kahr....

[DavidR]

I sent mine out yestererday at 3:44 pm and got that same e mail today at 11:48 today.
....

My email arrived at 11:27 so maybe I'm ahead of you!

My CW380 fed and ejected everything I fed it but had that persistent battery problem. Possibly they just got a batch of weak recoil springs?

Looking forward to getting it back.

[timboy]

My email arrived at 11:27 so maybe I'm ahead of you!

My CW380 fed and ejected everything I fed it but had that persistent battery problem. Possibly they just got a batch of weak recoil springs?

Looking forward to getting it back.
I just re checked the e mail,it was actually 11:27 they must process things in batches.
I hope its just the springs but mine also had a problem with the side cover bulging out while pulling the trigger,I think there is mold flashing on the frame under the trigger bar.

[TheLastDaze]

I REALLY hope you guys get situated.... as I just bought a cw380....

did they make you guys pay shipping???

[timboy]

I REALLY hope you guys get situated.... as I just bought a cw380....

did they make you guys pay shipping???
The guy I talked to said I would have to pay for the shipping,I very firmly stated that it is brand new and he sent me a shipping label,I was furious that they didnt want tocover the shipping on something that should not have left thier factory.

[TheLastDaze]

The guy I talked to said I would have to pay for the shipping,I very firmly stated that it is brand new and he sent me a shipping label,I was furious that they didnt want tocover the shipping on something that should not have left thier factory.

I don't blame you one bit and feel they should compensate you with extra magazines to offset your cost, time and trouble of having to go through this in the first place... If my gun doesn't perform and they won't pay for shipping you bet I'm going to be pissed...

I had a phoenix arms .22 around 20yrs ago, and finally after many rounds with this gun (and conversion barrel kit) it started acting up, phoenix had a lifetime guarantee so I called them, they sent me a box with return prepaid shipping, easy peasy....
back then you didn't have to use ffl, a little shoddy company that I'm sure isn't even around anymore but they took care of me bigtime, Impressed to say the least....

[muggsy]

If that's the case the gun is under warranty. Send it back and get it fixed. Every gun that Kahr ships is test fired before it leaves the factory.

[muggsy]

I sent mine out yestererday at 3:44 pm and got that same e mail today at 11:48 today.


Not even wasting my time on this one.


Yup,send them out the door and let the warranty department sort them out.
If these were top quality guns then this forum would not be full of people complaining or asking how to fix them but I guess we are the first guys to have problems with a kahr....

You only hear from the people who have problems. The people whose guns function properly don't complain. That thought ever cross your mind?

[DavidR]

I REALLY hope you guys get situated.... as I just bought a cw380....

did they make you guys pay shipping???

They paid for the shipping. I politely asked for a shipping label and they immediately said yes.

[timboy]

You only hear from the people who have problems. The people whose guns function properly don't complain. That thought ever cross your mind?

Not necessarily,I registered here in the morning on the day I was going out to break it in and shoot it, in hopes of having great things to say about it,unfortunately that did not happen did it?
I still hope that it ends up being a great gun that I can trust as my daily carry piece but it is clearly not proven to be a reliable gun yet.
Given the identical problems that my and DavidRs guns are having and the issues gunpoppa had it will be interesting to see what is done to remedy thier performance,clearley this is not a one off problem.

Further this is a kahr forum,a sounding board and with that comes the good,the bad and the ugly and anyone who has a good or bad experience should feel free to let it be known.
There is no real need for people pissing back and forth about their personal positions on how the rest of the world should respond to being sold a faulty product.

[TheLastDaze]

You only hear from the people who have problems. The people whose guns function properly don't complain. That thought ever cross your mind?

That's partially true, you hear more bad then good... OTOH, many people rant about particular products and continue to post and review more positively, especially when someone gets a something on sale or an offbrand that performs just as well if not better then one of greater value....

music equipment for example, a musician knows what will work, sound, and feel right for him so he buys the product, knowing the expectations....I think guns should perform the same, If I like the look, feel, weight of a gun it will perform well for me, if in fact it performs... Whether 'tight tolerances' or whatever else (enter excuse here) a gun of all things should perform (after all some of us are staking our lives on it), there used to be a lot of saturday night special 'one shot wonders' back in the day in the lines of jennings, davis to name a few, they were junk and you could see, feel and tell off hand it was trash.. I think those days are gone and for a manufacturer to continually have problems is unacceptable, I can understand a few hiccups when a product is first release but to continually put out a product that is known to have the same issues without addressing it falls in the same catagory as the cheap guns I've mentioned with a glorified name.. ymmv

[BullittBoy]

Here is my experience
I put 125 rounds of Privi and Hydra Shock and CorBon out the box-it failed miserably
I read this forum
Cleaned the **** out of it and tried again
I get maybe one failure to feed per 50 rounds until 250 rounds
I clean it every 100 rounds and now have about 400 in it
Clean it!
I clean and clean it and don't weak wrist it-it is very temperamental until you hit 250-300 rounds
Shoot good ammo, I have Privi and CorBon and Winchester HP's my gun hates Hydroshocks let it go
Pick a round and shoot it
I carry it with full power Winchester HP Rangers

[TheLastDaze]

@bullitboy....
Theres no way Im going to carry a gun that ftf every 50 rounds, I hope you're practicing ftf with that carry gun.... not for me

[mser]

Purchased my new CW380 about 6 weeks ago. Put another 50 rounds through it today. That makes a total of 685 so far. Accuracy is exceptional. It's a great little pistol with none of the problems others have experienced. Not making light of others bad experiences, just glad mine has been without complication. Now I need to get past the self imposed mind set that the .380 is a subpar self defense caliber.

[DavidR]

Purchased my new CW380 about 6 weeks ago. Put another 50 rounds through it today. That makes a total of 685 so far. Accuracy is exceptional. It's a great little pistol with none of the problems others have experienced. Not making light of others bad experiences, just glad mine has been without complication. Now I need to get past the self imposed mind set that the .380 is a subpar self defense caliber.

Glad to hear yours is doing well!

Google Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator and watch the shootingthebull ballistic test. It might make you feel better about 380. I ran 20 rounds through my CW380 with no problem (other than a return to battery failure which it seems to have periodically with everything except Hornady Critical Defense).

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/David-R/3F1E2385-570A-4A18-92EE-41B53118ACE7_zpss9mrchob.jpg (http://s32.photobucket.com/user/David-R/media/3F1E2385-570A-4A18-92EE-41B53118ACE7_zpss9mrchob.jpg.html)

[topgun1953]

I had purchased a cw380 last Nov and a couple months later a P380 ( while the CW was getting its
broken striker replaced). The P380 also suffered a broken striker, twice. When the trigger pin on the CW started working its way out, it was time to part company. Traded it towards an XDS9 . I still carry the P380 and love to shoot the little thing but no need for two. Customer service was fine, but for all the talk of Kahr quality, I'm a bit dissapointed. Hopefully the P will continue to function well.

[dcg]

I purchased my CW380 last week. Unfortunately, I've had quite a few issues through the recommended 200 round break in period. I completed the online RMA request, and was somewhat concerned based on feedback I've read about regarding Kahr's CS. I'm happy to say that I received a reply and a FedEx label fewer than 40 minutes after submitting the request. Hopefully it'll be returned with the issues addressed, because the accuracy is fantastic and the recoil very manageable for such a small pistol.

Below is the information I provided Kahr with my RMA request. Not sure if being very thorough in my description helped my case for being offered free shipping right off the bat, but in my experience, when dealing with support personnel it's always to your benefit to 1. show that you followed appropriate instructions, 2. indicate what you've tried so far, and 3. be as specific as possible about the issue(s) you're experiencing.

"Purchased last week.
Ran the recommended 200 rounds for break in; continue to experience failures.
Shooting both left and right handed.
Always chambered first round by pushing down on slide stop, per instructions.
Cleaned and oiled the gun before shooting any rounds.


1st 50 - Tula FMJ
next 50 - Winchester Train and Protect FMJ
next 100 - Tula FMJ


Issues encountered:
1. Fail to fully return to battery after 14th rd
2. Fail to eject after 16th rd
3. Fail to fully return to battery after 48th rd
4. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 79th rd
5. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 92nd rd
6. Fail to fully return to battery after 102nd rd
7. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 109th rd
8. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 142nd rd
9. Fail to fully return to battery 145th rd
10. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 151st rd
11. Fail to feed 156th rd
12. Fail to fully return to battery 157th rd
13. Fail to fully return to battery 166th rd
14. Fail to fully return to battery 178th rd
15. Fail to fully return to battery 179th rd
16. Fail to fully return to battery 188th rd


In addition to the above, I experience three failures to lock back on an empty magazine (after 12th, 50th, and 62nd rounds), but this was always while shooting right handed, and I believe I have corrected with a different grip."

[KingWulfgar]

I purchased my CW380 last week. Unfortunately, I've had quite a few issues through the recommended 200 round break in period. I completed the online RMA request, and was somewhat concerned based on feedback I've read about regarding Kahr's CS. I'm happy to say that I received a reply and a FedEx label fewer than 40 minutes after submitting the request. Hopefully it'll be returned with the issues addressed, because the accuracy is fantastic and the recoil very manageable for such a small pistol.

Below is the information I provided Kahr with my RMA request. Not sure if being very thorough in my description helped my case for being offered free shipping right off the bat, but in my experience, when dealing with support personnel it's always to your benefit to 1. show that you followed appropriate instructions, 2. indicate what you've tried so far, and 3. be as specific as possible about the issue(s) you're experiencing.

"Purchased last week.
Ran the recommended 200 rounds for break in; continue to experience failures.
Shooting both left and right handed.
Always chambered first round by pushing down on slide stop, per instructions.
Cleaned and oiled the gun before shooting any rounds.


1st 50 - Tula FMJ
next 50 - Winchester Train and Protect FMJ
next 100 - Tula FMJ


Issues encountered:
1. Fail to fully return to battery after 14th rd
2. Fail to eject after 16th rd
3. Fail to fully return to battery after 48th rd
4. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 79th rd
5. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 92nd rd
6. Fail to fully return to battery after 102nd rd
7. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 109th rd
8. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 142nd rd
9. Fail to fully return to battery 145th rd
10. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 151st rd
11. Fail to feed 156th rd
12. Fail to fully return to battery 157th rd
13. Fail to fully return to battery 166th rd
14. Fail to fully return to battery 178th rd
15. Fail to fully return to battery 179th rd
16. Fail to fully return to battery 188th rd


In addition to the above, I experience three failures to lock back on an empty magazine (after 12th, 50th, and 62nd rounds), but this was always while shooting right handed, and I believe I have corrected with a different grip."


2 issues with the Winchester, all the rest with the Tula...any thought about it being possibly related to cheap, crappy ammo? I hate Tula. I won't even put that stuff in my AR. :puke:

Ah well, I'll hopefully have my own range report after I get out to shoot my new one tonight.

[dcg]

2 issues with the Winchester, all the rest with the Tula...any thought about it being possibly related to cheap, crappy ammo? I hate Tula. I won't even put that stuff in my AR. :puke:

Ah well, I'll hopefully have my own range report after I get out to shoot my new one tonight.

Perhaps. First and last time I'll be buying it - it was the only stuff I could find locally. This is my first .380, so I didn't have any rounds in the safe. If I hadn't had issues with the Winchester as well, I'd have tried something else before sending it in. I think there was a third failure with the Winchester, but I hadn't documented it and couldn't remember what happened.

[jocko]

I hate to say it was ammo related, but TULA ammo in any kahr I ow, gives me issues. being it was bought for range fodder, I accepted that, but once that ammo is gone, it will never be in my guns again. Only 2 issues with the winchyester and the rest with TULA, I think u answered your own question to.. Stick with good American made ammo, ...

[DavidR]

I purchased my CW380 last week. Unfortunately, I've had quite a few issues through the recommended 200 round break in period. I completed the online RMA request, and was somewhat concerned based on feedback I've read about regarding Kahr's CS. I'm happy to say that I received a reply and a FedEx label fewer than 40 minutes after submitting the request. Hopefully it'll be returned with the issues addressed, because the accuracy is fantastic and the recoil very manageable for such a small pistol.

Below is the information I provided Kahr with my RMA request. Not sure if being very thorough in my description helped my case for being offered free shipping right off the bat, but in my experience, when dealing with support personnel it's always to your benefit to 1. show that you followed appropriate instructions, 2. indicate what you've tried so far, and 3. be as specific as possible about the issue(s) you're experiencing.

"Purchased last week.
Ran the recommended 200 rounds for break in; continue to experience failures.
Shooting both left and right handed.
Always chambered first round by pushing down on slide stop, per instructions.
Cleaned and oiled the gun before shooting any rounds.


1st 50 - Tula FMJ
next 50 - Winchester Train and Protect FMJ
next 100 - Tula FMJ


Issues encountered:
1. Fail to fully return to battery after 14th rd
2. Fail to eject after 16th rd
3. Fail to fully return to battery after 48th rd
4. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 79th rd
5. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 92nd rd
6. Fail to fully return to battery after 102nd rd
7. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 109th rd
8. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 142nd rd
9. Fail to fully return to battery 145th rd
10. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 151st rd
11. Fail to feed 156th rd
12. Fail to fully return to battery 157th rd
13. Fail to fully return to battery 166th rd
14. Fail to fully return to battery 178th rd
15. Fail to fully return to battery 179th rd
16. Fail to fully return to battery 188th rd


In addition to the above, I experience three failures to lock back on an empty magazine (after 12th, 50th, and 62nd rounds), but this was always while shooting right handed, and I believe I have corrected with a different grip."


So with the Winchester the only problems you had were slide lock related. That's encouraging. Try some American made brass-cased FMJ and see how that does.

[timboy]

I purchased my CW380 last week. Unfortunately, I've had quite a few issues through the recommended 200 round break in period. I completed the online RMA request, and was somewhat concerned based on feedback I've read about regarding Kahr's CS. I'm happy to say that I received a reply and a FedEx label fewer than 40 minutes after submitting the request. Hopefully it'll be returned with the issues addressed, because the accuracy is fantastic and the recoil very manageable for such a small pistol.

Below is the information I provided Kahr with my RMA request. Not sure if being very thorough in my description helped my case for being offered free shipping right off the bat, but in my experience, when dealing with support personnel it's always to your benefit to 1. show that you followed appropriate instructions, 2. indicate what you've tried so far, and 3. be as specific as possible about the issue(s) you're experiencing.

"Purchased last week.
Ran the recommended 200 rounds for break in; continue to experience failures.
Shooting both left and right handed.
Always chambered first round by pushing down on slide stop, per instructions.
Cleaned and oiled the gun before shooting any rounds.


1st 50 - Tula FMJ
next 50 - Winchester Train and Protect FMJ
next 100 - Tula FMJ


Issues encountered:
1. Fail to fully return to battery after 14th rd
2. Fail to eject after 16th rd
3. Fail to fully return to battery after 48th rd
4. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 79th rd
5. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 92nd rd
6. Fail to fully return to battery after 102nd rd
7. Slide locked open with rounds in magazine 109th rd
8. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 142nd rd
9. Fail to fully return to battery 145th rd
10. Fail to chamber 1st rd of mag 151st rd
11. Fail to feed 156th rd
12. Fail to fully return to battery 157th rd
13. Fail to fully return to battery 166th rd
14. Fail to fully return to battery 178th rd
15. Fail to fully return to battery 179th rd
16. Fail to fully return to battery 188th rd


In addition to the above, I experience three failures to lock back on an empty magazine (after 12th, 50th, and 62nd rounds), but this was always while shooting right handed, and I believe I have corrected with a different grip."

How close did it come to going into battery,how far did the slide travel forward?
I have to agree with the others on the tula giving you some of the troubles,I ran a box through my cw380 during break in and mine only had failures to cycle with the tula stuff but all the ammo I used resulted in failure to go into battery regularly,I never had the slide not lock on an empty mag though.
I had tula 9mm give problems in my ruger sr9c and that gun eats everything else I have put through it.

[KingWulfgar]

Perhaps. First and last time I'll be buying it - it was the only stuff I could find locally. This is my first .380, so I didn't have any rounds in the safe. If I hadn't had issues with the Winchester as well, I'd have tried something else before sending it in. I think there was a third failure with the Winchester, but I hadn't documented it and couldn't remember what happened.

I understand. I ordered some online, but I'm not sure they're the best choice for the Kahr either. The have a slightly flat nose and I got some failures with them tonight although, I only got through the first 100 rounds or so of break-in. I'm working on a full range report, but it looked similar to yours with the exception that I didn't have any slide locking open issues (either empty or with a round in the mag). Lots of failure to fully close on the first round of the mag, though.

Followed it up with some of the PrecisionONe XTP loads I got for SD and they were flawless, so I suspect the flat-nosed FMJs are not the best or I just really need to keep breaking it in. I do have full confidence in carrying the XTP tipped HPs, though.

[dcg]

How close did it come to going into battery,how far did the slide travel forward?
I have to agree with the others on the tula giving you some of the troubles,I ran a box through my cw380 during break in and mine only had failures to cycle with the tula stuff but all the ammo I used resulted in failure to go into battery regularly,I never had the slide not lock on an empty mag though.
I had tula 9mm give problems in my ruger sr9c and that gun eats everything else I have put through it.

I knew the Tula was bad, but hadn't realized (before doing some research today) that it was THAT bad. I'd shot the first 50 rounds last night, left the slide locked back overnight (had also racked it a few hundred times), and then shot the 50 rounds of Winchester and last 100 rounds of Tula this morning. Went to the range hoping the failures were just the Tula, so it was disappointing that I ran into a couple of issues with the Winchester as well. In retrospect, you guys are right that the issues with the Winchester were less frequent and less serious.

At any rate, I presented the info to Kahr and they sent me a label to send it in. Had they told me to try another brand of ammo, I would have done that. I figure it can't hurt to have them take a look at it.

My other pistols (a Walther PPQ and Sig Carry Nightmare) have a grand total of 1 failure between them, so to have this many failures wasn't something I'm accustomed to. Admittedly, I haven't used Tula or any other steel case ammo with either of the other guns.

I'll report back once I hear from Kahr/get the gun back and to the range. As mentioned, I love the accuracy, size and weight, so I'm hopeful things will work out.

edit - I realized I didn't answer the question of how far it went into battery. Almost all the way, but a gentle push didn't get it back into battery - I had to rack the slide and reload the round.

[dcg]

I understand. I ordered some online, but I'm not sure they're the best choice for the Kahr either. The have a slightly flat nose and I got some failures with them tonight although, I only got through the first 100 rounds or so of break-in. I'm working on a full range report, but it looked similar to yours with the exception that I didn't have any slide locking open issues (either empty or with a round in the mag). Lots of failure to fully close on the first round of the mag, though.

Followed it up with some of the PrecisionONe XTP loads I got for SD and they were flawless, so I suspect the flat-nosed FMJs are not the best or I just really need to keep breaking it in. I do have full confidence in carrying the XTP tipped HPs, though.

I'd ordered some PMC bronze, so that's what I'll be trying once I get the pistol back. Inexpensive, but seems well reviewed. Maybe I'll find some other, made in the USA rounds in the meantime. I've been avoiding the expensive SD rounds, as I wanted to make sure the gun was reliable with FMJ first.

The Winchester Train and Defend said something on the box about being low recoil, so I wonder if that contributed. Was also curious about the flat nose.

[KingWulfgar]

I'd ordered some PMC bronze, so that's what I'll be trying once I get the pistol back. Inexpensive, but seems well reviewed. Maybe I'll find some other, made in the USA rounds in the meantime. I've been avoiding the expensive SD rounds, as I wanted to make sure the gun was reliable with FMJ first.

The Winchester Train and Defend said something on the box about being low recoil, so I wonder if that contributed. Was also curious about the flat nose.

I just added my long-winded thread about my CW380 experience. Overall, I think the flat-nosed FMJ aren't ideal. I had zero issues with the XTP HPs (although, I did not shoot nearly as many). I was able to just tap the slide forward when it failed to go into battery, so maybe my issues weren't as severe as yours.

Glad to see Kahr is taking care of it without making you jump through hoops. Really seems like they're making the extra effort to stand by their products.

[timboy]

OK got the gun back today,no contact from kahr other than the initial e mail saying it was checked in.
They sent it to me today with no notice,the fedex guy tried twice while I was at work but I ended up driving to the fedex location and picking it up.

First impressions,dirty,they definetly tested it,the technical service work sheet says- reworked extractor and spring tension replaced recoil springs lubed tested good,no fancy case like Davids gun :(

I pulled the recoil springs and they are different than the originals,the outer spring is a little shorter and the inner spring is 1/8" longer,the inner spring seems to be of a smaller wound diameter meaning it is tighter on the guid rod than the original.
I believe the original springs may have been binding on each other causing battery issue.
The springs were a little hard to feed together when putting the over the guide rod and now they slip together with ease.

They failed to adress the side cover slightly bulging during trigger pull,I think there is material on the frame under the trigger bar that should have been removed during assembly that is causing this issue and if the gun shoots well I will further diagnose and address this myself.

I will try to get out to shoot it on Sunday to see if it is in better working order.

[TheLastDaze]

Good to hear... hope all is well

[ReManG]

They failed to adress the side cover slightly bulging during trigger pull,I think there is material on the frame under the trigger bar that should have been removed during assembly that is causing this issue and if the gun shoots well I will further diagnose and address this myself.

I will try to get out to shoot it on Sunday to see if it is in better working order.

I just got my CW in yesterday at the LGS from the PSA sale. I have helped a friend with his P380 and liked the platform, so now I have finally gotten one myself. I have the same issue, the side plate "bulge" as you pull the trigger... It also had a "hitch" in the trigger pull which drove me crazy. Using snap caps, it had a "catch" when I held the trigger and cycled the slide manually. I am no Kahr Expert, but know what they are supposed to do, none of this seemed normal. So I looked under the side plate, and if you loosen the rear sidecover screw (upper one) and use something to push the trigger bar toward the outside gently while you pull the trigger it should smooth out if you have a "hitch" or stacking in the trigger pull. You will have to do this without the slide on the frame of course. Should you venture under the sideplate, you will see in front of the trigger bar in the back where the disconnector sticks up on the outside of the frame, it looks like it may have been molded incorrectly. I am going to the range this weekend to try mine out, so I do not have any rounds through mine yet. It has been prepped like they recommend here, so it should function fine. If it does not, I will let Kahr know, but I hate having to return a just purchased pistol to the factory. Mine is a RJ serial number prefix if this helps.

[timboy]

Thank for the info,guess I'm not the only one with this issue.
When I had the side cover off,I too noticed that if I pulled the trigger bar away from the frame a little while pulling the trigger the problem went away leading me o think its some mold flashing or unfinished material on the fame.


It kinda bothers me that they did not fix this nor contact me at all about anything while they had the gun,not what I expect from what some consider a "premier" gun manufacturer.

I guess I will see how it behaves on Sunday,if it acts up,I am cutting my losses and trading in on a Ruger LCP.

I just got my CW in yesterday at the LGS from the PSA sale. I have helped a friend with his P380 and liked the platform, so now I have finally gotten one myself. I have the same issue, the side plate "bulge" as you pull the trigger... It also had a "hitch" in the trigger pull which drove me crazy. Using snap caps, it had a "catch" when Is held the trigger and cycled the slide manually. I am no Kahr Expert, but know what they are supposed to do, none of this seemed normal. So I looked under the side plate, and if you loosen the rear sidecover screw (upper one) and use something to push the trigger bar toward the outside gently while you pull the trigger it should smooth out if you have a "hitch" or stacking in the trigger pull. You will have to do this without the slide on the frame of course. Should you venture under the sideplate, you will see in front of the trigger bar in the back where the disconnector sticks up on the outside of the frame, it looks like it may have been molded incorrectly. I am going to the range this weekend to try mine out, so I do not have any rounds through mine yet. It has been prepped like they recommend here, so it should function fine. If it does not, I will let Kahr know, but I hate having to return a just purchased pistol to the factory. Mine is a RJ serial number prefix if this helps.

[muggsy]

Not necessarily,I registered here in the morning on the day I was going out to break it in and shoot it, in hopes of having great things to say about it,unfortunately that did not happen did it?
I still hope that it ends up being a great gun that I can trust as my daily carry piece but it is clearly not proven to be a reliable gun yet.
Given the identical problems that my and DavidRs guns are having and the issues gunpoppa had it will be interesting to see what is done to remedy thier performance,clearley this is not a one off problem.

Further this is a kahr forum,a sounding board and with that comes the good,the bad and the ugly and anyone who has a good or bad experience should feel free to let it be known.
There is no real need for people pissing back and forth about their personal positions on how the rest of the world should respond to being sold a faulty product.

The forum is a sounding board where anyone can relate problems that they are having with Kahr products. Do so in an adult manner and you will receive all of the assistance that you need to make your Kahr run properly. The forum isn't a vehicle for bashing Kahr or Kahr products. It isn't what you say, but how you say it. Words like "faulty product" rub Kahr enthusiasts the wrong way. There are thousands of Kahr products in service that are faultless. Yours could be one of them.

[timboy]

Simply put,I expected better from kahr as did many others.
A product that does not work is a faulty product,the malfunctions and problems myself and several others are having are not ammo or user related,they are quality control issues,I hope for the sake of the company and the countless people buying these pistols that these are isolated incidents and not representative of current production standards on their behalf.
Having to shade tree gunsmith a new personal defense gun into working properly is totally unacceptable in my humble opinion,these firearms are not at the hi point or Jennings price point.


The forum is a sounding board where anyone can relate problems that they are having with Kahr products. Do so in an adult manner and you will receive all of the assistance that you need to make your Kahr run properly. The forum isn't a vehicle for bashing Kahr or Kahr products. It isn't what you say, but how you say it. Words like "faulty product" rub Kahr enthusiasts the wrong way. There are thousands of Kahr products in service that are faultless. Yours could be one of them.

[SlowBurn]

I pulled the recoil springs and they are different than the originals,the outer spring is a little shorter and the inner spring is 1/8" longer,the inner spring seems to be of a smaller wound diameter meaning it is tighter on the guid rod than the original.
I believe the original springs may have been binding on each other causing battery issue.
The springs were a little hard to feed together when putting the over the guide rod and now they slip together with ease.

Aha - Light begins to dawn. I suspect Kahr had something mixed up in the parts department for awhile and now they are addressing it without admitting it.

Please let us know if that fixed the problem. If it did I suggest anyone with a new cw380 or p380 having these problems order a set of recoil springs before sending the weapon to Kahr. Even if Kahr pays shipping both ways, their current turn around time is 2-3 weeks. You'll be out $9 or so for the springs but to me that's better than doing without the weapon for that long.

As for Kahr quality, I get the frustration but wrong recoil springs is really a pretty simple thing, if that's what it is. All you have to do is inspect the gun next to other popular 380s especially in the cw price range to see that you are getting a much better gun. Currently on the Ruger Pistol forum you can see threads about LCPs which only lasted a year, or blew up in the user's hand, etc and I consider the LCP the "best of the rest". Problems cause a lot more "noise" than no problems when you look at the forums. If this fix works out, and your gun runs the way the vast majority run, you'll forget all this bruhaha in a few months, and just shoot in happy satisfaction without posting anything except helpful tips. You won't post messages about how your gun is cycling fine.

[timboy]

I do genuinely hope it clears up and works fine now.
Turn around on my gun was onew week sent it out on a Thursday and got it back on Friday so the wait time was not too bad plus the tuned the extractor and "tested"it.

Aha - Light begins to dawn. I suspect Kahr had something mixed up in the parts department for awhile and now they are addressing it without admitting it.

Please let us know if that fixed the problem. If it did I suggest anyone with a new cw380 or p380 having these problems order a set of recoil springs before sending the weapon to Kahr. Even if Kahr pays shipping both ways, their current turn around time is 2-3 weeks. You'll be out $9 or so for the springs but to me that's better than doing without the weapon for that long.

As for Kahr quality, I get the frustration but wrong recoil springs is really a pretty simple thing, if that's what it is. All you have to do is inspect the gun next to other popular 380s especially in the cw price range to see that you are getting a much better gun. Currently on the Ruger Pistol forum you can see threads about LCPs which only lasted a year, or blew up in the user's hand, etc and I consider the LCP the "best of the rest". Problems cause a lot more "noise" than no problems when you look at the forums. If this fix works out, and your gun runs the way the vast majority run, you'll forget all this bruhaha in a few months, and just shoot in happy satisfaction without posting anything except helpful tips. You won't post messages about how your gun is cycling fine.

[ReManG]

Simply put,I expected better from kahr as did many others.
A product that does not work is a faulty product,the malfunctions and problems myself and several others are having are not ammo or user related,they are quality control issues,I hope for the sake of the company and the countless people buying these pistols that these are isolated incidents and not representative of current production standards on their behalf.
Having to shade tree gunsmith a new personal defense gun into working properly is totally unacceptable in my humble opinion,these firearms are not at the hi point or Jennings price point.

I understand your feeling, but ALL brands can have the Friday made lemons... I only had ammo problems, and I figured I would due to the brand not being good for the CW380 (information learned here...) but it still counted toward my break in....

So I took my CW380 out today. I had previously been exploring it and did not consider my exploration to be "shade tree gunsmithing" but had noted some issues. I cleaned and lubed it prior to this with Seal1 CLP and this was my first time shooting this pistol. I had previously helped a friend get a used P380 up to snuff and broken in, so he tagged along today with his for comparisons....

30 rounds of Remmington green box- NO issues, ran fine on stock mags.
10 rounds of Hornandy Critical Defense- NO issues, stock mags.
25 rounds of mixed factory, ball, Speer Gold dot, Hornandy Zombie max, in whatever order it was picked up and loaded. One fail to extract from a Fiocchi HP......
50 rounds of Fiocchi ball ammo. 33 fail to extract..... for whatever reason the rim on the Fiocchi was not being held onto by the extractor, stock and modded mags---AMMO fault
50 rounds of Winchester White Box FLAT NOSE ball. NO issues.....

The BAD Fiocchi ball, ran fine in the friends broken in (1000+ rounds) P380, in just the modified magazines (follower mod, found here in a sticky), not in the stock mags from my CW380. I figure it is a rim thickness issue, but not a big deal, just cross the brand off the shopping list....

The worry I had about the trigger was unfounded, in reality, I noticed no stacking when shooting (loosening the rear upper sidepanel screw 1/3 turn minimized it anyway)... It stacks that close to let off... The sidepanel "bulging" is not an issue either during shooting, never noticed it when there was a BOOM as the striker was released. If it should become an issue, I will contact Kahr and let them look at it should I not feel up to ordering a new trigger bar and dremeling in the shade of a tree.... either way it will work and for what it is, it is an awesome package...

I am new convert to the FrogLube/Seal1/TrackLube+ type of CLP's and I have to admit, it took significantly less (50%) time to clean up after the range and I did it in the house with the nice bubble gum smell of the Seal1 wafting around. It actually got my wife interested in helping me clean, as she was not all oily/smelly/dirty after handing me parts and watching the process. Win-Win....

Good luck, and keep a good attitude, there is nothing close to the CW/P380 in this class of pistol in my humble opinion, so work on it and get it up to your standards.

[timboy]

Please see update here http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?24921-New-CW380-part-deux&p=316667#post316667

[dcg]

Quick update on my own issues - Submitted my RMA request Sept 9; had my pistol back Sept 17. Included documentation said:

"Replaced slide stop spring extractor reworked extractor port and spring tension lubed and mm tested good"

Was out of town the past few days, but got to take it to the range tonight. Shot 50 rounds of PMC bronze with no failures of any kind.

[timboy]

Great to hear dcg,I have put around 150rd through mine so far,since I got it back,and it was flawless,there were 5 different brands and bullet types included and in went right through all without a problem.
I have given it the green light for carry.

[SlowBurn]

I do genuinely hope it clears up and works fine now.
Turn around on my gun was onew week sent it out on a Thursday and got it back on Friday so the wait time was not too bad plus the tuned the extractor and "tested"it.

That was fortunate, but Kahr says their "gunsmiths are currently experiencing a two to three week turnaround time and will service your firearm as soon as possible." Depending on one's tolerance for waiting, might want to invest the $9 in recoil springs first and see if that takes care of it.

[DavidR]

That was fortunate, but Kahr says their "gunsmiths are currently experiencing a two to three week turnaround time and will service your firearm as soon as possible." Depending on one's tolerance for waiting, might want to invest the $9 in recoil springs first and see if that takes care of it.

New recoil springs did not completely solve my problems. I no longer have battery issues with round nose FMJ or small-mouthed hollow points but flat nosed or wide mouth hollow points still don't cycle properly.


Dave

[dcg]

Great to hear dcg,I have put around 150rd through mine so far,since I got it back,and it was flawless,there were 5 different brands and bullet types included and in went right through all without a problem.
I have given it the green light for carry.

I've got a few hundred more rounds of the PMC in the safe, and a few boxes of Hornady Critical Defense. If I get through another box of PMC without issue, I'll give the defensive rounds a shot. Can't believe how enjoyable this pistol is to shoot, given how tiny it is.

[marshal kane]

. . . I ran 300 rounds through it and it only had one failure to feed but a consistent problem with the slide not returning all the way forward,stopping with the end of the slide flush with the end of the grip frame,requiring smoking the back of the slide to get it into battery.
Running the slide by hand if you ride the slide you can feel the loss of spring tension as it nears the end of the grip frame. . .
Did you check your fired brass for scratches near the base of the brass? If you find two scratches, they are caused by rough interior feed lips on the magazine gouging the case as the slide tries to strip the round from the magazine. This extra resistance can slow down the slide enough causing the slide to not completely go into battery. Put a round in the magazine and push it out from the base, then check for scratches. I found this problem when I was breaking in my P9. You can cure this by burnishing the interior feed lips of the magazine with a steel rod e.g. shank of a drill bit or you can continue feeding rounds through the magazine until the feed lips eventually smooth out. I just received a new magazine from MidwayUSA and tested the magazine with an empty case and found scratches as I described. When pushing the case out of the magazine, I could feel the roughness and resistance as the case was sliding under the magazine's feed lips. I burnished the interior feed lips of all four of my P9 magazines and now rounds feed through them like a greased pig. This may/may not be the source of your problem but it doesn't hurt to check. Hope this helps.

[warbird1]

Recently traded for a used P380. It's just like me in that it's picky on what it likes to eat. It does love Barnes TAC-XPD however and since for me it's not a range gun that is just alright!

[dcg]

Another 50 rounds of PMC, plus 25 of Hornady Critical Defense. All flawless. That makes 125 failure free rounds since servicing at Kahr.