Worn cocking cam? P380

[topgun1953]

Had several light strikes today and an instance where the trigger didn't reset. Can you please compare the height of your cam to mine? The trigger not resetting would suggest that the cam did 'catch' the striker when the slide came forward, wouldn't it?

Thanks.



1247112472

[dsk]

The cam doesn't look worn to me. The issue can also be caused by a) a failure to completely return to battery, causing the light strikes, and b) a failure of the slide to retract fully to the rear and cock the striker. Mine did both a few times when new, but after break-in and a thorough cleaning (to include the striker channel) it went away.

[Alfonse]

It looks alright to me too. I run my Kahrs with more lube than that, and keep them pretty clean, but I don't know if that would matter here or not.

[topgun1953]

Glad to hear that it looks good. I had just cleaned the rails, so they are dry. I also had detailed stripped the slide, earlier in the week so the striker channel was clean. It does shoot a pencil fine. I'll try some blazer I have that I know works fine. It could be that it was slightly out of battery. I didn't specifically check that after the click. The gun has over 1000 rounds through it...and 3 broke strikers along the way. Thanks for the input!

[jocko]

Never heard of that cm ever wearing our for that matter ever being a bad cam. I think sumpin has changed in the trigger bar area, that is what plays a big part in resetting the trigger. How long have u had this gun? Is it light striking? Try a magazine of hotter defense ammo to see if this corrects anythibng, if not email kahr, attn; Jay and state ur case and ask for a prepaid pickup

[dsk]

The cam doesn't look worn to me. The issue can also be caused by a) a failure to completely return to battery, causing the light strikes, and b) a failure of the slide to retract fully to the rear and cock the striker. Mine did both a few times when new, but after break-in and a thorough cleaning (to include the striker channel) it went away.

Looks like I spoke to soon. I just now returned from the range after a test of the MagGuts kits in my P380. The kits themselves worked perfectly, but towards the end of the first 50 rounds I suddenly started getting clicks instead of a bang. The primers were struck very light. The slide was fully in battery each time. I had a few minutes where nothing would go off, and I began to suspect that I had a broken striker. But then it suddenly fired again, and I went through another box of 50 without another failure. Every single time I've taken this P380 to the range it's done something weird on me, only it does something different each time! :(

[topgun1953]

Never heard of that cm ever wearing our for that matter ever being a bad cam. I think sumpin has changed in the trigger bar area, that is what plays a big part in resetting the trigger. How long have u had this gun? Is it light striking? Try a magazine of hotter defense ammo to see if this corrects anythibng, if not email kahr, attn; Jay and state ur case and ask for a prepaid pickup

Started the session with precision one +p xtp... owned it for a year.. Did have light strikes today... Have roughly 400 rounds through it since its third striker replacement therefore very familiar with returning it to Kahr. Hopefully I won't have to again. Thanks jocko!

[dsk]

A quick update to my situation...

I took my P380 completely apart tonight, including the slide components, and thoroughly cleaned/degreased everything so I could see what may have caused the light firing pin strikes today. The Herter's FMJ I shot really gunked it up after just 100 rounds of the stuff. But what was more significant was when I took a Q-Tip inside the striker channel, lots of brass shavings came out. The parts themselves... striker, extractor, etc were all in good shape and not damaged or broken. So despite doing everything I can to clean the assembled slide during normal maintenance (even hosing it out with brake cleaner) metal shavings continue to get inside the striker channel and cause problems. It's a real pain in the rear to disassemble the slide, but if I'm going to rely on this thing for defense it looks like I'll have to do it every couple hundred rounds just to make sure it stays clean in there, and keep an eye on the striker itself as well for signs of damage or cracks. When you have the slide completely apart it's amazing how on one hand the mini-Kahrs are built almost like a Swiss watch. Unfortunately on the other hand they're just as delicate as one.

[topgun1953]

With the confidence that the cam is okay, I went to the range again today ($10 for seniors) with some blazer and the ammo I ran yesterday. 120 flawless rounds later I have to surmise my gun wasn't lubed enough yesterday. The only change from yesterday to today, was a quick clean and lube..and I went back and put more grease on the rails. I've been moving to TW25 grease after getting a sample with a sig p938 I bought. Looks like I need t keep a lot on the rails or...back to oil!

[dsk]

Your situation was probably just like mine then. Some gunk in the striker channel cushioning the striker. As I said, that area needs to be kept absolutely squeaky-clean, and probably bone-dry as well so it doesn't attract gunk. A lack of lube on the slide rails wouldn't normally cause the issue you had.

[topgun1953]

Well, I had just detailed stripped the slide, so I know it was squeaky clean. Having broke three strikers, I'm not hesitant to take it apart to examine the thing. Don't know what else it could have been....but good for now.

I don't carry it that much these days. Being a teacher, I can't/don't wear it all day...it can remain locked in my car here in NC... so I normally will ride with my P938 or XDS9 (no reason to go small)... If I stop somewhere on the way home, I stick either one in the waistband...or my 6 week old 938, does fit nicely in a pocket. However, With mag-nuts conversion for the extended mag I can have 8+1 in the P380...that's a lot of rounds in a very small package!

[Alfonse]

I use grease liberally on the rails, and lightly on the barrel. I also work the striker as I blast in brake cleaner or gunblast and usually put in a small amount of CLP after that, no matter what the stickies say. The insides of my Kahrs are wet with grease. It is not axle grease though, it is the white stuff I bought a tub of to use on my M1A. I do clean after every shooting and don't usually shoot over 100 rounds at a time. I've never had an issue and have 4 Kahrs.