Help please Side/trigger issues

[icelandpointer]

Ok please help! My wife has had her P380 for about 4 years. I took it apart the other day to clean it and now it will not fire. With the gun full assembled I pull the trigger and the slide moves towards the rear and then a click is heard when the sear breaks and the slide goes back into battery. I have looked on youtube and taken it apart and put it back together all with no change. Love the pistol and I am sure it is a simple fix.

[muggsy]

Take your gun to your local gun store and have them take it apart and reassemble it. Have them show you what you did wrong.

[BEARDOG]

When you say you took it apart do you mean you took the slide apart and had the striker out ? Does the striker move freely when you push it back with your finger?

[icelandpointer]

When you say you took it apart do you mean you took the slide apart and had the striker out ? Does the striker move freely when you push it back with your finger?


Sorry need to clarify. I took the slide off of the frame, removed the recoil spring and barrel, and cleaned the pistol. I installed the barrel, recoil spring, then put the slide back onto the frame. Now when you pull the trigger the whole slide comes back and then snaps forward when the sear breaks. Never had this problem with the pistol before and I have taken apart and cleaned it numerous times.

[icelandpointer]

the striker does not move when you push on it either way.

[icelandpointer]

Take your gun to your local gun store and have them take it apart and reassemble it. Have them show you what you did wrong.

thanks but no thanks muggsy. thats why there are forums like this full of helpful people.

[BEARDOG]

the striker does not move when you push on it either way.
It is does have some good spring pressure on it. Are you sure it won't move backwards?

I am not sure why this would be a problem if all you did was field strip and clean it. Have you ever detail stripped the slide? do you know how to do it?

[icelandpointer]

It is does have some good spring pressure on it. Are you sure it won't move backwards?

I am not sure why this would be a problem if all you did was field strip and clean it. Have you ever detail stripped the slide? do you know how to do it?

I have never taken the slide apart. Just a simple field strip and clean. It probably has 350-400 rounds through it since new.

[BEARDOG]

I have never taken the slide apart. Just a simple field strip and clean. It probably has 350-400 rounds through it since new.

Well if it was mine... And I was sure the striker was not able to move properly... I would detail strip the slide and see what is going on....here is how you do it.
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?197-How-To-quot-Detail-Strip-quot-the-Kahr-s-Upper!

But you do only what your comfortable with.

[ppsnatcher]

Have you tried depressing the firing pin safety and bringing the striker foward?

I have heard of people having that issue with glocks, not realizing the striker was set back when reassembling.

[icelandpointer]

Thanks Beardog. I will take it completely apart and put it back together. Let you know if that fixes it.

[BEARDOG]

Thanks Beardog. I will take it completely apart and put it back together. Let you know if that fixes it.

OK I hope that you can find your issue!
In that thread see post #3 there is a good "tool" to make the job easier from Ripley16.

I thought of something else that may cause what you described, I assume you did put both recoil springs back in after you cleaned it right?

[muggsy]

If there was nothing wrong with the pistol before you field stripped the gun there is no need to disassemble the slide. The problem in most cases can be found in what was done to the gun last. You field stripped and cleaned the gun. I'm betting that you reassembled the gun incorrectly. The quickest way to return the gun to service is to have someone who knows what they're doing reassemble the gun correctly and to show you how you erred. If you couldn't handle a simple field strip what makes you think that you can handle a detail strip of the slide. Doing anything more than a field strip can void your warranty. I'm not putting you down. I'm giving you sound advice.

[berettabone]

:popcorn::popcorn:

[icelandpointer]

If there was nothing wrong with the pistol before you field stripped the gun there is no need to disassemble the slide. The problem in most cases can be found in what was done to the gun last. You field stripped and cleaned the gun. I'm betting that you reassembled the gun incorrectly. The quickest way to return the gun to service is to have someone who knows what they're doing reassemble the gun correctly and to show you how you erred. If you couldn't handle a simple field strip what makes you think that you can handle a detail strip of the slide. Doing anything more than a field strip can void your warranty. I'm not putting you down. I'm giving you sound advice.

Oh I completely agree! I didn't take it that way. Appreciate the advice. I was just hoping it was a common problem. Thank you!

[muggsy]

Assembling a Kahr pistol improperly is a rather common problem and something that is easy to do if you aren't familiar with the product. It happens to a lot of first time Kahr owners. This video from Kahr Arms explains the process fairly well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2cZgVg_SwA

[marcinstl]

you get up in the morning and can't get email, it it the computer that needs the OS reinstalled or is it your goofy ISP? clue- computer did not change over night.
ok, got that solved on to the .380. icelandpointer swears he just, " took the slide off of the frame, removed the recoil spring and barrel, and cleaned the pistol. I installed the barrel, recoil spring, then put the slide back onto the frame." ok, the barrel only fits one way? the slide only fits one way? got to be the inner and outer recoil springs and guide? huh? backwards, upside down? what size hammer were you using?

[muggsy]

:popcorn::popcorn:

Glad you brought enough to share.

[muggsy]

you get up in the morning and can't get email, it it the computer that needs the OS reinstalled or is it your goofy ISP? clue- computer did not change over night.
ok, got that solved on to the .380. icelandpointer swears he just, " took the slide off of the frame, removed the recoil spring and barrel, and cleaned the pistol. I installed the barrel, recoil spring, then put the slide back onto the frame." ok, the barrel only fits one way? the slide only fits one way? got to be the inner and outer recoil springs and guide? huh? backwards, upside down? what size hammer were you using?

There are many ways to screw up reassembly of a Kahr pistol without the use of a hammer. We've had people install the slide stop improperly missing the kidney shaped hole in the barrel. We've had people put their guns back together improperly only to find that they couldn't take them apart again. It may be your turn in the barrel next time, marcinstl. Tread lightly.

[TennSCN]

Turn your recoil spring around. The closed end goes against the flat end of the guide rod.

Oops, that should be SPRINGS on a x380... both closed ends against the flat.



MarcinStL, sorry, didn't mean to step on your advice. I saw this one from the start. I'll read them all next time...

[icelandpointer]

There are many ways to screw up reassembly of a Kahr pistol without the use of a hammer. We've had people install the slide stop improperly missing the kidney shaped hole in the barrel. We've had people put their guns back together improperly only to find that they couldn't take them apart again. It may be your turn in the barrel next time, marcinstl. Tread lightly.

Wow! Thanks marcinstl - for your information I am not a novice. God forbid I reach out to the "kahr community" for some assistance with what I figured was a simple problem. We aren't all experts like yourself. But since apparently you are...why don't you tell me how to fix the problem? Everyone on this forum has been wonderfully helpful. Go rain on someone else's post. Thanks muggsy and beardog I will let you guys know what I find out.

[icelandpointer]

Ok. Problem solved. I took the p380 slide completely apart. I used frog lube paste to clean the pistol in the past. Well when I took everything apart there was a solid waxy substance, frog lube, gummed up in all the parts. Cleaned and removed all the old waxy frog lube and oiled the parts then reassembled. Pistol works perfectly now! Thank you guys for all your feedback and help. Keep them cleaned and oiled and stay away from the frog lube paste! cheers

[berettabone]

Been using Hoppes #9 and regular old oil for about 40+ years now.....................I believe in the kiss philosophy, that, and save your money for more bullets. Never have any lubrication issues.:)

[Dreams_of_Steel]

+1 for Hoppes #9, I also use Rem Oil and a clean, lint free cloth once I'm done scrubbing.