OldBoldPilot
12-14-2016, 04:17 PM
Let me say at the outset that I'm very familiar with and love Kahrs, as my other primary self-defense pistols are a PM9 and a K9. The new P380 is meant to round out the size/weight selection. I picked up the P380 yesterday and got it to the range this morning. Prior to the purchase I'd done a ton of research on both the pistol and the ammo, so I had some idea of what to expect.
I started out with the intention of shooting 200 rounds, the designated breakin. Based on many reviews, I had bought Remington target ammo, as well as Hornady Critical Defense and a couple of boxes of Lehigh Xtreme Defense.
From the moment I released the slide stop to chamber the first round, the session was nothing but a comedy of errors. Every malfunction known to man (I won't name them all) occurred repeatedly, to the point where for the first 50 rounds I couldn't fire even one magazine without multiple malfunctions. The second 50 rounds went a bit better -- I managed to get through a full six round magazine two or three times. Although I'd intended to shoot 200 rounds, it took so long to get through 100 rounds that at that point I (almost) quit. Oh, and the included 7-round magazine was completely hopeless, mirroring my experience with the extended magazines for the PM9 and the K9.
On a whim, I loaded two magazines with the Hornady Critical Defense...and there it was! The pistol I'd hoped I'd bought! Not a single malfunction. Thinking to press my luck a little, I then loaded two magazines with the Lehigh Xtreme Defense, a known tricky round. And again, two mags, zero malfunctions. I went from :( to :).
Naturally, 100 rounds doesn't prove anything about the pistol. But based on my experience it's safe to say that my particular pistol does not like Remington target ammo. I could search for some target ammo my pistol does like, but since I will only shoot it once or twice a month I think I'll just practice with what I carry -- the Hornady and to a lesser extent the Lehigh.
I love the ergonomics. It's an easy gun to shoot and even easier to conceal. If I have one negative, it's the extreme difficulty (for me, at 73) involved in racking the slide. I have other Kahrs that are tight, but this one is ridiculous. I know it will get easier in time, but still...I've owned Sig P238s that a child could rack without difficulty, so I don't think it needs to be this hard.
Overall, I'm pleased with my purchase and look forward to many more hours on the range.
I started out with the intention of shooting 200 rounds, the designated breakin. Based on many reviews, I had bought Remington target ammo, as well as Hornady Critical Defense and a couple of boxes of Lehigh Xtreme Defense.
From the moment I released the slide stop to chamber the first round, the session was nothing but a comedy of errors. Every malfunction known to man (I won't name them all) occurred repeatedly, to the point where for the first 50 rounds I couldn't fire even one magazine without multiple malfunctions. The second 50 rounds went a bit better -- I managed to get through a full six round magazine two or three times. Although I'd intended to shoot 200 rounds, it took so long to get through 100 rounds that at that point I (almost) quit. Oh, and the included 7-round magazine was completely hopeless, mirroring my experience with the extended magazines for the PM9 and the K9.
On a whim, I loaded two magazines with the Hornady Critical Defense...and there it was! The pistol I'd hoped I'd bought! Not a single malfunction. Thinking to press my luck a little, I then loaded two magazines with the Lehigh Xtreme Defense, a known tricky round. And again, two mags, zero malfunctions. I went from :( to :).
Naturally, 100 rounds doesn't prove anything about the pistol. But based on my experience it's safe to say that my particular pistol does not like Remington target ammo. I could search for some target ammo my pistol does like, but since I will only shoot it once or twice a month I think I'll just practice with what I carry -- the Hornady and to a lesser extent the Lehigh.
I love the ergonomics. It's an easy gun to shoot and even easier to conceal. If I have one negative, it's the extreme difficulty (for me, at 73) involved in racking the slide. I have other Kahrs that are tight, but this one is ridiculous. I know it will get easier in time, but still...I've owned Sig P238s that a child could rack without difficulty, so I don't think it needs to be this hard.
Overall, I'm pleased with my purchase and look forward to many more hours on the range.