Just picked up my P380! Now i have an issue...

[markg]

just got my P380 out of California 10 day jail.

havent loaded it up yet, just playing with the gun to familiarize myself with it.

this is the model with the LCI and magazine disconnect since thats what they sell here (if it makes a difference)

anyway, tried to lock the slide back - no go. wont do it either with or without magazine inserted.

does this version just not do that? it seems like it would; perhaps it was disassembled/reassembled improperly?

what do i look for? otherwise it seems to function as expected. just want to make everything is right before i take it out to put 200+ rounds through it

thanks,

mark

[gb6491]

just got my P380 out of California 10 day jail.

havent loaded it up yet, just playing with the gun to familiarize myself with it.

this is the model with the LCI and magazine disconnect since thats what they sell here (if it makes a difference)

anyway, tried to lock the slide back - no go. wont do it either with or without magazine inserted.

does this version just not do that? it seems like it would; perhaps it was disassembled/reassembled improperly?

what do i look for? otherwise it seems to function as expected. just want to make everything is right before i take it out to put 200+ rounds through it

thanks,

mark
Mark,

Congrats on the new acquisition.

As to why you can't lock the slide back, could you be more specific? (can't move the stop, can't move the slide far enough, etc.)

In the absence of further info, my first guess would be a problem with slide stop spring.
The spring may be damaged or not properly positioned. The stop may not be installed correctly in relation to the spring.
Pull the stop and check the spring. The leg should also be parallel to the frame and positioned as shown below:
http://i66.tinypic.com/v64y9l.jpg
If that checks good, install the stop making sure the protrusion on the backside of the stop goes under the spring leg:
http://i67.tinypic.com/1256tq8.jpg

Regards,
Greg

[yqtszhj]

It should lock back. Try making sure that the spring that should be pushing up on the slide release is under the slide release and not on top of it pushing down instead. I think I did that once before on my cw45. Others should chime in shortly.

[Bobshouse]

Take it to the range and give it a try, working the slide by hand is really tough on these little pistols. Make sure and read your instructions, the California model comes with a orange fake magazine for a reason, if you don't use it you risk damage!

Can you lock the slide back by racking the gun open and pressing up on the release?

[markg]

ok, so from the pics i can see that spring might not have gone where it was supposed to.

i disassembled it, and without the slide, put the slide stop in to see where it went. the little spring didnt have any clearance, and the stop actually pushed directly on it, so i pushed it up a bit, and then it snapped above the slide stop after it was entirely in. might not have done that last time due to the positioning of the spring, not sure.

then i put the slide/barrel back in without the recoil spring to make it easier to pull back, to check the functioning.

but now i cant get it back apart....

it seems that it needs me to depress the trigger to get the slide off. not sure what the internals look like to bypass this issue, but it is definitely hanging up on the back of the slide at the cocking cam.

but what happened; the barrel slipped a bit forward in the slide when putting the slide on (due to no recoil spring), and the feed ramp wont go by the ledge there on the frame. And because i cant move the barrel back, i cant pull the slide back enough to cock it. so when i pull the trigger nothing happens...

this the first gun ever i havent been able to get it back together from just looking at it.

other than this start up issue i like the gun.

[markg]

well that was fun, learned how to disassemble the slide while it was still on the gun :)

so its back to normal

still not sure about the slide, but at least now i can test it

[edit] it stays back now, IF i can pull the slide back far enough. so it was likely the spring.

thanks.

also just found out that the case has a space for another magazine - pulled out the foam and i can now fit 3!

[yqtszhj]

ok, so from the pics i can see that spring might not have gone where it was supposed to.

i disassembled it, and without the slide, put the slide stop in to see where it went. the little spring didnt have any clearance, and the stop actually pushed directly on it, so i pushed it up a bit, and then it snapped above the slide stop after it was entirely in. might not have done that last time due to the positioning of the spring, not sure.

then i put the slide/barrel back in without the recoil spring to make it easier to pull back, to check the functioning.

but now i cant get it back apart....

it seems that it needs me to depress the trigger to get the slide off. not sure what the internals look like to bypass this issue, but it is definitely hanging up on the back of the slide at the cocking cam.

but what happened; the barrel slipped a bit forward in the slide when putting the slide on (due to no recoil spring), and the feed ramp wont go by the ledge there on the frame. And because i cant move the barrel back, i cant pull the slide back enough to cock it. so when i pull the trigger nothing happens...

this the first gun ever i havent been able to get it back together from just looking at it.

other than this start up issue i like the gun.

If I remember right greg has a video on this too. Best I remember it goes lkke this:
1. Slide stuck too far back and cant get it off. Slide stop is already removed.
2. Push the slide forward until its in its normal position and hold it there.(back of slide is even with back of frame like it should normally be.)
3. Pull the trigger. This releases the spring.
4. You should then be able to remove the slide.

[yqtszhj]

Here is the video

https://youtu.be/j6fOQ7fC8ks

[Bills1873]

Now, Markg, shoot it like you stole it and let us know how it performs!

[markg]

took it to the range, put 200 rounds through it. NOT ONE malfunction shooting. pretty impressive!

as for the slide lock, not bad.

i had three magazines; one 6 round, one 7 round/extended, one 6 round with the magguts pieces installed to make it a 7 round.

they each had a few failures locking the slide, with the magguts the worst and the 7 round the best.

but not a single failure to feed, so im happy!

this was with a couple different ammo types, so its ready to carry.

way better than i expected!

[tony k]

Awesome. I have a new CW380, so I Know the feeling.

As far as slide locking back, did it get better or worse as you got closer to the 200 round mark?

[dsk]

On these little pistols it is very easy to hold the slide stop down with the thumb whether you realize it or not. Since speed reloads aren't exactly part of the equation when carrying a tiny pocket pistol it never really bothered me anyway.

[markg]

Awesome. I have a new CW380, so I Know the feeling.

As far as slide locking back, did it get better or worse as you got closer to the 200 round mark?

didnt really change.

i alternated between the 3 magazines, each mag getting 10 uses, got random failures on each, and they seemed to be randomly spaced round wise

[tony k]

didnt really change.

i alternated between the 3 magazines, each mag getting 10 uses, got random failures on each, and they seemed to be randomly spaced round wise

I was hoping it either got better (pistol breaking in), or it got worse (shooter fatigue) 😀.

If I was in your boat i'd try these:
1. Evaluate my grip to make sure it isn't shooter error. Maybe your​ thumb is intermittently resting on the slide release?
2. Try more powerful self defense ammo.
3. Study how the mag follower makes contact with the slide release. You want good contact between the inner protrusion on the slide stop and the little metal insert on the mag follower.

Edit: I say slide release and slide stop interchangeably. Sorry for confusion

[markg]

I was hoping it either got better (pistol breaking in), or it got worse (shooter fatigue) .

If I was in your boat i'd try these:
1. Evaluate my grip to make sure it isn't shooter error. Maybe your​ thumb is intermittently resting on the slide release?
2. Try more powerful self defense ammo.
3. Study how the mag follower makes contact with the slide release. You want good contact between the inner protrusion on the slide stop and the little metal insert on the mag follower.

Edit: I say slide release and slide stop interchangeably. Sorry for confusion

thanks for the suggestions.

i will try more powerful ammo first. im sure it isnt my grip, and i dont think it is the contact since it happens with all 3 mags (except the magguts was significantly worse then the two stock ones, so im going to try to see whats different about that one; perhaps that will shed some light on this issue)

since i couldnt even get it to lock open at all (manually) when brand new, perhaps it just needs more rounds through it to loosen the recoil spring up? more powerful ammo would do the same thing, so thats easier to try quickly.

now i just have to find some, since the local stores have been pretty limited with small caliber ammo lately (hoarding before the 2018 ammo law kicks in).

[Bobshouse]

I think that's going to be delayed, we haven't received any info at the club about it yet and it's already May!

[tony k]

thanks for the suggestions.

i will try more powerful ammo first. im sure it isnt my grip, and i dont think it is the contact since it happens with all 3 mags (except the magguts was significantly worse then the two stock ones, so im going to try to see whats different about that one; perhaps that will shed some light on this issue)

since i couldnt even get it to lock open at all (manually) when brand new, perhaps it just needs more rounds through it to loosen the recoil spring up? more powerful ammo would do the same thing, so thats easier to try quickly.

now i just have to find some, since the local stores have been pretty limited with small caliber ammo lately (hoarding before the 2018 ammo law kicks in).

I feel for you folks in California. Can you make a road trip to Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon? Or is it illegal to transport ammo into California?

[markg]

I feel for you folks in California. Can you make a road trip to Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon? Or is it illegal to transport ammo into California?

not until 2018, but then yes it will be.

you will only be able to purchase from a store that is specifically licensed to sell ammunition, and only if YOU also have an ammunition license which is supposedly going to cost $50 for 5 years etc.
Wonder how bad they are going to gouge us then, knowing we have no choice.

and the next 'road trip' i take will be one way to florida, maybe early next year. this is the last straw for me.

[Bawanna]

Seems like a market for bootleg ammo. Bootleg whiskey is kind of fading, this could be the replacement.

I've often wondered if all the people in California who didn't agree with some of their insane laws and such moved out. How many people would be left.

I mean are there really a majority of folks there that support this stuff. Want to be told what they can do sun up to sun down everyday of their life.

Kind of curious.

[markg]

Seems like a market for bootleg ammo. Bootleg whiskey is kind of fading, this could be the replacement.

I've often wondered if all the people in California who didn't agree with some of their insane laws and such moved out. How many people would be left.

I mean are there really a majority of folks there that support this stuff. Want to be told what they can do sun up to sun down everyday of their life.

Kind of curious.

fair question, can answer for myself but not others.

i moved here from detroit in 1980 when that city was collapsing. there were lots of jobs here and silicon valley was just starting. this was before we had the gazillionaires who seem to drive this liberal stuff, and we didnt yet have the insta-rich kids who perpetuate it.

detroit was a trip; they levied a income tax, and so did highland park (a suburb internal to detroit) where i worked, so i was paying 4 income taxes: fed/state/detroit/highland park tax. add in the sales tax, property tax etc and it was unbearable.
that company eventually moved out to the suburbs, so highland park collapsed.

And everyone was moving out of detroit so they changed their rules so that you couldnt work for the city UNLESS you lived in the city. right, thats gonna work. Look at google maps and see all the empty lots that were bulldozed after being burned out. the once greatest manufacturing city on the planet is now lost. but the fire, police, etc. who had worked there for many years were stuck; either leave and lose their pension or stay with all the issues.

so at the time, california looked pretty good as i was in electronics and this was one of the two places where it was taking off (the other was phoenix, but that died out relatively quickly).
a lot has changed over the years, but by then my career was here and silicon valley was very good to me, so i stayed and continue to work. but i feel like the frog in the water where the temp was brought up slowly, you dont really feel it right away. but i am feeling it now, and im done.

The issue now is how to avoid going through this again. i used to spend a month a year in florida when i was a kid, but look at it now. the east coast (west palm beach, ft lauderdale, etc) are all ex new yorkers, as liberal as they come. the state isnt even reliably republican any more. so how long before THAT state irreversibly changes? hopefully if i move there it will be after im gone, but still... Look what happened to Colorado. i never thought it would happen there either...

hope that gives you some insight into at least this californians thought process..

[Bawanna]

Well at least your out of Detroit, that alone is something to be thankful for.

We have the same issues in Washington with transplanted Californians who hate it down there but come here and try to create the same exact thing.

I'm all for closing the borders. State borders. Too late for Washington, I'd try to get out and head for Montana or Wyoming myself. Wyoming.......5 people per square mile. That's my kind of place.

[dsk]

There isn't a state in the Union the liberals either haven't or haven't begun to take over and ruin. Just today I saw a large billboard ad encouraging businesses to set up shop in Montana, which was paid for by a large development firm there. Just as the New Yorkers have destroyed the east coast the California liberals are fast destroying the west coast and SW. Even Texas is slowly going under.

And to answer the question of what would happen if all the pro-gun people in California moved out. It would help the neighboring states but not affect CA at all. There are probably between 10-15 million gun enthusiasts in California alone, which sounds like a lot (that's as many people as in WA and OR combined) until you realize there are nearly 80 million people in CA, most of whom are anti-gun liberals.

[Bawanna]

I think we ought to arrange a citizen swap. We'll let the 10-15 million gun people out, but we get to send at least that many anti gun people back. Sadly that wouldn't put a dent in the number of deranged anti's living in other states.

Maybe and this pains me considerable since I'm a native Missouri boy but since Illinois is so messed up, maybe we could use it as a place to keep more anti's. Kind of a central receiving point to help California and New York house the non believers.

[dsk]

I think we ought to arrange a citizen swap. We'll let the 10-15 million gun people out, but we get to send at least that many anti gun people back. Sadly that wouldn't put a dent in the number of deranged anti's living in other states.

Maybe and this pains me considerable since I'm a native Missouri boy but since Illinois is so messed up, maybe we could use it as a place to keep more anti's. Kind of a central receiving point to help California and New York house the non believers.

The anti-gun liberals aren't willing to let us have our playground while they have theirs. They want to take over the entire country, if not total world domination. There's no place for private gun ownership or conservatism in their minds.

[Pteridine]

And to answer the question of what would happen if all the pro-gun people in California moved out. It would help the neighboring states but not affect CA at all. There are probably between 10-15 million gun enthusiasts in California alone, which sounds like a lot (that's as many people as in WA and OR combined) until you realize there are nearly 80 million people in CA, most of whom are anti-gun liberals.

There is actually about 39 million as of 2017. This is more than the population of Canada.