2007/2008 P380 Stovepiping-- Do I need a new extractor?

[trinan]

OK, so I bought a used P380, that stovepipes with Winchester flat-nose FMJ, Rem Golden Sabers, Hornady XTP-loaded HPs, and some junk range reloads. It never makes it through a mag without stovepiping. However, it does not stovepipe with Sellier and Bellot RN FMJ-- ran a whole box of that without a problem.

But... I don't want to carry that, and I don't want a gun on the hairy edge of malfunction. So... do I need a new extractor? There are posts on here indicating that Kahr redesigned the extractor at some point. Was that point after 2008? This gun's SN indicates 2007/2007 manufacture.

I've cleaned and polished it all, including the striker and extractor channels. There are no shavings, crud, or even oil in there now, after the brake cleaner through the hole trick (after I'd already run drill bits and Q-tips through the channels). It's clean. Rails lubed, lube diagram followed, etc. I've done all that. AND, I just replaced the recoil springs-- no help, though they are much longer and harder to install than the probably original ones that were in there. I was hoping that would change something, but it did not.

And I'm not limp-wristing it, after 30 years of competitive shooting.

This thing is astoundingly accurate, and I shoot it well-- easily clean bowling pin tables with it-- except for the clearing of the stovepipes, which affects my times significantly! I want it to work. But before I buy another extractor, and put better sights on it, I'd like to know if I'm throwing good money after bad.

Suggestions? (Other than send it back to Kahr.)

Was the extractor design changed after 2008?

Thanks!

Trinan

[yqtszhj]

I can’t find it but there are threads out there which describes a couple of different methods to adjust the extractor tension which may help if you think it’s the extractor. I’m not aware of a extractor change but others may chime in soon with some other info.

I also wonder if it was ever broken in well and maybe it just needs some good hot ammo to loosen up? I know I shoot a lot of S&B 9mm and it’s hotter than some ammo. Not to sure about their .380 ammo though.

[trinan]

Thanks... From the shortness of the springs in there, and the dirt, I think the former owner did shoot it enough to break it in-- and I've put 100+ through it myself in two outings.

I'll look for the extractor tuning info. Keep the suggestions coming.

[King Rat]

Thanks... From the shortness of the springs in there, and the dirt, I think the former owner did shoot it enough to break it in-- and I've put 100+ through it myself in two outings.

I'll look for the extractor tuning info. Keep the suggestions coming.

I would second the opinion that the original owner did not break in the gun. One thing I have learned about many used guns, is the fact that there are IMO a huge percentage that do not shoot there guns very often. My CW380 did the same thing, and them Perfecto. And what a nice shooter it is.

[trinan]

Original owner put about 100 through it; I just hit 190 more. Still jamming about once per magazine, and the behavior has changed. Now the cases are flipping around 180 degrees and getting stuck in the extractor when the slide is closing. That's new... and harder to fix than a stovepipe. Much, much harder to fix, as I usually have to pull the magazine and lock the slide back to rip the case out of the extractor where the mouth is jammed and deformed into it.

I hate to dump it on someone, but I think that's its future.

[DavidR]

Might be worth trying a new extractor. I think it’s about $20 of parts to replace the old one.

[topgun1953]

Best I can remember, the extractor was modified during 2017. I believe a radius was placed on the lower edge.
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?30637-CW380-doesn-t-like-Personal-Defense-Ammo&p=388142#post388142

IN post #16 I mention how Kahr confirmed to me a change had been made.

[trinan]

Best I can remember, the extractor was modified during 2017. I believe a radius was placed on the lower edge.
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?30637-CW380-doesn-t-like-Personal-Defense-Ammo&p=388142#post388142

IN post #16 I mention how Kahr confirmed to me a change had been made.

Thanks-- I saw your post, but it wasn't clear to me when they might have made that change. I looked at mine-- and it looks like the bottom is beveled. I think that was a feeding fix though right? Mine feeds fine. It just doesn't eject consistently. I'll fool with it some more in the new year I guess. I'd done so well with three 9mm Kahrs I thought the stories about the .380s might be aberrations, but seemingly not.

[topgun1953]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was for feeding issues. If it were me, I'd go ahead and get a new extractor

[trinan]

New extractor did not help. Now it's FTE'ing with the same types of ammo-- still 100% with the expensive Underwood +P 102 GSs, and still ejecting S&B FMJ just fine-- but I'm getting light strikes about every 1/3 of them! May just be a bad batch of S&B ammo. Sheesh.

[topgun1953]

Sorry to hear that a new extractor didn’t solve the problem. Have you examined the chamber. I’d be surprised if there was a problem but you might want to try the “plunk test” to see if the cartridges go in and out properly. The plunk test is where you drop the cartridge into the barrel. It should drop freely and the head should be even with the hood.

[Cokeman]

New extractor did not help. Now it's FTE'ing with the same types of ammo-- still 100% with the expensive Underwood +P 102 GSs, and still ejecting S&B FMJ just fine-- but I'm getting light strikes about every 1/3 of them! May just be a bad batch of S&B ammo. Sheesh.
Mine light strikes S&B ammo. They made a change to the primers or their process a few years back. When their primers stopped having the red seal around them, the light strikes started.

[yqtszhj]

Mine light strikes S&B ammo. They made a change to the primers or their process a few years back. When their primers stopped having the red seal around them, the light strikes started.

Thanks for that info. I’ve had a couple of light strikes with their 9mm over the last year or so with my reliable handguns so that kinda explains it.

[DJK11]

Was the p380 even produced in 2007 or 2008? Mine is an RAxxxx from the first production run with a BOD of 2010.

[gb6491]

Was the p380 even produced in 2007 or 2008? Mine is an RAxxxx from the first production run with a BOD of 2010.
I checked the "wayback machine" and found mention of them (after following a "new model" link) being shipped in December 2008
https://i.postimg.cc/bJ4LsMjJ/p380crop.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[DJK11]

Thanks kind of interesting. Purchased my RAxxxx new 5/2010. Kahr said BOD 2/2010, end of first production run when the tooling was worn out. Just kidding!!

[kahrbrian]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwrBbUQze2k

This video should be a sticky. IF you are OK with disassembling your slide, this is a NO BRAINER for any Kahr problems. My CT 380 could not go 2-3 rounds without the round jamming the gun or my need to SLAM the rear of the slide. It was NON-reliable in a big way - thread in the CT forum.

After doing what this vid shows, and polishing the chamber, breechface, and extractor - it is a GREAT gun. I found that there were bad machine marks in the breech face, and the extractor was shaped too square to help in feeding.

I am almost good with buying ANY used Kahr now because I am not afraid to work on them.

[Belloc]

Running through the old threads seeing what I can apply to the CW380 and CM9 I just got. Clicked on your link above and the video has been removed (YT's new gun mod policy, maybe?). Any chance you could summarize what you learned there, or point me (and others in my situation) to another source for the info? You seem to have found it really useful, so I'd hate to miss out on any good tips you might know. Thanks!

[yqtszhj]

I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for on the P380/CW380 but a significant part of feeding issues had to do with excessive extractor tension. The link below talks a little about it. This won’t be much help for the CM9 though. Hope this helps.

https://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?34192-New-to-me-P380-working-now-thanks-to-the-forum-sticky&highlight=P380+extractor

[RustyIron]

I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for on the P380/CW380 but a significant part of feeding issues had to do with excessive extractor tension.


It's comforting to see that others have reached the same conclusion. When I first got it six years ago, my P380 choked on one particular brand of ammo. I decided to give the gun the once-over. The Kahr extractor is odd, so I don't know what the designers intended. But by 1911 standards, the P380 extractor is FAR too tight. I decreased the preload quite a bit--not as much as I thought it should be, but it's better to be conservative when making adjustments. The functionality is still spot-on with most ammo. I haven't purchased any more of the problem ammo, so I can't say whether the problem is resolved.