P380: everything starting to stick and how to Oil?

[raytor]

I put this up on another P380 forum and got some suggestions but hopefully I can get a few more here.

I just got this P380 and it shot fine for the first 45 round then I started getting FTF and FTE. The FTF really bothered me so I took it home and cleaned it. There was a lot of powder fouling so I was wondering if this is to be expected in a new Kahr with tolerances still tight and will it clear with more shooting and cleaning? My range's policy is to stop shooting and see the range supervisor for any FTF which is a real pain since it was happening quite a bit. I think it was starting to annoy the guy (change the policy then!).

Did you other new P380 owners have a similar experience during your 200 round ($200) break in?

Also, does anyone know if that little hole in the slide near the firing pin tip is for oiling the striker?

[Underdog]

Raytor, did you clean the gun before the first time you shot it? It's always a good idea to totally clean a new gun of all the packing gunk the factory puts in it. Make sure the gun is unloaded and remove the mag. Next remove the slide and the spring and guide rod and the barrel. Clean everything real good, I use a pressure cleaner and clean the entre gun then wipe and excess cleaner off and let dry for a few minutes. Then I only oil the slide where it meets with the receiver and reassemble and rack the slide several times. You should be good to go for about 100 rounds. My Kahr took about 200-300 rounds to break it in. I had 2 FTE in the break in period, but ever since then not a single problem. I have 900+ rounds shot so far. Always carry a bore snake when going to the range, they work wonders if you need a quick barrel cleaning.

[raytor]

Thanks Underdog - Yeah, I cleaned and oiled it really well before taking it out. Because it seemed to act up after 1/2 a box of ammo I suspect it may have something to do with oiling the striker - I saw in this forum elsewhere that the striker should not be oiled. I will try to clean that part out and try again.

It's a sweet little carry pistol if I can ever learn to trust it not to let me down.

[mr surveyor]

it sounds like a case of too much oil in the wrong places, and dirty ammo

[raytor]

Kahr is saying to send it back - that's hard to do with a brand new toy.


it sounds like a case of too much oil in the wrong places, and dirty ammo
well in the case of 380ACP dirty ammo is better that the alternative...no ammo.

[jocko]

raytor. PM sent

[jocko]

it sounds like a case of too much oil in the wrong places, and dirty ammo

agree...


and more rounds down range and the gun will get smoother to. It has to mate up and wear in places that need worn in. Give it some time, I know thatis hard to say with the scarcity of 380 ammo around but IMO there is nothing wrong with your P380

NEVER OIL THE STRIKER CHANNEL.

[mr surveyor]

just my pesonal experience, but I have found that too much oil residue in the firing pin, or striker tunnel, or in the chamber/barrel area, tends to attract a lot of carbon residue (especially from "dirty" ammunition). When the carbon and oil get together you will find a nasty sludge will develop in all those hard to reach places, and places you just can't see without detail stripping. The two main places I tend to want to stay free of oil are the barrel/chamber and the pin tunnel....also no need for any lube on the breach face or extractor (my opinion). Even if the "goo" doesn't cause noticeable malfunctions, it can cause undue wear.

Just my "non-expert" opinions.


surv

[jocko]

just my pesonal experience, but I have found that too much oil residue in the firing pin, or striker tunnel, or in the chamber/barrel area, tends to attract a lot of carbon residue (especially from "dirty" ammunition). When the carbon and oil get together you will find a nasty sludge will develop in all those hard to reach places, and places you just can't see without detail stripping. The two main places I tend to want to stay free of oil are the barrel/chamber and the pin tunnel....also no need for any lube on the breach face or extractor (my opinion). Even if the "goo" doesn't cause noticeable malfunctions, it can cause undue wear.

Just my "non-expert" opinions.


surv

right on that, plus add to the fact that any oil in that striker channel will run right out the firing pin hole and what is directly in front of that firing pin hole???? The Primer and if will foul ur primer and the primers in the magazine up big time and you won't know it until you pull the trigger and then nothing happens and then you start to condemn the damn gun for FTF (failure to fire) when in essense u just drowned your primer in oil. LEAVE THE STRIKER CHANNEL BONE DRY.:7:

I don't recommend running a gun dry but I know alot of leo'S who do and their reason for doing so is the comments above. Most all guns will run 50 plus rounds bone dry without a hitch, glocks need very little lub as we all know. I use TW25 grease on my kahr rails, so that it doesnt run down my pants pocket and stain...

[raytor]

Jocko is the man!! (I sent you a PM)
His advice was right-on and I had time to run 50 rounds through it tonight with no problems - Am on my way to the "magical" 200 rounds that are required to break it in.

[jocko]

Jocko is the man!! (I sent you a PM)
His advice was right-on and I had time to run 50 rounds through it tonight with no problems - Am on my way to the "magical" 200 rounds that are required to break it in.

u did the math so to say. Sometmes these guns need alittle TLC to get right. also will give u pride in knowing that u fixed the nitches without sending it back. Nice job, now just shoot it like u stole it. the gun willeven get smoother to operate by round 200 to. You will notice the difference..

I honestly think the P380 is one of the best little pocket rockets made. I have owned kt's and lcp (still own the lcp) and this P380 is of much higher quality and certainly the most accurate 380 I have ever shot. I have stated this before and I probalby should be ashamed to say it but I shoot my P380 more accurately than my PM9 and I cannot explain that either:86: