Stumped Reloading for Kahr P380

[Cap'n]

Does factory ammo typically use different primers than those available to reloaders??

I'm breaking in a new P380; just passed the "magic" 200-round mark today.

It fires all kinds of factory ammo flawlessly. HOWEVER, I get the dreaded "click" about 50% of the time using my own reloads; the primer appears amply dimpled.

My ego aside, I don't think it's my reload quality -- the same rounds which fail to fire once or twice (!) in the P380, fire first time in my Bersa T380CC.

All primers were hand-seated to the bottom of the primer pocket during reloading.

[I've reloaded approx 60K rounds over the years in many handgun/rifle calibers; never a squib, misfire, or overcharge.]

Today I tried a batch of reloads using CCI-500 primers (vs Wolf SPP). First six rounds fired fine, and then the clicking started again. Yet I could fire factory ammo flawlessly immediately afterwards.

In all this, I do notice the striker consistently dimples the primer off center (see photos).

[Sambo]

cci primers have a reputation for being the hardest primers out there. I'm not sure about wolf though. Federal is by far the softest. They are popular among double action revolver shooters, who have to lower hammer spring weight to get the trigger pull down. Try out some federals. My cw45 primer strikes are more off center than yours but have never had a ftf.

[Cap'n]

Thanks, Sambo. Especially appreciate your comment about your CW45's primer strikes.

I don't usually have easy access to Federal primers -- just checked my stash, too, but no joy -- however I can find some. If that solved the problem, I might just invest in a new striker spring and/or assembly.

Have a great weekend.

[Bawanna]

I've been pondering this and your 380 should shoot any primer. You seem to just lack enough power to make em go.

I'd flush out that striker channel, you really shouldnt need a new striker spring.
The striker protrusion might be not quite enough but the pictures you posted looked like they were struck good. I'd say bad primers but then you said they shot fine in your Bersa.

Maybe still bad primers and they take a few hits to ignite?

Are they really old or questionable?

That thing should shoot any primer, I'd try again with some fresh primers any brand, seat em flush, and see what happens. It shoots factory good so we know its gotta be primers. Maybe your seating too deep? Should be flush or slightly below (you know that I know, thinking on my keyboard).

[MW surveyor]

I'd like to second the use of the Federal primers, but first I'd do a real good flush out of the striker like Bawanna says.

You've reloaded way more rounds than I have so you obviously know what you are doing and the gun shoots factory ammo. Stumped!

[Cap'n]

Bawanna & Surveyor, thanks for your input.

The primers are new and stored in my air conditioned reloading room.

I've gone back and detailed stripped my slide, including flushing the striker channel with brake cleaner spray -- it's now completely clean and NOT lubed. Didn't really see anything before the cleaning that would have been a cause for concern except some factory lube/preservative.

I'm going to load a small batch of rounds using Winchester SPP to see if there's a difference. I may even clean the primer pockets and uniform them, too. It may take me some time to get Federal primers.

Other than this issue, the pistol has been a surprising joy. Weeks of research included people's comments about the P380's accuracy, minimal recoil, and fun factor. Nevertheless, I was surprised to experience those myself. The gun is really pretty impressive (when using factory rounds in my case :)). I was curious to see how much more more accurate I could get it with loads tailored to this specific pistol.

Not going to give up on the reloading endeavor although as my wife points out, it's a BUG/CCW pistol which reliably / accurately shoots factory ammo ... I could just buy an occasional box of factory rounds for practice since it's not purchased as a high-round range pistol anyways.

[Tilos]

Cap'n:
Wolf sold a lot of primers during the hording and many seasoned reloaders had trouble with them, including me.
If you look at a new primer you'll see the anvil sticks up above the cup and it's push into the cup when you seat it.
What you feel during seating Wolfs is the anvil hitting the bottom of the primer pocket...not the cup.
That's why the Wolf's usually work on the 2nd hit, the 1st hit seats the primer and the 2nd hit ignites it.

For safety, put a drop of oil in the primer before any measuring!!
Oh, and mark it too, so you don't try to use it later.
Also measuring the length of the cup on a wolf primer will show it to be shorter than most others.

The short answer for me ( and most others) was reset the primer station to CRUSH for Wolfs.

just sayin'
Tilos

[Cap'n]

Tilos,

Thanks for that info. It was new to me.

I haven't had any previous problems with Wolf primers, so when this P380 issue started I thought perhaps I'd gotten a "bad brick."

I'll check those dimensions as you suggest and "adjust" my primer seating accordingly.

[Tilos]

Let us know what works.
Tilos

[Cap'n]

Update to an old thread ...

I was able to get a brick of Federal 100 Small Pistol Primers. Each round fired first time which leads me to suspect that my striker spring might be slightly marginal therefore having trouble with Wolf-primed cartridges as originally reported.

The Federals seated nicley when priming the cases, too.

As some point I'll order another striker spring just to have a spare and test the new one on Wolf-primed rounds. In the meantime, the 1,000 each Federal SPPs will be my range shooting work-around solution. (Again, commercial SD amm fires without any problem whatsoever.)

[Tilos]

Cap'n:
Wow, you gave up way sooner than I would, of coarse I had no options as wolf was all I could get.
Just send those wolfs to me and I'll test them 100% for you:D.
Tilos

[Cap'n]

Tilos, those Wolf SPP will feed my other reloads. The P380 is my only pistol which seems not to like them.

Nice try, though. :)