New P380 FTF problems...

[raiken]

I just bought a new Kahr P380 (black/black, I had to wait about 2 months for the order to come in at my store). I bought it mainly because I have a PM9 that is ultra-reliable and my favorite weapon. I have a Ruger LCP that has occasional FTE problems, so I wanted a small, reliable pocket carry gun to replace it.

The first round I tried to load into the chamber jammed (using the slide release), and several after that, so I disassembled and cleaned the gun, and it seemed a bit better, so I took it to the range for break-in.

I put 150 rounds through it (50 Blazer Brass, 50 Speer Lawman, and 50 Speer Gold Dot). All three types of ammo experienced about one FTF every 10 rounds, sometimes more often. The rounds would lodge in at about a 45 degree angle with the slide partially open. Sometimes they would jam when I first loaded the magazine and chambered a round, and sometimes during the firing of the weapon.

After I got back home, I again cleaned the gun, and the first round I tried to chamber jammed again.

Needless to say, I am highly disappointed, especially after spending that much money and waiting two months to get the gun. I called Kahr, and all the tech support guy kept saying is that they require a 200 round break-in.

Will all these FTF problems just magically go away after 50 more rounds? I certainly wouldn't trust my life to this gun right now as is. I'm going to go back to the range and put another 150 rounds through it, but I don't have a good feeling about it.

I'll post my results after the next range trip this week...

[jocko]

don't depend on the next 50 to solve what is going on, ur gun just might need more tlc. I would also let another good shooter try the gun also, u need to eliminate all the possables that go along with FTF's. sometimes it is shooter error.

It should not need it but check the feed ramp if u thinbk it needs some polishing go ahead, u can'thurt it but u can help it. Nice gun but some give fits.

u might want to go to the kahr tech section ahd hit on two good stickys;

#1 kahr lube chart

#2 propper prepping of your new kahr..

[raiken]

Thanks for the tips, I'll check out the prepping info.

I don't think it is shooter error, as it fails to feed most of the time when just releasing the slide lock to strip the first round after inserting the magazine.

I looked carefully at the feed ramp under a magnifying glass, and it looked really smooth and polished right from the factory. I suppose I could get out my trusty dremel and polish it a bit more, but I wouldn't expect to have to do this on a brand new gun at this price level. I think I'd rather send it back to Kahr and let them do it, if they will let me.

At any rate, I'll go burn up another $50 worth of ammo and see if it gets any better, or at least I'll be able tell the tech support guy I've been through 200 rounds so he will let me send it back.

[jocko]

indeed more rounds seems to produce a smoothe rgun for sure. Kahrs are tight, so tighter than others. document what you are doing , the ammo u are using etc, and when the rounds seem to be acting up etc. The kahr techs need to know this to give them a head start in fixing the gun. If the feed ramp looks OK, leave it alone, u can't hurt it with the dremel but normally kahrs feed ramps are super. U might try just hand racking that gun about 500 tiimes to see if that tends to smooth things out withut the bang thing and cost...

[raiken]

U might try just hand racking that gun about 500 tiimes to see if that tends to smooth things out withut the bang thing and cost...


Funny you mentioned that, I just got through reading your suggested Kahr prepping post, and was in the process of wearing the skin off my left hand racking the slide as much as I can. :)

I will say, that when the gun is functioning, I really like the feel of it. It reminds me of the same precision feel I get from my PM9. It is also extremely accurate - I find I shoot much tighter groups than my Ruger LCP, especially at close range. I just hope I can get it to the point where I can trust it for carry.

[garyb]

Jocko's prep is magic on the Kahr guns. I used it to prep my PM40 before I ever fired a single round and it has never had a failure of any kind. I hand racked it more than 500 times before I shot it, then cleaned and lubed it good with MilCom tW25b products. It has been 100% reliable every time with every ammo I have fed her. The combination he suggested worked 100%. I also purchased my wife a new Bodyguard380, prepped, racked it 500 times, cleaned and lubed it the same way and with the same MilCom TW25B products before it was shot. I has never had a single failure of any kind with any 380 ammo. The Kahr and Bodyguard are well engineered and well made, reliable pieces if you do things right. However, the trigger on the Bodyguard380 is no match for a trigger on a Kahr. Takes a little more getting used to it.

I have to believe that the reliability of these two weapons is mainly due to Jocko's magical prep and the lube suggestions on this forum. My advice is to listen to him carefully..... Thanks.

[jocko]

enough flattery, please send money!~!!

to be honest, all I really did with the prep thread was correlate all the many suggestions given to me on this forum and on another kahr forum that I was on before ever coming to this one. Makes me look like a genius, I know but in reality, the members did most of it, I just put it into content. I do feel though it should work for every semi made. Kahrs are very tight and they will stay that way to but they will be a tight SMOOTH action over when new maybe a tight ruff action. I have shot alot of semi's over the years but I can't say that I have shoot any as tight as kahrs. My PM9 with over 32K rounds out of it, has zero rattles, and not a wear spot on the entire gun. rails look totally new. I do believe and I use that lube chart as my bible and love TW-25 Mil-comm for a great lube, but I do believe my slide is just running on thin air touching nothing. It is just that smooth. My K9 with 5K is the same and I bought it used.

I take the same perfect care of my Harley's over the years, and they seem to treat me like my pM9, they just run and run and run. Course I was born and raised and worked in my dads tire/service station for over 40 years, and I got very used to seeing abused vehicles..

[Tough Guy Levi]

Howdy:

22,000+ downrange, my PM9 and has been reliable since June 5, 2005 when I purchased it brand new (VA 59XX). Recently purchased non-California P380 (no LCI nor mag disconnect-RB 38XX)). Six hundred rounds downrange so far haven't been stellar compared to my PM 9. Failure to Feed a plenty usually during the 4-6th rounds. As an NRA Pistol Instructor, rounds are seated properly, slide release utilized (have never used PM 9 release) etc. Another instructor experienced same failures using various ammo manufacturers. No limp wristing etc!

Had replaced mag followers from Kahr but to no avail thus both mags returned to Kahr for exchange. Probably will receive mags plus recoil replacement springs to "cure" FTF problems.

Clean, lube weapon after every training, teaching session. Racking the slide at home hasn't improved FTF situation thus hopefully replacements will do the "trick".

By the way, have Ruger LCP (can't be purchased in CA from FFL/retail store). It's an CA DOJ off-roster weapon. 100% reliable (768 downrange) yet push comes to shove, if my P380 was 100% reliable, in a heart beat I'd carry the P380.

Tough Guy Levi
Orange, CA

[Cokeman]

If you're polishing the feed ramp, make sure you also get the inside of the chamber and the inside of the mag's feed lips.

[jocko]

If you're polishing the feed ramp, make sure you also get the inside of the chamber and the inside of the mag's feed lips.

on that. One neverknows what theinsideof the magazine feed lips feel like. It might be smooth by feel but a nice polish job assures one of that to.

[HadEmAll]

By the way, have Ruger LCP (can't be purchased in CA from FFL/retail store). It's an CA DOJ off-roster weapon. 100% reliable (768 downrange) yet push comes to shove, if my P380 was 100% reliable, in a heart beat I'd carry the P380.

Tough Guy Levi
Orange, CA

Yeah, so would I, IF. That's why we paid twice as much for the P380.

I keep my P380 because it's so pretty, and has spells of working right with certain ammo, after 2 trips back to Kahr's gun "repair" shop, but when I am going somewhere I judge I might really have to rely on using a pocket .380, I still take my LCP instead of the P380. It (and the previous one I gave my son) works like a gun you may need to save your life with should out of the box.

I'm starting on my 2nd thousand rounds through the P380, and with new recoil springs. Hoping this thousand brings the reliability I expected when I bought the P380.