Clean P380 before first use

[claytons]

Is it really necessary to clean the P380 before using it for the first time?

[Mecenas]

Probably not, but it is really necessary to lube it according to the lube chart. These guns like to run "wet", then after the first 100 rounds I would really clean it well because now you would likely find some shavings in addition to gun powder residue and other junk.

[MW surveyor]

Do what you want. But if there is a problem and you come on here, one of the first questions you'll get asked is "Did you clean and lube the gun before you shot it?"

[KahrOwner]

Is it really necessary to clean the P380 before using it for the first time?

I used to sit racking the slide on mine (while watching TV) in the hope that it would help it to break in a bit faster.

[Mecenas]

Frankly, unless you know or you have seen how the pistols are prepared for shipping at the Kahr manufacturing facility - you should not be really advising as to necessity of cleaning. Long time ago military firearms were preserved in cosmoline for storage and shipping because it was never known how long they will be stored and where. Today, after the pistol is test fired not more than a magazine full, it gets packaged and shipped to the distributor. There is neither grease nor any kind of other preservative applied to the gun, therefore there is no need to really clean it before it is fired. On the other hand, we all know that Kahrs are notorious for tight tolerances and like to be well lubricated so taking a pistol apart and applying your favorite lubricant according to the "sticky" lube diagram is always a good idea. It will not hurt to run a patch with cleaning solution through the bore, but is it really necessary - not, in my opinion.

[jocko]

most will not need cleaning but I guess in my case is WHY NOT do it befor ethat first outting. U certaihnly are not going to do it aqny harm or mess it up either. We don't know how kahr ships guns, We do know that many have cleaned their sldies and found alot of crud in the striker channel that althought should not be there WAS. So why possably spoil that first outting with a waste of ammo for what may or not happen. error on the side of caution, clean and lube the gun using kahrs lube sticky. U might want to breeze throgh the kahr sticky on propper prepping of ur new kahr. Nothing told there is rocket science, we are just merely passing on information from opther kahr owners that has been very helpful.

U know cleaning and lubing a new gun is like spraying on mosquite repellant. If u don't get bit, u don't know if the repellant worked or if there was not mosqitos out, BUT YOU ALSO DON'T REALLY GIVE A DAMN EITHER. Same thing wth propper preppingof ur new kahr, it might not need it but if that first outting is a success, u also DON'T GIVE A DAMN EITHER.. remember it is ur gun, u do what ever please u,. We are just here to help if possable, nothing ever said here is mandatory to do, but it sure is helpful to many...

Mecenas is partially right, but we are not cleaning cosmoline or preservatives from these gun, we are basically making sure they left no maching residue in the gun, which we know has happened many times in the striker channel...