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First Range Trip

4972 Views 14 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  P7
Just got back from my first range visit with the new P380. The gun arrived with a mirror finish on the feedramp. I thoroughly cleaned it and lubed it as specified in the posted Kahr lube chart. Great trigger and quite accurate. However, I had probably 15 assorted jams during the 200 rounds I shot today. There were some stovepipes (Yes, I had a solid grip. I don't have this problem with my LCP or other small guns) and failures to feed. The most frequent jam was failure to extract. These jams occurred with both magazines and several types of ammo. The first 150 rounds were Winchester white box. After that, I tried Golden Sabers and Hornady Critical Defense. Failure to feed with Golden Sabers sometimes occurred using the slide lock release. Any ideas or suggestions?

P7
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P7 said:
Just got back from my first range visit with the new P380. The gun arrived with a mirror finish on the feedramp. I thoroughly cleaned it and lubed it as specified in the posted Kahr lube chart. Great trigger and quite accurate. However, I had probably 15 assorted jams during the 200 rounds I shot today. There were some stovepipes (Yes, I had a solid grip. I don't have this problem with my LCP or other small guns) and failures to feed. The most frequent jam was failure to extract. These jams occurred with both magazines and several types of ammo. The first 150 rounds were Winchester white box. After that, I tried Golden Sabers and Hornady Critical Defense. Failure to feed with Golden Sabers sometimes occurred using the slide lock release. Any ideas or suggestions?

P7
I am assuming you got the recoil spring on the right way with the open end towards the muzzle???

How about just racking the slide about 500 times as fast as u can and then go out and try it again. WWB sholdbe ok in it. It should not be ammo sensitive at all. Not indicative of kahrs to be ammo sensitive. I don't think i would shoot any good priced hp ammo until the gun is running flawlessly, just a waste of good dollars IMO.

I think I would give it one more 100 round test with fmj ammo and if it doesn't snap out of it, indeed call kahr and have them issue a prepaid pick up on the gun. You shold not be out a dime to send it back.

Yours is the first to really show these type of issues. I want to say more rounds down range will help but you have 200 and it hasn't improved so my bet it willhav eto go back tothe mother ship. Not a good start for your new prize is it???
Jocko: It will all work out. I've had several Kahrs over the years. This is the first one where I've had significant issues. I'll try it again next weekend. If problems persist, back it goes.

P7
P7 said:
Jocko: It will all work out. I've had several Kahrs over the years. This is the first one where I've had significant issues. I'll try it again next weekend. If problems persist, back it goes.

P7
a positive attitude, normally produces positive results ;)
Don't forget that the small spring closed end should facing out and the large spring closed end against the stop. Take a look at the assembly video on this forum for clarification. They even have a blow up picture showing this. Don't ask how I found this out!!

Jack
jfwandrn said:
Don't forget that the small spring closed end should facing out and the large spring closed end against the stop. Take a look at the assembly video on this forum for clarification. They even have a blow up picture showing this. Don't ask how I found this out!!

Jack
I'm wondering if that could possably be what is happening. Just so strange for this gun to be doign wha tit is doing with all brands of ammo even and magazines to. If that spring is on wrong it will ftf.
If you take your slide off, can you insert the the rims off all your ammo under the extractor? Mine was not right out of the box, I fixed it before I even went to the range. I just stripped the slide and took a couple of file strokes to the part of the extractor that faces the breech and then some 3M pad polish.

Usually the only other thing that will cause an extraction problem is a rough chamber. Mine was polished quite nice from the factory.

The mother of good ejection is good extraction.

It is too bad that Kahr does not execute a good desing with better quality control. It reminds me of the Colt 1911's from the 1970-1990 that I have owned. Perhaps they too are short on ammo to test them?
Thanks for all of your thoughtful replies. The recoil spring was correctly installed. The gun goes back to Kahr tomorrow morning. I suspect an extractor problem. In addition, I noticed the inside surfaces of the barrel lugs are very rough with lots of machine marks. How are the lugs on your P380's?

P7
P7 said:
Thanks for all of your thoughtful replies. The recoil spring was correctly installed. The gun goes back to Kahr tomorrow morning. I suspect an extractor problem. In addition, I noticed the inside surfaces of the barrel lugs are very rough with lots of machine marks. How are the lugs on your P380's?

P7
ket kahr issue a pre paid pick up on ur 380 u shouldnot be out a dime on this either way... If u don't askthem kthey won't volunteer either..
brent375hh & jocko: Thanks for your helpful feedback and suggestions.
P7 said:
brent375hh & jocko: Thanks for your helpful feedback and suggestions.
P7, just read on the ar15 forum in the kahr section where a fella just got his P380 (two of them even) and fired over 500 rounds and is getting alot of pre mature slide lock and alot of ftf. this is all indicative of the rounds inside hitting the slide lock lever on the inside causing pre mature slide locking open and also ftf..

do this, load a magazine with some round sthat you were having issues with and witht he slide open insert the magazine and see of those rounds are hitting the slide lock lever on the inside, do this multiple times if you will. THE ROUNDS SHOULDNOT TOUCH THAT SLIDE LOCK--PERIOD. If they are it willcasue slide lock open any time and also can be the cupprit for FTF issues to.

To me some of the issues a few here are reporting with differentmagazines even just points to the slide lock hitting those rounds and #1 if it doesn't cause pre mature slide lock open, then it can cause that round to be off center when entiring the chamber and ftf issues...
Hi jocko: Kahr sent me a new slide stop because the first one was hitting the bullets. The new one does not touch the bullets when the magazines are inserted. We'll see what Kahr has to say. I'll keep you posted.
P7 said:
Hi jocko: Kahr sent me a new slide stop because the first one was hitting the bullets. The new one does not touch the bullets when the magazines are inserted. We'll see what Kahr has to say. I'll keep you posted.
P7 have u already gotten the new slide lock lever??? u stated it does not touch. did this solve ur problems??? Those marks inside the barrel lug IMO should have no bearing on what u were having. Grease that inner lug up and the slide stop pin also and that part will be ok. Mine shows maching marks inside their but they haven't bothered anything.
jocko: Just saw your most recent post. I replaced the slide stop before I ever shot yhe pistol.
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