380 problems need advice fast!

[gm412]

Just out of curiosity does your serial start with RA or RB?

Mine starts with RC

[gm412]

Ok I went to the range today and the polishing seems to have helped quite a bit. Still had two failure to feed, one that was a nose dive and the nose dive came on the 150th round so it was getting dirty by that time. .The most common thing that happened (about 5 times) was premature lock open before the magazine was empty. I found that the nonexistent strike was my fault. I had recently modified my grip some and I was slightly touching the magazine release and since mine is a California model it is designed not to fire without a magazine installed.
I think I can get through any qualification but the Kahr needs to go back sometime. To be safe I purchased another pistol. I rented a glock 19 and liked the way it shot. Then a guy at the range let me try a Glock 23 and I really liked it. So I bought one. Then I was going to look at buying a J frame to but I was caught again by Califonia laws. You can only buy one hand gun every 30 days. So what I have is what I will have to use. Wish I could register 3 guns but only 2 allowed in county.

Now I must decide do I send the 380 back today and hope it gets back or do I qualify with it the way it is or do I qualify with the G23 and PM9. Too many decisions and to busy to make them. Thanks to all who have helped!

[Bawanna]

First I'd research a new place to live, the rules down there are insane and getting worse all the time.

I sent you a PM for what tiny little bit it might be worth.

I think qualifying with the Glock and the PM9 wouldn't be such a bad thing if the 380 doesn't get back in time.

Also the quals generally aren't very many rounds are they? Might be best to just run it if you really want it in the carry rotation.

[Cokeman]

Are the inside of the mag lips smooth?

[markstertt]

Gm412, you might want to try qualifying with a harder cased ammo such as CCI alloy cased fmj's or maybe even steel cased Russian. If you read my first post," P380, junk to jewel" you will see where I'm coming from with this recommendation. Just a thought as my P380 was perfect with the CCI's alloys as compared to all the other brass cased ammos I tried, it also was the clue that led me to the fixes that seems to have taken care of my Kahr's feed problem and FTRB problems. With all the friction points reduced & the extractor spring tension reduced, the energy in the recoil spring can return the slide and chamber a round as designed...it may work for you...Mark

[gm412]

Quick follow up: Kahr pulled through and I received my 380 yesterday. They replaced the springs. I have not tested it. Hope to make it to the range today. I will shoot it along with my new G23 I picked up yesterday. The bad news for my little p380 is I think I have decided to use the G23 and the P9 instead. The G23 sure does print worse but I like the 40. I wish I could use all 3 but I can't.
One thing I have noticed something about the p380 which never bothered me before. I keep hitting the mag release. I keep hitting it and with a California model if the mag becomes detached the one in the chamber will not fire. Anyway I am glad to have my 380 back and I hope all is OK now.

[JERRY]

a more stout mag catch spring or a mag catch with a slightly larger internal holding shelf should fix that....inadvertant bumps of the mag catch button should not give enough pressure to drop a mag.

[Cokeman]

Quick follow up: Kahr pulled through and I received my 380 yesterday. They replaced the springs. I have not tested it. Hope to make it to the range today. I will shoot it along with my new G23 I picked up yesterday. The bad news for my little p380 is I think I have decided to use the G23 and the P9 instead. The G23 sure does print worse but I like the 40. I wish I could use all 3 but I can't.
One thing I have noticed something about the p380 which never bothered me before. I keep hitting the mag release. I keep hitting it and with a California model if the mag becomes detached the one in the chamber will not fire. Anyway I am glad to have my 380 back and I hope all is OK now.

G23 and P380 are a good combo.

[muggsy]

I took the 380 apart and cleaned and lubed the hell out of it. I also lightly polished the feed ramp by hand (no dermal). I am going at lunch to give it one more try. Kahr sent a pre paid envelope to me and if I have failures today I will send it in and hope for the best. Kahr said they will try to get it back in time.

I called to buy an LCP for a backup if Kahr failed to get it back, but thanks to California I cannot buy an LCP since it is not approved. I am going to the store today to see what they might have in stock I can use. I tried the glock 26 but did not like it that much. Might look at the Glock 17 or a j frame. I use to have a S&W 357 J frame that I loved but it was kind of large.

Thanks for all the help.

Have you ever considered moving to a state where sanity prevails?

[gm412]

OK I now know I will go with the P9 and G23. I went to the range Saturday. Put 50 rounds through the P380. Out of 50 rounds I had 4 failures to feed including a nose dive. 3 light primer strikes and one failure to lock back after the last round. Same problems that I had before sending it in for the first time. So bought the p380 had many problems sent to kahr and it was fixed for a while. Few problems started sent back to Kahr got back in the original unusable condition. I am so busy that I am just putting the P380 away for a while until I have time again. On the same range trip put 175 flawless rounds through the P9 and 120 flawless rounds through the G23 (first time used). I will say the G23 does have a hell of a kick and is not as much fun to shoot. But it is powerful, accurate and reliable.

[gm412]

Have you ever considered moving to a state where sanity prevails?

Yes ever since I have been here in California. My wife and child would not be happy and I am not sure we could match our income any where else. Plus we have several pieces of property here including a house with a dock with a bass boat in it just waiting for me on Clrearlake. So it would be hard. And I must admit it is fun to argue with the liberal simpletons here. They get so upset when you challenge them with facts.

[deadhead1971]

does Kahr pay for shipping with warranty issues? I thought they used to, not sure what they do now. I recall that once upon a time, one could insist, and they would.

[FLBri]

if you are within warranty on a clear manufacturer issue, they still do. They always have for me and I have never had to ask for it ... they offered it without my bringing it up. Always had great service from Kahr.

[gm412]

does Kahr pay for shipping with warranty issues? I thought they used to, not sure what they do now. I recall that once upon a time, one could insist, and they would.

Yes they paid for mine both ways.