New P380 range report - issues w/ pics

[getupatree]

Well I'm not giving up hope yet but am not liking what happended today at all. Took me over an hour to shoot 44 rounds. I did the whole strip and clean per manual and Jocko (less polishing the ramp). Anyway, first round the slide held open. Made sure my thumb didn't hit it and second round went OK. From there, I could barely get 2 shots off without a failure to chamber the next round. Even when I load it per the slide release method it wouldn't always close all the way.

Using Federal American Eagle hardball. I also noticed a small new nick in the side of the barrell now near the chamber. I understand tight tolerances but....seriously?

The frame near the slide is also a tad chewed towards the muzzle end.

I have a P9094N on order and trying hard not to reconsider now...

[jocko]

not good to hear

Well I'm not giving up hope yet but am not liking what happended today at all. Took me over an hour to shoot 44 rounds. I did the whole strip and clean per manual and Jocko (less polishing the ramp). Anyway, first round the slide held open. Made sure my thumb didn't hit it and second round went OK. From there, I could barely get 2 shots off without a failure to chamber the next round. Even when I load it per the slide release method it wouldn't always close all the way.

Using Federal American Eagle hardball. I also noticed a small new nick in the side of the barrell now near the chamber. I understand tight tolerances but....seriously?

The frame near the slide is also a tad chewed towards the muzzle end.

I have a P9094N on order and reconsidering now...

but before you jump off the bridge, give the gun another 100 rounds. check your grip. make sure u have a good locked wrist. Not closing to me is just more rounds down range to smooth things out. What ur talking about witht he frame is I assume the polymer on the end of the top looking chewed up. If so, take some 600+ grit pape rand smooth out t6hat ruff area. That is what is proably holding back your slide from the necessary velocity to feed a round properly. sorry to hear what is happening but sit there and rack the slide a few hundred times and then check that polymer area that was showing "chewed" and see if it is smoothing itself out any..

[getupatree]

Thanks Jocko. Will do. I racked it a BUNCH last night and will do the sandpaper trick. I understand but am still a bit un-nerved that a gun of this price needs such TLC. I didn't want to get a fixer-upper.

I am also uncertain on keeping to fire rounds as I can only get one at a time - fire, release mag, clear chamber, lock slide open, re-insert mag, release slide, push back of slide to fully chamber round, fire, repeat...I am not sure it's going to magically fix itself.

I'll try to get some pics of the polymer rails. I've heard of "tabs" being left on?

[getupatree]

I left word with Kahr Service. I am sure they will be responsive as they were on the sales side when I was researching the purchases. It is a fine pistol so I am hoping it can make it to my carry everyday piece.

[jocko]

I am not either sure that what I said will fix it either, but the recoil springs are what returns the slide to full battery and if the slide is dragging for some reason due to some of the polymer still rubbing against the slide etc, I will slow the slide down and you will get what you are seeing.

Those polymer rails I think ur talking about serve no purpsoe other than guiding the slide on the gun. Once on the gun, the slide should not touch those rails, but some do and thatis where alittle sand paper to smooth out the ruff spots comes into play, or in time the slide itself will take those high spots out itself.. It should not be a fixer upper but yours might just need that extra tlc to..

your last resort is to send it back, but I just think what your stating is duable "in house"

[Little Dragon]

I'd make sure the recoil spring is installed properly also. If its backward you could have a problem.
Joe

[getupatree]

update

Did some buffing tonight and things are smoother but the jamming issue may very well be caused by interference of the slide stop lever and the rounds.

When I release the slide the first round typically chambers. Then I pull the slide back and engage the stop lever, re-rack and get a jam. It looks like there is pressure being put on the slide stop lever. Doing the check with the slide off I am not real sure what to look for but took pictures. I don't think I'm going to be able to do this at home.

I'm going to shoot it tommorrow but am pretty certain it is still going to jam based on the racking of rounds test. Hopefully I can talk to kahr tomorrow.

Also, is it normal for the chamber end of the barrel to be so scratched or dulled?

[unclenunzie]

Your second pic, the one with the barrel in hand, looks like the barrel is seriously tight with those sratches. You might try assembling it without the recoil system and hand cycle it to test for smoothness. The barrel and slide should lock up nice and tight in battery but should not require much force to get there. If it feels like too much force is needed for lockup, look closely for where the barrel or slide might be catching against each other. I suspect from your scratch marks that the slide at the ejection port might have a too tight fight against the barrel. Whatever the cause though, without the recoil unit in there hand cycling should be relatively light.

[WinstonRomeo]

I shared this with another post, but I had the same type of problem with my P380 and the first 50 rounds of RP green box hardball. The second box of Magtech hardball functioned without issue. Defense loads that I shot during that session also indicated some preference for Speer GD, Hornady HP, & PowerBall. Those marks on the barrel hood are in nearly the same place as those on mine. You get those with any gun that locks in with the barrel hood rather than lugs, i.e. 1911. This little gun is tight from the start and will wear in from shooting, rather than the sloppy rattling mess that I had with a LCP. Shooting comfort is much better with the Kahr. Found the LCP and a previous NA Guardian to be very harsh with defense loads.

[getupatree]

I haven't tried different ammo - don't have it and can't find it. But do have 13 boxes of American Eagle. I don't see why it shouldn't shoot those. I am looking forward to getting this thing shooting correctly.

It is all I can do to remain positive. I went head first on 2 Kahr's for EDC. This P380 and a P9 BDC w/ NS that will show up this week. I didn't intend to buy a project but rather a reliable high quality and high cost gun. The more I read and play with this gun it seems part of the "Kahr Experience" is getting everything working right.

In fairness, the factory hasn't been invovled yet. Hopefully I'll hear from them today and can address this and the barrel issue.

[racuda]

Regarding the barrel scuff marks, mine looked just like that. Get some metal polish and in 5 minutes it will be nice and shiny. I don't know if it is any smoother, but it sure looks better.

[WMD]

I have a Kahr PM9, the barrel will look like that after it has been shot. It sounds like you have a tight extractor. That will cause it not to fully return to battery. You should really get Kahr customer service involved. They can save a bunch of frustration for you. I looked up their number..... Call 508-635 3919. You my have to press a number for tech support.

Good luck!

[Bawanna]

I have a Kahr PM9, the barrel will look like that after it has been shot. It sounds like you have a tight extractor. That will cause it not to fully return to battery. You should really get Kahr customer service involved. They can save a bunch of frustration for you. I looked up their number..... Call 508-635 3919. You my have to press a number for tech support.

Good luck!

Where you been WMD, you've been flying under the radar.

[recoilguy]

Regarding the barrel scuff marks, mine looked just like that. Get some metal polish and in 5 minutes it will be nice and shiny. I don't know if it is any smoother, but it sure looks better.

If I were in his spot I would not give a rip if it looked nice I would want it to work nice. This would frustrate me and I would not be up to the "home remedies" on a new weapon. I would have Kahr fix the gun. I would not expect to buy a weapon that I had to work on to make it work. I don't mind ripping 200 down range and tolerating a FTE or a jam to get the tolerances all meshing. I would not put up with making it work right when it should work right new.

If that were the case you could buy a P3AT for a lot less and have all the fun of fussing, sanding polishing and tweaking with it to get it to work.

RCG

[getupatree]

Update

Unit on the way to Kahr as we speak. They were very responsive and pleasant to deal with. I got "upsold" into buying the XS big dot NS and getting installed while already at the factory. Dang they just had to "twist my arm" like that