CW380/P380 Broken Strikers/pin

[topgun1953]

I bought a CW380 last fall and after 300-400 rounds the striker broke. While it was at Kahr, I bought a P380. After a similar number of rounds, the striker broke. I've been carrying the CW and been using the P primarily at the range. Today, while dry firing, the stiker broke AGAIN on the P380. Any suggestions on what might be going on. I'll call Kahr tomorrow and don't expect any problems with getting it returned but if I'm doing something wrong, I'd sure like to know what it could be!!!

[DJK11]

Been there myself. If you find an answer let us know.

[topgun1953]

Yeah, saw that thread from a while back. I took the slide down when it first happened on the CW. When the same thing happened on the P380, I just sent it back. This is the first time it broke when the pin was protruding out of the hole. Not that it matters. When I took the CW apart There was some metal slag down at the end of the channel. I couldn't get it out and figured it was left over from manufacturing. Don't know if Kahr took it out. We'll see what they say tomorrow.

[wyntrout]

Dang! It sounds like a batch of bad strikers. We went for about 5 years here and only heard of 3-4... seemed really rare... and now this multiple or repeating instance.

Please keep us in the loop with what Kahr says/does.

For much dry firing, I use snap caps... just never trusted "excessive" banging of the striker against the breech face... unrestrained.

Good luck. I hope you get back reliable Kahrs with your problems fixed.

Wynn

[jocko]

I think I would have just had them send me a new striker and re-installed it myself. That is all that kahr will do. It rare, and I gues I would cease the dry firing without a snap cap or sumpin to absrb the enertia.

Personlly I think it is a bad batch of strikers, but who knws. Error on te side of caution and buyy some snap caps.

[topgun1953]

I think I would have just had them send me a new striker and re-installed it myself. That is all that kahr will do. It rare, and I gues I would cease the dry firing without a snap cap or sumpin to absrb the enertia.

Personlly I think it is a bad batch of strikers, but who knws. Error on te side of caution and buyy some snap caps.

Kahr will let me send it back. I want to make sure they inspect the interior of the striker channel. Currently waiting for the label. I have snap caps for my M&P 9mm but rarely use them. It's a pain to have to load up a mag after I cycle through them. Kahr's literature says its ok to dry fire, but perhaps I should take your advice.

[muggsy]

I blew up your photo and it appears the the metal at the break in the striker is crystallized. It could be due to the grain structure of the metal or the metal could have become work hardened from dry firing. I've dry fired both my CM9 and P380 repeatedly without incident. This one's a head scratcher.

[jocko]

nice thing about snap caps in ur kahr is that it only take sone to do ur practice, as u can just pull the slide back a 1/4" every time and ur good to go again, so no ejection is needed.

If ur comfortable sending the gun back indeed do it.

[topgun1953]

nice thing about snap caps in ur kahr is that it only take sone to do ur practice, as u can just pull the slide back a 1/4" every time and ur good to go again, so no ejection is needed.

If ur comfortable sending the gun back indeed do it.

Oh, didn't know that jocko ... I'll buy some ... I'm still waiting for my email/label... hope I get it soon cuz I'm going out of town tomorrow and want to get it shipped before I go!!!


EDIT:...got it. off it goes!

[gun papa]

nice thing about snap caps in ur kahr is that it only take sone to do ur practice, as u can just pull the slide back a 1/4" every time and ur good to go again, so no ejection is needed.

If ur comfortable sending the gun back indeed do it.

I have the aluminum A ZOOM type snap caps with the rubbery insert in the primer pocket to dampen the striker impact. Yes, as Jocko says, just retract slide enough to reset after dryfiring, no need to eject. I dry fire the hell out of my CW380.

[CPTKILLER]

Poor metallurgy and even worse QC!

[muggsy]

There is no way to visually inspect the grain structure of a part. It's possible that a batch of strikers were improperly heat treated.

[topgun1953]

Got my p380 back today. Kahr turned it around in a week, but I had to wait until I returned from vacation to have FedEx deliver it. Besides replacing the striker assembly and extractor, they replaced the slide itself. Will be going to the range soon!

[kenm]

Was your Striker problem fixed?

Got my p380 back today. Kahr turned it around in a week, but I had to wait until I returned from vacation to have FedEx deliver it. Besides replacing the striker assembly and extractor, they replaced the slide itself. Will be going to the range soon!

So what happened with your P390 during the past 9 months? - did it work okay?

I just got mine.

[TheLastDaze]

Poor metallurgy and even worse QC!

Poor HT yes, but QC wouldn't be on Kahr as I'm sure they farm out their HT....and I'm not sure they even check the RC on these, not individually anyway and if they do a batch and check one they have to toss it from the indentation it leaves.. these things can happen to the best of them

There is no way to visually inspect the grain structure of a part. It's possible that a batch of strikers were improperly heat treated.

agreed, bad batches happen..

Got my p380 back today. Kahr turned it around in a week, but I had to wait until I returned from vacation to have FedEx deliver it. Besides replacing the striker assembly and extractor, they replaced the slide itself. Will be going to the range soon!

outstanding turn around time !! I'll just assume this wasn't an isolated incident and they were well aware of the batch and culled them as soon as they were getting reports of failures...