CW380 misfire / click no bang issue

[Alfonse]

Can you detail how you fabricated a custom striker spring?

I don't believe he modified the striker spring. He modified the foot of the striker, removing some material from it.

GET WELL MUGGSY

[topgun1953]

Thought the same thing, but he did say in an earlier post that he fabricated a spring.

[dirtengineer]

Maybe both? I am anxious to know because I am having light strikes too.

[TheLastDaze]

He probably just bought an lcp or p3at like most do when they're frustrated with kahrs continual 380 problems....

[SmokyT]

I modified the striker as described AND also fabricated an extra power striker spring to make sure that I will not have another light strike with this carry pistol.

Wolff Gunsprings offers extra power recoil spring sets for Kel-Tec P3AT. I used the inner recoil spring of their 11LB recoil spring set, and cut off a couple of coils to adjust the length. This created an extra power striker spring (for my Kahr P380) that is the same length as the Kahr factory original striker spring but just a hair stronger.

I have not collected enough data to determine whether or not an extra power striker spring is necessary to go with the modified striker. Chances are that I may not need an extra power striker spring. However, the bottomline is that I would rather have a pistol that reliably ignites the primer of each and every cartridge in the magazine than a pistol with only slightly lighter trigger pull but cannot reliably ignite primers of my carry ammo....

[kahrinca]

I modified the striker as described AND also fabricated an extra power striker spring to make sure that I will not have another light strike with this carry pistol.

Wolff Gunsprings offers extra power recoil spring sets for Kel-Tec P3AT. I used the inner recoil spring of their 11LB recoil spring set, and cut off a couple of coils to adjust the length. This created an extra power striker spring (for my Kahr P380) that is the same length as the Kahr factory original striker spring but just a hair stronger.

I have not collected enough data to determine whether or not an extra power striker spring is necessary to go with the modified striker. Chances are that I may not need an extra power striker spring. However, the bottomline is that I would rather have a pistol that reliably ignites the primer of each and every cartridge in the magazine than a pistol with only slightly lighter trigger pull but cannot reliably ignite primers of my carry ammo....

The P380 is extremely small and impressive, and it's also quite expensive here in CA. After reading this thread and elsewhere, don't think I'd buy the P380. One shouldn't have to go to such lengths to create a reliable firearm, though you have stated the extra power spring may not be required.

I have a new PM9 and hope that issue is not prevalent with those.

Wish you the best with your difficulty.

[Bobshouse]

The P380 is extremely small and impressive, and it's also quite expensive here in CA. After reading this thread and elsewhere, don't think I'd buy the P380. One shouldn't have to go to such lengths to create a reliable firearm, though you have stated the extra power spring may not be required.

I have a new PM9 and hope that issue is not prevalent with those.

Wish you the best with your difficulty.

I have a California approved P380 and haven't had any problems with the gun. My problems were with underpowered reloads. 2.5 grains of tightgroup (minimum load) was not enough to work the slide, causing stovepipes. After adjusting my loads, zero problems.

Don't let the reports of problems change your mind, remember the rule...If your happy with your purchase, you will tell 2-3 people, if your upset, you will tell 30-40...lol

[topgun1953]

I absolutely love my P380. It fun to shoot, amazingly accurate, and tiny. I went through 3 broken strikers, probably a year a year ago, it's been essentially perfect for I don't know how many hundreds of round. I shoot it almost every weekend....I do end up carrying my sig P938, most of the time but often wonder if 8+1 of 380 (magguts in the ext. mag) is better than 6+1 of 9mm? ...shot placement is key!

[kahrinca]

I absolutely love my P380. It fun to shoot, amazingly accurate, and tiny. I went through 3 broken strikers, probably a year a year ago, it's been essentially perfect for I don't know how many hundreds of round. I shoot it almost every weekend....I do end up carrying my sig P938, most of the time but often wonder if 8+1 of 380 (magguts in the ext. mag) is better than 6+1 of 9mm? ...shot placement is key!

Oh, please! You are far better off with the 938 and 9mm ammo unless you can't hit the side of a barn with it. 9mm does significantly better in ballistic testing than .380.

Also, I am NOT impressed that your P380's gone through 'hundreds of rounds' with this, your 4th striker! If you encounter the very unlikely dangerous encounter where you might have to pull it, the first thought that will go into your mind will likely be: 'Gee, I hope that it fires'. The second thought might be: "Wish that I had the 938 right now'. It's only natural.

As a corollary, if you were carrying the 938 you might wish for a .45. And if you were carrying a .45 you might wish for a shotgun or rifle, instead. Just sayin'...

What am I espousing? Best of both worlds- carry the .380 where trouble is less likely to be present. Carry the 938 in those instances where the probability of a bad situation is great or greater. If I were you, I'd likely carry the P380 during the day and the 938 after it's dark. YMMV.

One probably will not ever have to fire either anyway, unless in a higher risk job (LEO, military, security, courier, etc.) or a criminal encounter (drug dealer, domestic violence, robbery, mass shooting incident or a personal or general vendetta as occurred with those reporters the other day). In any event most LEO apparently never fire their weapons (other than during practice) over the course of their careers.

[TheLastDaze]

I absolutely love my P380. It fun to shoot, amazingly accurate, and tiny. I went through 3 broken strikers, probably a year a year ago, it's been essentially perfect for I don't know how many hundreds of round. I shoot it almost every weekend....I do end up carrying my sig P938, most of the time but often wonder if 8+1 of 380 (magguts in the ext. mag) is better than 6+1 of 9mm? ...shot placement is key!

shot placement is key, exactly..... which brings me to this, it really doesn't matter how many rounds you carry if you can easily place a CNS shot, everyone seems to want more round capacity and I get it but in reality if you're only faced with one threat all you need is a few rounds, especially if you train under stress in idpa or equivalent matches...

while I've always considered myself a good shot my first IDPA event was an eye opener...... never practiced with weak hand as much as I should have, never practiced mag changes both tactical and retention changes, never practiced shooting at silhouettes that don't have a red dot or other indicators to aim at, its either center mass or head shot, unmarked other than perforated scoring areas on cardboard that you cannot see until you get up to score.....

I highly recommend a gun and training of anykind that will allow you to place cns shots with out a target with indicators.... shooting at paper, steel is okay for a minute but its how you train that matters and being under stress is the best way possible to see just how good you really are to make "the shot placement" argument hold water....