P380--Break In Completed!!

[boscobarbell]

Took my P380 out today with a mix of Blazer FMJ and Black Hills XTP JHP, and successfully pushed the little pistol past the 200 round mark. Not a single malfunction today, and the trigger has really broken in nicely. At this point, even with the FMJ, I can slingshot it into batter. I couldn't be happier, and the next step will be to get some Magguts installed.

Fingers crossed (still), I'm glad I took the plunge and gave this design another chance. I still have a soft spot in my heart for my trusty RM380, but this may now be my favorite mouse gun.

[lee1000]

Took my P380 out today with a mix of Blazer FMJ and Black Hills XTP JHP, and successfully pushed the little pistol past the 200 round mark. Not a single malfunction today, and the trigger has really broken in nicely. At this point, even with the FMJ, I can slingshot it into batter. I couldn't be happier, and the next step will be to get some Magguts installed.

Fingers crossed (still), I'm glad I took the plunge and gave this design another chance. I still have a soft spot in my heart for my trusty RM380, but this may now be my favorite mouse gun.

Why install different components when it's already running well?

[boscobarbell]

Fair question.

First, because--in a perfect world--7+1 trumps 6+1.

Second, because others here have praised the Magguts as--irrespective of magazine capacity--being superior to the OEM mag followers in terms of feeding and reliability.

Third, because I'd love to be able to use Underwood Extreme Defenders in my pistol, and that just isn't an option with the stock mags.

Regardless, the Magguts would be experimental only, and I'd quickly switch back if anything seem awry. W

[DavidR]

Glad to hear things are working well.

One of the three mags for my CT380 no longer locks the slide back after the last round so I’m thinking that may be a good candidate for a Magguts conversion.

[RustyIron]

I couldn't be happier, and the next step will be to get some Magguts installed.

Good on ya. My P380 is a couple years old, and I would like to dislike it: odd plastic side panel, odd disassembly, bulgy dust cover. But on the other hand, it's a tiny little gun that is comfortable to hold and it goes BANG every single time I pull the trigger. So I'm stuck having to like my P380, and I carry it almost daily. From day one, I stuck in a Lakeline striker. I don't know if that was needed. But the Magguts magazine parts are much better than factory.

[boscobarbell]

Unfortunately, my P380 has been acting up a bit lately.

My last two range sessions, using a wide variety of both FMJ and HP ammo, I'm getting numerous FTF, practically one every couple of magazines. I've also had a couple of failures to lock back on the last round. The FTF all look exactly the same...the round looks like it barely even budged from the magazine, and is sitting up against the bottom of the feed ramp.

On another gun I would blame sluggish magazine springs, but the pistol is fairly new, and I know that FTF can be a common occurrence with these Kahrs.

I'm thinking it might be time for Magguts, but I'm willing to listen if there are other potential fixes out there. (And I hate to invest yet more money in a Kahr 380 if this is headed toward being a lemon....)

[DavidR]

My CT380 has been flawless with the stock mags although one of the mags doesn’t lock back on the last round anymore. I bought the Magguts kit for the 7 round magazine and immediately had 2 FTFeed exactly as you described. Switched to a stock mag and ran 50 flawless rounds through it.

[boscobarbell]

My CT380 has been flawless with the stock mags although one of the mags doesn’t lock back on the last round anymore. I bought the Magguts kit for the 7 round magazine and immediately had 2 FTFeed exactly as you described. Switched to a stock mag and ran 50 flawless rounds through it.

Sounds like your stock mags are doing better than mine right now. Since I'm looking to Magguts to solve my problem, I'm gonna have to hope that the results are better than yours.

Just seems odd to me that mine is doing this now after flying through the break-in period without a flaw.

[gale155]

Good on ya. My P380 is a couple years old, and I would like to dislike it: odd plastic side panel, odd disassembly, bulgy dust cover. But on the other hand, it's a tiny little gun that is comfortable to hold and it goes BANG every single time I pull the trigger. So I'm stuck having to like my P380, and I carry it almost daily. From day one, I stuck in a Lakeline striker. I don't know if that was needed. But the Magguts magazine parts are much better than factory.

Sorry to hear you're having issues with your P380. If Magguts doesn't resolve them, maybe you should just stick with your trusty RM380. If my CW380 ever starts giving me problems, that's precisely what I intend to do.

[boscobarbell]

Sorry to hear you're having issues with your P380. If Magguts doesn't resolve them, maybe you should just stick with your trusty RM380. If my CW380 ever starts giving me problems, that's precisely what I intend to do.

Yeah, that is sorta the plan at this point. I also have a P3AT that is lighter than all of them, and I find myself reaching for that of late when I'm in gym clothes and the like. Remarkably, the little Kel Tec also gobbles up the Underwood Extreme Defender rounds in +P, which is a bonus over both the Kahr and the RM380 (although the Remington does handle the standard version of that round).

I knew what I was getting into with the P380, having already been burned on two CW380s...but the design is just about perfect if you can keep them running.

I should have the Magguts by tomorrow, and will see if that does the trick. There is always the possibility that I'll just send it back to Kahr to have them figure it out, too, although I know from experience that the first thing they will do is throw out my Lakeline striker and replace it with a crappy OEM model!

[DJK11]

My P380 is a serial #RAxxxx from the first production run. Took 560 rounds before it loosened up and stopped spewing plastic frame shavings. One broken striker and a dozen of different OEM recoil spring combinations. I stopped counting at 4000 rounds. It just runs and runs. I handload on the hot end of the scale and have zero problems. P380’s love HOT loads. For HP I run Gold Dot and Golden Saber. ICC with the XTP bullet are a great round if you can find them.

[boscobarbell]

Phew!!

I got the Magguts installed yesterday and just got back from a quick run out to the range.

Put about 60 rounds downrange, a combination of Critical Defense and ARX polymer rounds. Not a single hiccup. I even sling-shot the slide a few times to try to mess things up, as well as mixing different rounds in the magazine. It looks like the upgrade did the trick, and I'll be buying Magguts for my other magazine now.

p.s. I'm growing more and more fond of those ARX rounds, too. Very, very accurate in terms of POA/POI, and they feel like I loaded my pistol up with .22 rounds. Watching the Paul Harrell video, it looks like the 9mm version of the round really tears up bone and flesh...I just wish someone would do a similar video on the 380 version, although I don't imagine the results would be dramatically different.

[DavidR]

Awesome news!

I’ve been carrying the Novx ARX in my CM9 and agree that it’s accurate with very little felt recoil.

[boscobarbell]

Awesome news!

I’ve been carrying the Novx ARX in my CM9 and agree that it’s accurate with very little felt recoil.

You know, I've never really considered the ARX for my 9mm. I've recently switched to the Federal HST round for both my P365 and MK9, and feel very comfortable with it from the various tests I've seen.

But the ARX definitely deserves a range test at this point...like I said, I am definitely coming around on this ammo.

[boscobarbell]

Received and installed a second Magguts kit for my back-up magazine, and got it out to the range today.

My and my teenage son, a promising though fledgling shooter, put about 40 rounds of Critical Defense through it with no hang-ups. I think--knock wood--that I've solved my FTF issue.

My P380 is officially back in rotation as an EDC pistol, and I couldn't be happier.