Kahr P380

[2weelz4me]

Is this normal? gun still has a 3-4% failure to feed rate after approx. 300 rounds. I called Kahr, and they said it is normal for the polymer frame to get a bit beat up by the slide. anyone else experience this?

[Sixer]

Someone had a post similar to this not too long ago...

I'd say give Kahr a call. I just stripped mine down and it shows a little wear on the frame but nothing like that. 3-4% failure after 300 rounds is no good.

Maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in here

[jasmith85]

My CW45 had a bit of wear like that when I purchased it new but it was nowhere near that bad. In the 500 or so rounds through it since then it hasn't gotten any worse though. If it is getting visibly worse and worse you should definitely call Kahr about it.

[mburmaster]

What type of ammo? Is it the same brand?

[total frustration]

Yep! Looks like my P380. I was worried at first too but it has not caused any operational problems. I also had a huge problem with feeding. I polished everything which seems to have helped quite a bit and have switched to Remington express pistol and revolver ammo. The very round nose has worked well in mine. I still have an occasional misfeed but they are few. Ammo selection is the the biggest factor. Be careful polishing because you can cause more harm than good if done wrong.

[kahrguy]

Yes its fine and if you take time to scrap it clean now with 300 rounds fired probably will not show wear there again. The plastic rails have no structural use. Helps to reinstall the slide for use older farts with bad eyes or younger guys with limited knowage of firearms and keep dust out. The slide runs on metal at the rear and down by the recoil spring. All of the plastic grips do it ,all of them for a while.

Faulure to feed right. Change ammo brands or HP design. Winchester big ole open tip HP ammo can be the worse in pistols too. Speer hp runs well in most any handgun and pmc hp and fmj and wwb fmj can cause there share of issues too .

Add something to the grip area to help you hang on to it like hogues handall, pachmayr or a piece of 1.75" bike inner tube. These small pistols can be a handfull for even a skill shooters to control thru a box of ammo.

Hang in there and if you have buddy thats use to smaller pistols let them give yours a try. Don't give up. I own a handgun now that a person that had so many problems they sold it to me for a very low price. Been a great pistol for me.
As noted about try a bit of polishing on the feed ramp, besure its well lubed and my ammo of choice is for first shots is remmy green white box for practice and magtec. Allways run fine . remmy is dirty buy works.

[Officer's Match]

Normal. I bought my daughter a P380 for Christmas last year, and before I wrapped the package up, I hand cycled the slide about one thousand times (seriously). Her's is good to go - I've not seen a single malfunction thus far.

[2weelz4me]

I used all remington FMJ. (green and white box) I had no failures to feed, but slide did not go completely into battery 3 times. still much better then previous. I'm gonna run another 2-3 hundred rounds thru and see if reliability improves. so far looking hopeful. i might try polishing feed ramp also. I have access to high quality metal polishing equipment, and have done it once before with another pistol. Glad to hear that the polymer frame issue is not a problem. hopefully realiability will continue to improve. Has anyone fired any JHP's through this gun with complete relliability? if so, what brand. I feel that I would like to carry a JHP for self defense, but will stick with FMJ If i have to for reliability.

[Officer's Match]

I believe she uses Hornady Critical Defense JHP in hers.

[2weelz4me]

with the Hornably critical defense?

[orionengnr]

I would really like to trade in my LCP for one of those P380s...maybe one day.

However, I think I have read of more problems with the P380 than any other Kahr since the original PM9 (which I still own seven years later, and which works perfectly).

I have faith that Kahr will make the P380 work perfectly, as they did with the PM9. But I might not buy one quite yet.

[Mosin44az]

Gave up on my P380 earlier this year. Still have my LCP.

I had nearly 40 malfs of various sorts in 1100 rounds with the P380, including several AFTER it came back from Kahr the one time I sent it too them for multiple issues.

My LCP has had maybe 6 malfs in 2000 rounds at this point.

Kahr makes guns that are nice in many ways, but it seems they completely forgot, with the P380, that reliability is THE MOST IMPORTANT quality for any defensive handgun.

[VTRich]

MY P380 went back to Kahr twice for jamming, and failure to fire. This was well after the 200 round break-in they require. I think I spent as much in ammo as the gun cost just trying to get that thing to be reliable. It did run OK with high quality self defense ammo, but every ball ammo I tried was not reliable, and I had no faith in the gun.

[Bird3897]

Mine has wear also but not a single jam. I have had the slide lock back one time in 300rds but none since. Also the polymer has steel inside it on the rail section so some wear on the polymer shouldn't be too big a deal.

[bt380]

Find some one who shoots the same gun and has no problems. At the range, trade guns and see if the problem follows the gun or stays with the shooter. If your grip is the problem, look at the other persons grip. Also research limp wrist for hand position recommendations. Limp wrist can also happen from tired hands or incorrect grip. If the problem fllows the gun, ship it in an let them deal with it. May take two or three times to the repair center to get it right.

[TheGoldenState]

Not on my PM9.


I guess as long as it does not affect reliability, accuracy, etc.