P380 - Solved my light strike problem (that I created).

[Terror Wrist]

At seven weeks old, and 1100 rounds, I've been having problems with light strikes with all ammo in my P380. I discovered that with the striker cocked, when I pulled the trigger slowly, the slide moved back about 1/32". When I pulled the slide back 1/2" and released it gently, it stopped 1/8" from being fully closed. I replaced the recoil springs, and the problem went away. When I first bought the P380, the slide was very hard to pull back, with me being old, and having had a stroke. I read that leaving the slide locked open for a while would soften the springs, so I left it open every night for about month, ruining the springs. Now, with 200 rounds through with new springs, no problems. Boo/yea Me.

[King Rat]

I have been a big advocate of changing out recoil springs often in small 380's. I have been preaching this for over a decade. I typically purchase about 5 at a time. I learned a long time ago about why this is so important. The other thing is that small 380 will get dirty around the 200 rd mark and that is when bad things start to happen. Keep a nice strong recoil spring, keep it clean, the extractor and the striker channel and you will most likely not have a failure. For many years before the ammo shortage, I would always have my range session at 200 rds and then quit. Perfect number of rounds for a range session.
Soon as I saw the number of rounds in your gun, (1100) I knew what the issue was before you even said further. You pushed it too far. I change mine out around 800 rds.

[King Rat]

Back when I was shooting thousands of rounds through the Beretta Nano, I notice that the magic number for failure was 800 rds approx. People would complain of failure and I would say just replace the recoil spring and bingo no more issues. The Nano is built like a tank. solid. The recoil spring was the only weak link I have seen in them. They have a heavy slide for one thing. I actually started using a Gallaway spring that was heavier then the standard 16 lb. I use 18 or even 20 lb and no more issues.

[Armybrat]

Good to know, but I doubt I could afford to shoot that many rounds in so short a time.
Don’t get out to shoot much anymore, and bring 3 or 4 handguns to punch the paper. So most of mine are pretty low round counts compared to yours.
At least my kids & grandkids will be able to have more fun with them.

[XFlyboy]

I read that leaving the slide locked open for a while would soften the springs, so I left it open every night for about month, ruining the springs. Now, with 200 rounds through with new springs, no problems. Boo/yea Me.

Bingo @Terror Wrist! I had to learn the hard way too with my P380. I find I'm lucky if the springs last 500 rounds especially if you feel the need to "break them in." Now, I leave the springs alone and the gun operates fine. The only problem I find with new springs is sometimes with target ammo (Blazer Brass) the slide will not lock back on the last round. Not a big issue as far as I'm concerned. I'm optimistic that my more powerful carry ammo will lock the slide back if I ever find myself in that very unlikely real-world scenario.

[King Rat]

Bingo @Terror Wrist! I had to learn the hard way too with my P380. I find I'm lucky if the springs last 500 rounds especially if you feel the need to "break them in." Now, I leave the springs alone and the gun operates fine. The only problem I find with new springs is sometimes with target ammo (Blazer Brass) the slide will not lock back on the last round. Not a big issue as far as I'm concerned. I'm optimistic that my more powerful carry ammo will lock the slide back if I ever find myself in that very unlikely real-world scenario.

After initial brake in for the "set", I NEVER leave ammo stored in a magazine. Saw a test done with a Spring powered Pellet rifle's left cocked for a year and they were tested a periodic times. I had a LCP mag that I did leave for that amount of time just to prove this. My gosh, they had weakened over time. Significantly!

[Bawanna]

I was gifted a 1942 Colt 1911 brought back from Korea. The guy an uncle of a friend knew I loved anything that goes bang and invited me over. He had put it in his duffle bag when he left along with an M1 Carbine which he also gifted me.
When I arrived he got it out of the duffle bag. He hadn't opened the bag since he got home so long long ago. I was knocked over frankly.
Anyhow it had 2 magazines both fully loaded and he started to unload them. I asked him not to, just leave them. It was about this time working at the PD that the guys were all concerned about primers going bad over time and dampness, on and on.

I brought these cherished guns home and I took the 1911 apart just to make sure nothing was wrong. I didn't clean it or oil it or anything. I took it to the range with the mags loaded in Korea. It fired all rounds without a single hiccup.

As a side not I asked how the heck he got these guns out in his duffle bag. He said he heard that they check the bags when leaving for this kind of thing, but if they find something they just stop. So he had a piece of junk, don't recall what it was, and he put that close to the top. The sure enough checked the bag, found the junker and said, you can't take that. Closed his bag up and away he went. Seems like the carbine would have been hard to hide but I didn't argue the issue.

He must have been an officer of some sort. The 1911 was carried with minor wear, had stag grips on it. The M1 Carbine was pristene in a canvas carry case with 2 mags also. Doubt it was ever out of the bag, it's near mint.

2 guns I'll never ever part with. Once in a great while I'll take it out and carefully shoot it, have a few other 1911's so just for nostalgia I guess. Shoots everytime, never replaced a spring yet. Guess the 100+ year old war horse has still got it.