New and frustrated

[topgun1953]

The Fiocchi FMJ will not run in the Kahr 380 unless you modify the extractor. The rim is thicker causing problems when feeding. I don’t have experience with BrassMaxx, maybe someone else will chime in.

[wyntrout]

I don't recall a problem with my P380, but my P40's didn't like the Fiocchi ammo... a VERY sharp and pronounced mouth/rim. It would catch at the top of the chamber and gave me fits until one day I decided it was the rim. It works fine in my Glock 23C.

I've shot many different kinds of ammo in my P380 since 2010... got it March 31 and sent it back the next day because the front sight was dead... I waited almost 11 months to get one with night sights!

There was a bunch of ammo made for Herters/Fiocchi and several other brands... by the same manufacturer, so it's possible to run into the same problems with one or more of the others.

Some ammo does cause problems with the Kahrs.

I did find some comparison photos of the S&B and Fiocchi cartridges from July 2014. Someone, or maybe I, had a problem and I compared them. The Fiocchi does have a wider mouth rim.

[Ed M]

FWIW - Herters = S&B, Brass Maxx and Perfecta = Fiocchi.

My CW380s had trouble chambering Perfecta, and my P380 wouldn't chamber it at all. I did the extractor mods (rounding the bottom of the extractor claw and removing .010 off the inside of the pin) and they all chamber and feed everything fine now.

Hornady Critical Defense worked fine before any modifications.

My suggestion would be to try another self defense round - something with a Hornady XTP bullet (there's several brands that use it). If that doesn't work, try the extractor mods yourself, or if you're uncomfortable doing the mods yourself, it's time to send it in to Kahr. They're currently taking about 12 weeks for a turn around time....

There is also a third modification that addresses the root cause of Kahr 380 feed issues - too much extractor tension. See the following posts:

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.p...to-Battery-Fix

This is the easiest modification you can do yourself, and it only involved modification on a $2 part. Super easy to do.

I've contacted a Kahr representative that is in a Facebook group I belong to, and he's notified the engineers at Kahr about the extractor tension fix. Hopefully, we'll see this issue put to rest on future production 380s, but there's still many 380's from past production runs that still have this problem. Kahr DOES know how to fix these feed problems now.

[SlowBurn]

I finished the 200 rd break-in. Shot a box of Fiocchi and a box of BrassMaxx plus half of a box of PPU. All FMJ. The Fiocchi and BrassMaxx were horrible; failure to eject, failure to extract, failure to lock open, failure to go into battery and a couple of stove pipes. The PPU Shot fantastically. I finished the day with a box of Hornady Critical Defense which produce a handful of failures.

im considering senting it to Kahr.

Fiocchi doesn’t seem to work for anybody, but if Hornaday critical defense doesn’t feed, you definitely need to send it in. If you want to be double sure, have someone who is used to shooting micro 380s give it a try. That’s just to make sure it’s not your grip or technique. Kahr will probably upgrade the extractor and it will be fine.

[CCHGN]

Am I missing something here? Who breaks in a pistol with anything other than ball ammo? Why? Aside from the cost point, but why waste good HP? Any way, I save a lot of time and money, etc., by immediately stripping and polishing all moving/mating parts. That's the point of "breaking in", imo. I'd rather spend my bullets down range at a competition( IDPA, IPPSC, 3 gun). YMMV.

[topgun1953]

Am I missing something here? Who breaks in a pistol with anything other than ball ammo?

Curious people who want to get an early read on how their pistol is going to perform with SD ammo. 😀😀😀

[Bawanna]

I know a few with LOTS of money that always shoot what they carry. Never anything else.

A few departments are that way also. Practice with duty ammo. Must have awful nice budgets since that stuff is bloody expensive.

I have to reload to shoot much, but don't really mind reloading either.

[b4uqzme]

^^^ reloading is therapeutic.

[Bawanna]

Lord knows I need all that therapeutic I can get..

[miamivicedade]

Or get a gun that works!!

OP,

Dont worry. Go out, and buy 8 different boxes and/or brands of 50-round ammo. Seriously. If you bought it, you probably plan on carrying it. If you carry it, your life could depend on it.

Shoot all 400 rounds. Buy a toothbrush at Walmart or at the range. Brush out all metal shavings every 50 rounds.

End the session with 20rds of Critical Defense or Corbon Pow’r Ball.

The 20 rds of self defense should feed correctly.

-Wlf