Kahr P380 - Nonstop Issues, Jams, Etc.

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No longer in Nebraska, No longer a farmer.
I bought a P380 back in October 2013 for pocket carry, did the 'break in' with 200+ rounds and had nothing but issues the entire time. I then put another 100 rounds through it in November thinking maybe it was broken in and I wouldn't have any issues. Nope - nonstop failure to load, rounds getting hung up on the ramp, etc. I sent it back to Kahr for RMA in December, they sent it back and I finally got around to testing it this past weekend.

CUcCDXe.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w-qVtb6Ong

Am I shooting it wrong? Am I not using the "correct" ammo? Tried four ammo manufacturers at this point.

Kahr did not respond to my email support request today (I emailed them last night, Jay is out for the week - do they not employ other tech support staff??)

Sorry for sounding rant-ish, I don't enjoy bad mouthing a firearms company.

Anyone familiar with the warranty procedure with Kahr? I want all my $750 back, if they think I'm going to carry this lemon they're crazy...
 
Anyone familiar with the warranty procedure with Kahr? I want all my $750 back

I think they come with a 5 year warranty. And you paid $750 for a Kahr P380?

Anyway, they will make it right. My guess is, if you call them and tell them to look at your YouTube video, they will replace your P380 very quickly.
 
I hope they will take care of you and treat you right, that said, I will say every gun manufacturer can and does make some lemons, its what they do to fix the problem after that seperates the good companys from the bad. FWIW I own 3 Kahrs including a P380 and have had good luck with all of them. Again hope everything works out for you. LM
 
Well...like it or not, excrement happens sometimes.

I'm with post #2 and 3. Keep in contact with them and let them know that the bottom line is that you want it right...whether that means they fix yours or they get you a replacement. Either is entirely within their capacity, but I imagine they'll always try to fix the problem first. If problems continue, then I would also imagine that an outright replacement would be in order.

Most companies, in my experience, try their best to do right with their customers, though occasionally you have the odd hiccup. Work with them and give them a change to do this.
 
The vid appears to show the slide failing to travel far enough to the rear to get a full run into battery. And new recoil springs means that the 'break-in' starts over from round one. Try hand cycling it 200 times before your next range session.

It also looks to me like your grip is too loose. Grab that thing like you mean it or use both hands. Light guns like that need a lot of resistance to funtion properly. If it doesn't run with a hard grip then yeah, I'd keep after Kahr until they fix it.
 
Did you buy it at an LGS or online discounter? If an LGS I would call and see what they can do.
 
There are too many guns out there that actually work for me to want to have anything to do with a pistol with those kind of problems.

I would sell it to one of the "Kahr can do no wrong" "it's all operator error" fans. Seems that to many supporters there is no such thing as a lemon Kahr, so you can always find someone to take it for a good price.
 
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Kahr makes good guns for the most part, but some do have problems like other fine gun companies. Their customer service could be better but I would not sell it yet. I know it is frustrating but I have been down that road too and you have to have some patience and work through the problem. Most things wrong with guns can be fixed. I have 2 Kahrs and I like them. Keep after them as they will make it right. Best of luck, Snoop
 
Congratulations on being able to find 380 ammo. Did you try any FMJ?
Kahr generally makes good guns. I have a brand new one that I haven't even shot. I do not like the "break in" period but that's just me.
If it's going to be your primary weapon then I would be working hard to have the gun replaced or trade it on a $200 KT P3AT or a $400 Bodyguard.
 
Mine has never been that bad, but I have had all of the problems your video shows on occasion. I don't like bad-mouthing companies, either, especially since there's a fair amount of hit-or-miss with most companies. However, with the two I have owned, and the two that close friends have owned, I'm 0-for-4 with Kahrs.
 
Do what I did an sell it to someone with full disclosure) I had one that did the same thing. Kahr replaced the whole frame on it and it still had failures. I sold it and bought a Sig P238, never looked back.
 
I was interested in the P380 so I looked at one yesterday. The magazine would not come out of the gun. I had to get my thumbnail hooked on the floor plate and hold down the mag release and pry the mag out with my thumb nail!

Then I reinserted the mag and pulled the slide back. The slide locked back, tried to remove the mag again, when I started taking the mag out, the slide went forward (I did not accidentally hit the slide stop).

Mmmmm...
 
Nebraska_farmer sorry about your troubles.
I have a Kahr P380 and a Kahr .45. Love both.
I have shot over 500 rounds through the Kahr P380 without any trouble. I have used Blazer Brass full metal jacket ammunition 95 Gr and except for the rare stove pipe during break in that stopped and it has functioned flawlessly.
Last summer I concentrated on precision firing and again the P380 functioned well every time. I wanted to get better at shot placement and grouping.
The .45 Kahr has worked flawlessly as well.
One thing I noticed about the Kahr .45: does not like hollow points but with FMJ no problems whatsoever.
 
Man that's a frustrating video to watch, sorry for those problems with that gun!

Call them up for a shipping label...
 
Contact the guys at kahr talk to help and That pistol retails for 649 and NO ONE pay retail. Your dealer is a turd.

Retail is dictated by the LGS and the area the LGS operates in. Granted, YOU may have retail prices lower than someone else; but that doesn't mean that what you, or any other person, can find any given gun for means that the same applies everywhere.

Regardless, if the OP was satisfied enough to pay that price (or any other), than it was a perfectly acceptable price FOR THE OP. What you're saying with the comment that you made about the dealer would also come across as applicable to the OP, because he was the buyer who felt the price was OK enough to purchase.

Let's stick to the issue at hand for the OP and leave the unwarranted name calling on a subjective side issue out of it.

;)
 
From the angle of the video is it possible the slide is contacting your jacket sleeve? That could cause some cycling issues. Not blaming you, just pointing out any possibilities for the failures.
 
Sent it in again, got it back recently and took it out this past weekend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XNX-QE2e7c&feature=youtu.be

Technical sheet says they installed a new mag catch, 'reworked mag well', lubed and test fired OK.

I went out and bought three new boxes of .380 from the store: Lawman .380 Auto 95 grain, Remington UMC 95 grain, and Buffalo Bore 380 +p 90 grain JHP - had issues with nearly every single mag. :banghead:

Emailed Kahr on Sunday, haven't heard back yet (i know its only been one business day, still). Very disappointed with Kahr.
 
I have the same failure with a newly purchased Kahr 380. Mine would not fire 2 consecutive rounds w/out failure to return to battery.

I sent detailed emails (no response from Kahr)
I left multiple voice mails (none returned by Kahr)
FINALLY I got to speak with a human being who requestted that I send it in. Have not gotten an email, call, letter...nothing since they've had my gun.
 
The first time I sent it in they had it for 4-5 weeks before returning - don't expect them to provide you with any updates. Their old customer service guy, "Jay", is no longer w/ their service department. Timothy Pearce ([email protected]) has been "handling" my situation since Jay left, he seemed responsive at first and even offered to personally take my gun to the range and test fire (back in January). I never heard back on how the trip to the range went and he's no longer responding to my emails.

*sigh*
 
Had issues with mine. Sent it back and they polished the feed ramp etc but I never trusted it so I traded it in towards something else
 
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