spikehunter
Member
This new little pocket pistol was built from kel tec engineers. They are a new company, but I got to hold this pistol at a recent gun show and was really impressed. Has anyone had some range time with this pistol?
DiamondBack .380 Opinions
- Thread starter spikehunter
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harmon rabb
Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2009
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- 2,699
prepare to be unhappy with what you're about to hear...
M2 Carbine
member
I bought one last week.
I like the gun and it's features but so far it's been a disappointment.
Since I've had trouble in the past with the several .380 pocket pistols I have decided to keep track of the DB's performance.
So far this is what I've got. It's not good. I plan on shooting the gun more today.
It appears the firing pin spring is too weak. Many light primer strikes, with otherwise good primers.
Failures to feed and extract.
Very bad things for a defense gun.
I like the gun and it's features but so far it's been a disappointment.
Since I've had trouble in the past with the several .380 pocket pistols I have decided to keep track of the DB's performance.
So far this is what I've got. It's not good. I plan on shooting the gun more today.
It appears the firing pin spring is too weak. Many light primer strikes, with otherwise good primers.
Failures to feed and extract.
Very bad things for a defense gun.
MattTheHat
Member
I've had no weak primer strikes so far, but I've only got about 100 rounds through mine.
At 7 yards mine is almost as accurate as my P232, and more accurate than all my other .380s (about 6 others).
The recoil spring is very tight. Probably a bit too tight for WWB type ammo. I've had many FTE problems using my hand loads, which are a bit on the weak side. After operating the slide by hand about 50 times and about 100 rounds, the FTE problems seem to have disappeared.
I don't care for a DA trigger. That being said, the Diamondback's trigger is fairly smooth and progressive. After about 50 rounds it seems to lighten up a bit and/or just get a bit smoother.
Interestingly, I had one Sel & Bel fail to extract from the chamber too. All my other FTE made it out of the chamber okay, but got pinched in the slide. This seems to me to indicate the recoil spring is a bit too tight. Again, this seems to have fixed itself somewhere around the 100 round mark.
-Matt
At 7 yards mine is almost as accurate as my P232, and more accurate than all my other .380s (about 6 others).
The recoil spring is very tight. Probably a bit too tight for WWB type ammo. I've had many FTE problems using my hand loads, which are a bit on the weak side. After operating the slide by hand about 50 times and about 100 rounds, the FTE problems seem to have disappeared.
I don't care for a DA trigger. That being said, the Diamondback's trigger is fairly smooth and progressive. After about 50 rounds it seems to lighten up a bit and/or just get a bit smoother.
Interestingly, I had one Sel & Bel fail to extract from the chamber too. All my other FTE made it out of the chamber okay, but got pinched in the slide. This seems to me to indicate the recoil spring is a bit too tight. Again, this seems to have fixed itself somewhere around the 100 round mark.
-Matt
snooperman
Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2009
- Messages
- 2,143
The trigger failures are the biggest problems based on my research.
There are a lot of problems from what I have read, especially after about 300 rounds. My brother-in-law has sent his back 3 times and now wants to get rid of it. He has about 600 rounds through it so far.
There are a lot of problems from what I have read, especially after about 300 rounds. My brother-in-law has sent his back 3 times and now wants to get rid of it. He has about 600 rounds through it so far.
KONY
Member
Love mine. Given the various forum posts, hope I just got a "good one" as it has been reliable thus far.
devildog4329
Member
I love mine so far. Carries great. Shoots just fine.
I have 150 rounds through mine. I beleive the problem people are having with there DB's triggers are because of the trigger retaining pin. After 75 rounds i broke the pistol down to check it over. Thats when i noticed the trigger retaining pin was working its way out to the right. I pushed it back into place and now its fine. I beleive that people are not catching this pin movement and when it moves out far enough = broken trigger bar.
Again I love mine and hope that if you buy one it works for you. Also it is hard to say no to company that gives you a lifetime warrenty.
I have 150 rounds through mine. I beleive the problem people are having with there DB's triggers are because of the trigger retaining pin. After 75 rounds i broke the pistol down to check it over. Thats when i noticed the trigger retaining pin was working its way out to the right. I pushed it back into place and now its fine. I beleive that people are not catching this pin movement and when it moves out far enough = broken trigger bar.
Again I love mine and hope that if you buy one it works for you. Also it is hard to say no to company that gives you a lifetime warrenty.
devildog4329 said:
All the low end brands offer a lifetime warranty.
I've heard High-Point just ships you out a new pistol if you send one back.
The unit cost per gun is so low it's cheaper to replace it than pay somebody to fix.
Boy I know I'd sure hate for that trigger pin to pull a Murphy's Law and work it's way out just as some foaming at the mouth maniac with an axe was closing in on me.
M2 Carbine
member
Today I shot 57 rounds. I would have shot more but it's too hot.
The results were better than the last shooting sessions but the malfunctions are still too bad for a carry gun.
The results were better than the last shooting sessions but the malfunctions are still too bad for a carry gun.
Mine has had over 500 rounds put through it and is performing very well.
It is true that mine had to go back to DB to replace the magazine catch as it started dropping the magazine after each shot.
This started occuring after the pistol had 217 rounds through it.
After that repair the pistol functions quite well indeed.
It did take around 100 rounds to start feeding and ejecting reliably.
Now it feeds all but Fiochii fmj ammo trouble free and hollow point Rem Golden Sabres perfectly.
My pistol dislikes Hornady's Critical Defense as it just will not feeds these reliably.
This pistol carries very well in the RKBA pocket holster I bought for it and also carries well when it's in the Bulldog cell phone style holster clipped on my belt when I wear jeans or dress slacks.
In either holster you would be hard pressed to even know I was armed which is exactly why I like pistols of this nature so much.
It is true that mine had to go back to DB to replace the magazine catch as it started dropping the magazine after each shot.
This started occuring after the pistol had 217 rounds through it.
After that repair the pistol functions quite well indeed.
It did take around 100 rounds to start feeding and ejecting reliably.
Now it feeds all but Fiochii fmj ammo trouble free and hollow point Rem Golden Sabres perfectly.
My pistol dislikes Hornady's Critical Defense as it just will not feeds these reliably.
This pistol carries very well in the RKBA pocket holster I bought for it and also carries well when it's in the Bulldog cell phone style holster clipped on my belt when I wear jeans or dress slacks.
In either holster you would be hard pressed to even know I was armed which is exactly why I like pistols of this nature so much.
snorko
Member
Mine broke on round 24. The sear spring "sdislocated" per the factory. They replaced the sear and spring and it has been flawless for 110 rounds since. I am going to get rid of it though since I can not get past the initial failure and this is a primary carry at times.
Full Metal Jacket
member
i know a couple people that had to send theirs in for various issues.
that's the extent of my experience with this brand.
that's the extent of my experience with this brand.
snooperman
Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2009
- Messages
- 2,143
Weevil , I am " LOL" , that is so true...
I was also going to get one for my wife, who liked my brother-in-laws gun, but after so much trouble with his , I got her the SIG P232. Based on what I have read from other web sites , on this gun, serious problems start after about 300 rounds. If they could fix their problems, I think the over-all concept is good. The guns is very easy to shoot well, when it works. Low recoil, easy to take apart to clean, and a very good grip are very positive with this firearm.
I was also going to get one for my wife, who liked my brother-in-laws gun, but after so much trouble with his , I got her the SIG P232. Based on what I have read from other web sites , on this gun, serious problems start after about 300 rounds. If they could fix their problems, I think the over-all concept is good. The guns is very easy to shoot well, when it works. Low recoil, easy to take apart to clean, and a very good grip are very positive with this firearm.
I had one and I liked the gun except for one fact, twice yes that's right twice the trigger bar broke after getting the gun past 200 rounds. :banghead: They fixed it both times but after the second time I would have never trusted the gun again so as soon as I got it back from factory the second time it was swapped off for another 1911. (with some cash of course)
(with some cash of course)- Status
