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Kahr P380 -- choices in range/defensive ammo??

39K views 32 replies 26 participants last post by  shelblyn 
#1 ·
If you own a Kahr P380 and regularly shoot it, what ammo do you use for the range and SD/carry?

I would like to know the brand/model of ammunition you use, and what your experience has bee with respect to reliability.


My P380 has seen:

  • Remington UMC Handgun Ammo (#L380AP) FMJ .380ACP (green box), 95gr., 955 fps, 190 ft-lbs
  • Federal American Eagle (#AE380AP) FMJ .380ACP, 95gr, 980fps, 203 ft-lbs
  • MagTech First Defense (#FD380A) SCHP (copper HP) .380ACP, 77gr, 1099 fps, 207 ft-lbs

I am looking for additional ammunition, but I would prefer to focus on those choices that others have seen work reliably well. Am still in the break-in period and searching for the right ammo for the gun. It seems relatively finicky, so far disliking the UMC ammo with many FTE's, but loving the MagTec FD HP's.
 
#2 ·
I posted this in another thread, but it may help someone else here. I have only tried a few brands.

Prvi Partizan - Worked flawlessly.
Winchester White Box FMJ, 95gr - Worked flawlessly.
Corbon JHP - 4 FTF's in 20 rounds.
Speer Gold Dot - Worked flawlessly.

The Winchester and Speer are easier to find in CT than other ammunition brands for .380ACP.
 
#3 ·
Range ammo:
Winchester White Box FMJ- No malfuncitons
Blazer TMJ- No malfunctions
Carry ammo:
Speer Gold Dot- No malfunctions
 
#4 · (Edited)
I use the Speer lawman FMJ for the range and the Speer Gold Dots for carry in both my LCP and my DB380.

I had some CorBon +p 90gr JHPs that I'm carrying in my DB380, not sure of the numbers, but I think it's about 1050fps and 200fpe. I tried the Hornady XTP in my DB380 and it's a no go, FTF problems big time, but they ran fine in my LCP. Normally I'd be concerned about the FTF problem with my DB, but it seems to like the ball and larger cone shape of the CorBon and Gold Dots just fine.

It's warming up a little in GA, so I'm going back to loading my .380s with four FMJs and topping the mag off and chambered round with Gold Dots for my LCP; and straight CorBon +p JHPs in my DB380.

I don't own the Kahr P380; sorry ccw9mm, I misread the post as it pertains to the P380.:embarassed:
 
#5 ·
I don't have a Kahr P380. What I do will go against what the majority of folks that know what they are doing do. I carry what I shoot. I don't use one round for the range and one round for carry.

I think I am better off knowing how a given bullet will feed than how it will perform when it hits in a SD situation. Reliabilty is more important to me than performance.

If all I could afford to practice with was WWB or UMC, then that would be what I carried, if it was reliable in my gun. I feel more confident having an inferior bullet that I know will go bang than have a top performing bullet that I am not 100% sure how it will perform in my gun.

I don't doubt that there some bullets out there that perform better under some circumstances than the bullets that I have. If it is stove piped in your gun then it really doesn't matter.

I have put a lot of thought into this. There is research that gives 380, 38SPL, 45ACP and many other rounds with full metal jackets or certian lead bullets an advantage over some of the high tech bullets. There is just as much research that gives the high tech bullets an advantage in given circumstances. Based on all the givens, research, history, facts and BS, I think if you choose what works well with your gun you will be ok.

I know that everyone that has read more than couple of articles on bullet performance will have different opinions. No one has proven to me that there is bullet that is better in all circumstances than all other bullets. I am a hunter and evaluate bullet performace on game. I am a shooter and I evaluate bullets on reliabilty. Game doesn't wear a jacket and two shirts. If the first bullet stops the threat, it doesn't matter if the second round is stove piped in your gun. I still choose reliabilty over perfomance as long as performace is acceptable.
 
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#6 ·
Again, I am specifically looking for actual experiences with the Kahr P380 that people carry.

While I appreciate the other responses, they don't apply to the P380's reliability.
 
#9 ·
P380 Ammo

Just finished breaking mine in today.
American Eagle 95 gr. FMJ- no problems at all
PMC Bronze - no problems at all
CCI Blazer - one stovepipe ( this was probably my fault I was shooting left hand no support)
Magtech 95 gr. JHP- did not reliable feed these
MFS - could not feed also lots of light strikes ( don't understand this )
Hope this helps.
 
#11 ·
Anyone else with a Kahr P380, specifically? If so, which ammo is providing you with the best cycling reliability?


* Please, am only interested in knowing of experiences with the Kahr P380 and ammo used in it with good reliability. Due to the finicky nature of this pistol, I want to focus on the P380 experiences only.
 
#13 ·
I saw Speer TMJ for the first time for the P380. I tried 50 rounds and had a lot of issues. First FMJ I've had issues with in the Kahr. About 5 failure to feeds and 2 stove pipes. I was extremely disappointed to say the least. My P380 has been virtually flawless to date.

I'm going to try and go back to the range this week and make sure it's the ammunition that's giving me the problem. I'm going to shoot WWB that I know have been flawless.
 
#15 ·
A customer is an LEO and he used his Kahr to qualify on the agency BUG course. The agency policy is .380 or bigger for a BUG and issue ammo is Gold Saber in all calibers including the .380. He was most impressed with the way it shoots.
 
#22 ·
+1

IMHO, the extra cost of .380 HP ammunition is more than merely wasted, it is counterproductive.

You pay more, and get less penetration, which is often marginal in this caliber.

I settled on Speer Lawman TMJ, and had problems with Federal American Eagle FMJ. There were other brands that may have proven satisfactory, but after one defective gun and 1000+ rounds (various brands) fired in total, I did not wish to devote the the money or time to test all possibilities to my satisfaction. I do not fault American Eagle, though, as it has proven reliable in other guns of various calibers, including .380.
 
#18 ·
My Ammo experience

My P380 is very finnicky - It has about 400 rounds through it - so it can not be considered "fully broken in" but here is what works and does not work for me

Good Stuff

Black Hills 100g FMJ - Had to knock a bit off the slide stop for the fat bullet
Mag Tech 85g HP +P

Good for paractice
Rem UMC 95 G FMJ - Gotta hold the gun right
Fed red box 95FMJ - 5 rounds works best and hold gun right

Doesn't work for me:
Buffalo Bore +P
Fiocchi HP
Blazer Brass FMJ
Speer Gold Dot HP
Prvi Partizan
Winchester White Box


From what I've seen each one of these little guns is very different - some shoot everything and some only a few brands.
 
#19 ·
Apologies in advance for the long post. I took delivery of a California variant P380 (mag trigger disconnect & LCI) in March 2011.

First 216 rounds for break-in were: Rem FMJ round nose, 95 gr, 100 rds; Win FMJ flat nose, 95 gr, 100 rds; Rem JHP, 95 gr, 16 rds. Various malfunctions (stovepipe, light strike misfire, stuck on ramp, lock open w/rds in mag) but the numbers were unrecorded. I contacted Kahr, who said it was due to recoil spring. They sent an upgraded recoil spring, which I installed.

Subsequently I experienced the following:

Rem JHP, 95 gr, 82 rds
stovepipe, 9 occurrences
stuck on ramp, 3 occurrences
lock open w/rds in mag, 4 occurrences

Lellier & Bellot FMJ round nose, 92 gr, 50 rds
stovepipe, 1 occurrence

UMC-branded FMJ round nose, 95 gr, 50 rds
stovepipe, 3 occurrences
light strike misfire, 8 occurrences
lock open w/rds in mag, 1 occurrence

Win FMJ flat nose, 95 gr, 148 rds
stovepipe, 12 occurrences
light strike misfire, 2 occurrences
stuck on ramp, 2 occurrences

Rem FMJ round nose, 95 gr, 98 rds
stovepipe, 12 occurrences
light strike misfire, 4 occurrences

I really want this weapon to work. I bought it for it's small size and light weight but reliability is more important than either of those considerations. At the range, it's shown to be very accurate, even in my large hands.

Finally, in fairness, Kahr has been very responsive and paid to have the weapon shipped back to the factory, where is it at this writing. I'll re-post results after the weapon has been returned and has been re-tested at the range.
mmcgr
 
#20 ·
I use winchester white box for the range and gold dot jhp for self defense.
I broke my kahr p380 in with 300 rounds of winchester and then ran some gold dot through it works great.
When I broke it in I cleaned it twice before I shot it, then I cleaned it after 50 until I reached 300 then I used the gold dot.
I use mil-tec oil and a lot during the break in.
Hope this helps Good Luck.
 
#23 ·
I have 2 p380's. Both are good at a variety of ammo but they can be finicky for thefirst 1000 rounds or so. I did a lot of dremel polishing on mine which helped. (Brownell's Green Glow)

Carry: Corbon 90 HP - Why? because its a hollow point with a lot of power and they will work every time - because this is a 10 ouce gun and easy to limp wrist.
Black Hills (all of it) also works good. Gold dot (speer) ejects funny - I'm a lefty - and hits me in the forehead almost every time! but the ammo functions great.

Range: Rem UMC 95 fmj. because it works good and is cheap. Also just about everything else; Fiocchi, S&B and Fed red box are also good. Prvi Partisan is a little too soft recoiling and will sometimes stovepipe.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Kahr p380 break in

Just got my p380. Initially shot it right out of box (couldn't wait, should have waited).

Remington UMC 50 rounds
PMC bronze 25 rounds
Fiochi - couldn't chamber a single round

Initially, I had countless issues with FTF and difficulty chambering a round (slingshot and with open slide lock release method). At least half of my shots had some issue with FTF or failure of slide to return to battery. I took it home and cleaned it out. Over half the magazines locked up in some way. Remington's were better than PMC, but both had issues. I'm new to pistols (have had a ruger lcr for a bit) and firearms in general, but with YouTube I think I did a decent enough job with cleaning and oiling. One thing I noticed is that there were bits of polymer on the base (on the part that connects with the slide) that seemed kind of chewed up. Like the mold was incompletely stamped, or that the slide was "grooving" the polymer base. I dunno. I also worked the slide all night while watching tv.

Today:
American Eagle 95 grain 50 rounds
PMC bronze 75 rounds
Corbon 90 gr JHP
Hornady hollow points (box of 25, forget which)

Overall better today. With the PMC I was able to chamber mostly without incident. Maybe 2-3 times the round jammed in some way that required releasing the magazine and working the slide to maneuver the bullet out. The big problem is with failure to return to battery. Roughly half the time I had to manually push the slide the last half inch. There would be some kind of click or other obstacle that I would have to push through. The next round would then be ready to go. Fairly consistent but I suppose it got a little better near the end. I know that grip and limp wresting can play a role, but thinking of this, I had a pretty solid grip, which might have helped a slight amount, or maybe not at all.

Mixed in with the PMC, my 50 rounds with American Eagle worked much much better. I still had some return to battery issues, but it was usually only slight and far less often (1 per magazine or less). Very encouraged with the AE.

Near the end I shot about 10 cor bons and 10 hornady. All had issues with ftf and return to battery (50%). Less encouraging.

So, overall big improvement today, but still a ways to go before I would consider it reliable.
 
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