Kahr P380 reliability questions

Ouch. That's depressing!

I'm reading up on other pocket guns and it seems that pocket 380s are pretty finicky in general. I've run 2000 rounds through my Springfield 9mm and another 800 or so through a Beretta 92 with nary an issue ever, even with the cheapest and crappiest ammos. So to have a gun fail to feed 3 times and fail to fire twice in a box of 50 was a shock to me.

Maybe I should just accept that a small 9mm is as small as I can get if I exoect it to run reliably all the time? Although it seems the Glock 42 runs like a bigger gun, from what I've read about it anyway.
 
Although I believe the Kahr brand has the problems I have described, not everyone agrees. There is a poll on this site that shows 75% trust them, but @ 25% (including me) do not.

To me, a major part of the problem of reliability in concealment guns is the issue of "geometry": smaller guns of necessity have shorter barrels and thus the semiauto mechanism has to work faster. The more powerful the cartridge, the longer the barrel and slide action really needs to be to ensure reliable functioning. That's in part why your 5-inch 9mm Beretta 92 is so reliable, while a .45 1911 with a 3-inch barrel is problematic. Also a Kahr P9 would likely be less finicky than the P380. If they made the PM9 in .380 it would likely also be less troublesome.

Part of it is the brand also--my Berettas have always been perfect--also guns with a demonstrated record of reliability in police and especially military service are the safest choices in terms of reliability. But you note that "service" pistols are not pocket pistols either.

I generally pocket carry in Phoenix and have tried everything I could afford. Got rid of everything except my first gen LCP and LCP Custom with the red trigger. I have had problems with other recent Ruger purchases so have some doubts about their current QC. That said, I would buy a Gen 2 LCP (not the LCPII just yet!). I also believe Glock has worked out their issues with the 42--they have certainly had sufficient time to do so--so that one may be good also, if a bit bigger.

My new Glock 43 has been fine so far, and very accurate, but it's a bit bigger and you have to think about which pockets it will fit in. You don't have to think with an LCP....
 
I would also consider the Ruger but have a policy of not buying "new" designs when they first come out. I mad that mistake once.

As I mentioned I used to "collect" 380s

Forget the Kahr, Berreta. Bersa and Taurus. I worked in a LGS and saw what guns came back!

If you buy a new gun who has the BEST service?? Ruger and SW

Heck even the lowly KelTec has great service the customer is their quality control. It works or it doesn't.:D

The Glock will always work but it is to big for a pure pocket gun

But this is like what car should I buy.

Depends on your budget and what feels right to you.
 
I bought a used Kahr PM 9. Constantly jammed. Had it professionally cleaned. Actually sent it back to Kahr, they replaced the spring, and still jammed regularly. I sold it.
 
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