tai4de2
Regular Member
imported post
My first .380 was a Keltec P3AT. I appreciated its form factor and concealment factor but really did not like the gun. It was cheap, it didn't feel particularly comfortable or satisfying to hold, it hurt my hand and trigger finger to fire, and I experienced various jams and failures that never quite went away. Because of all that, I wasn't ever too excited to practice with the gun at the range, diminishing its value as a self-defense weapon.
I replaced it with a Micro Desert Eagle. That is a beautifully made firearm... all metal, substantial feeling, and mechanically sound and reliable. I really like the large trigger-guard and the loaded chamber indicator, and the gun is a bit of an engineering marvel in terms of how it's put together. Right from the beginning I never have had so much as a single jam or other anomaly... outstanding reliability. Much more satisfying to hold and fire than the Keltec. But 3 problems emerged. First, it's just a smidge too heavy for duty in my pocket. Second, firing it still hurts my hand a little. And third, the trigger action, while still better than the Keltec, leaves a lot to be desired. Too long with an odd break and so accuracy suffers.
So I was still looking for the ultimate in pocket a .380. Today I bought a Kahr P380 and fired about 50 rounds. The trigger action and general feeling when firing this thing is in a whole different league then the other 2. The trigger is like butter... smooth and predictable, no odd break to interrupt my aiming. A satisfying recoil and most importantly, it does not hurt my hand to fire. The sites are improved vs the other 2 guns, and the P380 actually has a real slide stop too. My accuracy is better with this gun than the other 2 and I can see myself enjoying practicing with it. It's also lighter than the MDE, making for a bit easier pocket carry.
The downsides with the Kahr: no loaded chamber indicator (not a big deal), polymer frame vs. metal (not a big deal, considering how good it feels to fire, and also helps with weight)... and the big one: *lots* of jams and related failures. Kahr actually says right in the manual that this gun has a break-in period, so I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt and see if it gets more reliable after another 150 rounds or so. Fortunately, the gun is fun and comfortable enough to actually do another 150 rounds (if someone told me that I had to put 150 more rounds through a P3AT or MDE I'd just give up right then -- wouldn't want to live through it).
So, if the Kahr breaks in nicely, it's the hands-down winner.
My first .380 was a Keltec P3AT. I appreciated its form factor and concealment factor but really did not like the gun. It was cheap, it didn't feel particularly comfortable or satisfying to hold, it hurt my hand and trigger finger to fire, and I experienced various jams and failures that never quite went away. Because of all that, I wasn't ever too excited to practice with the gun at the range, diminishing its value as a self-defense weapon.
I replaced it with a Micro Desert Eagle. That is a beautifully made firearm... all metal, substantial feeling, and mechanically sound and reliable. I really like the large trigger-guard and the loaded chamber indicator, and the gun is a bit of an engineering marvel in terms of how it's put together. Right from the beginning I never have had so much as a single jam or other anomaly... outstanding reliability. Much more satisfying to hold and fire than the Keltec. But 3 problems emerged. First, it's just a smidge too heavy for duty in my pocket. Second, firing it still hurts my hand a little. And third, the trigger action, while still better than the Keltec, leaves a lot to be desired. Too long with an odd break and so accuracy suffers.
So I was still looking for the ultimate in pocket a .380. Today I bought a Kahr P380 and fired about 50 rounds. The trigger action and general feeling when firing this thing is in a whole different league then the other 2. The trigger is like butter... smooth and predictable, no odd break to interrupt my aiming. A satisfying recoil and most importantly, it does not hurt my hand to fire. The sites are improved vs the other 2 guns, and the P380 actually has a real slide stop too. My accuracy is better with this gun than the other 2 and I can see myself enjoying practicing with it. It's also lighter than the MDE, making for a bit easier pocket carry.
The downsides with the Kahr: no loaded chamber indicator (not a big deal), polymer frame vs. metal (not a big deal, considering how good it feels to fire, and also helps with weight)... and the big one: *lots* of jams and related failures. Kahr actually says right in the manual that this gun has a break-in period, so I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt and see if it gets more reliable after another 150 rounds or so. Fortunately, the gun is fun and comfortable enough to actually do another 150 rounds (if someone told me that I had to put 150 more rounds through a P3AT or MDE I'd just give up right then -- wouldn't want to live through it).
So, if the Kahr breaks in nicely, it's the hands-down winner.