My CW-45 hates me!

[Greg45]

I'm looking for some help. I have a CW-45 that I purchased new last year, and which has always had problems jamming. I've put about 700-800 rounds through it and it's not getting any better. It fires ok, but sometimes does not feed in the next round correctly (slide comes all the way back, but will jam coming forward with the round not properly seated in the chamber). In an afternoon of 100-200 rounds, it will jam 6 or 8 times. I normally run Winchester whitebox through it, but have also had it jam on Blazer and Federal. Happens every trip to the range and to multiple shooters.

I've tried pulling apart the magazine to check the spring is in right (I have 3 mags and all 3 will jam). I've also town down and lubed back up from the PDF that's published elsewhere on here. Today at the range it was worse, with the recoil spring not fully cycling the slide closed in a couple cases. I even tore it back down in the field today just to grease it up again without any luck.

[RRP]

Greg, the force that strips a round from the magazine and slams it into the chamber hard enough to lock the action, comes from the recoil spring. With that in mind, here are a few things to look for when diagnosing your failure to return to battery issues.

1. The recoil spring just isn't strong enough. The spring may be worn and tired. This problem is more common in used than new guns. Try a new recoil spring assembly.

2. Friction is slowing the return of the slide. If the slide does not return with sufficient force, the gun won't go into battery. Friction may be internal; gun parts rubbing on gun parts. Or, the source of friction may be external; a thumb riding against the slide as it cycles. Clean and lube well. Then shoot while being very aware to keep your thumbs away from the slide.

3. Over-buffering. When a gun cycles, it must do so against a firm foundation to work properly. If the hands/wrists/arms/body absorb the energy that is needed to cycle the action, the full cycle of the action may be interrupted. For grins, deviate from your normal grip/stance by shooting from a fully locked-joint position. See if creating a firm foundation makes a difference.

The problem you describe often manifests itself more frequently as a shooter becomes fatigued. It is a very common occurrence at the range. Hang in there and let us know how things work out.

[hardluk1]

Greg if your able to shoot a number of rounds before you have a problem it could you have lost some control over it . If this can happen in the first couple mags and more from there it seems to be a over all control issue. Do you have a friend that's a competent small gun shooter to take with you . Let another person try to run your pistol and see if you still have problems.


If your grip is still stock. Nothing used to inhance grip maybe a couple layers of 2" inner tube to both build up the thickness and to aid control.


You maybe able to shoot a couple hundred rounds from a heavy full size 45 but from the kahr , maybe 50 .

[Buzzard45]

one more thing to consider looking at: the chamber might be "tight". my cw45, p45, and pm45, all have tight chambers, some rounds just would not seat properly, including factory ball range, self defense h.p., etc. To test this, take the barrel out and hold it muzzle down, drop a round in and see how it fits. It should have a "little wiggle room". Do you or a friend have a 1911 45 to compare? Unless you`re a gunsmith i recommend letting kahr fix it, especially since it`s "new last year".

[Greg45]

Thanks all. I appreciate the help.

RRP - I use Tetra gun grease (basically white lithium). Any personal preferences? I see some posts around Froglube and Mobile1. I'll also get a new recoil spring, cheap and easy check.

Hardluk - It never happens right away. I was assuming the gun needed to heat up a bit before the problem occurred, but maybe it is fatigue/shooter. It happens to multiple shooters, but it's myself and my boys --- could be a systematic user(s) error. One of the group bumped the magazine eject a couple times this weekend.

Buzzard -- it dropped right in and settled fine. Didn't wiggle afterwards, but it seated ok on its own. Didn't wiggle once it settled. Does that qualify as tight? Bullets that don't feed come out nicked a bit when they jam into the barrel/feed. Generally it takes a lot of pulling at the slide before it will release. One occasion was quite a bit of Rem oil..

[100percent]

My pm40 had a sharp extractor pawl. Was catching the rim of the brass. I polished the pawl after disassembly and reduced the tension of the spring.

The brass rim stays smoother.

I can detail strip the slide quickly any more. :)

[pbagley]

Hardluk - It never happens right away. I was assuming the gun needed to heat up a bit before the problem occurred, but maybe it is fatigue/shooter. It happens to multiple shooters, but it's myself and my boys --- could be a systematic user(s) error. One of the group bumped the magazine eject a couple times this weekend.


I have a 9mm (not a Kahr) that begins to jam after 100 or so rounds. After cleaning it works great again. That one seems to like being clean, and I suspect it would fail sooner if I used dirty burning rounds (PPU, TulAmmo, etc).

Meanwhile my 1911 just keeps running. I add oil often, every 100 rounds or so, and wipe up the drips that fall from the point of my elbow so no one slips and falls. I used to clean once a year or so, at least every 5000 rounds. I can say that some parts should be cleaned more often... from experience.

Kahr's are tighter in general than the old 1911. Keeping them clean seems like a good idea. Next time you start to get jams try giving it a quick field strip, wipe out with solvent, and then re-oil and assemble. See if it is just crud buildup.

I may try running more than 100 once I settle on a decent reload. We can see how long it takes my CW45 to start jamming. A second data point may be helpful.

PS: I bumped my magazine release for the first time last time at the range. Oddly it was twice in 20 rounds. Weird...

[Buzzard45]

Thanks all. I appreciate the help.

RRP - I use Tetra gun grease (basically white lithium). Any personal preferences? I see some posts around Froglube and Mobile1. I'll also get a new recoil spring, cheap and easy check.

Hardluk - It never happens right away. I was assuming the gun needed to heat up a bit before the problem occurred, but maybe it is fatigue/shooter. It happens to multiple shooters, but it's myself and my boys --- could be a systematic user(s) error. One of the group bumped the magazine eject a couple times this weekend.

Buzzard -- it dropped right in and settled fine. Didn't wiggle afterwards, but it seated ok on its own. Didn't wiggle once it settled. Does that qualify as tight? Bullets that don't feed come out nicked a bit when they jam into the barrel/feed. Generally it takes a lot of pulling at the slide before it will release. One occasion was quite a bit of Rem oil..

oops! I missed part of the barrel test, turning the barrel up side down, will the round fall out freely? also noted in your response about bullets being nicked a bit after jamming, could it be the beginning of the barrel rifling (can`t remember the technical name, the transition from chamber to rifled barrel?). If you push the round into the chamber with your thumb/finger (carefully of course) will it go in a little and when taken out does it leave marks on the bullet? sounds to me like it`s a little bit tight, may need a trip to kahr for a little rework...
Hopefully someone smarter than me will be along shortly with a better idea.;)

[pbagley]

Good point, Mr. Buzzard45. My CW45 barrel has a shorter throat, or leade, than my 1911's. My favorite cast bullet load is a short nose SWC. I was seating it out a bit so it wouldn't have as much room to move in the magazine - in other words to have the same OAL as everything else I load in 45ACP. It would not chamber in the Kahr - the .452 portion of the bullet was firmly into the rifling.

Here's a reference you may find interesting: http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/threads/throat-of-a-gun-barrel-i.89606/
Granted the subject is Shotgun barrels, the description of rifle (and pistol) barrel throats is good.

Back to the CW45 - in my gun the factory loads I've tried have all chambered just fine, no issues.

[muggsy]

I'm looking for some help. I have a CW-45 that I purchased new last year, and which has always had problems jamming. I've put about 700-800 rounds through it and it's not getting any better. It fires ok, but sometimes does not feed in the next round correctly (slide comes all the way back, but will jam coming forward with the round not properly seated in the chamber). In an afternoon of 100-200 rounds, it will jam 6 or 8 times. I normally run Winchester whitebox through it, but have also had it jam on Blazer and Federal. Happens every trip to the range and to multiple shooters.

I've tried pulling apart the magazine to check the spring is in right (I have 3 mags and all 3 will jam). I've also town down and lubed back up from the PDF that's published elsewhere on here. Today at the range it was worse, with the recoil spring not fully cycling the slide closed in a couple cases. I even tore it back down in the field today just to grease it up again without any luck.

The simplest solution to your feeding problems is to return the gun to Kahr and let them fix it. The gun is warranted for five years from the date of purchase. Let your problem become their problem.

[RRP]

RRP - I use Tetra gun grease (basically white lithium). Any personal preferences? I see some posts around Froglube and Mobile1. I'll also get a new recoil spring, cheap and easy check.


Any of those should work fine, Greg. Everyone has their favorites. Grease makes sense in really hot conditions; oil may be preferred when it's cold.

A well cleaned and lubricated pistol, fitted with a good recoil spring, and held firmly, will likely resolve your problem. Please keep us posted.

Good luck.

[Greg45]

Thanks all...I got the replacement recoil spring from Kahr, and it's a full inch longer than the original now. Also swapped out the grease for full synthetic Valvoline oil and grabbed some Remington metal cover and some reloads to try instead of the Winchester FMJ (the reloads are a fraction shorter). Hoping to hit the range tomorrow...

[hardluk1]

The recoil will be longer when new. They take shorter set after using only a little bit. Count the coils?? I do not have a 45. but have a cm9 cw9 and tp40. All would run thru at least 400 rounds before a recleaning so maybe the oils the trick but most likely its the extended shooting per shooter. I always limited my range time with it to 100 rounds max with the 9mm 75 with the 40sw. If I can shoot with out regriping between shoots its time to stop.


My first kahr came from a guy that simple could not make it run reliably. Oil, ammo or the shooter problem , never did figure it out but the guy sold it to me right and it pleased me. Had to have a couple more. Always good to have a couple brands of ammo too for break in. Lots of out of spec stuff today. Hope the reloads are yours, not from some one else !! Good luck