CW45 & Reloads

[Bumkin]

Have had some issues with my CW45 and my reloads. FTF and not going into battery fully. Result has been the slide is locked partially in battery & the magazine cannot be removed. I have been shooting Xtreme .45 225 gr copper plated flat points. No issues with my Ruger 1911 or Springfield XDM45. I have taken the rounds that would not feed properly in my Kahr and fired in my other guns without issue. The CW45 is broken in (800+ rounds). Reloads pass the case gauge drop test and drop into the CW45 barrel just fine though a little tighter than in my other guns. I am using Lee dies and have increased the factory crimp which has helped a little and also set my OAL at the short end of specifications. The Xtreme flat point has a straight angle up to the flat point and not rounded up to the flat like other bullets. I have ordered some round nose bullets which have an eased/rounded transition to the nose. I am thinking of possible causes: 1) the kahr barrel diameter is on the small side of .45, 2) the feed ramp angle is sharper causing the bullet to not slide into the chamber smoothly, 3) bullet shape is causing hang up when it hits the barrel hood, 4) the kahr barrel chamber is shorter than in my other pistols. Any thoughts from CW45 owners/reloaders?

[Southerngunner]

Is the Lee die a taper crimp? I shoot the same profile bullet in lead from my CW45 with no issues, I also load 200 grain LSWC that feed fine as well. I do seat the slugs very close to the case mouth and my Dillon dies put a good taper crimp on the case, the same settings is used for all of my 45 ACP's. Have you checked your mag springs? Or is your slide release contacting a round in your loaded mag creating the malfunction?

[Bumkin]

I probably should have stated in my post, I have no issues with factory rounds, WWB, Remington HTP, Guard Dog, Speer Gold Dot. Don't know if the Lee die is a taper crimp, they list it as a "factory crimp".

[Ikeo74]

Have had some issues with my CW45 and my reloads. FTF and not going into battery fully. Result has been the slide is locked partially in battery & the magazine cannot be removed. I have been shooting Xtreme .45 225 gr copper plated flat points. No issues with my Ruger 1911 or Springfield XDM45. I have taken the rounds that would not feed properly in my Kahr and fired in my other guns without issue. The CW45 is broken in (800+ rounds). Reloads pass the case gauge drop test and drop into the CW45 barrel just fine though a little tighter than in my other guns. I am using Lee dies and have increased the factory crimp which has helped a little and also set my OAL at the short end of specifications. The Xtreme flat point has a straight angle up to the flat point and not rounded up to the flat like other bullets. I have ordered some round nose bullets which have an eased/rounded transition to the nose. I am thinking of possible causes: 1) the kahr barrel diameter is on the small side of .45, 2) the feed ramp angle is sharper causing the bullet to not slide into the chamber smoothly, 3) bullet shape is causing hang up when it hits the barrel hood, 4) the kahr barrel chamber is shorter than in my other pistols. Any thoughts from CW45 owners/reloaders?
That bullet profile requires a shorter OAL than a round nose. The fix is to shorten the OAL or don't fire that bullet in the Kahr. Kahrs have a short chamber and when you use an extreme flat nose profile bullet, the bullet hits the lands in the barrel before it is fully chambered. If Southerngunner is using that profile in his gun, find out what OAL he is using and compare it to yours. If it is shorter and you want to use that ammo then use the shorter OAL. It might require a lighter power charge load if you are already at maximum load of powder charge. Your feed ramp and magazine springs are most likely OK. Post your load data so we readers can determine how you can change it for best loading results.
There is also a possibility that if you are using a light load, you may need to increase the the charge. Post: bullet brand and gr, powder charge and power name, your OAL

[Bumkin]

225gr Copper FP, VV N340, 6.2gr, OAL 1.180

[Southerngunner]

Does your crimp appear to have any roll to it or can you catch your fingernail on the case mouth ? My 1911's are not too picky but my XD 45 was tempermental as far as bullet profile. Perhaps try to set your seating and crimp dies up with loaded factory ammo. Just put the round in the shell holder and raise the ram to the top posistion and back off the lock ring on the die and screw the die body down until you feel resistance the screw the lock ring down and load a few and see if that helps. Perhaps one of your pals has a 45 ACP taper crimp die you could borrow to try out . I know from personal experience some older Hornady and RCBS die sets gave me problems until I bought a specific die for taper crimp. I now load only on Dillon equipment and in my opinion they are the best dies and presses that I have ever used in the last 40 years of reloading. I hope this helps.

[Bumkin]

Thanks Ikeo 74 - "Kahrs have a short chamber and when you use an extreme flat nose profile bullet, the bullet hits the lands in the barrel before it is fully chambered." I suspected something like that. Like I said, I have some round nose coming and my expectation that if I set my bullet depth and thus OAL to match something like a WWB the problem will be solved.

[Ikeo74]

Thanks Ikeo 74 - "Kahrs have a short chamber and when you use an extreme flat nose profile bullet, the bullet hits the lands in the barrel before it is fully chambered." I suspected something like that. Like I said, I have some round nose coming and my expectation that if I set my bullet depth and thus OAL to match something like a WWB the problem will be solved.
The round nose bullets will most likely solve the problem. If you want to check farther about why the flat nose bullets are not cycling well, take a black marker and darken the bullet that sticks out of the case. Chamber the bullet fully, extract is out and look for scratch marks on the bullet tip. If it has land marks the OAL is too long.

[Bumkin]

Southerngunner - my only reloading associate just reloads 9 & 380. I've tried matching a factory round in my seating die but have not come across a flat nosed round that is close to the Xtreme. I'll have to check tonight if the factory crimp die puts a roll or taper crimp on the rounds. To your comment about Dillon - the 550 is next. I bought the Lee 4 hole turret to start & learn. About 200 more rounds loaded and I will, on paper, have saved enough reloading vs. factory rounds to offset the cost of the Lee. I am now addicted to scrounging brass & reloading.

[Southerngunner]

My loads are 4.8 grains of WW231 WW large primers with a lee 225 grain Trunicated flat point cast bullet sized to .452 oal of bullet is .6015 with the loaded round OAL of 1.1770

[Ikeo74]

I don't know of any 45 ACP dies that put a roll crimp on a 45 ACP case. They are all taper crimps to my knowledge. If the case is within book measurements where the case meets the bullet, your crimp should be ok. Most dies make the crimp slightly smaller by 1 to 2 thousants than book measurements.

[Southerngunner]

Southerngunner - my only reloading associate just reloads 9 & 380. I've tried matching a factory round in my seating die but have not come across a flat nosed round that is close to the Xtreme. I'll have to check tonight if the factory crimp die puts a roll or taper crimp on the rounds. To your comment about Dillon - the 550 is next. I bought the Lee 4 hole turret to start & learn. About 200 more rounds loaded and I will, on paper, have saved enough reloading vs. factory rounds to offset the cost of the Lee. I am now addicted to scrounging brass & reloading.

Its an addiction Brother,:wof: I use 2 Dillon presses the main 550 B is set up for all Large primer applications and I also have a Square deal for all small primer pistol rounds 38/357,9mm,40S&W . For both presses I have tool heads that is left set up for each caliber with everything set and ready to load including powder measures. The 550 changes over much easier and faster than the square deal.
There is nothing wrong with Lee presses at all and my first 20 years was spent on an old RCBS Rock Chucker single stage and I would hate to guess how many 1000s of rounds I loaded on it.

[Bumkin]

The Lee turret is a good starter for loading different calibers with the removable turret. I have three turrets with three calibers. 45 & 40 for me and 380 for wife. The ability to change calibers at a reasonable price is what has me looking at the 550B instead of the 650. Only down side I see is the lack of auto indexing.

Mods - it looks like the topic is changing from the CW45 to reloading, please move the thread if necessary.

[Bawanna]

We get a little thread drift from time to time. I even did it once myself but it was a long time ago.

We can leave or move, your call.

I too spent many of my formative years on a Rockchucker, then I upgraded and got a second Rockchucker, that was my idea of progressive. Now I have a Hornady Lok N Load, great press. I use it for pistols, still use the Rockchucker for all rifle stuff. Sent the second Rockchucker down to Old Lincoln, that was his idea of progressive but I think it's still going strong for him. Don't seem like they wear out. Don't load much rifle anymore.

[Southerngunner]

The Lee turret is a good starter for loading different calibers with the removable turret. I have three turrets with three calibers. 45 & 40 for me and 380 for wife. The ability to change calibers at a reasonable price is what has me looking at the 550B instead of the 650. Only down side I see is the lack of auto indexing.

Mods - it looks like the topic is changing from the CW45 to reloading, please move the thread if necessary.

I do not mind the manual indexing on my 550 as it allows to make sure everything is good and that I don't rush anything.

[Bumkin]

My thoughts exactly - I have trained myself to look down the case before the bullet goes in.

[blackbird94]

Not an expert on this by any means. But recently went through the same thing using hornady XTP rounds. They sound very similar in shape to what you were trying. went to a rounded nose power ball ammo and have had no other problems. Nor did I have any trouble with FMJ reloads or factory round nose FMJ.

[Bumkin]

Loaded 20 test rounds N340, reduced load to 5.2gr and OAL to 1.170. Barrel drop check is much better. Has to be short CW45 chamber. Will shoot at range tomorrow. Anticipate good results based on drop check.

[Ikeo74]

Loaded 20 test rounds N340, reduced load to 5.2gr and OAL to 1.170. Barrel drop check is much better. Has to be short CW45 chamber. Will shoot at range tomorrow. Anticipate good results based on drop check.
I don't have load data for VV powder. What is their HIGH/Low data for the 225 grain bullet and N340 powder? You may not have needed to drop 1 full grain in the new loads. Can you post that data? If they don't cycle this time at the range it may be because of the low load of N340, but if 5.2 is at/or above the listed minimum charge in your printed data you should be OK. If I had had my own data referance I would have looked it up myself to see where you are for the new load.

[Bumkin]

Success! Test loads @ OAL = 1.170 cycled & fed without a hitch. Same load worked well in my XDM45-5.25. Southerngunner - my bullets are shorter than yours, I went with the 1.170, 1.1770 wouldn't drop in the chamber as smoothly. 5.2 grains of the N340 is right at the low end of the data so I'm confident the pressure was still in the safe range. Load didn't feel any stiffer than a factory load. On the down side, I'm close to the end of my N340 supply, will have to figure it out for N320 or WST. At least now I know what the feed issue was.

[downtownv]

Well, let me conclude, what I've been sayin' all along!
Size DOES Matter!

Glad the issue is resolved:)

[Southerngunner]

Success! Test loads @ OAL = 1.170 cycled & fed without a hitch. Same load worked well in my XDM45-5.25. Southerngunner - my bullets are shorter than yours, I went with the 1.170, 1.1770 wouldn't drop in the chamber as smoothly. 5.2 grains of the N340 is right at the low end of the data so I'm confident the pressure was still in the safe range. Load didn't feel any stiffer than a factory load. On the down side, I'm close to the end of my N340 supply, will have to figure it out for N320 or WST. At least now I know what the feed issue was.


Bumkin, I'm glad you got it worked out now follow jockos advice and go shoot the "focker"