CW380 and Perfecta ammunition

[GDU]

I have owned a CW380 for a little over a year now. I have put over 250 rounds of ammunition through it with few issues. I have mainly used PMC ammo, and I've tested some Hornady Critical Defense rounds. However, recently I picked up some inexpensive Perfecta brand (Italian) ammo from Walmart. To my dismay, the ammunition will not feed correctly into the CW380. I brought the ammo back to Walmart with receipt in hand and was politely told they don't accept returns on ammo.

The bottom line is I recommend avoiding Perfecta for the CW380. Has anybody else experienced this problem with Perfecta and the CW380? Also, are there any other brands that seem to NOT work well in the CW380?

[shlike]

I have owned a CW380 for a little over a year now. I have put over 250 rounds of ammunition through it with few issues. I have mainly used PMC ammo, and I've tested some Hornady Critical Defense rounds. However, recently I picked up some inexpensive Perfecta brand (Italian) ammo from Walmart. To my dismay, the ammunition will not feed correctly into the CW380. I brought the ammo back to Walmart with receipt in hand and was politely told they don't accept returns on ammo.

The bottom line is I recommend avoiding Perfecta for the CW380. Has anybody else experienced this problem with Perfecta and the CW380? Also, are there any other brands that seem to NOT work well in the CW380?

I tried it as well in my CW380 with the same results. So I'm left with most of a box that I can't use. The only other ammo I had problems with was Fiocchi FMJ. The Fiocchi Perfecta JHP however, works fine.

[kcs1]

Picked up a new CW 380 a couple of weeks ago. Took it to the range over the weekend and it ran 100% from the get go with several brands of ammo (PMC, Critical Defense, Winchester, Cor Bon) EXCEPT for some "junk" Russian Wolf hollow points that I picked up a couple of years ago when you could not find anything else. Stay away from that garbage. Even had problems with my LCP trying to use that stuff and the LCP will normally digest anything.

[timboy]

I have not tried it but it is not the first time that I have read someone having trouble with perfecta in a CW380 on here.

[zamboni]

I have read bad things about that ammo as well. I believe it says made in Italy, but also says Tula somewhere on the box as well.

[ST010]

I had the same issue with Perfecta from WalMart and they would not accept return, so e-mailed Tula with no response from them to date. Very disappointing! It appears to be an interference with the extractor and the shape of their brass. I also note there is a connection between Fiocchi and Tula, so I would stay away from both!

[warbird1]

Fiocchi makes Perfecta and makes the BrassMaxx in the box for Tula. The BrassMaxx that you can buy in a can is made for them by someone else. (Stay away from the stuff in the can). Works great in my 9's and my 40's but not in my P380. The same Tula BrassMaxx that won't work in my P380 works flawlessly in my Browning BDA. What works great in one gun may not work in another. Some gun designs are picky and some are not.

[Redleg]

I am having problems getting Fiocchi ammo to chamber. The rim thickness of the case is from .005" to .007" thicker than other brands of ammo I've tried and seems to get jammed up under the extractor. Anyway, that's my best guess.

[SlowBurn]

Never tried Perfecta. Try taking your barrel out and drop a round into the chamber. Fiocchi FMJ fails the drop test with my P380. It's just not made for that gun.

[2tango2]

Fiocchi jammed like crazy in my CW380. I avoid it like the plague.

[Ron AZ]

Except, Fiocchi XTP hollow points feed and shoot fine in my P380. Never tried Fiocchi FMJ's though.

[Thom76]

Maybe the same problem, F2F with Monarch. From the photos (assuming I can upload) in one it looks like the nose is stuck against the ramp, in the other (2 of 100 rounds) the spring appears at fault. Too new to have a valid opinion.http://cannellandassociates.com/UDBGstories/cw380%20f2f.jpghttp://cannellandassociates.com/UDBGstories/cw380%20f2f_2.jpg

[erichard]

In that first picture, the bullet is hitting the right side of the feed ramp, and the feed ramp is over to the left in the gun (not centered like most guns). Mine is that way as well, and I'm guessing they all are (?). Isn't that a strange way to design a feed ramp. Why not have the bullet hit the center of the feed ramp, not the right side?

[cobrasjp]

In that first picture, the bullet is hitting the right side of the feed ramp, and the feed ramp is over to the left in the gun (not centered like most guns). Mine is that way as well, and I'm guessing they all are (?). Isn't that a strange way to design a feed ramp. Why not have the bullet hit the center of the feed ramp, not the right side?
The offset feed ramp is one of the features (patented, I believe) of the Kahr design. It allows the gun to be very compact for a given cartridge length.

You can read about it here:
http://www.kahr.com/kahr-unique-design.asp

[erichard]

Thanks for the link. It seems to be a feature that raises the trigger group up along side the barrel lug, raising the shooter hand closer to the bore, which makes the gun more shootable. I just wonder if feeding reliability suffers with that compromise.

Aside from that issue, basically I think either the top round in the mag needs more support to point upwards, and/or the feeding ramp needs to be less steep in order to eliminate these nosedives (that admittedly not everyone experiences, whether due to ammo choice or whatever). If that top bullet is pointing upwards, the feed ramp does not seem to be an issue.

[Bikehiker]

I have not tried it but it is not the first time that I have read someone having trouble with perfecta in a CW380 on here.

50 Perfecta would not battery or extract in my CW380. I had to manually force the slide on almost every round just to get some sight/shoot practice because I knew I would either shoot it out or throw it away!. After the shot, failure to extract on almost every round. No FTFs, but it was like trying to load 45s instead of 380s. Don't buy that junk.

[JohnQ]

Yeah, just found out today that perfecta doesnt feed in the cw380... like at all... ran in a sig 238 fine...

Sucks because its the cheapest priced brass at chinamart...

Oh well... live and learn

Also was having some problems with 9mm perfecta in both my PM9s.. to the naked eye they seem to be longer than most domestic 9mm ball. They shoot and feed, however am not able to slingshot as reliably as i do with the domestic stuff.

[SlowBurn]

Perfecta just doesn't fit in the Kahr chamber. It bulges. You can verify it using the drop test if you still have any Perfecta rounds.

[2tango2]

I think the Perfecta is made by Fiocchoi which won't run for crap in my CW380. Good to know, thanks.

Clarification....Fiocchoi doesn't work in my CW380 so I imagine the Perfecta will act the same. I also have a P238 so good to know it runs ok in that.

[bbrad6]

I have owned a CW380 for a little over a year now. I have put over 250 rounds of ammunition through it with few issues. I have mainly used PMC ammo, and I've tested some Hornady Critical Defense rounds. However, recently I picked up some inexpensive Perfecta brand (Italian) ammo from Walmart. To my dismay, the ammunition will not feed correctly into the CW380. I brought the ammo back to Walmart with receipt in hand and was politely told they don't accept returns on ammo.

The bottom line is I recommend avoiding Perfecta for the CW380. Has anybody else experienced this problem with Perfecta and the CW380? Also, are there any other brands that seem to NOT work well in the CW380?

Bought one box PerFecta (95 Grain FMJ) at Walmart for my Kahr .380. Loaded up three magazines (this past weekend)_and could not get one round to feed after several attempts. Asked the range to dispose of the ammo for me. Will not be buying anymore PerFecta, period! Have shot about 2000 round through the Kahr, using Winchester, PPU, PMC, Federal, Buffalo Bore and Magtech. Early on I had a few issues (less than 5 %) (failure to load) with all the ammo except for Buffalo Bore and Magtech, but the last 500 rounds have gone very well except for my recent experience with PerFecta. After the PerFecta failure to load I immediately shot 100 rounds of Magtech without one failure, so I doubt the problem was gun or user related.

[Shoop]

I bought 2 boxes of Perfecta 380 and at first it wouldn't extract a single shell. FTextract and then the next round gets nosedived in. Have to remove the magazine to correct.

After 50 or so (and a bunch of mirror polishing of the internals) it started to work half the time.

So now I just use it for training. I throw one in the mag and I don't know if it will work or not! Tula should market this ammo as elite operator training ammo.

[CharlieR]

I have had the best luck in my P380 with PMC and Remington UMC ball, and Winchester PDX1, and Federal HST.
I tried the Brass Max.....it ran in my Glock 42, but FTF in the P380.

[dustnchips]

Oh crap. I read a review of the CW380 that said they ran 100 rounds of Fioochi through with no problems when they were testing different ammo. I foolishly ordered 1000 rounds and now I found this site and read it is no good. I have not received it yet so maybe I can return it. If not I will have to buy another pistol.

[Turd Ferguson]

Fiocchi jammed like crazy in my CW380. I avoid it like the plague.My experience, too. Just the round FMJ, though. Their JHPs work OK. I wish I'd have known that before I bought 2(!) boxes of it. My CW9 will take anything, so I assumed the CW380 would be the same. Live and learn.

[sg9az]

I too have experienced a problem with Perfecta .380 ammo as it will not load into my Kahr .380.
i bought the ammo at WalMart and they do not accept returns of ammunition.

[Cogburn]

Stay away from Lellier & Bellot.

[Cogburn]

What Shoop said is the best approach to take when you are stuck with ammo that won't work in the P or CW 380. That is how I will be shooting up my remaining Lellier & Bellot.

[nmkahrshooter]

If its cheap ammo- don't buy it. I work for LGS and see this issue all the time. Spend a few more dollars for good stuff. Also, nobody will return ammo. Once it leaves the store, you own it.

[darinb]

I took my cw380 out a few days ago and I had a type 3 and type 1 malfunction with perfecta and a type 3 with tula and a buddy told me perfecta was underpowdered but not sure if that's true. At the end of my range trip I also had 11 type 3 malfunctions in a row with speed dot JHP. I had no problems with Winchester white box or Remington FMJ. I hope my extractor isn't the issue but examining the case rim profiles I think the ammo is the issue.

[dustnchips]

I managed to return my 1000 rounds of Fiocchi. Didn't even open the shipping box. I bought PMC and have been very happy as I have no failures of any kind in 300 rounds.

[Dagwood]

Perfecta 9mm runs great through my CW9. It is a bit hotter than other ammo. Lots of muzzle flash. I don't have a CW380 so I can't speak to that. I do have a Boberg XR45 that wont feed the perfecta at all. It runs fine through my 1911 and my ATI C45. I wouldn't call Perfecta crap, just depends on the firearm.