CW380 slide lock mod

[PLUSP3AT]

I've searched and searched for a slide lock fix thread with pics and can't find one anywhere. My problem is that my gun will prematurely lock back the slide with rounds still in the magazine. This happens with all ammo doesn't matter which kind. I'm also aware of my thumb position while shooting so that's not it its just the gun. If somebody has pics or a vid on their modification they did or exactly what I need to polish to fix this problem I'd greatly appreciate it.

[zaitcev]

Please pardon me asking such as silly question, but have you verfiried that the slide stop spring rested on top of the internal protrusion of the slide stop when you reassembled the pistol? If for some reason the wire spring slips under the protrusion, the result is going to be like the one you described. The same problem occurs in case the wire spring breaks.

[muggsy]

The slide can also lock back prematurely is the slide lock spring isn't properly adjusted.

[erichard]

Take the gun apart, put the slide lock release back into the polymer half (without the slide) and then slowly move a loaded magazine up into place. If you notice the front left hand side of the bullet touching the slide release and pushing it upward, then that's a problem. That also shows you where you need to grind some material away. It's just a smidgeon of a corner on the slide release that needs to be ground down. I happen to think it is a prevalent problem because the replacement slide release they sent me was also a problem. But who knows, maybe the tolerances in the gun made mine slightly different.

One other aspect to consider is that, after firing the first round (or any round after that), the top bullet in the magazine is often pulled (or in reality pushed by the striker) forward by 1/8 inch, sometimes more. So when you test to see if the bullet rubs on the slide release, also do it as in real world conditions, meaning put the bullet as far forward as you notice the bullets lying in your magazine once you have fired at least one round.

The other potential fix if your slide release doesn't get lifted when the bullets are seated fully to the rear of the mag, but does lift when the bullet is somewhat forward, is to try to fix the cause of the bullet moving forward. Some here, including myself, think that the striker tab is actually hitting the top round in the mag as it moves forward to hit the bullet in the chamber. This has been proven true by various methods (search for that thread). One, possibly controversial, solution was to alter the front face of that tab by filing it back to avoid it being able to hit the top round. This last paragraph is not established practice in this forum, so you need to understand that what I'm saying is being said for the first time essentially. Therefore, you need to consider this last bit of advice as experimental, though possibly true. If the bullet doesn't move forward, then the slide release issue could go away.

If you take off too much metal on the slide release, then it won't work after the last round is fired (by locking back the slide when it is supposed to do it), so you need to grind a little and test a little and grind a little more until you're satisfied. Better to grind too little than too much, as you can't put the metal back on. If filing the striker tab were good enough to fix it, that does seem a better approach to me, but it has not to my knowledge ever been done to fix this issue. It just theoretically seems appropriate to me. But what do I know? Take it with a grain of salt.

[erichard]

As a side note for those contemplating filing that striker tab back a little, when testing to see how much the stiker tab is pushing the bullet forward, be sure to either have a snap cap in the chamber or an empty casing in the chamber to simulate real world conditions where a live round would normally be there. If you test without a casing there, the striker will move forward more than in the real world where the casing stops its travel, and this will push the top round in the mag further forward than had you had a live round in the chamber. This error (of leaving out the snap cap) could cause you to file too much off because you keep seeing the bullet move forward as you retest after filing a little bit down. The difference is substantially significant with regards to how far that bullet moves forward with and without a snap cap in the chamber. Take heed.

[erichard]

When testing the bullets, remember some have a wider nose than others. The widest nose round that you use will likely be the most problematic. If you solve the issue for that round, you solve it for the others (narrower nosed rounds), so consider using this one as your test round when grinding down that slide release.

[PLUSP3AT]

I wish I had a vid on the slide release mod to know I'm doing it exactly right. Also the spring is adjusted properly. I've shot numerous types of rounds out of my pistol WWB precision one ball ammo underwood +p xtp (the only ones I haven't had lock slide release prematurely on) sig sauer 102 grain. All but the underwood ammo in plus p cause this problem. My glock 42 on the other hand stays hungry it eats everything I feed it

[b4uqzme]

Here's a vid on how to orient the spring and adjust the screw. Maybe that will help?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c50P7HCAATo

[Black Train]

^^^ +1

I found the screw securing the slide lock spring to be loose, when experiencing the same problem. The spring was loose enough to not hold the slide lock in the down position. Recoil from rounds fired cause the slide lock to move upward without that tension. Be careful not to over tighten. The spring is only held in place with the plastic of the frame. Good luck.

[jocko]

^^^ +1

I found the screw securing the slide lock spring to be loose, when experiencing the same problem. The spring was loose enough to not hold the slide lock in the down position. Recoil from rounds fired cause the slide lock to move upward without that tension. Be careful not to over tighten. The spring is only held in place with the plastic of the frame. Good luck.

good comment: SNUG IS GOOD...Once snuges, leave the damn thing alone. I put a dab of gun grease on that little springhy tip and the back side where the slidel lock lever goes into the frame. and also a small dab on the little nub on the slide lock lever that engages the little spring tip. That little sprighy does two different things, so treat it right and as faagile as it looks it won't give u an ounce of issue.. Just sayin

[jocko]

Take the gun apart, put the slide lock release back into the polymer half (without the slide) and then slowly move a loaded magazine up into place. If you notice the front left hand side of the bullet touching the slide release and pushing it upward, then that's a problem. That also shows you where you need to grind some material away. It's just a smidgeon of a corner on the slide release that needs to be ground down. I happen to think it is a prevalent problem because the replacement slide release they sent me was also a problem. But who knows, maybe the tolerances in the gun made mine slightly different.

One other aspect to consider is that, after firing the first round (or any round after that), the top bullet in the magazine is often pulled (or in reality pushed by the striker) forward by 1/8 inch, sometimes more. So when you test to see if the bullet rubs on the slide release, also do it as in real world conditions, meaning put the bullet as far forward as you notice the bullets lying in your magazine once you have fired at least one round.

The other potential fix if your slide release doesn't get lifted when the bullets are seated fully to the rear of the mag, but does lift when the bullet is somewhat forward, is to try to fix the cause of the bullet moving forward. Some here, including myself, think that the striker tab is actually hitting the top round in the mag as it moves forward to hit the bullet in the chamber. This has been proven true by various methods (search for that thread). One, possibly controversial, solution was to alter the front face of that tab by filing it back to avoid it being able to hit the top round. This last paragraph is not established practice in this forum, so you need to understand that what I'm saying is being said for the first time essentially. Therefore, you need to consider this last bit of advice as experimental, though possibly true. If the bullet doesn't move forward, then the slide release issue could go away.

If you take off too much metal on the slide release, then it won't work after the last round is fired (by locking back the slide when it is supposed to do it), so you need to grind a little and test a little and grind a little more until you're satisfied. Better to grind too little than too much, as you can't put the metal back on. If filing the striker tab were good enough to fix it, that does seem a better approach to me, but it has not to my knowledge ever been done to fix this issue. It just theoretically seems appropriate to me. But what do I know? Take it with a grain of salt.

BEFORE one grinds anything off that little nub on the slide lock lever, call kahr or write kahr, attn. Jay state ur case and ask for a new slide stop lever. sometimes they do get out of spec, Once u know it is coming to u in the mail then if u mus,t file off a tad of tha tlittle nub inside the frame. If it is one partic ular round causine it. CHANGE AMMO. This is a defence gun, fnd the round that works perfect and just stick with it. That round will always look close to that nu insde on the slide lock lever but close is good, so don't worry about it. Some opf these smlala ss semi's by utter makers dont even have a slide lock on the last round due to just to close of tolerances and they feel, it is not needed when truthfully, they are right. Nice for rang euse but certainly for defense use, not realy necessary. Just sayin

[erichard]

That's what I did, ask for a replacement slide lock release to see if it would work, then do the mod if it doesn't work. Little downside to that, and Kahr doesn't mind sending the replacement because it is so much cheaper than shipping the whole gun.