My CW45 Lemon?

[allthumbsplusone]

Picked up a new cw45 and put it though its paces for break in. The first box or so I had probably at least on failure to completely feed. I had to thumb push the round forward. It got better to the point that by box 4 I was getting one every 3 or 4 magazines. I have 2 different mags and the results were the same. I took it down and cleaned it up and went back to the range. The next 100 rounds were just like the first 50 if not worse. I had multiple failures to feed the first round using the Kahr recommended method. I fired a a couple more boxes and never made it though a mag without a hangup. This was using standard ball ammo.
I have a PM9 purchased new and an older p380 I got used and have fired thousands of round through both of those with only 2 primer strike errors and in both cases the primer was hit solid but did not ignite. So I go from 2 guns that basically ran like my glocks to this cw45 that has me baffled. Several times after the first round would not chamber I field stripped the gun and the first round would then seat properly which leads me to believe it is a recoil spring problem. Not the spring itself but how it is seating. I think somehow it is moving around between shots? Is this even possible. Anyway I am really bummed, I have no,zero, nada confidence in this firearm.

[dustnchips]

Do you have the spring in the right way? Sounds obvious since you have other Kahrs but it is a place to start.

[allthumbsplusone]

Here are some images of what I can see. First of all the primer strikes are pretty well off center. They are consistant to the same spot. Not the mark on the breachface where the primer and firing pin line up. Second, note how the bullet loads off center on the feed ramp. Perhaps the bullet is catching the edge? I don't know, I am at a loss.http://www.pbase.com/twistedlim/image/164313368.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/twistedlim/image/164313371.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/twistedlim/image/164313372.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/twistedlim/image/164314814.jpg

[unclenunzie]

are you able to carefully feed rounds through it manually(and safely of course)? Can you detect any hangups in the feeding process?

The slightly off-center hits could be slightly out of battery. The carbon marks on the breech face look like that too. Also, maybe it is the photo angle, but the breech face side wall (extractor side) does not look square. On my TP45 both sides appear perfectly 90 degrees square, perpendicular to the breech face.

You could compare to your PM9 similarly.

[allthumbsplusone]

are you able to carefully feed rounds through it manually(and safely of course)? Can you detect any hangups in the feeding process?

The slightly off-center hits could be slightly out of battery. The carbon marks on the breech face look like that too. Also, maybe it is the photo angle, but the breech face side wall (extractor side) does not look square. On my TP45 both sides appear perfectly 90 degrees square, perpendicular to the breech face.

You could compare to your PM9 similarly.

I am not sure how you would load it manually without forcing the extractor over the casing which is not too good for the extractor. I contacted Kahr about the off center strikes and they said as long as it fires it is OK by them (not me). They told me if I continued to have failure to feed issues to give them a call and we could send it back. When it goes into battery it goes bang. Occasionally I will think it has gone into full battery but will get a light strike meaning it was not in battery. Most of the time I can see that the slide has not moved all the way forward. I have even had problems with the first round loading using the "Kahr" method and the slide release. When I compare the PM9 to the 45 it seems like there is more of a rounding on the left side of the chamber on the left side as you look at it from the photo. I might add that the recoil spring seems weak to me compared to my PM9 and P380 when pulling the slide back. Who knows. I just cleaned it up again and will take it out for 50 more and see if there is any improvement. If not I guess it is off to Kahr.

[berettabone]

You can clearly see by the pics that the striker pin is not centered..............whether it's supposed to be like that, I can't tell you on a CW 45, having never handled one. Call me crazy. Doesn't look right to me though. Primer strikes off center are no big secret..........lots of firearms have smeared or off center strikes. The powder on the slide port above the barrel doesn't look quite right either. Call me crazy again. Your recoil setup could be part of the problem. I think that all of these things may require a visit to Kahr. Please don't take offense to this, and I have old eyes, but for some reason, that slide looks pitted in spots, and for being new, that barrel ramp doesn't look good either.

[allthumbsplusone]

It is not pitted, just dirty. I wanted to take a photo of where the bullet was hitting the feed ramp. To be sure all was seated properly I took a spent case, knocked out the primer and inserted it into the chamber. I gently pushed the slide/extractor forward over the case rim and it was seated flat against the face of the breach. After I pulled the trigger the striker was sticking into the hole where the primer used to be. It showed exactly the same position as the spent cases and the powder residue. Kahr said all other things being OK that primer strike is acceptable which seemed odd to have a precision item like a firearm have the firing pin (stiker) hitting .080 to .100 off center. I don't understand that and why it has to be acceptable. What part of the manufacturing process has to be messed up to allow that much deviation? Anyway, if it goes bang every time....OK. Problem is it will not go bang as the slide does not come all the way forward 30% of the time. To me there is a stacking up of tolerances there that is not acceptable. I am really spoiled by my PM9 and P380 ans they are nice and tight, and have fired everthing I have put through them, literally thousands of rounds.

[Bawanna]

What's the top of the chamber hood look like, any burring or excessive wear where it meets the slide up front.

Maybe a photo from the top slide closed in battery.

I sent you a PM also, you may not notice it being new.

[DaltonGang]

My 45 has the same striker imprint, does not bother me. I did have a lot of ftf with steel cased ammo. They just wouldn't work until I went steel-brass every other round. Keep i mind this is just to use up the steel ammo. I also had some out of battery issues with HPR hollow points. Found the OAL was longer on these rounds than some others. Now I only shoot good American made FMJ and Hydra Shocks. Just my 2 cents.

[nmkahrshooter]

I would keep sending it back to Kahr until they get it right. There is no way that is normal.

[sas PM9]

AT+1:

I believe that an all expenses paid trip back to the mother ship is in order. You have put more than the required number of rounds through the pistol and are still getting an unsatisfactory result. You have other KAHR models, so you are familiar with their operation.
Let KAHR have a chance to make it right; and see how it goes from there.

-steve