CW 380 ammo and prep recommendations

[brycewise]

I was going to get an LCP 2, but I came across a site selling the CW 380 and ordered it along with a spare 7 round mag for $262.24 shipped and I figured that was too good a price to pass up and I ordered one about an hour ago.... So now Im looking at the Prep thread by Jocko and wondered if there are any additional things I should perform.

Im also looking to find a good defense load and some bulk ammo for the break in. Im normally not to concerned with range ammo type but since this is a reliability test I want to use one that seems to work well for most to determine if mine is function proper or needs repair

I have read that prefecta is a brand that doesn't cycle well in the cw. How about Winchester White Box and/or American quality. They are both reasonably priced

As for defense ammo how is Hornady critical defense, corbon dpx and speer GD or federal HST? any other suggestions would be appreciated... thanks

[topgun1953]

Congratulations! IMHO all the hand cycling of the slide in the prep threads is not necessary. I've just cleaned and lubed my new Kahrs and then went out and shot them. For range ammo, you're correct about the perfecta and you can include Fiocchi FMJ into the same category. Some people have modified the extractor and then they can run those two brands. Other than those two, any round nose FMJ should work. Blazer and PMC are a couple of my favs. For defense, critical defense, and any round with the XTP bullet works well. I've 'progressed' to the Underwood load of Lehigh's Critical Defender. It's not my EDC, but it is one of my favorite guns to shoot at the range!

[Ed M]

Congratulations. You made a great choice.

If you follow the advice in the prep thread, you should be fine. Don't forget to get your free magazine from Kahr via this link:

http://www.kahr.com/MagPromo2017.asp

For range ammo, follow Kahr's recommendation of using domestic made ammo. I've read reports that WWB doesn't work well in some Kahr 380s, but mine did fine with it.

Hornady Critical Defense is a defense round that seems to work fine in most Kahr 380s. My CW380s ran fine with any ammo I fed them except Perfecta. There's fixes for that as well on this forum.

Keep your new 380 clean and well lubed - here's a Kahr lube diagram in case you don't run across it anywhere else:

http://www.kahrtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14887&stc=1

I agree 100% with Topgun's post. Good advice....,

[brycewise]

Congratulations! IMHO all the hand cycling of the slide in the prep threads is not necessary. I've just cleaned and lubed my new Kahrs and then went out and shot them. For range ammo, you're correct about the perfecta and you can include Fiocchi FMJ into the same category. Some people have modified the extractor and then they can run those two brands. Other than those two, any round nose FMJ should work. Blazer and PMC are a couple of my favs. For defense, critical defense, and any round with the XTP bullet works well. I've 'progressed' to the Underwood load of Lehigh's Critical Defender. It's not my EDC, but it is one of my favorite guns to shoot at the range!

Thanks, Im not too big on the idea of modifying the extractor if I don't have too, I would prefer to just use a different round.

I like the results of the DT 95 grain controlled expansion and the speer gold dot. (its close enough to 12 inches from the tests I have seen) I guess my question is since these pistols have a rep of being finicky with certain tyes of ammo, what is the choices for ones that have been proven to function reliably in the CW380?

[brycewise]

Thanks... You just saved me $30

[TheLastDaze]

hope you get a runner... havent shot mine in about 2 yrs but never could get it dialed in therefore never carried it... looking forward to a good range report..

[brycewise]

hope you get a runner... havent shot mine in about 2 yrs but never could get it dialed in therefore never carried it... looking forward to a good range report..

As with most 380s I know the reviews on the CW380 are a mixed bag so I hope to give a good report, if not, then Kahr is going to be the one doing the tinkering until it works... Im not going to both pay for their product then fix their problems too

[yqtszhj]

I was going to get an LCP 2, but I came across a site selling the CW 380 and ordered it along with a spare 7 round mag for $262.24 shipped and I figured that was too good a price to pass up and I ordered one about an hour ago.... So now Im looking at the Prep thread by Jocko and wondered if there are any additional things I should perform.

Im also looking to find a good defense load and some bulk ammo for the break in. Im normally not to concerned with range ammo type but since this is a reliability test I want to use one that seems to work well for most to determine if mine is function proper or needs repair

I have read that prefecta is a brand that doesn't cycle well in the cw. How about Winchester White Box and/or American quality. They are both reasonably priced

As for defense ammo how is Hornady critical defense, corbon dpx and speer GD or federal HST? any other suggestions would be appreciated... thanks

Shot a whole bunch of federal American Eagle the other day with no issues for break in.

[mark7mod0]

As with most 380s I know the reviews on the CW380 are a mixed bag so I hope to give a good report, if not, then Kahr is going to be the one doing the tinkering until it works... Im not going to both pay for their product then fix their problems too

I usually would agree with you concerning self modifications on my firearms, but seeing the mod video and actually finding it really did not require the complete disassembly of the upper, it took less than 10 minutes to modify the extractor to fire all types of ammo. I felt it was the lesser of the evils of sending the firearm back to Kahr and them maybe fixing it, and if worse came to worse...$16 for a new extractor.

[TheLastDaze]

let me rephrase my above post as i remember i did get it almost 100% a couple years ago and havent shot it since... i did the extractor mod before it was a sticky and i was going to do a write up and never came back....til now, anyhow i did a lot of work to this gun, no biggie its just a mechanical device easy to work on but super small parts

[dsk]

Bottom line: don't screw with it at all until you've run a couple hundred rounds through it. You may have a pistol that runs 100% out of the box. If it doesn't then you can start looking into either fluff n' buff fixes or warranty repair.

[RH45]

I just bought a CW380, sight unseen.
I field stripped it, and checked a couple of different types of ammo, to see how they would slide under the extractor, and even Fiocchi seemed ok. It appears that the bottom edge of the extractor is beveled, but, I wanted to round off the bottom corner, for more reliable feeding, but, even though I can get the striker pushed down, I can't seem to budge the pin, behind the exratctor, to slide the back plate down.
Just for kicks, I put some Fiocchi in a mag, locked the slide back, inserted the mag, and was happy to find that it would feed every time.
Yesterday, with the wind chill, it was about -50, but, tomorrow, the temperature is SUPPOSED to go up to the 20s, so I'm planning on taking it out to the range and trying Fiocchi, Winchester, Remington, and Hornady Critical Defense

[DavidR]

There is a plunger that needs to be pushed down to relieve pressure on the plate. This video shows it.

https://youtu.be/mi3VFRll2L4

[RH45]

There is a plunger that needs to be pushed down to relieve pressure on the plate. This video shows it.

https://youtu.be/mi3VFRll2L4
Thanks for the link
I tried a 1/16" pin punch, and about the smallest jeweler's screwdriver made but couldn't budge it.
I'll have to look at it tomorrow, with a magnifying glass. Maybe i wasn't pushing on the exact spot.

[Bawanna]

The pin is deceiving and is actually smaller than the hole indicates by about half. The small jewelers screw driver should do it if you get it in the right spot. You'll be able to feel it depress easily, if not you still hitting the plate.
If it's the first time that has come off it can be less then cooperative, you might need your third hand to kind of pry gently down on it to get it started.
Once it moves a bit your pretty much home free. Keep the back covered so the spring doesn't go into orbit. Once you've done it a time or two, it's easy.

[RH45]

The pin is deceiving and is actually smaller than the hole indicates by about half. The small jewelers screw driver should do it if you get it in the right spot. You'll be able to feel it depress easily, if not you still hitting the plate.
If it's the first time that has come off it can be less then cooperative, you might need your third hand to kind of pry gently down on it to get it started.
Once it moves a bit your pretty much home free. Keep the back covered so the spring doesn't go into orbit. Once you've done it a time or two, it's easy.

With a flashlight in my mouth, and a magnifier on my head, I saw that I apparently was trying to push on the back plate.
Once I pushed down on the proper place, it was a piece of cake.
I can see how someone could get frustrated, putting it back together.
I know a lot of guys that are afraid to take apart a 1911. I'm thinking a Kahr would give them a heart attack.

[DavidR]

Yep - I struggled with mine until my wife found me a teeny, tiny screwdriver. Was simple after that.

Glad it worked out.

[RH45]

I made it out to the range today.
Apparently, the couple of Fiocchi I tried earlier must have had thinner rims, because I had to push the slide in to battery through most of the two mags full I tried.
I also tried Winchester white box, UMC, Remington HST, Hornady with 90 grain XTP bullets, Hornady Critical Defense, and some handloads I had laying around.
I had one Critical Defense that didn't want to feed. I think I need to get some Magguts because the slide didn't want to lock back.
Even though all ammo would keep them in the "head" of an IDPA target at 10 yards, The Hornady, with 90 grain XTP bullets put all 6 in one ragged hole.
I can't believe how soft this pistol shoots. I'm thinking that my M&P .380 Bodyguard might be going down the road.