New CW380 guidance welcome

[JMC]

Hey guys,

Finally picked up a CW380 and I must say I am so far impressed (haven’t shot it yet haha). During my research before buying I read that these guys can be a real pain out of the box especially with certain rounds.

I happened to have some problematic Perfecta around and thought I’d try to chamber a round. Obviously it hung up on the extractor. I’m basically looking for advice on how to make sure this thing runs tip top at the range. Obviously I will be buying more quality ammo but it would be nice to also be able to throw some cheap rounds down range occasionally. Does Kahr sell upgraded extractors? Any advice would be great.

Sorry if this has been beaten into the ground on here. New to the forum, still finding my way around. Thanks guys

[yqtszhj]

Here's a thread on it. I'd advise to get a box of some good ammo first and shoot it to loosen it up and then ho for it.

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?26232-Found-solution-to-FTF-and-failure-to-return-to-battery-on-CW-380

I was fortunate that mine would even chamber a round hand racking it out of the box. My CW45 is the only other one that I could do that with. It's all the extractor clearance and extractor spring tension balance.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[SlowBurn]

Hey guys,

Finally picked up a CW380 and I must say I am so far impressed (haven’t shot it yet haha). During my research before buying I read that these guys can be a real pain out of the box especially with certain rounds.

I happened to have some problematic Perfecta around and thought I’d try to chamber a round. Obviously it hung up on the extractor. I’m basically looking for advice on how to make sure this thing runs tip top at the range. Obviously I will be buying more quality ammo but it would be nice to also be able to throw some cheap rounds down range occasionally. Does Kahr sell upgraded extractors? Any advice would be great.

Sorry if this has been beaten into the ground on here. New to the forum, still finding my way around. Thanks guys

If you have an extractor related problem, Kahr will ugrade the extractor as a warranty repair.

[JMC]

I have now tried several types of 380. None of them will chamber without being hung up. Haven’t made it through a full mag yet. Should I just call Kahr?

[Ed M]

Just to clarify....

Are you using the slide stop/release to chamber the first round?

Are you actually shooting it, and the next round won't feed?

If the answer is yes to these 2 questions, I'd absolutely call Kahr.

If they want you to run 200 rounds through it before they'll fix it, ask how you're supposed to do that if the rounds won't chamber.....

[dustnchips]

Go to the New Member Forum and read the thread Proper prep of a new Kahr. I also did some polishing on everything that slides, glides or rubs with some 1000 wet or dry. Polishied though it was very smooth with a dremel and jewelers rouge. I have had no problem of any kind since I did this. Get it running and you will love it. Great pocket carry. Good luck and report back so we know how things worked out for you.

[JMC]

Just to clarify....

Are you using the slide stop/release to chamber the first round?

Are you actually shooting it, and the next round won't feed?

If the answer is yes to these 2 questions, I'd absolutely call Kahr.

If they want you to run 200 rounds through it before they'll fix it, ask how you're supposed to do that if the rounds won't chamber.....

Definitely using the slide stop/release and I was actually shooting it with the issues.

[yqtszhj]

I'd call them if it just won't work. When they give you an RMA # politely ask if they can email you a Fedex label and they should send you one in 24 hours or so. Return at no cost to you.

You're going to like it once its up and running.

[JMC]

I'd call them if it just won't work. When they give you an RMA # politely ask if they can email you a Fedex label and they should send you one in 24 hours or so. Return at no cost to you.

You're going to like it once its up and running.

I’m ok with the kinks being worked out by them. I know this will be a great fun once it’s been refined. I really would hope they would cover the shipping.

[JMC]

Also, do you just ship it back in the Kahr box?

[yqtszhj]

I think I used a plain non-marked box when I had to send my CW45 back. They'll want the gun and the magazine.

[topgun1953]

Also, do you just ship it back in the Kahr box?

I put everything in the Kahr box, bring it to my local FedEx and put it into one of their standard boxes; medium I think. If you have a smartphone, they can scan the barcode on Kahrs email and print the label. Done.

[JMC]

I’m gonna try a few more things before I call them. I saw the extravor reshape online but I don’t think I will go that far at all.

[JMC]

I was only trying perfects and fiochi so I’m guessing that’s the main problem. I threw in some snap caps and it chambered those beaitifully. I’m going to buy some better ammo this weekend and see how it actually does. I will also be giving it a crazy good cleaning.

[Ed M]

I was only trying perfects and fiochi so I’m guessing that’s the main problem.

There's your problem.

I'm halfway done breaking in my new P380. Using Blazer Brass ammo, it has performed flawlessly.

It wouldn't chamber Perfecta from the beginning, and it still doesn't now.

I (and you) have 2 choices:

1 - Send it back to Kahr to have the extractor "updated", or do it myself if I want to run that out of SAAMI spec ammo in it.

2 - Don't use that ammo.

Your call.....

FWIW, Kahr recommends using domestic made ammo in their firearms. Fiocchi/Perfecta is made in Italy, or in some cases made here using foreign components.

I don't expect Kahr to fix a problem caused by ammo they don't recommend...

[JMC]

There's your problem.

I'm halfway done breaking in my new P380. Using Blazer Brass ammo, it has performed flawlessly.

It wouldn't chamber Perfecta from the beginning, and it still doesn't now.

I (and you) have 2 choices:

1 - Send it back to Kahr to have the extractor "updated", or do it myself if I want to run that out of SAAMI spec ammo in it.

2 - Don't use that ammo.

Your call.....

FWIW, Kahr recommends using domestic made ammo in their firearms. Fiocchi/Perfecta is made in Italy, or in some cases made here using foreign components.

I don't expect Kahr to fix a problem caused by ammo they don't recommend...


i think I’ll pick up some quality ammo and run the hell out of it and see where it stands after that. No need to send it back because of bad ammo.

[cardguy]

Go to the New Member Forum and read the thread Proper prep of a new Kahr. I also did some polishing on everything that slides, glides or rubs with some 1000 wet or dry. Polishied though it was very smooth with a dremel and jewelers rouge. I have had no problem of any kind since I did this. Get it running and you will love it. Great pocket carry. Good luck and report back so we know how things worked out for you.
Not to get off the subject but my Dillon 550B was having primer feeding problems of every sort and I did the same thing. Polished the rough area, etc. Any mass produced machinery ie gun, etc is subject to problems.

[dsk]

A local gun shop has a CW380 for sale at a very attractive price. I was thinking about getting it as a spare to my P380, but then I decided I didn't want to spend another year or two and thousands of rounds of ammo troubleshooting it like I did with my P380. When the day finally comes when Kahr wakes up and fixes all these problems on the assembly line I'll consider buying another one.

[SlowBurn]

A local gun shop has a CW380 for sale at a very attractive price. I was thinking about getting it as a spare to my P380, but then I decided I didn't want to spend another year or two and thousands of rounds of ammo troubleshooting it like I did with my P380. When the day finally comes when Kahr wakes up and fixes all these problems on the assembly line I'll consider buying another one.

If the price is that good, imo you're depriving yourself.

Here's the logic - You have nothing to lose. You don't need to depend on the new cw380 since your p380 is running fine.

You can take the new one to the range, for break in and practice, and leave your p380 clean. As far as shooting and handling, they're identical. You're not wasting ammo since you'd be shooting anyway. If it doesn't have a problem, you're good to go. If the cw380 experiences problems related to the extractor, you send it in on their dime, get it upgraded. (This time, I'd do it sooner rather than later because you'll be able to tell its not a "break-in" issue.) If the repair takes awhile, so what? Again you've got the p380 to carry in the meantime.

Once you get it working right you'll have a great gun to rotate with the p380 and something to use if you ever have to send the p380 in for repairs again. All at a price you probably won't see again after the current crop with questionable extractors works its way out of the market.

That was my logic anyway when I bought #2 over the summer at a great price. I had had to send it in, but its worked out really well and now I have 2 I can depend on.

[Ed M]

A local gun shop has a CW380 for sale at a very attractive price. I was thinking about getting it as a spare to my P380, but then I decided I didn't want to spend another year or two and thousands of rounds of ammo troubleshooting it like I did with my P380. When the day finally comes when Kahr wakes up and fixes all these problems on the assembly line I'll consider buying another one.

Chicken.

If ANYBODY can get a CW380 to run right, it's you.

Buy a new extractor for it. Round off the bottom edge of the extractor claw, and sand off 5 thousandths from the inside of the extractor lug.

With your finely honed disassembly skills, that's about 15 minutes worth of work.

It'd take longer to box it up to send it in for the extractor update. Really - it's very easy to do.

[dsk]

I'm less worried about extractor problems than I am light firing pin strikes, which have long plagued my P380 and are a lot harder to solve. Last week at the range I had another one, although it could have been the fault of the old ammo I was shooting up. Right now I've got a couple of defective Taurus pistols to send back after the holidays, but once I'm finally back to having no guns in need of fixing I may get a CW380 and try my luck on it. I'm sure the shop selling it will have more at that price eventually.

[dsk]

Well, I was getting close to getting it, but when I went back to the LGS today it was gone. I asked them if they're going to order another one and they said they held onto the old one for far too long which was why it was such a good price ($239). You snooze you looze.

[dustnchips]

I don't see the connection between old ammo and light strikes. Why would the primer get any harder? Try not fully in battery due to weak recoil spring, or dirty striker channel or weak striker spring. Old ammo would be the last thing I would ever consider as the cause.


I'm less worried about extractor problems than I am light firing pin strikes, which have long plagued my P380 and are a lot harder to solve. Last week at the range I had another one, although it could have been the fault of the old ammo I was shooting up. Right now I've got a couple of defective Taurus pistols to send back after the holidays, but once I'm finally back to having no guns in need of fixing I may get a CW380 and try my luck on it. I'm sure the shop selling it will have more at that price eventually.

[dsk]

I don't see the connection between old ammo and light strikes. Why would the primer get any harder? Try not fully in battery due to weak recoil spring, or dirty striker channel or weak striker spring. Old ammo would be the last thing I would ever consider as the cause.

If you look back at all of my posts you'll see I've become quite an expert in Kahrs and light firing pin strikes. I literally spent several years trying to solve a persistent LFPS issue with my P380, and I've long since learned to only shoot it when squeaky clean and with reasonably fresh springs. I mostly got it debugged at long last, but the particular cartridge that failed to fire ended up with a strange, flat dent in the primer instead of a round indent like you'd expect. After three tries it went off. Since it didn't show a properly-shaped firing pin hit I am assuming there was something wonky about the consistency of the metal used to make that particular primer cup. All the other rounds I fired that day were fine with decent indents. It WAS old ammo, but you're right that it wasn't BECAUSE it was old.

[dustnchips]

I still don't believe old ammo. I can believe it was bad from the get go though.

[SlowBurn]

I'm less worried about extractor problems than I am light firing pin strikes, which have long plagued my P380 and are a lot harder to solve.

Been there. My old P380 was reliable for years, then developed a problem with occasional light strikes. Kahr replaced the barrel on the theory that the round was loading a bit too deeply into the chamber. That didn't do it so they replaced the frame which somehow had come to have too much flex I guess. That did it, it was back to being perfect (until it was stolen last year.)

Again, having a 2nd one - a cw380 which is essentially a duplicate - made it easier to tolerate the repeat trips to the factory.