CW380 slide not returning all the way forward by itself

[pr42]

I have had a few hundred rounds through my CW380, and I really like it. The gun is very smooth on the range. Currently I'm using the Precision One XTP JHP, which seems flawless in terms of feeding. I also had good results with Hornady Critical Defense, but switched to Precision One on the basis of the ShootingTheBull videos. This is my everyday carry gun. I use a Galco leather IWB holster for outside, and a Remora IWB for indoors. Anyway, that's just the background. I really, really like this gun. But I just have one question that's been niggling at me. I'm not all that experienced with firearms in general, this is my first gun apart from a Springfield XD-S 3.3 9mm. So please forgive me if this is a dumb question.

The gun is loaded, one in the chamber. I pull the slide back a little bit, just to check the chamber. When I release the slide, it doesn't return all the way to the front. I have to give it a nudge, then it does return all the way.

This is the gun with the slide in the normal position.
http://i.imgur.com/lAcMvGf.jpg

This shows the abnormal position it returns to after checking the chamber.
http://i.imgur.com/l0Yb761.jpg

Here's a close-up of the front of the gun, showing the little bit that sticks out.
http://i.imgur.com/k3KG31g.jpg

The gun fires ok. I have cleaned and lubricated it as the manual specified. I don't think I over-lubed anything.

Any pointers? Is this due to something not being lubricated enough? Or is the gun simply not "worn in" enough to have it return itself to the proper position? Any other clues would be much appreciated. If it's normal then that's ok too, I guess, I just want to know what "normal" is for reference. Thanks.

[gb6491]

IMO, that fairly common/normal. My P380 does it, as do my S&W Shield and Springfield Armory XD-S. My Glock 19 and Kahr CW9 will do it on occasion. The only striker fired guns I have (and checked recently) that won't do it are my Kahr CW45 and a Glock 27.
I make it habit to check that the slide is completely forward after holstering and like my holsters snug enough that the slide is pulled forward as the firearm is drawn.
Regards,
Greg

[pr42]

Great, thanks so much. As I said, I'm just not experienced enough to know what "normal" is.

[CJB]

Try that a few more ways.

Try it with full mag, empty chamber,
Try it with one round in mag, full chamber
Try it with empty mag and chamber

Report back!

Its not supposed to do that, but it might just be... things need settling a bit.

Kahr recoil and striker springs oppose each other. The design depends on the recoil spring being a lot stronger than a semi-cocked striker spring to work! Cocked is probably not the best word... think "compressed". Normally not a real issue but you can get some little strangeness while things settle.

Interested to see what the other tests show.

[muggsy]

If after firing 200 rounds your gun is still not returning to battery, contact Kahr service. They will probably send you a new recoil spring to try. If after 300 rounds it still not returning to battery call Kahr service and ask for a return authorization number. These guns are very tight when new and require a break-in. During the break-in you should clean and lube the gun frequently. Every 50 rounds isn't too often. Use only good quality ball ammo during the break-in. Check the lubrication chart to make sure that you are properly lubing the gun.

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.p...r-Lube-Diagram

[pr42]

No mag, empty chamber: ok (i.e. little pull on the slide, release, does it return fully)
Empty mag, empty chamber: ok
One round in mag, empty chamber: ok
Empty mag, one round in chamber: Not ok (doesn't return fully, as described in the original post)
Full mag, empty chamber: Kind of ok - returns almost fully, but not quite
Full mag, one in chamber: Not ok, as in original post

[pr42]

If after firing 200 rounds your gun is still not returning to battery, contact Kahr service.

When you say this, do you mean while firing? "Returning to battery" to me implies after firing a round. Usually it does return to battery, i.e. the gun fires ok. Well, most of the time: I have noticed some issues with Independence FMJ range ammo (slide stays locked back when the magazine is not empty). I assumed this was an ammo issue, since this didn't happen at all with the Winchester range ammo (flat nose), or Hornady CD, or Precision One XTP JHP. I also tried Buffalo Bore +p JHP, and didn't like it at all - made the gun way too snappy.

Or when you say "return to battery" do you mean even with a small tug on the slide, maybe an inch or so, the kind of tug you do just to see if the chamber is empty? If so, then no, as described in the original post, it doesn't always return fully. But one person responded above that this was normal. If there are differing opinions on this, then I'd be glad to hear them.

They will probably send you a new recoil spring to try. If after 300 rounds it still not returning to battery call Kahr service and ask for a return authorization number. These guns are very tight when new and require a break-in. During the break-in you should clean and lube the gun frequently. Every 50 rounds isn't too often. Use only good quality ball ammo during the break-in. Check the lubrication chart to make sure that you are properly lubing the gun.

I haven't been counting the rounds, but I've been through a few boxes of different types of ammo... so I think it's probably more than 300 rounds at this point. I have not been cleaning the gun after every 50 rounds, though, no. I've basically been to the range maybe 3 or 4 times with this gun total (sorry, I didn't keep track) and I've cleaned it twice now. Each time there was a bit of soot on the innards, barrel etc, but nothing too extreme.

I just don't know if this warrants bothering Kahr about it. Like I said, if it's pretty normal behavior then fair enough. Just trying to get a sense of that.

[Firemedic]

My P380 does it also but doesn't affect the function. As mentioned above if its a problem, call Kahr and they will send you a spring. They wanted to send me a spring after I explaind that wasn't the problem with mine. But that was a different issue.

[timboy]

I had to send mine back to kahr for the same issue,it cycles and feeds fine now but if you pull the slide back a little by hand it still does not move all the way back to batterey.

[DavidR]

Mine was plagued with that problem from the start. Recurring failures to return to battery while firing. After a trip back to Kahr it was better but still experienced the same failures with 2 of the 3 types of defense ammo I fired through it. After 600 plus rounds with no resolution I decided to move on.

I enjoyed shooting the CW380 but wanted something that would reliably cycle flat nosed non hollow points or wide mouthed hollow points.


Dave

[cobrasjp]

CW380 slide not returning all the way forward by itself

IMO, it's normal for the slide not to return fully to battery when checking it for a loaded chamber.

When you have a loaded mag in the gun, there is considerable force pushing up on the stripper rail on the underside of the slide, generating a lot of frictional drag. The momentum from the slide closing from the full rearward position is the only thing that will overcome this drag. The drag on the slide is greater when there are more rounds in the mag. Also, having a round in the chamber creates more frictional drag as the slide closes. But closing from a fully retracted position,as it would when firing, should be able to overcome all the drag. It will get better as the gun wears in. So, as other people describe it, "shoot it like you stole it."

[pr42]

Mine was plagued with that problem from the start. Recurring failures to return to battery while firing.

I wasn't talking about failure to return to battery while firing. The gun works fine while firing. I'm just talking about if you move the slide back a little bit (like, maybe an inch or less) and then release it, then it doesn't return all the way to the front. The photos on the original post illustrate how it looks. My later post has more details on what circumstances seem to make this happen (e.g. one in the chamber seems to do it).

I have read about people having issues with failure to return to battery while firing, but I don't know enough about guns to be able to say whether or not that's the same issue I'm talking about. This thread is not really about firing the gun. All I know is, my gun does fire just fine, most of the time, barring some particular brands of ammo which cause the slide to lock back on the first round when firing (e.g. Independence FMJ).

[pr42]

IMO, it's normal for the slide not to return fully to battery when checking it for a loaded chamber.

When you have a loaded mag in the gun, there is considerable force pushing up on the stripper rail on the underside of the slide, generating a lot of frictional drag. The momentum from the slide closing from the full rearward position is the only thing that will overcome this drag. The drag on the slide is greater when there are more rounds in the mag. Also, having a round in the chamber creates more frictional drag as the slide closes. But closing from a fully retracted position,as it would when firing, should be able to overcome all the drag. It will get better as the gun wears in. So, as other people describe it, "shoot it like you stole it."

Thanks. That is reassuring, and makes sense.

[DavidR]

I wasn't talking about failure to return to battery while firing. The gun works fine while firing.

That's good to hear! If it fires fine with SD ammo that you like, you should be good to go. The only SD ammo that I tried that was reliable in my 380 was Hornady Critical Defense.