Help! Brand new CW380 cannot chamber a round

[tkarl]

Has anyone slipped a Perfecta round into a case gauge?

That is excellent advice; but I didn't have a case gauge. I'll be ordering one.

[RolandD]

I've seen the warning against flat nose .380 in the Kahrs before. Is that just the CW380 or have others had problems with flat nose in the CT380. Our CT380 fires flat nose with no problems, and will be our target ammo since I can get it locally for $15.70/50rnds.

Do you think Walmart would freak out is I took the barrel in to do a plunk test before buying ammo?

[dsk]

Micro-pistols like the Kahr .380s cannot be expected to devour every single bullet shape as if they were a full-sized 9mm Beretta or SIG. They are going to be ammo-sensitive; there's just no way around it in such a small pistol that has been made to the absolute minimum dimensions. Stick with rounded or conical bullet shapes and for the most part you should be fine. Avoid blunt-nosed FMJ or wide-nosed JHP ammo, which isn't meant for these guns.

[muggsy]

First of all you didn't assemble the gun correctly if the guide rod sticks out when the slide is in battery. You'll find disassembly and reassembly instructions in the owners manual that you have neglected to read. There is also a video on field stripping and reassembly of the gun from Kahr Arms. Use good American made ball ammo for the break in and you shouldn't have any problems with the gun failing to return to battery. Don't use flat nosed ammo from Winchester.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2cZgVg_SwA

[DevinBreeding]

My CW380 hates fiocchi and perfecta (same ammo from what I've researched). Tulammo is also a no go. Everything else works great. Winchester flat nose is what I shoot mainly due to price and I've never had an issue with my CW380. I'm more of a fan of federal from a quality standpoint but the 100 packs of Winchester at WalMart are $32 and the 50 federal are $20. One thing I did to help break it in before shooting was cycle the slide 200 times empty. Seemed to help smooth out any polymer burrs and help the slide drop into battery more naturally. It gets tiring but cycle it hard for those 200. As others have said, flat part of recoil spring should be against the guide rod and face the pointy parts of the spring towards the barrel.

Ammo tried so far that works

winchester white box at Walmart
federal fmj
blazer fmj
american eagle fmj
hornady American gunner XTP
hornady custom XTP
federal hydrashok
underwood xtreme defender +p best cycling out of all. I can rack a round in easing it in as gentle as I want.

Mine runs perfect after break in and only had 3 or so issues during. If you're interested to know, I use mobile1 European formula 0w40 for lubrication. Tiny amounts on the rails and barrel and you're set.

[tkarl]

First of all you didn't assemble the gun correctly if the guide rod sticks out when the slide is in battery. You'll find disassembly and reassembly instructions in the owners manual that you have neglected to read. There is also a video on field stripping and reassembly of the gun from Kahr Arms. Use good American made ball ammo for the break in and you shouldn't have any problems with the gun failing to return to battery. Don't use flat nosed ammo from Winchester.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2cZgVg_SwA

Thanks for the reminder. I'm over that now -- it only happened the one time. I think one time when diassembling the CW380 the pin popped completely out, and everything fell on the floor -- and I lost the How It Came Apart picture. All better now.

[dustnchips]

I read in another post on here that the problem with the Fiocchi ammo is the extractor rim thickness. Someone on here has the cure. I believe it was shortening a pin behind the extractor claw by .013 inches. If you want to shoot the Fiocchi there is a cure. If you are going to reload just pay the higher price for the brass and be done with it.