P45 wont extract unfired round?

[rkammer]

I bought this used P45 last week and have fired about 150 rounds with it without any problems. So, I loaded it with my favorite 45 ACP defense ammo, the Federal HST 230gr (standard pressure) stuff which it also fires without any problems.

Today, I wanted to unload the pistol to go to the range and shoot some FMJ and the pistol would not extract the unfired round from the chamber. When I rack the slide, the round tries to come out but, catches on the front of the ejection port while still being held by the extractor. The only way I could extract the unfired round was to carefully hold the slide back and knock the round down through the magazine well. I tried this with several types of ammo and the only ones that will extract normally are some of my 200 gr SWC reloads and the Winchester Ranger T 230 gr. I didn't have any 230 FMJ to try it with.

I still have my CW45 (haven't sold it yet) and it will extract any unfired round I put in it without any problems. So, what are the possibilities here? Is this a known issue?

On a separate note, is there a thread that tells me how to install a new slide lock spring in this gun? I bought a new one (and a new recoil spring) because the old one sticks out and pokes my thumb whenever I try to remove the slide.

I can post photos of the above issues if needed.

[Bawanna]

The key to ejecting loaded rounds is briskly. Really rack that thing and let the ejector do its thing. They seem to do better after breaking in good. Heard of this several times.

In the tech section theres a post by GB about I think CW45 and other poly fixes. It has some good pics on replacing that spring.

Careful tightening, easy to strip the polymer.

[rkammer]

The key to ejecting loaded rounds is briskly. Really rack that thing and let the ejector do its thing. They seem to do better after breaking in good. Heard of this several times.

In the tech section theres a post by GB about I think CW45 and other poly fixes. It has some good pics on replacing that spring.

Careful tightening, easy to strip the polymer.

Thanks, Bawanna. I'll check out the tech section. Well, I've tried to rack the slide as fast as this old boy can rack and still can't get a loaded round out. This P45 is about 5 years old so, I'm pretty sure it's broken in. My CW45 that will eject any loaded round is still pretty new with only about 300 rounds down the pipe.

The only other thing that looks different between the CW45 and the P45 is that the ejector on the P45 isn't quite flush with the slide while the CW45 ejector is perfectly flush. i.e. you can feel the ejector if you run your finger down the slide (maybe 3-5 thousands or so). But the gun ejects cases fine under normal operation.

[Bawanna]

Thanks, Bawanna. I'll check out the tech section. Well, I've tried to rack the slide as fast as this old boy can rack and still can't get a loaded round out. This P45 is about 5 years old so, I'm pretty sure it's broken in. My CW45 that will eject any loaded round is still pretty new with only about 300 rounds down the pipe.

The only other thing that looks different between the CW45 and the P45 is that the ejector on the P45 isn't quite flush with the slide while the CW45 ejector is perfectly flush. i.e. you can feel the ejector if you run your finger down the slide (maybe 3-5 thousands or so). But the gun ejects cases fine under normal operation.

That would be the extractor you feel along the slide. I get them mixed up all the time too. I wonder if that needs cleaning? Might be a little junk behind it but if its shooting good its probably ok.

Only other thought and I'm sure your already doing it is to angle the gun either direction so gravity helps guide the round out.

[rkammer]

That would be the extractor you feel along the slide. I get them mixed up all the time too. I wonder if that needs cleaning? Might be a little junk behind it but if its shooting good its probably ok.

Only other thought and I'm sure your already doing it is to angle the gun either direction so gravity helps guide the round out.

Extractor, Extractor, Extractor. Got it! I think I'll do a detail strip of the slide and clean out the extractor area really good. I'm stumped at this one.

[rkammer]

Photos of the problem

Here are photos of the problem. No matter how hard or how fast I pull on the slide, I can't eject an unfired Federal HST 230 gr unfired round. It will eject my reloads of 200gr LSWC and Winchester Ranger T 230gr fine however.

[gb6491]

Hey Ray,
Have you tried putting the barrel of your CW45 in the P45 to see if the ammo will eject? If it does eject it might just be a matter of polishing/removing some material from the hood of the P45 barrel to provide extra clearance. If it were mine, I think I would try breaking/polishing the lower edge of the barrel hood YMMV.

Regards,
Greg

[Ikeo74]

That is the cleanest used gun I have seen. Before you re-work the gun ejection port check the OAL of your reloads. Measure and post the length. I think you can shorten the bullet and correct the problem but to verify that I would like to know what the OAL is now. Kahr guns have a short chamber and the bullet may be sticking in the rifleings because of length. When you try to eject and unfired round it may be pulling the bullet of the case just enough to make it drag on the barrel hood. Check that and post back.

[rkammer]

Hey Ray,
Have you tried putting the barrel of your CW45 in the P45 to see if the ammo will eject? If it does eject it might just be a matter of polishing/removing some material from the hood of the P45 barrel to provide extra clearance. If it were mine, I think I would try breaking/polishing the lower edge of the barrel hood YMMV.

Regards,
Greg

Thanks, Greg. And, now the plot thickens! I remembered seeing the relief cut from your photos on my CW45 barrel but, not on the P45 barrel. The CW45 was new two months ago and the P45 was made in late 2005. Could it be that the P45 barrels now have the relief cut? (The CW45 barrel is on the left and the P45 on the right)

I've also measured the 4 rounds I've been testing with. My CW45 will eject any of the 4 cleanly. The P45 will eject 3 of the 4 (not as cleanly) with only the Federal HST 230gr JHP being the one that locks up in the port.

I don't think it's related to OAL because the HST is one of the two shortest rounds. Left to right they are Federal HST, Winchester Ranger T, my reload with a 200gr LSWC, and on the right a 230gr FMJ round from a local manufacturer (not a reload). The OALs are as follows:

Federal HST - 1.210
Winchester Ranger T - 1.210
my reload - 1.248
New 230gr FMJ - 1.262

[rkammer]

That is the cleanest used gun I have seen. Before you re-work the gun ejection port check the OAL of your reloads. Measure and post the length. I think you can shorten the bullet and correct the problem but to verify that I would like to know what the OAL is now. Kahr guns have a short chamber and the bullet may be sticking in the rifleings because of length. When you try to eject and unfired round it may be pulling the bullet of the case just enough to make it drag on the barrel hood. Check that and post back.

I posted OALs with photos in my answer to Gregs post above.

[ptoemmes]

Bought my P45 NiB just after Thanksgiving, but am unsure of it's DoB, but suspect it may be more than a year old. Really dunno.

But I do know - cause I just looked - it has the relief cut you show for the CW45.

I'd be curious to know - and maybe you too - when the relief cut was introduced on the P45.

Pete

[CJB]

Check the length of the EJECTor....

The P45 doesn't have the relief cut in the slide either, so dont expect it in the barrel.

The only "problem" I can fathom is that the ejector is sitting somehow too far forward, may need "adjustment".

[Ikeo74]

I posted OALs with photos in my answer to Gregs post above.

Ok, this is what I see from your pictures. The Federal HST on the left, the one causing the problems, is fatter at the tip than all of the other 3 bullets. This extra width tip will not clear at the OAL of 1.210. I measures some of my Federal Hydra Shock which is probably the same size bullet. I measured these and they were an average length of 1.208. My suggestion is to take 1 or 2 of your HSTs and seat them at 1.208. Take these one or two and load and eject to see if they eject clear of the gun at that AOL. If they do you have 3 choices to fix the problem. (1) shorten all your HSTs (2) Change brands of self defense ammo. or (3) shave the port as suggested.* That would be my last option (shaving)

[blasterman88]

My P40 does the EXACT same thing! Very Very frusterating. It will not clear any ammo besides Ranger FMJ and Hornaday CD JHP. Thats it! Wont even eject a regular FMJ

[rkammer]

Check the length of the EJECTor....

The P45 doesn't have the relief cut in the slide either, so dont expect it in the barrel.

The only "problem" I can fathom is that the ejector is sitting somehow too far forward, may need "adjustment".

What relief cut in the slide are you referring to?