Kahr Cw45 and lead SWC

[2firfun50]

Is anyone loading target ammo with cast SWC? Since this model has conventional rifling, it should work if I can get them to feed. There are several sources for 185 and 200 gr. SWC in my area.

Thanks,

[Sputz]

My cw40 doesn't like lead smc. It doesn't feed right or go into full battery. I would recommend fmj or copper plated. Berrys worked good for me.

Sputz

[10mmillie]

No 45acp I've ever owned liked SWC. Plated bullets are the way to go in autos. Precision Delta makes a good bullet.

[2firfun50]

Thanks guys. I loaded up 100 just for fun to try. My pard has a ruger blackhawk convertible to "pull" the bullets when they don't work. I'll probably end up with Berry's 185 HBRN for a target load and Hornady XTP's for hollow points. Both are available locally.

[Jumping Frog]

No 45acp I've ever owned liked SWC. Plated bullets are the way to go in autos. Precision Delta makes a good bullet.

There are a lot of 45acp owners who believe just the opposite. A 200 gr LSWC bullet is by far and away the largest selling lead bullet in the industry. I have personally shot thousands and thousands of them, along with many IDPA, USPSA, and Bianchi cup competitors going back decades. I know of 1911's with over 100,000 LSWC bullets through them.

That said, I have not personally shot any round through a Kahr Cw45 so I cannot speak to them. But if I was shooting one, I wouldn't hesitate for a heartbeat to try them out.

[Don2]

I shoot them out of my Para 14-45 LDA stainless without issue.
After watching a video by Wilson Combat, it seems that the barrel chamber entrance has a lot to do with using LSWC bullets, looks like they chamfer the edge to keep bullets from hanging up on the soft lead??
Something like that.
Looking at my chamber, its chamfered almost all around.....

I think I saw that same video on YouTube or one like it.
It was one by Wilson Combat, and I think it was one of their Gunsmithing Series on the 1911.

Just my 2¢
Don2

[2firfun50]

A little more information on what I've learned over on the Kahr forums. Kahrs tend to have tight chambers and short throats. One must be careful with OAL, especially the location of the SWC shoulder in relation to the case mouth. One also must be sure to crimp sufficently to completely remove any belling from the expander die.

I'm pretty inexperienced with the .45 ACP and lead SWC loading in general. So I took the information to heart and went back to the bench. The original rounds I loaded would not hand feed properly and sometimes the slide would not go into battery. So I removed the barrell so i could use it as a gage and fit check. The original rounds were a little too long at the shoulder/case interface and the shoulder was engaging the rifling preventing the case from head spacing properly. I slowly and carefully began seating the bullet deeper until this problem was resolved. The shoulder is now just visible above the case mouth a OAL measures 1.235 with this particular bullet.

After reseating the rest of the 100 rounds, I discovered that the crimp on several rounds had not completely removed the belling from the expanding die. I readjusted the crimp die and re-crimped all the rounds. All 100 now drop freely into the chamber with a very satisfying "tink" when they headspace and are flush with the barrell hood.

After reassembling the pistol, the rounds hand fed like butter. What wa interesting, the rounds as originally loaded, hand fed perfectly thru my pard's EAA witness. I suspect these loads will now shoot in almost any 45 ACP.

So its off to the range.

[Jumping Frog]

Nice investigation and problem solving.

[Don2]

Sounds like your "Good-To-Go "
Thats the sweet part of handloading...You tune your loads to your gun..!!
And sometimes the gun is tuned to the loads too.

" Ain't it fun " ????

That makes me want to do something in reloading...I have not done anything in a few weeks.
Been working on other stuff...Like this time I just refurbished a 25 year old ATM power scroll saw, it was fun and now I'm ready for a little wood working again. This sucker is heavy, this is from back in the day of solid cast iron tools that lasted a lifetime with a little care...not Walmart Crud.....!!!!!

Gotta break up the hobbies sometimes

Glad you got your loads dialed in.
Don2

[2firfun50]

A little followup on the range trip Saturday and some rambling if anyone finds them interesting.

The Good; No failures to feed or fire on the SWC. Pretty accurate really. One big ragged hole at 21 ft.

The Bad; I was playing with trying run light loads with 4.5 grains of Trail Boss thru a new stiff Kahr. Failure to extract was a bit of an issue. Sometimes my blade gets a little dull. But a box of factory Federals ran like a Swiss watch so about 40 swc's went into the Ruger Blackhawk range fodder box. But this is fixable. Sure would like to get a Trail Boss load to work tho. Good accuracy and Very clean burning without any muzzle flash. It does have a unique aroma however. We bought 5 lbs. for the 45 LC. Love it there, accurate and clean up involves a rag wipe down and about 5 patches thru the bore.

The UGLY; My wife's Keltec P3T broke the firing pin return spring jamming up the firing pin causing a fail to fire (light strikes or no strike). Momma was not happy!!! I was instructed to send it in and find it a good home when it gets back!!!

Since I spent 6 months getting her to always carry where legal and always carry on body, her next question was "What do I carry tomorrow?". "Get me something good!!". Her Bersa Thunder with the custom pink grips is her favorite range, night stand gun, but not so much for carry. its been 100% since day 1, eating everything its fed. So she knows dependable.

But alls well that ends well. A new S&W 380 Bodyguard with the built in laser put a smile on her face. After 50 rounds of my reloads and 25 federal critical defense without a hiccup, she's smiling again. Really likes the phone looking clip-on concealment pouch.

Ramblings:

Really starting to like Mobile 1 0w20 for gun lube. It takes very little and stays where you put it. Even after a spray down with plastic safe electronic cleaner, the parts still feel like there is a little embedded lube left. I usually run an oil patch thru the bore. That may have something to do with easy cleanup.

[Don2]

One thing I know...When the wife is happy...I'm happy..!!!!

Myself...I like 380's, I know a lot of people put them down as "not enough gun"...But in most cases, if you have a gun pointed at you...your not gonna say.."That's ONLY a 380...I;m not scared of that..!! "
But for a woman..they can handle it much better sometimes, it fits their hands well and it doesn't have the KICK that make some nervous to shoot it.

I own two, one is a Colt 380 SS Government, the other is an older Llama (some Spanish name here?) 380 which looks just like it but is blue.
They both shoot very well.
Its not what I would carry all the time, but it sure does fit nicely in your front pocket in a pinch or in a hurry .


Don2