CW45 doesn't like lead hand loads

[Ohio Dave]

So my CW45 is very particular about cast such reloads. OAL is below max at 1.224 but still sticky in chamber and won't eject live rounds to empty the pistol unless I first drop the mag out. Weird?

[kenemoore]

I have read, on more than one occasion, that Kahr's will not run lead bullets reliably, unless you ream the chambers. Cannot confirm or deny if that's true.
As I'm sure you know, running lead thru Octagonal rifling, is never recommended. So don't run lead bullets in the premium models.

[FreeMe]

So my CW45 is very particular about cast such reloads. OAL is below max at 1.224 but still sticky in chamber and won't eject live rounds to empty the pistol unless I first drop the mag out. Weird?

Yeah, it's weird that dropping the mag makes a difference. Are these SWC loads? I found that my CT45 won't chamber those fully without forcing, while they have worked just fine in all my 1911's. Haven't tried it yet, but I suspect that seating the shoulder flush with the case mouth might fix that. my RN lead loads were also not chambering and ejecting (loaded) without great force too, and I soon realized that my seating/crimping die was on the loose side of tolerances. My first fix was to run those old loads through my sizing/decapping die again with the decapping pin removed. Then all my existing RN lead loads plunked into the chamber of my removed barrel and ran just fine in the gun. I added a Lee precision carbide factory crimp die to my turret plate as a finisher, and subsequent loads are now chambering and ejecting as they should.

A long long time ago, I ran into similar issues with my first 9mm Kahr, and cured it the same way.

[Ohio Dave]

Thanks Freeme.
I am having this issue with SWC. And yes setting the shoulder flush or nearly flush with the case helps with the sticky feed issue but I suspect is the cause of my manual eject troubles as I believe the rim of the chambered round is hanging up slightly on the next round in the mag that's why the gun cycles when I drop the mag out or cycle on an empty mag. I have tried several crimp die adjustments but have yet to fix this issue. I may try a Lee factory crimping die. Thanks

[gb6491]

So my CW45 is very particular about cast such reloads. OAL is below max at 1.224 but still sticky in chamber and won't eject live rounds to empty the pistol unless I first drop the mag out. Weird?

Welcome to the forums
As FreeMe mentions, see if your "lead loads plunked into the chamber of my removed barrel". If they are correctly sized and don't drop fully in, I suspect the bullets profile may be a factor: https://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?31671-Plunk-test-fail

[FreeMe]

Thanks Freeme.
I am having this issue with SWC. And yes setting the shoulder flush or nearly flush with the case helps with the sticky feed issue but I suspect is the cause of my manual eject troubles as I believe the rim of the chambered round is hanging up slightly on the next round in the mag that's why the gun cycles when I drop the mag out or cycle on an empty mag. I have tried several crimp die adjustments but have yet to fix this issue. I may try a Lee factory crimping die. Thanks

Just revisiting this thread, and it occurs to me that maybe your rims are hanging up on the case mouth of the next round. Possibly insufficient crimp? The Lee FCD should cure that too.