It Will Not Eat Hornady?! (Kahr TP45)

[clueless]

I have a recently acquired Kahr TP45. It will cycle and fire Federal and Winchester ammo, but when I try to use Hornady Critical Defense or Double Tap, the slide will not return to battery (not even close). Removing the partially chambered round requires an extreme amount of strength. All other ammo cycles like butter!

Can anyone help me identify what might be happening?

 

[usp9]

The rounds could be too long and contacting the throat of the barrel before lock-up of the slide. I think sometimes the shape of the bullet may influence how sensitive a particular gun is to this. Just don't use the Hornady ammo. This happened to me with a P45, a TP45 as well as a HK USP while using some MagTech ammo.

 

[clueless]

Yes, when comparing the rounds, the Hornady's were just barely taller than the rest, though not by much. I guess just enough to cause problems maybe. What became your defensive load then?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Just don't use that brand of ammo. I am not familiar with Critical Defense, but some 200-gr. Hornady JHP I tried (can't remember its exact name) had a truncated cone-shaped bullet and what appeared to be a rather long OAL. This is great for expanding in jello, I suppose, but is not feeding compatible with all guns. The 1911 I tried that load in didn't like them either. The best bullet in the world does you no good hung up on the feed ramp.

 

[45Fan]

I have a SA 1911 that doesnt like the hornady hollow points either. My other pistols eat them like candy, but the one jambs on every one. I just run hydra shocks in that one, havent had any problems since the switch.

 

[MartyGrant]

Critical Defense 200gr. Hornady JHP .45APC were not good for my P220 . Several rounds "hung up" in the mag and it had several failures to fully go into battery in a box of 25.

 

[DasFriek]

Im getting to know Kahrs pretty well.
Im betting the gun has less than 300 rounds threw it?
If so it very well could be extractor tension and it wont allow the longer bullet at that angle of entering the chamber slide under the extractor easily.

If thats it i know of three fixs.
1. Keep shooting it and the extractor will round off its sharper edges and the tension spring will loosen up.
2. Is to remove the extractor and fluff and buff it and set the location of the claw slightly forward with some lite file work. And adjust the tension spring if needed.
3. Send it back to Kahr and hope a good smith is in that day.

Kahr is great to deal with btw, But as you can tell i like working on my own guns and i even bought the parts so i could do the work and not send it in.

I dont suggest anyone stop chopping into their guns innards, But i know some here can so i just mention it for that reason.

 

[clueless]

Thanks for that info DasFriek!

First things first, I will run it past 300-500 rounds to eliminate break in theories, then I may look at the extractor as well. But honestly, if it's just Hornady, I can live without using that brand.

 

[Rafale]

The critical defence do not feed well in my Sigma 9 either

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'd just avoid that load if it is demonstrating feeding problems. I give away any load that won't feed through my Sig 220.

Load selection is less critical in .45 ACP, because it usually will not be pleasant to shoot much faster loads and most folks don't pick a .45 ACP for it's expansion potential. Your foremost concern in a SD pistol should be reliable feeding followed by accuracy.

My current carry load in all my .45 ACP pistols is the Ranger 230gr JHP which seems to feed through everything I own and offers nice accuracy too

 

[Ben86]

You might want to wait until the gun is broken in more, then try the ammo. Once the recoil spring gets stretched out a big more it might work. Kahrs come wound very tight from the factory.