Broken Kahr...imagine that...

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Indy_Guy_77

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Trying to spread the word near and far...

My CW-40 MUST go back to the mother ship.

After this, I may very well have to swear 'em off.

I read just about every Kahr thread that I find; I usually always manage to give a thumb's up, at least to the CW line of pistols.

Until now.

Was cleaning mine yesterday evening when I noticed something quite disturbing.

Part of the right side (ejection side) FRAME RAIL IS SPLITTING OFF.

The sliver that's coming off is about 3mm thick and about 1.25 inches long. Looks like someone took a knife and drew the blade back under the rail, trying to "whittle" it off.

Crap.

We'll see what Kahr says when I send it to them. I've already filled out the online RMA form and now will wait on the shipping lable.

*sigh*

-J-

P7060007small.gif
 
I recall seeing posts on the Kahr plastic rail breaking into pieces, or chipping off. This is the first time I've seen one split. If I recall, Kahr's answer was this isn't a loaded area and therefore it doesn't effect function. My memory is a bit fuzzy...recall them saying the load rests on a metal insert somewhere else along the frame.

Good luck.

From Kahr's website.

http://www.kahr.com/OR-4.html#q22

"Q. Part of the frame rail appears to be missing on my Kahr polymer pistol. Is this normal?

A. The top rails on the Kahr polymer pistol are designed to minimize stress. It may not appear to be symmetrical because of its design."
 
Its not a load bearing area but it should never do that. Karh will replace your entire frame. Sh-t happens. Sorry u had issues, mine is perfect but if it did that, I would not be happy., but as much as I love my pm9, I don't think I would swear off of it either. Sure is not indicatvie of kahrs as that to my knowledge is the first that I have seen anyways.
 
The polymer framed Kahrs aren't that great. They have a lot more reliability and durability problems than the steel framed ones. They have a lot less reinforcement than Glocks, and the polymer is softer. I really can't see myself ever owning a polymer Kahr, though my MK40 has been great, with most types of ammo.
 
IMO there's a balance of weight/size/caliber in compact pistols that needs to be maintained if you want to avoid problems.

IMO the CW Kahr series is sized/weighted right for 9mm and nothing more. Also, it is my opinion that if you go smaller than the CW series you need to stick to 9mm and also stick to the metal frame pistols to minimize your chances of having problems.

You don't get somethin' for nuthin', and when you pack too much recoil into too small/light a package you're eventually going to have to pay.

I'm not going to defend the above rigorously because I can't support it with hard data, it's just my ramblings based on the complaints I see about the Kahr pistols here and on other forums.
 
That would disturb me if it were my gun also. I have a PM9 with 2000 rounds through it and it still runs great. But then, it is not a 40.
 
Please update this thread (or start a new one and reference this one) when you have heard back / gotten the gun back from Kahr. If it's good news (they were respectful and reasonable time-wise), that's good; if it's bad news (they were jerks, slow, and irritating) then that's at least good *to know.*

timothy
 
I see that you've posted this on every forum which makes me a bit suspicious. Not that I really care, but I'm just saying.
So far, pure perfection from my PM9. After owning every pocket gun known to man it's the one I ended up with.
 
I, for one, appreciate your post. I was starting to look closely at a used PM9 sitting in the showcase at my local Gander Mt. Your post was the last of many I've read with the same jist. Where there is smoke, there is usually fire.
 
"the polymer framed Kahrs aren't that great".

Well, I have a CW-9 that has NEVER had issues. Its not only performed
flawlessly; but has remained intact~!
Click to expand...

Coulda sworn I said "polymer Kahr .40s." That's what I meant, anyway. .40 just seems to be too powerful for the polymer micros. It's very rare to read about someone who's happy with theirs, that's shot more than a few hundred.
 
Indy Guy 77

I had a similar problem with my CW40 a couple of years ago. I got through the break-in period alright, though initially I had to work on the barrel because it was very rough and poorly finished. After that, I took it to the range to get better acclimated to the .40 in such a small and lightweight pistol. It was at one of these range sessions that the slide started to lock back after every shot. I couldn't get it to stop doing this, and after taking it home and disassembling it, I found that pieces of the polymer frame had become lodged in the area of the slide release lever. These pieces, which looked like they had come off the frame rails, were forcing the slide release to lock-up after every shot. I cleared them out, but the real problem, at least to me, is that the polymer material itself seemed too soft and pliable, leaving me with very little confidence in its overall durability.
 
This may seem like scant comfort, but the gun does not need this section of rail to function - it is not a load bearing area. Those would be the small steel sections at the upper rear of the frame, and the rails that run inside the frame's forward section ("dust cover"), which, although thin, are steel. Although my PM9 shows no such wear or splitting off in the area shown, I can actually pinch this section together with my fingers and see it bend.
 
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darn, my pm9 has been perfect for 12,800 rounds. Must have gotten a good one???? It happens, when it happens to you it is not pleasant, IMO nothing wrong with the polymer kahrs UNLESS you get a bad one. Lets not get to carried away with braggin on glocks. I own a G19 and love it, but the Indiana state police sent all of their G22 back for exchange to the G17, due to to many issues. must be something about those 40 cals!!!!!
 
Kahr means junk in my vocabulary. I had two and they were total garbage. Broken frames, jamomatics, magazines that fall out.

I got rid of them both and got a Glock 26. Heck, even my Kel Tecs are more reliable.
 
The polymer .40S&W's are the ones with the problem. We send back to the factory about one a month for repairs. Don't ever recall sending back a polymer 9mm or a stainless .40S&W.
 
Please give Kahr a call, and let us know how Kahr treats you. If my PM9's experience is any indication, they will make it right, and quickly.

I have not owned a 40 cal Kahr, but I own both the PM9 and the P45, with a good number of rounds through each. I trust them enough to be my "always" carry, the PM9 for about nine months each year and the P45 for that brief period we call "winter" in Texas.

The PM9 initially suffered from barrel peening and Kahr replaced the entire "top half"; slide, barrel, recoil spring assembly and sights, free of charge and in one week. It has worked just fine since then, so well that I added the P45 for good measure.

Oh, and...two Glocks, lone gone and quickly forgotten. Four Kel-Tecs, three gone, ready to sell #4--want it? :)
 
Oh I forgot to mention Kahr's "customer service". After PM-POS #1 broke the frame in 150 rounds, I shipped it in for a replacement. It was a two month battle to get any action out of them. It literally took 10 phone calls and I got every excuse under the sun why they didn't ship the replacement. They lost my paperwork (twice!), lost my gun in inventory, had two different people go on vacation, and finally had to wait for some production glitch to be fixed. I had to track down Kahr's Director of customer service to get any action out of those clowns.

After I finally got a replacement, PM-POS #2, it jammed constantly using 3 different brands of ammo and the magazine would randomly fall out.

By far, the worst company I ever dealt with, gun or otherwise. I'm shocked they are still in business.
 
You hear good and bad about every manufacturer and yet, many will condemn a single make or brand based off a single report that has been posted across several firearm forums. :confused:

I own several samples Sig, Glock, S&W, Walther, and Kahr and if you do a lot of research, you'll find issues regarding all of these makes. I wish you luck on getting your firearm fixed, but a frame rail cracking isn't the first in history...
 
The 40 S&W probably puts more stress on a handgun than most common calibers except for the 357SIG and 10mm.
A handgun frame should not come apart for any logical reason and Kahr should replace it.
 
My bet is that they will indeed replace it. It was not the owners fault. I have been told that when kahr replaces a frame/grip that they do not restamp the new frame/grip with the existing serial number and therefore require it to be sent to a ffl dealer and has to be re regestered. that is the major inconvencie IMO.
 
First of all, jocko, thank you for the PM. I don't know if anyone else experienced it, but yesterday afternoon, there were some "server timeout" issues here on THR. They wouldn't let me respond in kind. Thank you again.

My CW-40 will be picked up by FedEx tomorrow sometime...on Kahr's dime. They initially didn't offer to pick up the tab, but I asked nicely if since this was an obvious defect in an under-warranty pistol, if they'd cover it.

They are...

Will post more updates as the World Turns.

Along with the folks who are saying that the piece in question isn't load-bearing and isn't really all that big of a deal... I believe you. I just don't want it happening in MY firearm. Especially one that I carry and may have to defend my life with.

I'm also afraid (And probably paranoid of) this cracking "spreading" downward into other areas of the frame; much like a cracked windshield will spread.

-J-
 
Indy, what happened to your kahr should not have happened. load bearing or not, it is there for a reason, certainly to strengthen that upper portion of the grip area. Don't think it is cheap polmer as some would think either, just a defective grip. Karh will take care of you pretty fast and very good of them to pick up the gun also--on thier dime. You will be out alittle time ...

Heh, have u ever done any business at Pop's guns in Indy???
 
I've been to Pop Guns several times...either to browse or to use their range.

I've never bought a firearm from them, though. They tend to be slightly on the high side for the area.

Plus, the last few times I've been in there, I've basically been ignored. If you're not in a LEO uni or known to them as a LEO, it's almost like you're an outsider.

Several folks call it "Cop Guns" for that reason...

-J-
 
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