Having trouble trusting my PM9...

[Dollar An Hour]

I've had my Kahr PM9 almost a year. In the first 200 rounds I had a couple of hang-ups, but that's pretty normal with a new Kahr and the manual even mentions a 200 round break-in period.

Between about 175-500 rounds, the Kahr ran like a champ. I cleaned & lubed it after every range trip, running mostly Fiocchi 124gr FMJ and about 100 rounds of Speer GD 124gr.

In the last 100 rounds of Gold Dot carry ammo (over 2 range sessions with a cleaning in between), I've had 3 rounds hang up on the feed ramp. Now I'm hesitant to trust it to go bang when I need it to.

I also have noticed that at the end of a mag when I load the next mag it doesn't slingshot reliably the first time - it takes a few deliberate tries. (Kahr specifies that you chamber the 1st round by slingshot instead of slide release).

I'm going back to J-Frame for pocket carry duties until this is resolved.

Should I send it back to Kahr?

 

[DZL HOG]

The feeding hangups is not good. Is the feedramp polished up good? Is it hanging up in the middle of the mag as you fire, or is it just when you insert the mag and drop the slide to chamber that first round?

I think the slingshot prob is normal for the PM9, mine does the same thing sometimes. If you get rough with it when you rack it back, it should slingshot. Re-read the manual, they specify to use the slide release, not slingshot method. I shot mine in a CCW class last weekend. 552 rounds in one day including 35rds of carry ammo. (124gr GDHP+P) Only a few lil probs. After 200 or so rounds and the gun started to dry out I had a few slide lock failures. Lubed it back up and it ran fine for another couple hundred rounds. I was having probs with mag seating, mostly due to the size of the gun. Some times I would get a click, other times it would lock the slide back when it didnt chamber the second round. Tap, Rack, and I was back to Banging away. I carry it everyday(when I need to conceal) with confidence it will get the job done if the need arises.
I dont care what kinda gun it is, when your in a high round count class doing all kinds of manipulations eventually every gun will malfunction esp when the oil is gone.

If your not comfortable with its performance you need to send it back to Kahr or sell it. No point in having a high dollar paper weight around.

 

[Dollar An Hour]

Feedramp looks great.

Hang-ups are mid mag, not the first round.

I've been cleaning & lubing it every 100 rounds or less - definitely likes to run wet.

You're right, I just looked at the manual and using the slide release is the way to go, so that solves the slingshot issue.

Not feeding Gold Dots is going to ruin the pistol for me though.

 

[benderx4]

Just when I was thinking about giving Kahr a second chance ...... just can't do it. Good luck with your Kahr.

 

[psyopspec]

If you have the patience I would suggest sending it back. I had problems similar to yours, but had expected a pistol that expensive to work out of the box; I'm referring to "after the break in period." I've recently replaced it with a 340, and I couldn't be happier.

 

[Kind of Blued]

(Kahr specifies that you chamber the 1st round by slingshot instead of slide release).

Scratch that, reverse it. Problem solved.

For what it's worth, mine feeds Federal HST 147gr. +Ps like a champ, which might be the best 9mm defense load currently made. They also come in the 124gr. flavor is that's your preference, both weights in standard or +P. Also cheaper than Gold Dots if I remember correctly. $18 for 50.

 

[Dollar An Hour]

Kind of Blued - Yep, I somehow had the procedure reversed in my brain - Doh! Slide release from now on will solve the first round issue.

The scary thing was that I got to the range, pulled out the loaded Kahr that I'd been carrying for weeks loaded with 6+1 Gold Dots and proceeded to empty the mag. TWO failures out of those 7 rounds.

I think I will contact Kahr and see if they will take a look at it. I also notice a very small metal burr on the metal ridge that runs down the underside of the slide and wonder if this could cause hang-ups. I'm not sure this burr was there before now, or if I'm just paying closer attention since the failures.

 

[Kind of Blued]

I hope you can get it figured out. The power:size and power:weight ratio is so appealing that it really is a gun that is difficult to give up on.

Anyway, I wish yours ran as well as mine. It's pretty new (~800 rounds w/ 1 FTF), but the only problem I'm having is with the slide not locking back after the last round. This happens seldomly but still, once is too often. I'm going to buy some more mags soon and see if I can fix that.

 

[johnnylaw53]

I have carried large auto's for a long time and have tried several times to get a small auto for off duty and have always had some kind of problem with them. Lots of thing happen when you shoot a semi as far as parts having to move and in a fashion that don't cause any problems i think with small auto's it just harder to have that happen right each and everytime. Which is way i went back to a snub nose for off duty carry.

Be safe

 

[jocko]

Humm

Guess I got a rare one. 16,100 ronds out of my PM9 and not one issue. replaced recoil spring I think 3 or 4 times. Shows absolutely zero signs of any wear anywhere. Best ccw gun I have ever owned. Sounds like you may have an issue. The first thing I would do before I send it back is to let a friend whom you trust knows how to shoot etc, try your kahr to see if the possbility exists that maybe you are limpwristing it. If he can fire it with the same issues, send it back to kahr. If he seems to be ok with it, then wrap yourself up in a big box and send yourself to kakr and let them fix you..

I certainly am not implying either that you are limping the gun but eliminate that possability before sending it back. It can and does happen with ALL guns, some even more prone to others. Seen a video awhile back with two or 3 semi's used to try to limp them. the winner in limping was glock.

My kahrs both of them have been flawless, best gun i have ever owned. For myself I would give any good gun that I like one time back to the factory to get right, and then after that if not , peddle it and move on to what pleases and works for you

Do you know how old the kahr is,?? I assume you bought it new??? OR we can all just post here and hammer the piss out of kahrs and for what purpose .


dollar and hour: PM sent..

 

[GRIZ22]

I've had 3 rounds hang up on the feed ramp.

How does it run with FMJ? You may only have to switch to a diffrent JHP.

 

[jocko]

alot of times a change of recoil springs does wonders. One thing about the captive kahr system. That outer spirng has a closed end and an open end. the open end MUST go towards the front of the slide or u will have issues....

 

[Ringer]

I've not had any problems feeding anything to my PM9. Although I don't carry it much anymore the 124gr Gold Dots are my carry ammo of which I have put a few hundred downrange.

I did have to send mine back initially for premature slide lock. They ground on the slide stop a bit and it's been fine ever since.

I hate having to send guns back but sounds like you need to. It's a really handy carry gun for ease of concealment. I have just switched to something bigger with a full grip.

 

[Dollar An Hour]

It's been 100% with FMJ after the initial 200 round break-in. Just 3 or 4 hang ups with Gold Dots. Enough to make me not comfortable carrying it.

I might go out with another JHP and give it a chance but that gets expensive! Will probably send back to Kahr, but if they get a couple mags of HP's through it OK will they just send it back?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The power:size and power:weight ratio is so appealing that it really is a gun that is difficult to give up on.

Agreed. Mine had problems at first and had to be repaired, but I was patient.

 

[Racinbob]

After 386 rounds through my PM9 I tallied up just short of 50 failures. The last range session I only shot it 16 times before I gave up. It was even failing to load the first round using the slide release method. I contacted Kahr to return it and they refused to cover the shipping. It cost me almost $60 to ship it. Their turn around was amazing. Shipped it on a Thursday and got it back the following Wednesday. That was even after losing a day because I wasn't home to sign for it Tuesday. They pretty much replaced all the internals. I've had 300 flawless rounds since. Still......I'm probably going to sell it. I went back to my trusty J frame for carry and won't switch back. I'm a wheel gun lover anyway. I want to fire a couple hundred more rounds through the Kahr to make sure it's OK before I list it. Kahr's service was incredible but the refusal to cover shipping was inexcusable. I recently purchased a Ruger SR9. I noticed one of the white dots on the rear site blade was yellowed. One call to Ruger had a new one on the way. When I asked them if I needed to return the defective sight I was told that if they did, they would include a prepaid label for it with the new sight. That's service!

 

[Captain]

Change the recoil spring. I bet it runs right aftrer that. I find the smaller the gun, the more frequently you need to change springs.

 

[gilfo]

Sorry to hear about your problem PM9. I had one and experienced many issues with it, I sent it back to Kahr on my dime. When it was returned I still had problems. Like you I could not trust it for ccw so I sold it at a loss. Will never buy another Kahr product. I did get a CZ Rami to replace it and have 600 trouble free rounds. Good luck, it's a hard decision because it it so small and perfect for ccw, but if it doesn't work when you need it then what good is it.

 

[kokapelli]

I've not had a single problem with my PM9.
I carry Gold Dot +P for short barreled guns.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I have about 500 rds through my PM9 using just about every brand/type/weight of ammo available, with no issues.

When its dirty it'll occasionally fail to go into battery when I retract and release the slide (overhand method). A simple palm strike to the rear of the slide solves the problem. I NEVER carry a dirty gun and I don't expect this to be a problem on the street. (I use the same manual of arms to manipulate the weapon as I do with My G19, which is why I don't disengage the slide lock to release the slide.)

Somehow I must be incredibly lucky when I buy a gun. I don't seem to have problems that others complain about. Not saying there isn't a real problem, but simply observing that my experiences have been different.

Cheers!