How many HP's to feel comfortable

[cbrgator]

I have a Kahr PM9 and have put somewhere between 500 and 1000 rounds through it, so I am well beyond the break-in period. I had one FTE on around the 30th round during my first range trip, but has since been flawless.

I have fired nothing but FMJ with it up to this point, but as this is a ccw gun, I would like to carry it with JHP's. How many rounds with my chosen JHP brand would you fire until you were satisfied it cycled reliably enough to be carried for ccw? I intend to use golden sabers as long as they cycle reliably.

 

[MikeNice]

I would go through a single box. The main thing is to make sure the profile doesn't cause a snag and that it will cycle properly.

 

[kimbernut]

General rule

I'd rather have a minimum of 200 rounds with no feed problems to be confident in a carry weapon.
Golden Sabers are great bullets but can be rough on some alloy feed ramps. I'd recommend Speer Gold Dots.

 

[PabloJ]

Buy some Federal 'Classic' 115gr JHPs they will feed through just about anything including my rougher then corncob Norinco 213. Just looking at those cavernous HPs or those with some sort of stupid polymer inserts make me want to cringe. I switched to 8 shot .45ACP so I don't have to worry about using HPs. The bullet is nice and rounded just like in legendary 9x18.

 

[wally]

I think its more important to actually carry it and periodically at increasing long intervals empty it at the range. Lots of rounds in a session or two is nice, but its not how you are going to actually be using it.

My PM40 has been carried daily for almost two years since its last test, figured I'd try it again a couple of weeks ago and it was 100% out of the holster. This is the kind of testing that matters! Cleaned it, lubed it, and its at my side again, more confidently than ever.

I practice weekly with a Kahr CW9 which I figure is more than "free" from the savings of buying 9mm practice ammo vs. .40S&W ammo.

 

[cbrgator]

Does the PM9 have any known feeding issues with specific ammo?

 

[Shawn Dodson]

See "Personal Defense Ammunition Functional Reliability Test for Semiautomatic Handguns" at http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs25.htm

I carry a PM-9 and I load it with Speet Gold Dot 124gr +P which I purchase from here - http://www.policehq.com/Products/CCI-9GD

Cheers!

 

[cbrgator]

Still looking for a more concrete answer on how many rounds to shoot before being comfortable with the reliability.

 

[W.E.G.]

I cast my vote for 200 rounds to confirm reliability.

 

[MikeNice]

Run a 50 round LE box through the gun (what I meant by a box) or 3 boxes of 20 rounds.

If the gun is well broken in it will not take many to figure out if the gun handles your sd load. You are really ensuring that the firing pin strikes the primer hard enough, that it loads, that it extracts, and that it cycles properly. It will not take long to make sure your gun and a particular brand are compatible.

With modern manufacturing methods if the first 50 - 100 rounds work the next 500 should.

 

[yeti]

Still looking for a more concrete answer on how many rounds to shoot before being comfortable with the reliability.

I like to see it go 250 fault free rounds, but there is no real concrete answer. How fast are you comfortable driving on ice? How low are you comfortable with the gas gauge getting? How many angels can dance on the head of a p... forget the angels, that's immaterial.

250 is just the number I settled on, it's an easy number, 5 boxes. Some people are comfortable with less, some a lot less, and some want more. It really is when do YOU feel comfortable, not when do I or anyone else feels comfortable. Course a revolver may only get one box, but that's a horse of a different color.

 

[P30shtr]

"I'd rather have a minimum of 200 rounds with no feed problems to be confident in a carry weapon."- Kimbernut


I'd say a box or two. Statements like this...^^^^ schruggs.

Lets say you get a Glock for $500 and put 200 rnds of SD ammo through it to make sure its "OK", well you just spent $400, ouch. I know, I know, "how much is your life worth" stuff. But I just dont have that kinda money to burn on SD ammo when a box or two will tell you the same thing. Yeah it runs good, now go back to FMJ and practice,practice. My thoughts

 

[yeti]

put 200 rnds of SD ammo through it to make sure its "OK", well you just spent $400, ouch

OUCh is right! $400 for 200 rounds.

At $2 a round I could understand why that might hurt, but I don't shoot gold bullets, lead and some copper is good enough for me, which comes closer to $125 for 250 premium HP rounds.

 

[harmon rabb]

Eh. I just run a box of a given load through it to be sure the profile will feed properly. The Kahr's aren't known for being picky anyway.

 

[19-3Ben]

I usually run 25 rounds of the SD ammo at the beginning of a range trip, just so see if it runs them smoothly while the gun is clean. Then I shoot 100-150 of the dirtiest, nastiest range ammo I can find.
Then run the remaining 25 rounds of SD ammo.
That way I can see if the gun runs while dirtied up.

And there is no reason one needs to pay $2/round for good self defense ammo. That's nuts. Police HQ and Ammo to Go have premium rounds like Winchester Ranger, Speer Gold Dot, etc... for ~$25-30 per box of 50.

 

[BeerSleeper]

I have a one year old box of golden sabers. 23 of 25 left. I've used two shots dispatching varmints (possum/skunk) when my carry piece was more readily accessible than something with cheaper ammo.
I have not tested it, at all, and I lose no sleep over this.

FAILURE DRILL, FAILURE DRILL, FAILURE DRILL!

All the test ammo in the world feeding/firing successfully cannot guarantee proper function on the day when it is needed, but proper practice can guarantee you can handle a malfunction. That, and the round in the pipe never misfeeds, connect with the first shot.

 

[JohnBiltz]

When I buy a gun I put 200 rounds through it. Nothing to do with a reliability test. Its to break it in, wear down what needs wearing and smooth out what needs smoothing. If there are jams in the first 50 or so I don't care so much, I'm breaking it in but its nice if there are none, down right reassuring. Depending on how much SD ammo I have around I may shoot 50 rounds or two magazines of it at the end of the run. If I've got a lot I'll shoot 50 rounds of it. Its not reliable until it shoots 200 rounds in a row and my SD ammo without a misfire. It may well be the 200 round break in is my 200 round reliability test but they are two different things really.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Try the Remington-UMC HP in the 100-round box. If it is going to have serious problems feeding HP, it should show up quickly, and at far less cost.