Kahr PM-9 Failure to Battery

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gamboolman

gamboolman

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Apr 28, 2006
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I am so sick and frustrated !! :mad:
Well, I have a Kahr PM-9 that I bought brand new. The size and accuracy is so good. I shot hundreds of rounds to break it in, cleaned it good, shot it some more. Repeated this for like 1,500 rounds. I was and am willing to give the gun a good break in period. Well I have done that and I am still having Failure to Battery (FTB) occur when I have a full magazine in and fire the 1st shot. I have to lock the slide back and release the slide and it shoots the rest of the magazine just fine. It does this with different magazines, and unfortunately it does it with all different kinds of high $/Quality ammo, not just cheap Wolf or discount ammo. :cuss:

I bought this gun to carry it as my primary CCW weapon, and I must be able to depend upon it 100%. If I don't have confidence in any weapon, it is a gone pecan.

I am in the process of sending it back to Kahr now. I will give the factory a chance to make it right. I hope they do as I love the size of the gun and it shoots so good.

My question to all of the people who have had PM-9's and had this problem - Is the factory going to fix it so that I will be able to have confidence in the gun and be able to carry it as my primary CCW? :confused:

Thanks for any feedback.
 
Since its going back to Kahr, make sure you include your magazines w/ it.

if you still have the gun, maybe try putting 5 rounds in the 6rounders (or 6 rounds in the 7 rounders) and see if this problem happens. Too strong a mag spring/too weak a recoil spring? Just got a lemon where the timing is simply off? This test may tell you.
 
gamboolman said:
Well, I have a Kahr PM-9 that... still having Failure to Battery (FTB) occur
Click to expand...

[ConanO'Brien]Haaaauugh??!![/ConanO'Brien]


Yeah, about par for the course, but to answer your question, it does seem like Kahr eventually gets it running right or replaces it. Stay on they ass until you get a working gun.
 
Oh crap. Hey, j1133s, I just did something messed up to you- I noticed a little triangular "!" sign under your name that I've never noticed before (but apparently they are on everyones posts). Anyways, I clicked it, and I think I reported you as being a inappropriate post. Sorry.
 
Sometimes, with sub-compact guns, just using high quality ammo isn't enough. Its got to be HOT high-quality ammo, too. (I've had that experience with several subs.)

Hope Kahr makes it right for you. I have a P-9 which has been solid as a rock. (Except for a failed mag release part, which they sent free and which took about 15 seconds to install.)
 
I've got a PM9 and am having the same issues. Yesterday, a range session of 100 rounds yielded 6 FTF's. All were where the bullet was nose-down in the magazine and had yet to climb up above the feed ramp. Two were during normal after-shot cycling of the slide, while four occurred after swapping magazines and manually racking the slide. None were caused by me. Whether due to slide stiffness, the minor gouging in the plastic "rails" I've been seeing, the magazine lips not holding the bullet nose-up, not using "hot" enough ammo, or what ... I don't know, yet. But if it cannot get past these little problems across the next thousand rounds or so, it's toast.

By comparison, I've got a little KelTec P3AT 380ACP that has yet to have a single failure of any sort. Not hardly the same (apparent) build quality or material quality as many other guns, but the 100.0% operation of the P3AT is pretty enticing, for a BUG/carry unit. The PM9 hasn't been able to touch this, during this break-in period.
 
This is precisely why I did NOT choose a Kahr as a CCW. Need to depend on it 100%.

That's not 100%.

I went with a Taurus PT745SS, which I've actually tried firing in all sorts of incorrect positions that someone might need to do in a RL scuffle, sideways, upside-down, and it still won't jam...I like that.

That means a lot to me. A CCW pistol should not be even remotely "sensitive", I think.
 
Oh crap. Hey, j1133s, I just did something messed up to you- I noticed a little triangular "!" sign under your name that I've never noticed before (but apparently they are on everyones posts). Anyways, I clicked it, and I think I reported you as being a inappropriate post. Sorry.
Click to expand...

jlh26oo, Don't worry about it.
 
I had this same FTB problem with my PM9. I replace the recoil spring/guide rod assy and it hasn't happened since. They are excellent carry guns if you can get them to be reliable. Hope you can get yours to run right.
 
Re: nose down

...the magazine lips not holding the bullet nose-up, not using "hot" enough ammo, or what ... I don't know, yet. But if it cannot get past these little problems across the next thousand rounds or so, it's toast.
Click to expand...
Sure sounds like weak mag springs, or mag lips too close together at the front of the mag. Have you talked with Kahr?
 
Update on FTB - Kahr PM-9

I have been in discussion with Kahr and Ms. Dottie at Kahr. She has been great and I am encouraged at the response from her. I am having the gun sent back to Kahr tomorow at their expense. I have given Kahr detailed description of the FTB problem, but they are well aware of the problem. My gun is a serial # in the 1100's. I have read that the new ones don't have this problem?? I bought the gun in late April of this year. But as we all know this problem is not acceptable for a expensive new gun.

Anyway I will keep the board posted on the "Kahr Club Saga". The size and how well the gun shoots is great - if it can just funciton and be dependable as a primary CCW.

Thanks for all of the replies and suggestions.

gamboolman....
 
I have given Kahr detailed description of the FTB problem, but they are well aware of the problem. My gun is a serial # in the 1100's. I have read that the new ones don't have this problem?
Click to expand...
My PM9 serial# is in the high 3000's. It has a problem with FTF (FTB, nose-down bullets refusing to get plucked off the mag into the chamber). Uncertain what the serial# range is, for the PM9's, with respect to which are new and which are old. Haven't heard that newer ones were supposed to be perfect.
 
Had a similar experience with my P9 several years ago. Even after a lengthy (600+ rounds) breakin, it was still notoriously unreliable, with failure to battery problems.

I felt EXACTLY the same frustration you did. This was my carry gun and I had lost all confidence in it.

I sent the gun back to Kahr. After about 3 weeks I got it back. I ran several thousand rounds flawlessly through it thereafter. My confidence restored, I carried the weapon for a long time. I have sinced traded it off for god-knows-what, but I've always regretted trading as it concealed better than anything I've had since. I currently carry a Kahr K40 Covert.

Give Kahr a chance to make it right and you'll likely be pleased.

stellarpod
 
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VB is second generation. They are at VC now. This is sounding like a barrel peening problem (they are prone to that; though not the stainless steel versions AFAIK). Have you inspected around the ejection port and the barrel hood for peening...?
 
Kahr will polish the feed ramp and replace the recoil spring set. Hopefully, that will fix the issue. I replaced springs, polished the feed ramp, and tried different types of ammo. I noticed my defensive ammo always worked. As it turned out, it was +P Rem Golden Saber 124 gr. I have had no fails to feed since changing to +p for 350 rounds in one PM9 and 220 in another.
 
I have had no trouble with my PM9 other then a failed cartridge that caused a side panel to blow off (unsure, but probably an over loaded reload) :what: .

I told them it was a reload. Kahr repaired the gun, polished the feed ramp and replaced the recoil spring. No charge.:D

Mine has not had any failures to feed etc. I now practice with Win. White box.


.
 
If I understand this correctly, you are loading a full magazine and the chamber, firing the round in the chamber, then the second round (which is the top round in the magazine) nose-dives and fails to feed? Mine does that too. I finally got it to run 200 rounds without a stoppage by fully loading the magazine, chambering a round and leaving the magazine in, leaving the magazine with five (or six) rounds and making it a six (or seven)-shot gun. Kahr magazines, even in my E9 which functions well, tend to have the bullet noses pointing every which way as the magazine progressively empties.

All this is after a trip back to the factory (30-mile drive to the UPS "hub" and $51 for shipping) for even worse malfunctioning -- the slide would actually stick in the middle of its travel. A new barrel and recoil spring fixed that.

Dottie must be a busy lady. ;) I too have had contact with her, via e-mail.
 
This may be stupid but why doesn't`t Kahr recall the models they know have problems.

The size and feel of the Kahr are real nice but after reading all these theads I am scared to spend that much cash for a known issue s that the company wont proactive fix. Dam shame.
 
Because, thank goodness,

..we do not have the NHTSA or the equivalent involved.

Automobile recalls:
Last year I could find data for (quick Google search) was 2001, and the graph of recalls issued from 1966-2001 showed somewhere between 650-700 recalls for 2001. It also showed a steady (and steep) upward trend in recalls issued per year.

I don't own a new car, but the closest I've come was back in 2000-2001. I had a 92 car and got two or three recalls in the time I owned it. My GF owns new(er) cars/trucks, trades up frequently and it seems as if she has another recall every couple months.

I think we have the litigious nature of today's society and, of course the lawyers) to thank for that.

Today's cars are so much better than anything available 10-20 years ago, but the number of recalls and lawsuits continues to blossom.
 
Kahr Failure to Battery

I have the problem of the first round in a magazine not going into battery by racking the slide back and releasing it to slam the round forward. On the Kahr website under the FAQs, they say that if you have this problem, lock the slide back, insert the mag, then hit the slide release. When I do it this way, it works every time. I was considering sending it back to Kahr anyway, but since it works every time doing it the way Kahr recommends, it's probably not worth the trouble.

Other than this problem with the first round, it never fails to feed or eject.

Tequila jake
 
Actually Kahr did a limited recall on several of the earlier PM9's. Most of the VA**** and some of the VB**** The recall consists of polishing the feed ramp and a new stronger recoil spring. I just got a VA6*** model PM9 used from a friend. He polished the feed ramp when he got it for good measure and hasn't ever had a problem. I contacted Ms. Dottie at Kahr about the recall and she confirmed that it was just a fluff and buff w/ recoil spring. And since mine was functioning fine she mailed me a replacement recoil spring assy and the updated mag catch free of charge.

The new recoil spring is noticiably stiffer, so I'll have to see how it shoots later this week, or this weekend.
 
Sorry to hear about your difficulties. I had read that there was a recall on the PM9, but bought one anyway and have had no trouble whatsoever with it. Flew through the recommended break-in, and no failures since. I hope you get the problems straightened out. Let us know!
 
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