New Kahr PM9 - I think I'm screwed

[Charger442]

After the initial contact they don't return Email.


It does appear to be only a cosmetic issue, but its also very poor customer support, He paid a premium for the "P" series which should come with better QA/QC. On a CM9 I'd be more inclined to suggest he forget about it.

OTOH I'm done with Karh, if this really bothers him, how would he feel if the frame broke after about 6000 rounds and their customer service is not answering Email? I've switched to S&W Shields and already shoot them better than I ever have done with the Kahrs.

a broken slide would likely be handled much differently than an electrode attachment point on the underside of the slide that is present on each and every one of their pistols.

and a broken slide would have nothing to do with said electrode placement for the coating.


Just like many have said, Kahr has told you its not a QC issue and its nothing they can change and doesnt effect the life and operation of the gun. Either get over it and shoot it, or sell it and never buy Kahr again because of some insignificant OCD issue on an invisible slide area. But dont run Kahr customer service down because you didnt like the answer they gave on this particular (non) issue.

 

[mick53]

A few of you seem angry that I have questioned this mark. One guy in particular is angry that I am "running down" Kahr customer service.

Well how about this? I have been talking and emailing Kahr customer service for well over a month about this.

I cannot fathom why in the world, if this stuff about attaching an electrode while applying the coating leaves a mark like the one I have on my slide is true, why the hell someone at Kahr (I have spoken to four people there) just didn't tell me this at the beginning of this drudgery. TODAY WAS THE FIRST MENTION OF THIS BY THEM!!!

We're talking about 6-8 phone calls and an equal amount of emails and as I say, no mention of this blemish being a normal part of the process until I got that email from them TODAY.

So yeah, I'll run them down a bit. They could have saved me, and themselves. a lot of time and effort if they had told me about this electrode business when I first contacted them more than a month ago and asked about the mark you see in the picture.

And sorry, I won't believe them until another owner or two of a PM9 with the DLC coating responds here and tells me they have the same unsightly mark in the same spot on their slide.

Lastly, you guys who seem angry for me questioning this, you need to take a calm down pill or something.

 

[snooperman]

mick53, you have every right to be angry, when you paid as much for the PM9 that you did , and then have to endure this kind of "crap" from a gun company. I have seen a number of Kahrs but none like the spot on yours at all. If they were as concerned about your feelings as a customer as they are about making money they should have sent you a different slide , period. There are some very good customer care gun manufacturers out there, unfortunately Kahr is not one of them. Snoop

 

[HexHead]

Well how about this? I have been talking and emailing Kahr customer service for well over a month about this.

I cannot fathom why in the world, if this stuff about attaching an electrode while applying the coating leaves a mark like the one I have on my slide is true, why the hell someone at Kahr (I have spoken to four people there) just didn't tell me this at the beginning of this drudgery. TODAY WAS THE FIRST MENTION OF THIS BY THEM!!!

We're talking about 6-8 phone calls and an equal amount of emails and as I say, no mention of this blemish being a normal part of the process until I got that email from them TODAY.

They were probably laughing too hard to reply. Or take you seriously.

 

[sgt127]

Comes up on the Sig forum occasionally about guns with the Nitron finish. It's a byproduct of the finishing process.

It's "normal" so, they won't do anything about it. I can't blame them.

If you want an even finish, inside and out, you could get it bead blasted.

 

[DT Guy]

I once disassembled the rocker arm on my car, and found unfinished weld marks inside it.

I was furious-and after Honda told me repeatedly some crap about 'well, that's how we make them' I was MORE furious! I paid good money for this car, and my expectations should take precedence over whatever stupid manufacturing techniques they CLAIM they use.... and so I'm going to call the president of Honda, because I'm a customer, and they have to-HAVE TO!!!-do whatever I want.

Yep.


Larry

 

[mick53]

For the sake of "full disclosure" I will also let you guys know that originally I was told Kahr would replace the slide and to send JUST THE SLIDE back to them.

After they got the slide, they asked me to send them the frame too so they could do "proper fitting" of the barrel to the slide and the slide to the frame.

And after all that, I got the pistol back, with the same slide and a note that said "This discoloration is normal."

Originally I did not want to bore you folks with all the gory details but now you know them.

Hell yeah, I'll run Kahr customer service down. And they deserve it!

One hand doesn't know what the other is doing at Kahr customer service. They very obviously have some serious problems there.

After my phone calls and photos I sent them they tell me;

We'll replace the slide.

Then they have me send them the frame.

Then they send it all back after having DONE NOTHING.

Yeah, I'll run Kahr customer service down. I'd run 'em down with a bus if I could.

 

[hardknocks!]

PM9

hello
I just took a look at my PM9 and its discolored in the same location.
I never really noticed it before and it does not bother me. it runs all ammo I have put in it. lotsa ball ammo and a couple brands of hollow point.
just hope yours don't break mag followers.
I never used kahr customer service and hope I don't have to in the future.
the three kahr 9mms I have had never once had any type of jam or FTF.
I also have glock, beretta, ruger ect so im not a kahr specific fanboy.
that's my experience.
good luck
Mike

 

[mick53]

hardknocks!,

Thanks for letting me know that your PM9 has the same mark.

Now i"ll live with it and start breaking it in tomorrow.

Why those idiots didn't tell me this at my first and subsequent contacts I'll never understand.

They saw pictures YET they told me they were going to replace the slide and so on. It sure would have been easier for them to tell me about this attaching an electrode jazz and how it leaves a mark.

And I'll never understand why, after they received the slide, a week later they asked me to send them the frame.

And then they send slide and frame back telling me all is normal.

Think about it. My one and only complaint was that damn mark. They could have explained it to me the first time I asked about it.

My only concern was the blemish pictured in my first post. Why the hell they just didn't explain the mark I will never understand.

Kahr customer service is sloppy, careless and inept.

 

[hardknocks!]

CS

From what I read there service is hit and miss.
It's a crapshoot I guess.
Regards

 

[newfalguy101]

Just curious, how do you know they didn't replace the slide??

Perhaps they picked a slide that has a less noticeable mark?? And fitted it to the gun, just like they said they were going to.

 

[Orion8472]

mick53, . . . . . perhaps [and it's just a thought] that there were a few of the customer service reps that didn't know the exact process of the coating your kahr has and eventually you got one who did.

Now that it is all settled, post pics of the assembled gun and some targets whenever you come back from shooting it.

 

[mick53]

Just curious, how do you know they didn't replace the slide??

Perhaps they picked a slide that has a less noticeable mark?? And fitted it to the gun, just like they said they were going to.

As I said earlier, they returned everything with a note that said the slide was NOT replaced and "The discoloration was normal."

They are idiots.

 

[MEHavey]

Consider it to be the gun's belly-button (which it is).
Shoot it, enjoy its functionality, give it a nickname.
...just not "Adam"

 

[JimC]

FWIW, the inside of the slide on my PM9 w/the DLC coating has a similar "discoloration" but I never gave it much thought.
Not as large as yours but it has it.

 

[wild cat mccane]

Could someone else post a picture of the exact same area?

I doubt very much this is common. The black kahr slide is an extra 100 bucks. I would be annoyed.

 

[bottom shelf]

Why those idiots didn't tell me this at my first and subsequent contacts I'll never understand.

Probably because the person who took you complaint didn't know the discoloration was normal.

They saw pictures YET they told me they were going to replace the slide and so on. It sure would have been easier for them to tell me about this attaching an electrode jazz and how it leaves a mark.

Maybe because the person who saw the pictures didn't know about the finer points of manufacturing, and didn't know it was normal. Agreeing to replace the slide sounds like a reasonable thing for them to do.

And I'll never understand why, after they received the slide, a week later they asked me to send them the frame.

At this point, they have agreed to replace the slide, and need the frame to make sure the fit is as good as it can be. So they receive the frame and slide, go to the shop to get a replacement, and discover that ALL the slides have that same discoloration. They ask the person finishing the slide about it, and SURPRISE! They learn it's normal. The service rep got an education about their own product that day. No sense in fitting and sending another slide, they're all the same.

And then they send slide and frame back telling me all is normal.

Sound's like it is.

Think about it. My one and only complaint was that damn mark. They could have explained it to me the first time I asked about it.

If the person you initially spoke to knew about it, I think they would have told you.

My only concern was the blemish pictured in my first post. Why the hell they just didn't explain the mark I will never understand.

It's not that hard to understand. It sounds like the person you spoke to didn't know about the mark.

Kahr customer service is sloppy, careless and inept.

It sounds to me like they looked into your complaint, discovered it was not a defect, or even an anomaly, and sent you back a working gun. Yes, it was a hassle, but as consumers, many of us often demand ridiculously low prices on stuff we buy. Top notch support people are expensive. They could probably afford better support people if we'd pay another $100 or so per gun, but we won't. Maybe an individual here and there will, but as a whole, we wouldn't stand for it.

I'm not trying to defend Kahr here, just trying to illuminate what may be the facts on a very one-sided story so far.

 

[sig228]

My suggestion: just shoot it since the trigger bar will probably break like mine did with less than 50 rounds.

 

[arizona98tj]

It is quite apparent the CS rep you spoke with wasn't at all familiar with the DLC coating process. I think that is a given and you seem to agree with that.

So....he agrees to fix it for you....to make it right....and asks you to return the slide. Sounds like customer service is moving in the right direction to me.

At the point they have the entire gun (slide and frame) and it heads to the smith for repair, he examines it and realizes "it ain't broke". It is returned to you with a note indicating no parts were replaced, etc.

Be upset all you want....Kahr CS did exactly what they should have done. It was indeed unfortunate that the CS representative wasn't a certified Kahr gunsmith too AND could have told you on the first exchange what that mark was. But then again, the smiths work in the back room on customer's firearms....they don't typically answer the phones.

Bad customer service would have started with them NOT asking that the slide be returned to them. That never happened.

 

[9mmforMe]

I disagree with those of you who think CS did a good job. The CS rep should have taken Mick's contact information, gone to a supervisor or to a smith and asked a couple questions, gotten an appropriate answer, called back and bingo!

 

[BAGUTOO]

my PM9

I just sent my diamond coated PM9 back for repair the other day. My experience so far with CS has been good. I have not noticed any discolorations from the coating process but I can say the finish is not as good as my Glocks or Sigs.

My guns problem (other than the poor finish) is the barrel and upper slide move up and down when the trigger is pulled. The local gunsmith told me it was most likely the front contact points on the frame, showing signs of wear. I am the second owner, so I don't know how many rounds the previous owner put through her but I have only shot about 1000 rounds at max. Sounds like the frame might have to be replaced at a cost of $250 plus hourly rate $65 to install all my old parts into the new frame.. I carry it a lot and like to shoot it to stay proficient, but now I am concerned that it will just wear out again.

 

[C0untZer0]

My guns problem (other than the poor finish) is the barrel and upper slide move up and down when the trigger is pulled.

My CM9 does that and it is brand new. The movement is just barely noticeable - maybe .1 millimeter of movement (guessing).

 

[BAGUTOO]

Well, She is en-route now. I will let yall know how my CS experience goes and what they say about the play...

 

[9mmepiphany]

My guns problem (other than the poor finish) is the barrel and upper slide move up and down when the trigger is pulled.

My CM9 does that and it is brand new. The movement is just barely noticeable - maybe .1 millimeter of movement (guessing).

The movement between the slide and the polymer frame is normal.

I noticed it when I first got my CW9, so I started paying more attention when handling other Kahrs...then I started to notice that most striker fired polymer framed guns have this movement. It is just a by-product of the short metal sections in the frame that the slide ride on

 

[rcmodel]

<<<< This!

If you want a tight slide & barrel, with zero movement, you need a match grade 1911.

Everything else is set up loose for reliable function with short light slides.
By design, striker fired guns are pushing or pulling on the slide at one point or another during the cocking trigger pull & striker release.

rc