? about plating coming off feed ramp and chamber on PM9.

[jocko]

even though

WOW I just stumbled across this topic.

I just purchased a PM40 (I already own a PM9 too) and the PM40 being brand new, never fired by me I already see barrel flaking. I noticed it when I took the pistol apart to clean the grease and lube the pistol to my liking. A co-worker and fellow Kahr owner who already sent his CW40 back for a new barrel (flaking) pointed out me flaking PM40 barrel.

I'm debating now whether to just go ahead and send them the brand new, flaking barrel before I even run any ammo through it. I've read numerous times that it's "just cosmetic" but a few things don't sit well with me in regards to this:

1. It would make resale difficult/next to impossible

2. If it's cosmetic only then why even have the coating in the first place?

I've already sent my PM9 back for a malfunction with ammo, and that customer service experience was top-notch taking just 6 calendar days to complete the service - just 4 business days.

I really want to be a positive spokesperson for Kahr, and I really want to know that their pistol will do its part in saving my life so long as I do my part.

I skipped the last 4 pages so if I'm rehashing an old point that other models are affected I apologize.

they say it will not hurt anythingk, indeed send it back they will replace it but forst call kahr and ask for IAN and get a RMA# . You need only send the barrel also and u can do that regualr US. mail.

get the barrel sent in no doubt, Be very sure it is flaking also, and not just crap left in teh barrel from kahr factory. They don't clean their barrels after test firing, so give it a good scrubbing before hand to verify it is indeed flaking..

[deadhead1971]

Tom--You have flaking without firing a shot? That's a first here. I think I noticed flaking around the 400 round mark inside the chamber. I don't remember what page it's on, but I posted a photo of it on this thread.

[B18C5 Tom]

I'll try to take a good picture of it tonight. It's definitely been fired because there were still dingleberries in the barrel itself, but it should have just been the test firing.

[jocko]

I would

I'll try to take a good picture of it tonight. It's definitely been fired because there were still dingleberries in the barrel itself, but it should have just been the test firing.

think that if it was flaking, it would be very easy to spot. Just because something is in the barrel or looks different, does not mean it is flaking. Now I am in no way kam saying that you don't know what u are talking about, but scrubb that little barrel till hell freezes over with a good bore cleaner. If is flaking, it will still be there. THEN CALL KAHR..

Indeed they test fire their guns but they don't reclean them or actually do the great lube preparation that the members oh this fourm do to their new guns before going out. A perfectly dry kahr will shoot x number of magazines and never malfunction. Kahr is not going to do the prep job that we as owners should do...

[B18C5 Tom]

You guys be the judges - I'm not an expert by any means, but the finish on the feed ramp continues into the interior of the barrel where it appears to be inconsistently flaking off:





This barrel is from a Kahr PM40 that my wife purchased from a dealer on Gun Broker. This seller has excellent feedback. My wife had even called Art Moore, the southeast regional Kahr Arms sales rep (his e-mail is listed on Kahr's website as a contact) to verify that the pistol was still a new, not registered pistol and that it was the latest generation manufactured.

BTW:

My co-worker whose CW40's barrel began flaking at under 50 rounds says his looked exactly the same, and I agree. Kahr replaced his entire barrel free of charge (paid shipping for entire gun both ways) and it only took 6 calendar days/4 business days.

I have not fired a single round through it yet. I just bought 200 rounds of Remington UMC that was to be shot sometime this week, but the barrel flaking (or not?) issue is making me second guess even firing a shot through it so that my "break-in" rounds are not wasted on a soon to be replaced (or not?) barrel.

I looked at my PM9 barrel and it's either perfectly intact and consistent, or it has a super thin layer of build-up that appears to be perfect in consistency. I'm going to go with it still looks perfect/not flaking.

Thoughts?

[wagon]

Ouch .. looks like it. If it is indeed what I think it is, you should be receiving a replacement barrel.

Welcome to the Party ... of the "unlucky ones" .......

None the less, Kahr Cust Service will take good care of ya.

You guys be the judges - I'm not an expert by any means, but the finish on the feed ramp continues into the interior of the barrel where it appears to be inconsistently flaking off:

[deadhead1971]

Tom--That looks like some severe flaking. If you can take a small screwdriver or something and run it along that spot and feel the change in barrel chamber surface elevation, for lack of a better word, then it's flaking.

I mailed in my barrel with $160 insurance to cover the cost of replacement--USPS cost was around $6. I received a new barrel in the mail in about 2 weeks. You do not need a return authorization. I mailed back the barrel with a note explaining the problem with my return address. I would e-mail them first (Ian is the rep), and let them know you are mailing them a defective barrel. They will replace it no questions asked and no hassle. Like Wagon said, welcome to the exclusive flaking barrel club. Not everyone on this forum can join. It does concern me that you have not fired a shot, and it looks that bad from the factory--test fired.

[B18C5 Tom]

Yes I e-mailed Ian Burr as he should remember me from my PM9 issue I had a few weeks ago. I'm waiting for his reply.

[deadhead1971]

The other concern I have is that your Pm40 is new. My PM9 was bought new in June '09 (seriel # IB07xx) This tells me that Kahr still has not fixed the barrel problem after all these months. You should hear back before the end of the business day.

What was your PM9 issue? I can't remember if I read about it here or not. The other issue I have had was with the flange coming apart while shooting. See here: http://kahrtalk.com/kahr-tech/863-co...ed-flange.html

Kahr sent me a whole new assembly--flange and outter spring

So now I keep a spare flange on hand.

[B18C5 Tom]

I mailed the PM40 off to Kahr Arms attn Ian Burr via USPS "if it fits it ships" box and added signature confirmation and $200.00 insurance value for a total of $8.75. If they're open Saturday they'll get it then; if not it'll be Monday. I imagine they'd overnight me a barrel as soon as they open mine and see how bad it is.

I also asked Ian if he could have the new barrel polished on the feed ramp and hood, and to let me know if there would be a charge. Someone there polished my PM9's barrel when it came in for repair after an extractor issue I had - wasn't on the repair order, nor was I charged anything for it.

[deadhead1971]

I have called kahr in the past, and their voice message says they close Friday at 4:30 PM. They are not open Saturday. It took 2 weeks for me because a batch of barrels got rejected or they were out of barrels at the time.

[Buckeye Fan]

I just got my PM9 a few days ago and after reading this thread's 18 pages of issues with flaking I cleaned mine up and checked it over. I've got 700 rounds downrange and my feed ramp is still as smooth and polished as can be. There is what appears to be some minor flaking deeper inside the chamber and it feels slightly rough when I run a straw across the area but it doesn't look any different than in any of my other guns and I've not had any issues because of it. My serial is IB73 so I think that is pretty new so hopefully they've got this issue worked out and I got a good one? Time will tell but so far my ramp looks and feels smooth as silk.

[deadhead1971]

new barrel now has 1,014 rounds and no flaking yet!

[sviking]

Holy crap...didn't even realize this was a problem. Glad I got a "bad" old VA series PM9. Zero problems to date after many years and MANY rounds through it. The barrel is also very easy to clean. I've been shooting the heck out of it recently since I moved back to Arizona and can easily shoot out in the desert. If there were any flaking/cracking problems, I'd definitely would have seen them by now.

In all honesty, and based on all the BS I've read here about the barrels and Kahr, I'd just keep shooting it. If mine were to remain reliable, then I'd just chalk it up to cosmetics and not worry about it. The barrel is already stainless, so it's not like it will start rusting all of the sudden. Can't see it unless you break it down and specifically look for it anyway. Now, if it were the exterior of the slide...different story...

[recoilguy]

That looks fishy to me!

RCG