Slide release impossible to operate

[Jesskramer]

Friends,

I am ready to "pull the trigger" and buy a MK9 to compliment my PM9 and Glock 19

At my local gun shop I held a MK9 and MK9 Elite today

On both guns the slide release was Virtually Impossible to operate

When I pulled the slide back and locked it in place I could not release the slide with all the force my thumb could muster...It took Both My Hands to push the slide release down

The sales person at the shop could do no better

My PM9 was never this impossible, even right out of the box

I really want a MK9........but this was just too much

Any thoughts appreciated

Jesse

[kahrseye]

It won't release until you have a cartridge in the magazine. Mine does the same thing.

[wyntrout]

The magazine was probably in the pistol. By design, the EMPTY magazine holds the slide lock lever up when the mag is empty, locking the slide back. Eject the magazine and it's easy to push. This is covered in the manual, of course.

Wynn

[ripley16]

Welcome to the forum. What they said is the answer... ammo in the mag or let the mag drop a hair. I was showing a Kahr P45 to a Blackwater protection contractor a few years ago and he did drop the slide release with a empty mag in. I said "How'd you do that?" He didn't know any better I guess. I still can't do it.

[Tilos]

Welcome
The manual that came with your PM9 will further explain the difficulty in using the slide release with an empty magazine.
That metal pin in the mag follower presses the slide release upwards and adds the force of the mag spring when it's empty.

[Jesskramer]

Thank you kahrseye, wyntrout and ripely16.......I have just read the relevant section of the manual

I just tried this on my PM9 and there is not much difference between an empty mag vs a mag with a cartridge....but with no mag it is much harder to move the slide release

I appreciate the response, and now I can confidently buy the MK9.....I liked the plain MK better than the Elite....any thoughts on standard vs Elite

Thanks, Jesse

[kahrseye]

It's personal choice. I like the polished look. If you don't, then you just save some money....LOL

[Tilos]

Jesskramer:
So it's harder to release the slide with no mag than with an empty mag.
OK then

[Barth]

Wild Horses

Friends,

I am ready to "pull the trigger" and buy a MK9 to compliment my PM9 and Glock 19

At my local gun shop I held a MK9 and MK9 Elite today

On both guns the slide release was Virtually Impossible to operate

When I pulled the slide back and locked it in place I could not release the slide with all the force my thumb could muster...It took Both My Hands to push the slide release down

The sales person at the shop could do no better

My PM9 was never this impossible, even right out of the box

I really want a MK9........but this was just too much

Any thoughts appreciated

Jesse

My MK40 Elite came NIB ridiculousness tight.
I had a hell of a time working the slide stop and field strip/reassembly.
Actually bent the slide stop spring putting it together and had to order more!

After about 200 rounds everything started to loosen up.
At 400+ now it's just glassy and perfect.
I can work the slide stop and field strip/ assemble with total ease.
It's like a different gun now.

Don't get discouraged.
Just lube it, shoot it and break it in like a wild horse.
The little Thoroughbred is well worth the trouble when you're done.

[jocko]

well for sure the empty magazine should be out of the gun to use the slide release with little effort. Barth is right to, a few rounds down range does wonders. The kahr manual even states to take an empty magazine out ofthe gunt o rleease the slide for it is easier. A loaded magazine works fine.

What one is actually doing with an empty magazine in thegun is now also pulling down with the slide release lever the empty magazine follower and this in itself cause different pressures . The MK9 is one super handgun, some come tighter than others to. I think IMO ur making a to fast judgement on what ur talking about, gbut again I dont have the gun in my hands to see what is the cause either. both guns tells me that someone is not takig the empty magazine out of the gun.

[FLBri]

I like, and have, the elite because I like the polish. All the other issues are irrelevant now. They polish all the feed ramps ... they all have elite trigger system ... bevel magazine well? Look, if you can't find the hole for the magazine you shouldn't own a gun.

Bottom line is ... if you prefer the non elite ... buy it and love this little power house of a gun. I sure do mine.

And yes ... they come tight. Mine didn't really loosen up until after 400 rounds at least. But the magazine issue is as others have described and is not related to break in so much. That's the design of the gun. My PM9 , like yours, is not hard to release the stop with the mag in or out ... but all my other Kahr's (4 steel frame versions) are impossible. I don't know why the difference ...

[O'Dell]

I bought an MK40 a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't any tighter than any of my other Kahrs that I noticed. The MK's are fine shooting pistols and I prefer mine to my PM9 except when the weight's an issue.

[Jesskramer]

Thanks to all who replied.

I just bought the MK9 Elite

Jesse

[ORSalesRep]

I love my MK9 elite!!! It was super tight and stiff for me when I first got it. I would wear gloves and rack the slide while watching TV up to a 1000x per night for a couple weeks. I now have about 1000+ rounds through it and it is awesome and super smooth. I love the trigger, by far my favorite of all my Kahrs. I've always been a fan of Kahr triggers and thought that no double action trigger could better a Kahr, but somehow they improved on perfection. My MK9 has Crimson Trace Laser grips with night sights and I have it Mag-Na-Ported. Shoots like a dream and crazy accurate. That sucker's 3" barrel's accuracy would be a match for many 4-5" guns 25yrds and in. Enjoy it and Congrats!!! BTW, Kahr recommends a 200 round break in period. However, aside from the stiffness and tighness of the MK9, mine has been flawless since my first round.

[hss.strat]

Argh! It's a slide lock lever not a slide release.

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