New PM9 - Slide extremely stiff

[kerby9mm]

You guys and your sissy hands! I understand the lady has soft hands but you men need to use your Kahr's more to TUFFEN UP your hands!

[Fizzyone]

A diagnosis, possibly?

Hubby and his mechanically inclined mind has identified that the striker is not retracting after the trigger is pulled, and it's causing the slide to hang up as described above. Jiggling the slide makes the striker retract and the slide can be racked easily until the trigger is pulled again.

We're going to take the gun back apart and give it another good cleaning. But I'm interested in hearing what you guys think about this.

[Tinman507]

Shoot some brake cleaner up in the channel and then in the little hole on the bottom of ths slide. Work the striker pin in and out a few times.

[TucsonMTB]

Shoot some brake cleaner up in the channel and then in the little hole on the bottom of ths slide. Work the striker pin in and out a few times.

+1 . . . And don't be alarmed that the pin sticks out after you dry fire. It really does not create a problem when shooting live ammo. Trust me.

[Fizzyone]

Okay, I'm gonna just bring it to the range and see how it works. I will say that, before I bought this gun, I rented one at a local range and absolutely fell in love with it. It felt like an extension of my hand and my groupings were tighter my first time shooting it than what's typical with my Kimber 1911, which I've been shooting for almost 2 years.

So I'm already sold on this little gun, and will do whatever it takes to get it to where I'm confident with it as my every-day carry.

[jocko]

that i the best thing u can do. there isnothing like the Bang thing taking care of little picky issues that will soon dissappear. what ur hubby is doing IMO is the right thing for you to. then once u get to the range and shoot it a few rounds, u will get use dto it to. Being u have shot a PM9,u know what to expect. It is a super gun, IMO the best of the best, just take ur time with it. give it a chance to make u happy

[pitandkahr]

that i the best thing u can do. there isnothing like the Bang thing taking care of little picky issues that will soon dissappear. what ur hubby is doing IMO is the right thing for you to. then once u get to the range and shoot it a few rounds, u will get use dto it to. Being u have shot a PM9,u know what to expect. It is a super gun, IMO the best of the best, just take ur time with it. give it a chance to make u happy

well said and so sensitive to the love PM9...LOVE IT!!

[Sage]

Congrats on your new gun. I love my PM9. After 500 rounds you will think it's a different gun.

p.s. I racked mine about 500 times before it ever shot it.

[pitandkahr]

Just finished the prep and lube of my new girl a beautiful MK9...I actually love the detailed ritual that goes into prepping a Kahr...Now it's glove (yes, I'm secure enough to say and use it...) and watch some tv while getting a couple hundred racks under her belt...Then tomorrow BANG BANG 100 rounds on her and her sexy PM9 friend...Gonna be a great day!!!

[jocko]

oh

well said and so sensitive to the love PM9...LOVE IT!!

and as u know my past track record on this fourm shows that indeed ol jocko IS A VERY SENSITIVE MAN.

Just sayin

[AIRret]

Hey Fizzyone, Congratulations on picking a great GUN. As a woman I initially had a real tuff time with racking the slide and field stripping the pm9 (my husband was a great help). I also have some nasty medical issues that limit the strength in my hands. Some of those issues lead to me switching my strong side. I've shot right handed all my life and in November 2011 I had to make the switch, and I must say it's going well. I probably should have switched sooner because I'm left eye dominant, but the gun felt weird in my left hand. Anyway, enough of that. I just want you to know that after 400 round and a lot of work I can rack it, clear it, field strip it, and shoot the Hell out of it. STAY WITH IT! To this day I still work at racking ....
One thing that might help is when you rack the gun push forward with your dominent hand at the same time you are pulling the slide with your off hand.
Good luck. You'll like this forum, people are very helpful.

[Fizzyone]

Hey Fizzyone, Congratulations on picking a great GUN. As a woman I initially had a real tuff time with racking the slide and field stripping the pm9 (my husband was a great help). I also have some nasty medical issues that limit the strength in my hands. Some of those issues lead to me switching my strong side. I've shot right handed all my life and in November 2011 I had to make the switch, and I must say it's going well. I probably should have switched sooner because I'm left eye dominant, but the gun felt weird in my left hand. Anyway, enough of that. I just want you to know that after 400 round and a lot of work I can rack it, clear it, field strip it, and shoot the Hell out of it. STAY WITH IT! To this day I still work at racking ....
One thing that might help is when you rack the gun push forward with your dominent hand at the same time you are pulling the slide with your off hand.
Good luck. You'll like this forum, people are very helpful.

Thank you for this! I actually have arthritis in my thumb joints, with my left hand being the most painful. My strong side is my right, so it's the more painful hand that racks the slide, which I know is hindering the racking process even more. For a while, I was doing hand-strengthening exercises, but my orthopedist told me it wouldn't have an effect, positive or negative, on the OA so I stopped. I think I need to go back to the grip-strength exercises now. I refuse to give up on this gun, and appreciate your encouragement. It's gonna be worth the effort, I know. Worst case, I'll try shooting lefty.

ETA: I can't slingshot the slide on any gun (thumb and fingers grip), so I use the palm-on-top, thumb-toward-the-back method, keeping clear of the ejection port.

[Snidely Whiplash]

Fizzyone, my sister is petite (plus she's no spring chicken - if she sees this comment I'm dead!) and struggled with the same problem. Fortunately, her determination more than makes up for her lack of size and strength (growing up with three 'ever-so-sensitive' brothers no doubt helped in the determination department). She does grip strengthening exercises, practices racking the slide frequently (she uses the 'overhand' method, too), and shoots regularly. At first, she thought she had made a mistake buying a gun with such a strong recoil spring, but now she's mastered it and LOVES her CM9. Stick with it - you can do it! I think you'll love your gun, too.

[Fizzyone]

Thanks, Snidely, sounds like your sister and I are cut from the same cloth in many ways, including the determination. I'm off to the range in a few minutes--even though it's still hard to rack the slide, I know that shooting it is the way to (a) loosen it up a bit and (b) give me the best chance to figure out what works best for me with my PM9 (and as far as I'm concerned, giving up on it is not an option!).

It's good to know I'm not the only one dealing with hand strength issues and that it's absolutely not unsurmountable.

[Snidely Whiplash]

"...and as far as I'm concerned, giving up on it is not an option!"

Now THAT sounds like my sister !!

Have FUN at the range!