Clearing/Chambering a round

[Dan49829]

I purchased a Black Stainless Kahr PM9 with Night Sightsbecause of its conceal ability and the way it felt in my hand. I have only fired a little over a hundredrounds through it, but so far it has been extremely accurate and very reliable.

I am afraid to carryit however because I can’t hand rack a round without it jamming so bad that Ihave to retract the slide and lock it open to release the magazine.

Kahr’s answer to this was that the PM9 was designed to bechambered using the slide stop. So if around happens to fail to fire (for whatever reason) it is necessary to releasethe magazine, eject the faulty round, lock the slide open with the slidestop, re-insert the magazine, and then chambera new round by releasing the slide stop.

At the range, this may be an inconvenience, but in agunfight you would probably be dead!

If you want to keep your PM9 at your bedside or in a nightstand, and prefer not to have a round chambered (for safety, possible unauthorizedaccess, or whatever), you would either have to store it with the slide lockedopen (and risk something contaminating the chamber), or store it in the usualclosed position, and in case of an intruder, grab your pistol, pull back theslide, lock it open with the slide stop, insert a magazine, and chamber a roundusing the slide stop (while potentially waking up in a fear induced adrenalinerush).

With other pistols, I am able to draw, insert a magazine,chamber a round, and fire fast enough that observers have commented that theythought the gun was already loaded. I cannotdo this with my PM9 because I would have to draw, lock back the slide with theslide stop, insert a magazine, chamber a round using the slide stop, andfinally fire. In this regard, it kind ofreminds me of an old flintlock rifle I used to own.

My PM9 has become a very expensive conversation piece - or avery accurate diminutive target pistol that’s inconvenient to clear a FTF from.

It looks like the feed ramp may be too steep, and could bewhy it won’t feed like other pistols??? Ijust wish Kahr would address this design failure, or at least stop insulting usby claiming it was “designed” that way on purpose!

Would appreciate any suggestions because other than the feedproblem, I really love this pistol!

[skiflydive]

My CM9 chambers a round by racking the slide every time. It didn't at first but now it's well broken in and does just fine. If you really think it's a "Failed" design you should sell it.

[Ikeo74]

While at home, Load the mag 1 short, install it into the gun and rack 1st bullet into the chamber. Take mag out and insert 1 or 2 rounds and reinsert into gun. Carry it loaded in a good holster. Problem solved. It will eject and load the next round without any effort from you.

If you decide to only load all Kahr magazines 1 short instead of forcing in that final round you won't have the problem with the gun. It's as simple as that. Consider it a 5 shot and forget about it.

[LorenzoB]

Clearing/Chambering a round

Keep a duty pistol at your bed side. I know you are very comfortable with loading a mag and racking the slide to "get ready" for a defensive situation, but you might reconsider the amount of time it takes to do that after waking up in the middle of the night to a confusing and bad situation. And more importantly, also consider the high potential for Murphy's law to make things worse.

As for the Kahr... many report here that they can chamber a round by hand just fine. I know I can on my CW9 (but not at first). It takes some break in time, and A LOT OF PRACTICE to not ride the slide. Full size duty pistols are forgiving here with their long travel and long springs and gently sloping feed ramps, the round will chamber even if you ride the slide a lot. I think duty sized pistols have caused many to learn bad hand racking technique (including me) because they are so forgiving in this respect. But many smaller pistols, because they are so short, are designed with steep feed ramps, tight springs, and very little slide travel. This means that if you interfere the motion of the slide when it is trying to chamber a round (ie "riding the slide"), it may cause a failure to feed.

So, I believe that Kahr put the notice in their documentation about only using the slide stop in order to avoid a lawsuit and complaints, and customer service phone calls, etc.

[LorenzoB]

Clearing/Chambering a round

....If you decide to only load all Kahr magazines 1 short instead of forcing in that final round you won't have the problem with the gun. It's as simple as that. Consider it a 5 shot and forget about it.

This is a good point. The last round is crammed pretty tight in the magazine which makes it more difficult for the slide to strip off that first round. This is exaggerated when hand racking if you ride the slide even in the least bit. You must pull strait back and continue pulling strait back after your hand comes off. Loading one-less round in the magazine will make it a little more forgiving in this respect.

[LorenzoB]

Clearing/Chambering a round

By the way... Welcome aboard! It sounds to me like you are going to love this pistol once you break it in and get used to hand racking it (after it loosens up a bit). Just keep shooting it! It is well worth the investment. Don't carry it or keep it by your bedside until you are confident it will be the right tool for those jobs.

[Tilos]

Welcome:
Many here have been down that well worn road you are on now.
If you're convinced you gun functions poorly, is poorly designed, then there's not a lot we can do to help you.
1st it could be ammo related.

What I'm about to suggest will start a lot of bloviating/posturing about Kahr, but it has worked for me and many others.
A simple mod to the mag follower will allow reliable hand racking/loading, it's a $5 part that can be easily replaced should you choose to after the springs, etc settle in with some more rounds fired.

Here's a link to the most popular thread about this mod:
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.p...hlight=mag+mod

Buffing/polishing the feeding lips on the mags have also helped this problem.

This will work if to have a racking problem with the gun, but will not change the wording in the Kahr manual, if that is what you have a problem with

[getsome]

Hi Dan49829 and welcome to Kahr Talk....You have a very nice CCW pistol that is mainly designed to be carried in a pocket or small holster with a round in the chamber....like others have said the gun is super tight from the factory and WILL require several hundred rounds of fire before it will break in and all the parts will smooth out....after 3-4 hundred rounds fired it will be possible to hand rack/slingshot the first round like any other semi auto pistol...Give it time and the more you shoot it the better and easier it will be to operate.....

For a bedside home defense pistol I would recommend a larger duty pistol like a Springfield XD, Glock, S&W M&P (my bedside gun) or whatever larger higher capacity pistol you can shoot well and leave the Kahr for CCW use...I keep an inexpensive Mossberg Maverick 12 gauge next to my chest of drawers with a full magazine but the chamber empty....Light weight, more than enough firepower for zombies and that sound of a pump shotgun racking in a shell will cause most bad guys to rethink what they are doing in your house at 3:00 am....

My advice is to keep shooting your fine little PM9 until it breaks in good and you will think of it as a completely different pistol....Anyone can make a cheap loosely fitted slop slided pistol that will fire but Kahr makes a gem of a high quality tightly machined engineering masterpiece that started the pocket 9 pistol business that all the other manufacturers are still trying to catch up to....Give it some time and shoot shoot shoot it and then see if your don't change your mind and if not then sell it here, as a matter of fact i am in the market for that very pistol so let me know....Good luck with it and again welcome to Kahrtalk....

[jocko]

1st

I purchased a Black Stainless Kahr PM9 with Night Sightsbecause of its conceal ability and the way it felt in my hand. I have only fired a little over a hundredrounds through it, but so far it has been extremely accurate and very reliable.

I am afraid to carryit however because I can’t hand rack a round without it jamming so bad that Ihave to retract the slide and lock it open to release the magazine.

Kahr’s answer to this was that the PM9 was designed to bechambered using the slide stop. So if around happens to fail to fire (for whatever reason) it is necessary to releasethe magazine, eject the faulty round, lock the slide open with the slidestop, re-insert the magazine, and then chambera new round by releasing the slide stop.

At the range, this may be an inconvenience, but in agunfight you would probably be dead!

If you want to keep your PM9 at your bedside or in a nightstand, and prefer not to have a round chambered (for safety, possible unauthorizedaccess, or whatever), you would either have to store it with the slide lockedopen (and risk something contaminating the chamber), or store it in the usualclosed position, and in case of an intruder, grab your pistol, pull back theslide, lock it open with the slide stop, insert a magazine, and chamber a roundusing the slide stop (while potentially waking up in a fear induced adrenalinerush).

With other pistols, I am able to draw, insert a magazine,chamber a round, and fire fast enough that observers have commented that theythought the gun was already loaded. I cannotdo this with my PM9 because I would have to draw, lock back the slide with theslide stop, insert a magazine, chamber a round using the slide stop, andfinally fire. In this regard, it kind ofreminds me of an old flintlock rifle I used to own.

My PM9 has become a very expensive conversation piece - or avery accurate diminutive target pistol that’s inconvenient to clear a FTF from.

It looks like the feed ramp may be too steep, and could bewhy it won’t feed like other pistols??? Ijust wish Kahr would address this design failure, or at least stop insulting usby claiming it was “designed” that way on purpose!

Would appreciate any suggestions because other than the feedproblem, I really love this pistol!

post and u have caught the design failure--so u say. Only thing wrong with that kahr is that it needs more rounds down range and the gun will smooth out 100%. THERE IS NUTTIN WRONG WITH THE FEED RAMP. Ur never gonna handrack it as fast a any glock as kahrs recoil springs are the stoutest in the industy. once u and the gun better mate up, u can indeed hand rack it with ease. As far as a abed side gun if in doubt of having a loaded gun there, just keep the slide locked open with a hot magazinein it, and u can if shtf either hand rack that first round or use the slide lock lever which is faster than anyhand racking that you can do. also u can do it one handed.

Were here to help you if U WANT IT but this design failure crap from a 1str time poster, kinda cuts deep to us who know the truth. If u decide to sell it , post it on this forum and I can assure u it will be gone in a heart beat..

In the meantime welcome abaord.

[h2ohhh]

Clearing/Chambering a round

While at home, Load the mag 1 short, install it into the gun and rack 1st bullet into the chamber. Take mag out and insert 1 or 2 rounds and reinsert into gun. Carry it loaded in a good holster. Problem solved. It will eject and load the next round without any effort from you.

If you decide to only load all Kahr magazines 1 short instead of forcing in that final round you won't have the problem with the gun. It's as simple as that. Consider it a 5 shot and forget about it.

I'm just breaking in my CW-45 and this gent is absolutely on the money. My weapon will fire when racking with 5 in the clip. Every time I've tried it though though I use the slide stop method most of the time.

My bedside features a Ruger Mini-14 with an empty chamber and a full clip. Racking one in that will send shivers down the spine of an intruder like the aforementioned pump gun.

[jocko]

try squeezing 15 round sin a G19 magazine and see how hard it is, load a few short and it is a breeze, expecially for rangeuse, load short and forgetabout the pain and suffering, or get a uplula and quit *******. If you have a 6 shot magazine, then what Ikeo sated is the way to go. why run it a round short, range use, ok but for carry, no way..

[xsailer]

Dan, Had similar problems with my CM9. I kept at it and shot several rounds and worked the actions that solved the problems. As they all say above.

Use it and you'll keep it.

[hogsnguns]

You might go to the Kahr tech section and read up on the proper prep of a new Kahr and also look over the proper lube section. I followed these easy to follow instructions and have been able to hand rack my PM9 rounds from round one. I am convinced that following the proper prep has helped my Kahr to run trouble free from day one.
Welcome to Kahr talk. There is a ton of information and helpful people on this site. Good luck with your new Kahr.

[hogsnguns]

Kahrs also have close tolerances, so are tight to begin with. Kahr advises 200 rounds to break in. Kimbers tolerances are also tight and suggested 600 rounds to break in their cdp pistol. I had problems with my Kimber til after the break in period. I no longer have any problems with my Kimber. The Kimber also cost more than the Kahr.
I am sure that if you do the prep work and just shoot your gun some more, you will really enjoy your new gun.

[Dsollars1800]

At first the mechanism is much too tight. A few hundred rounds should loosen it to the point that you can reliably slingshot it if you do it smartly.