Update! PM45 magazines fail & Boomer's going back again! Back home 11 Jan!

[Bai Qui]

My mags have cracks just like in the first picture posted by wyntrout in post #21 of this thread:

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t...ed+mags&page=3

If I'm understanding what you are saying, the "crack" you're referring to would be the gap at the top of the weld on the center of the back of the mag, which both mine have and I would consider it to be normal. The cracks I'm referring to are at the top rear of the mags at the points where the sides and back face meet. If I insert a round and push on the nose of the round, I can actually move the back plate of the mag and make the cracks open up. Guess I'll contact Kahr and see about replacing them.

[jocko]

yup u have bad magazines. they will replace them. I had one of my P380 magazines crackin that same area. Just has to be bad metal and maybe when the bends were made it weakened that area. No doubtr kahr will take care of it. They probalby have no way of knowing that there are potential bad magazines out there until indeed the crack..... for some reason I could not pull up wynns; phtotos but now they popped up and I see what he is referring to. THOSE ARE BAD MAGAZINES..

[wyntrout]

My magazines were fine until that one trip to the range where they all started splitting and several wouldn't fit into the grip without wiggling and pushing harder. I didn't see what was happening until I got home and had good lighting. The three that I got with the gun, and three others, representing 4 different models of Kahr .45 magazines total, started failing. Only one didn't have any splits, yet. Kahr tested and duplicated that the GUN was causing the failures and finally had to use a new frame to stop the magazine destruction. They replaced all six magazines and I've had no trouble since then... other than the nut on the front of the recoil spring guide rod came off. Kahr sent me a complete new assembly.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Well, Boomer is awaiting FedEx pickup for his 5th return to the mothership!

I noticed that FOUR of my seven .45 Kahr mags had tiny cracks or splits starting at the upper rear corners. This isn't quite the CATASTROPHIC failures I had back in 2010, but it doesn't bode well for the continued use of these mags. I contacted Jay with pictures of the cracks and a gunsmith there wants to examine the pistol... SO... BACK he goes! This is the second time with this problem... and now with the new frame from the last return.
It's not like I've been shooting a lot of junk in my gun! Part of my letter to Kahr:

This pistol has a round count of from 1,000 to 1,500 since September 2010, using only reputable factory-manufactured, standard-pressure 230-grain ammunition with brass or aluminum cases… no steel-cased ammo, or +P ammo. I have 6 other Kahrs and other pistols, so this one gets to the range 3-4 times a year or so, with from 100 to 200 rounds at most, per session.
This will be the 5th return of my pistol and I’m not sure there are any original parts… maybe the slide lock. I had nicknamed my pistol “Boomer”, but it became “Franken-Boomer”!

Wynn

[JFootin]

Maybe they'll replace it with a new one this time, which is what they should have done a long time ago. Would have cost them less, IMO. Here's hoping this is the last time!

[wyntrout]

I think that "tricky" bend or fold back there on the magazine is a weak point. I hope that "Boomer" is still easy to shoot when he returns!

He was picked up about half an hour ago and I'm really getting behind on my wash and other chores today!<Sigh>

I guess I'll have to replace him with something else for a while. It's not like I'm pistol or Kahr pistol poor!

My P40 had become my main day carry and Boomer for after dark... night sights!

My P9, I guess. The NS on it are 8 years old and I'm thinking of replacing them or getting them re-lamped by Trijicon. I would REALLY like to add those Trijicon HD NS, but they probably won't make those for Kahrs.

The P9 with the ported barrel and an 8-round extended grip mag for home defense deployment:



I've been thinking about... maybe an XDs... with a NS upgrade to the HD NS! In Orange, this time! I just want those sights... on a compact .45, too!

Wynn

[gb6491]

I've been thinking about... maybe an XDs... with a NS upgrade to the HD NS! In Orange, this time! I just want those sights... on a compact .45, too!

Wynn

I had the Springfield Custom shop install the Trijicn HD sights on my XD-S and found I didn't like them. The sights they use are originally for SIGs. See here:
http://www.***********/forums/xd-s-d...icon-hd-s.html
The trouble with them for me is that the HD front and rear sights have less height offset than the OEM XD-S sights. So my XD-S shoots about three inches low at ten yards with the HD sights. This may be peculiar to me as some folks seem happy with the HD sights on their XD-S and Springfield's contention is the pistol is designed for self defense (so the sights are fine for that). I found another setup that I like (similar front sight to the HD), so I have a nice set HD sights that I'd sell cheap
Regards,
Greg

[wyntrout]

HMMM.... censored site in your link!

Wynn

[wyntrout]

I like the HD NS on my XD45 5" Tactical and I think they use the same sights for the SDs. I keep forgetting to take my old XD sights with me to the Gun Shows to check with XDs 45's.

Wynn

[gb6491]

HMMM.... censored site in your link!

Wynn

I like the HD NS on my XD45 5" Tactical and I think they use the same sights for the SDs. I keep forgetting to take my old XD sights with me to the Gun Shows to check with XDs 45's.

Wynn

Sorry, I didn't know we've started censoring links to that "talk" site.

Here are photos from http://www.xd-hs2000.com showing the HD sights on the XD-S,
This is the sight set the SA Custom Shop uses and James at xd-hs2000 recommends ("But Trijicon HD for the Sig Sauer & XD fits nicely on the slide."):

..and the XD specific sights (James: "The Trijicon HD XD specific version does not look right on the small XDS slide. The rear sight sticks out off the back of the slide and the gap is kind of wide.")

My slide with the HD sights James recommends and the SA Custom Shop uses:

Regards,
Greg

[jocko]

probably the photo magnifys it more than it is but that front sight IMO has a heh of a space gap between the side blade and the slide.

[wyntrout]

That's two of the "features" I like... the extended sight plane... and the wider notch... supposed to help with "old eyes"!

Thanks for posting the pix, Greg!

Wynn

[addictedhealer]

How after so many issues have you not lost faith in Kahr products. I love my new Kahr and hope I don't have any issues because I would probably jump ship.

I realize crap does happen and it seems more so for the .45 kahrs. I have invested a lot of money and time on my Kahr plus pride and if it fails me I would be overwhelmed with grief and foot in mouth.

[wyntrout]

I've had a few disappointments and had to work with Kahr and get some help from my friends on this forum, but I just love these pistols. Overcoming the "minor" shortcomings and getting what I want in performance has become a hobby.
I've had some memorable moments and some real downers when a pistol doesn't perform right out of the box... but they get the needed TLC and sooner or later perform as they should.
I hate to see others have problems and give up with the Kahrs... after only one or two. I have 7 and look forward to a couple more... even if I have to "nurse" them a long a bit.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Well, Boomer came back early this afternoon... a FOUR DAY turnaround! I got 7 new mags and the pistol was inspected and fired... tested okay. I just cleaned him up and was loading up all of the mags with my Speer 230-gr GDSB when I realized that I hadn't put the 5-lb spring in it, yet.

I took all of the mags apart and lightly checked the follower and the usual areas of the tube with 320-grit sandpaper for burrs. I degreased the tube inside and out, then lightly oiled the spring before re-assembly, THEN I loaded the mags. All of the springs were correctly oriented. I have more than enough mag holders for all of the loaded mags and deployed those as usual.

I'm being domestic, too, washing all of the bed covers and stuff... plus some "light" house-keeping and getting ready to cook supper... spaghetti.

I have already cleaned up the P40 and need to do the P9... and I haven't gotten to the videos from the range yesterday. <sigh> I've been reading too much. I read and finished... for at least the second time... Starman Jones by Heinlein in the wee hours of the morning. It was bundled with my last monthly bundle from Baen.com ebooks.

Now, washer to dryer for the sheets and covers... AND put the 5-lb striker spring into Boomer... and maybe the K9, while I have the DINING table covered with gun cleaning stuff!

Boomer's done and now for the K9!

Wynn