Is this a normal break-in for a PM9?

[sigsegv]

I went to the gun show on Saturday anticipating buying something, but not being sure what. One of the vendors is apparently the Kahr supplier to Washington State LE agencies, and so had a great selection. I had been looking for a micro-9mm, and as soon as I touched a PM9 I fell in love. They had one NIB black diamond PM9 with night sights, both of which I want. I don't like two-tone and I don't see the point of buying a self defense gun that you can't use in the dark. So I bought it.

Anyway, I read everything I could in the tech section, lubed the pistol, cleaned the magazines, left the slide locked back overnight, and set off for the range today with 200 rounds of ammunition.

I loaded both the 6 and 7 round mags and went to town. Fired off 13 rounds flawlessly, and the gun is impressively accurate. Then I had a stovepipe with the 7 round mag. Then another in the next mag. Then a low feed below the ramp on the second round of the 7 round magazine. Then releasing the slide on a full mag failed to feed. Then another stovepipe.

At this point I decided (like many others on the forums, apparently) that the 7 round magazine was trash.

At this point I had fired about 80 rounds alternating mags and had no malfunctions with the 6 round magazine. I started using it exclusively.

Between rounds 80 and 120 I had two FTFs with the 6 round mag. They were low feeds on the second round of the magazine, Locking the slide back, whacking the magazine, and dropping the slide got the gun going again. Both times I had banged the back of the magazine against my hand before inserting it to seat the rounds, and I released the slide with the slide catch lever.

One of these FTFs was with 115gr Remington UMC, the other was with 124gr Speer Lawman.

After round 120, I had no issues. I went through another 30 rounds of 124gr lawman, and then put 50 flawless rounds of 124gr +P Gold Dots through the gun.

From what I'm gleaning, semiautos this small have tight tolerances and are finicky until everything "wears together". Does this seem like a normal break-in session for a PM9? I'm going to need to put some more rounds through it before I truly trust it.

I just field stripped and cleaned the gun. It looks like the top of the polymer frame rails are getting chewed up a little bit by the slide. Is this normal? My guess is that it is, and once the polymer frame has worn down so that the slide only contacts the metal rails, it will stop.

Thanks guys, I love this gun and want it to be my daily carry, replacing an LCR.

[TucsonMTB]

Define "normal". Your experience parallels mine. The difference is that my current Kahrs are PM40's, rather than PM9's and that one took more shooting than yours to smooth out and become reliable. The other took less.

By the way, now that they are both working reliably, so are both of the +1 length, range magazines supplied with each, so you may want to revisit that magazine in the future, preferably after cleaning the magazine itself as well. Mine are sensitive to the build up of carbon that seems to accompany shooting many rounds, even of high quality ammunition.

Glad you are having a good time. Congratulations! and Welcome to the forum.

[Bawanna]

Sounds pretty normal to me. There have been some issues with the 7 round mags, some run fine, some don't. Your guns just working itself in and will continue to get better and better. You can clean up the chewed up rails a little or leave as is. Won't hurt a thing, just cosmetic.

Your also correct in that they are tight little guns. I like to run them a little oily, but I tend to lean that way anyhow. Not sure if it helps much but it surely can't hurt.

Welcome to the forum, keep shooting, you'll love it more and more. Don't hesitate to ask if any issues come up in the future, there's some really smart folks hanging around here. Chances are somebody has been there and done that before no matter what you might encounter.

[Bear549]

Sounds just like my CM9 when I shot blazer 124gr after the first 100 rounds. So far I have put 200 rounds of reloads, 200 rounds of Blazer, 100 rounds of American Eagle and 20 rounds of PDX1 through it. The Blazers act the same way you are describing, 2-3 FTF's every 50 rounds. The reloads and the PDX1 are both stub nose. The Blazer has a sharper point on them compared to the AE and this is why I feel they will not yet run correctly. I have polished and tweaked on it in-between shootings and it is now to the point where I feel confident carrying it. I am going to stay away from Blazers for a few hundred more rounds and then try them again to see if there is an improvement. Just be sure that what ever ammo you decdide to carry, that you test it to make sure it cycles without issues.

One of the biggest things I noticed is that the followers on the mags catch the mag release. I have sanded them down to where they feed nicely up through the mag when the mag is in the receiver. After putting 100 rounds through the gun, I looked at the followers and they had scuff marks where they had rubbed on the mag catch again. I just kept lightly sanding to where they do not have any rub marks after shooting and now all seems fine. I do recommend using Talon grips or something similar to help your grip, because it does make a difference.

Just like everyone told me here, just keep putting rounds through it, keep it cleaned and lubed and it will start shooting great after it is broke it.

[Popeye]

I think everything sounds pretty normal. Quality pistols seem to be a little finicky in the begining. Some more than others. My advice is keep shooting it,it will come around.

[wyntrout]

The magazines can use a little smoothing inside... the right lower front of the follower, in particular. There seems to be a bit of binding with the magazine catch and the follower/spring, especially with the 7-round mag.

It's a great gun, though, and worth the breaking in and fine tuning. I love mine, but I seem to love my PM45 and the P380 a tad more... looking at the amount of carry each gets. I love that all of them are alike in shape and controls... no changes between weapons for operation.

Wynn

[TheTman]

I have trouble with 7 round mags on my CW45. They don't want to feed reliably, so I stick to a 6 round mag in the gun and another on my belt. I work on the 7 rounders at the range to try and see what's going on. Either it doesn't pick up the next round, or if it does often it jams the nose up against the barrel instead of feeding it into the barrel. The ones causing the most trouble have the extended plastic on the bottom and say for P45 and PM45 only, while the one I have with that standard baseplate that they says fits ALL 45 models has fewer problems. They all click in good and tight, and I can't see any difference in them. I'll just keep messing with them until I figure it out.

[heeler]

I now have 300 rounds through my PM9 and like the OP had issues with the 7 round mag.
I stopped using it.
Although I did not go through the entire Jocko tech ritual before heading to the range with mine I did clean and lube it and did work the slide some.
What I did do was buy a box of the following ammo to test.
WWB 115gr.
Remington UMC 115gr.
Magtec 115gr.
Federal American Eagle 115 gr.
Blazer Brass 115gr
I then fired 25 rounds of each the first session.
According to my notes here I had a total of six different rounds total of the WWB (1),Magtec(2),Blazer Brass(2),Federal American Eagle(1) failed to feed with the second round going in battery and each of those six FTF were nose dives and again this was with the 7 round magazine ONLY.
The 6 round standard magazine has not once caused any issues at all.
Oddly enough when I only put six rounds in the 7 round magazine I have no issues what so ever.
Go figure.
I can say by the time I had 50-60 rounds through my PM9 it felt pretty much broke in.
Maybe it was my imagination but I really thought I could just feel the pistol setting in and loosening up.
As from that point forward until present it just feeds,fires,and spits out all the other ammo I have put through it.
Me likey.

[jocko]

check to see if that follower in the 7 round mag is getting held up at round 2/3 by the mag release button. In the prepping thread it discusses that and how to check i t out. Personaly that 7 round mag is a 50-50 crap shoot to work right in the PM guns, why that is I cannot tell you, but some of the issues are the follower in the magazine getting caught by the mag release. I think the reason the 7 round mag will work right iwth onoly 6 rounds in it is that now the follower in the magazine is beyouind where the mag release button can fokk with it...check it out. simple to do and simple to fix if that is the issue.

I hate that 7 round mag, it is the most butt ugly magazine I have ever seen. give me a 6 round flush mag any day over that abortion..

[heeler]

Agreed,it's ugly.
Since it's too intrusive to use for concealed purposes it's just a magazine that's in the safe.
Guess it's time to order another six rounder or two after the credit card cools off from all the ammo I have bought to date.

[Barth]

Agreed,it's ugly.
Since it's too intrusive to use for concealed purposes it's just a magazine that's in the safe.
Guess it's time to order another six rounder or two after the credit card cools off from all the ammo I have bought to date.

It's strange?!?
Bought a second extended mag for my MK40 Elite when new.
Broke it in with all three mags and 200 Winchester LE Bonded 180 HPs.
Then cycled all three mags with 200+ Winchester/Speer 135/155/165/180 HPs.
Didn't have a single problem. Not even during break in?

Carry both extended mags in mag packers for reload

[jocko]

actually shooting the extended magazine and then going back to the flush fit mag, will give you a complete different hold on the gun to. So why not practice with what your going to actualy carry. If one needs a 7 round mag, he should have bought a cw9. Just my two cents.

I don't even consider my 7 round PM9 mag worht of being called a "safe queen" even. It is in my tackle box "I think".

[Bawanna]

Jocko? Is that a new guy? Sounds kind of familiar.

The extended mags are ugly. I know ugly.

[Barth]

Oh man,
This isn't that bad...

[OldLincoln]

Just a theory.... Fact: A full mag puts more pressure on the lips than 1 round less. I found the mag lips spread more when full. Theory: Lips spreading under full mag cause misfeed. Fix: squeeze mag top per the mag fix thread on this forum.

If this turns out to be true, then can we post it as the generic fix for 7rd mags? Please?

PS: It fixed my 2 7rd mags.