PM9 Range Report: The Honeymoon is over.

[OldLincoln]

Sorry for the rant Sierrajb. It is intended for ALL new Kahr owners, not just you. If the proper cleaning is done and it is well lubed new owners would become Kahr fans right off. There are a few true mechanical issues now and then, but by and large it is a lack of understanding of what the break-in is doing and proper lube.

As for oil or grease, while it may work, oil is messy and will run out of the seams as yqtszhi experienced. While it's leaving the area to be protected, grease stays put. The TW25 is what I was advised to use and have throughout. I would suggest getting 1 syringe and 1 tube. It amounts to almost free shipping for the tube and even the 1.5oz will allow you to refill the syringe 3 times. Also advise rubbing in the TW25 as it's a microscopic thing and it needs to get into the pores of the metal. Be sure and rub it into the feed ramp and top entrance of the chamber.

As for running wet, that is something more than a smear and less than a lather. If you put a thin string from the syringe on the part and rub it in and around and it still feels like grease you are probably good.

Please clean it up and lube it well then Jocko will tell you how to shoot it ("like ya stole it"). Please let us know how it goes good or bad. We'll help you have the sweetest little pistol ever.

[Popeye]

I agree,Clean, Lube, Change Ammo and get back to us in the morning.

[hoghunter]

Please understand - everybody with new Kahr pistols:

The lube chart is for Lube (grease) not just oil!. The break-in is to force metal parts that rub together by design to wear, get it? WEAR together until they are smooth. That wearing together creates a lot of FRICTION! Friction slows down the slide. The slide running slow causes failures. You HAVE to clean your gun between visits and put extra lube (yes GREASE) on the lube points until it is broken-in! If you fail to clean the gun or you fail to lube it properly, it is your failure - don't blame the gun!

You wouldn't buy a new fancy car and drain the oil the drive it only to complain when it breaks, so don't do that to your Kahr!!!

Old Lincoln,
I was interested in your thoughts on the Ballistol. I was using it before Hickok45 made it famous on YouTube, but will admit that it is the only lubricant (oil) I use on my firearms. I do use the brake cleaner for the striker channel and denatured alcohol to clean off other polymer parts, but nothing else to "lube" the Kahr. Do you think a combonation of the Ballistol (oil) and the MilCom TW25 is the best practice? I really do like the Ballistol as it leaves the metal parts silky smooth and does a great job of cleaning barrel. But maybe the TW25 would be great for the hood lube and other contact points? I swear this is the only gun I have that I have to use multiple products on! Others I just Ballistol up and we are good to go. But I am COMMITTED to getting this CM9 right and will do whatever it takes.

[mr surveyor]

just to point out some information on the steel cased and bi-metal (plated steel cases):

Steel does not have the same elasticity as brass... when the steel cases expand in the chamber they don't have the same characteristic as brass to slightly contract (so I've heard). In a tight chamber, this can be a real problem Most modern firearms built to tight tolerances have a bit tighter chambers than most of the old com-bloc firearms that the steel cased stuff was first manufactured for. (Granted, we did have to supply our own military with some steel cased stuff during the World War era due to shortage of brass)

Another problem with steel cases is in the abraisive finish. Thus the reason for the old laquer coating and now the new poly coat, or the copper/brass coat on the bi-metal. Brass or nickle plated cases are darned near self lubricating when in contact with a smooth chamber.

There are many, many cases spattered all over the web concerning issues (some pretty costly) with the steel cased stuff. Occassionally a casing just doesn't extract properly and an extractor gets damaged. Many experiences posted about AR shooteres having to use a dowell rod to hammer out a stuck steel case.

Sure the commie stuff may be cheap off the shelf, but if it's excessively nasty fouling, inaccurate, inconsistent, and a potential hazard to a nice firearm, it may prove to not be so cheap in the long run.

Shoot it if you want to.


surv

[sierrajb]

I get it now... "honeymoon"... "run it a little wet"... I walked right into that one!

DUDE, that's not what I had in mind, but now that you mentioned it....

Actually, I was thinking of Ricky Ricardo coming home to Lucy....see, a bit of a stretch, but I was searching for something to pick up my spirits a bit (ha!).

[sierrajb]

Quick Question

Sorry for the rant Sierrajb. It is intended for ALL new Kahr owners, not just you. If the proper cleaning is done and it is well lubed new owners would become Kahr fans right off. There are a few true mechanical issues now and then, but by and large it is a lack of understanding of what the break-in is doing and proper lube.

As for oil or grease, while it may work, oil is messy and will run out of the seams as yqtszhi experienced. While it's leaving the area to be protected, grease stays put. The TW25 is what I was advised to use and have throughout. I would suggest getting 1 syringe and 1 tube. It amounts to almost free shipping for the tube and even the 1.5oz will allow you to refill the syringe 3 times. Also advise rubbing in the TW25 as it's a microscopic thing and it needs to get into the pores of the metal. Be sure and rub it into the feed ramp and top entrance of the chamber.

As for running wet, that is something more than a smear and less than a lather. If you put a thin string from the syringe on the part and rub it in and around and it still feels like grease you are probably good.

Please clean it up and lube it well then Jocko will tell you how to shoot it ("like ya stole it"). Please let us know how it goes good or bad. We'll help you have the sweetest little pistol ever.

Thanks, OldLincoln. I really appreciate your advice and stern correction. It's the only way we dummies can learn. I'll be ordering some of that TW25 from the internet, but for now I picked up some highly recommended gun grease from a nearby gun dealer. It's called Pro-Gold, by Pro-Shot Products. Comes in a small syringe, and it's a bit brown (goldish?) in color...thus the name, "Pro-Gold" I presume.

I've broken the gun down, cleaned it carefully with 3M brake cleaner (not clorinated as you all instructed) and with Hoppes Elite gun cleaner. You know, it was quite dirty, especially around the loading ramp where the bullet enters the chamber. I can see why this was likely the cause for any failures.

QUESTION: I'm having trouble getting ALL the black off from around the firing pin area. There is a round shaped carbon(?) buildup on the wall where the firing pin hits the shell. I've sprayed brake cleaner on it, scrubbed it with a brass brush, and used Hoppes again on it. Most of it is gone, but some still remains. Should it all come off like it's never been shot, or is this ready for lubing?

[Bawanna]

You'll most likely never get it to look like it's never been shot. If you hit it with a brass brush and solvent your good to go. I use a nylon brush to get under the extractor a bit. Lube and shoot.

[Michael W.]

QUESTION: I'm having trouble getting ALL the black off from around the firing pin area. There is a round shaped carbon(?) buildup on the wall where the firing pin hits the shell. I've sprayed brake cleaner on it, scrubbed it with a brass brush, and used Hoppes again on it. Most of it is gone, but some still remains. Should it all come off like it's never been shot, or is this ready for lubing?

If you are getting the crud off and leaving it smooth but with black marks
that's ok. Gun will function fine.

But I personally don't like the way this looks on a stainless
steel pistol or revolver. I prefer a clean breech face on either
and the best way to easily clean this off is with a product called
"Lead Away".

These are small patches that can be run through a barrel
to clean stubborn fouling or just rubbed on a breech face
to clean it all up. I even use a small flat screwdriver to gently
drive it into the corners to get all the fouling out.

And it's completely non- abrasive.

Most gun shoppes have them in the cleaning supply
section.

M-


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.786935,-117.916760

[Ressom]

DUDE, that's not what I had in mind, but now that you mentioned it....

Actually, I was thinking of Ricky Ricardo coming home to Lucy....see, a bit of a stretch, but I was searching for something to pick up my spirits a bit (ha!).

Ha ha,.. yes I have a sick mind... just don't use KY on your gun!

[sierrajb]

Ooooo....

Ha ha,.. yes I have a sick mind... just don't use KY on your gun!

Reesom....you're not right! But oh so funny! Ha!

[sierrajb]

Lead Away

If you are getting the crud off and leaving it smooth but with black marks
that's ok. Gun will function fine.

But I personally don't like the way this looks on a stainless
steel pistol or revolver. I prefer a clean breech face on either
and the best way to easily clean this off is with a product called
"Lead Away".

These are small patches that can be run through a barrel
to clean stubborn fouling or just rubbed on a breech face
to clean it all up. I even use a small flat screwdriver to gently
drive it into the corners to get all the fouling out.

And it's completely non- abrasive.

Most gun shoppes have them in the cleaning supply
section.

M-


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.786935,-117.916760

I'll see if I can find that stuff on my next trip to the gun shop. Thanks!

[sierrajb]

Ready to Shoot!

You'll most likely never get it to look like it's never been shot. If you hit it with a brass brush and solvent your good to go. I use a nylon brush to get under the extractor a bit. Lube and shoot.

Bawanna, that's what I was hoping you'd say. I lubed it up real good, just like the lube diagram said in the sticky post. Can hardly wait to take it to the range. I'm still a bit confused on the use of the word "lube." Some, like OldLincoln, use it to mean "grease" while others use it to mean "oil, grease, or both." The instructions on this forum are a bit unclear regarding that.

So, in my case, I used gun grease on everything it said to "lube." I'll know soon enough if I did it correctly. The slide sure feels good and sounds so much quieter....AND happier!

[Bawanna]

I think we mostly offer suggestions rather than instructions although there are occasionally some very good instructions for dissassembly etc.

There is no black and white (is that still politically acceptable?) answer to lube. I use oil in some places and grease like in the frame rails. Sometimes I use both in the same place.

I smear a little oil around the barrel and wear points on the barrel hood etc since it will leave a protective coating but not get grease on my clothes, not that I really care. Wife ain't real partial to it though.

I just figure if you see a wear point its a flag that says somethings rubbing me and I need lube. I can see this going completely down the toilet with the gutter thinkers here but try to focus.

Any lube is better than no lube. So the word lube would include oil or grease.

Many like to use grease in places where oil would run out. High wear points, like slide rails etc will stay lubed perhaps a little longer with grease.

But if all you have is oil weather it's good quality gun oil or brand x 30 weight you use in your neighbors lawn mower that you borrow all the time so you don't gotta buy your own, it will work. You might have to relube more often, some enjoy relubeing, but it will work. Nothing to lose any sleep over but do listen to Old Lincoln, the man knows of what he speaks most of the time. I did catch him in a goof about paintball once but it was a simple goof and they happen to me all the time, not that two wongs don't make a write.

[sierrajb]

Thanks, Bawana. Makes sense. I really appreciate Old Lincoln and others like him (any you!) who are willing to endure those of us who are cutting our teeth on our first CC gun. Like my PM9, I'm in my very own 'break-in' period. I've already learned there's a lot more to owning and carrying than what we've thought, but it's sure good to have great teachers like Old Lincoln, et. al.

Really appreciate the energy, insight, and fun you bring to the forum. Keep it up!

[OldLincoln]

We love to find new folks that want to do it right, Sierra. This place is a lot like those groups that have new members stand up and say... "Hi I'm SierraJB and I have a new Kahr"..... "HI SIERRAJB". These characters mentored me and encouraged my learning more and experimenting some and then I wanted to know why it does what it does. I'm sorry I acted out and I'm normally a nice guy, really.

Let me know if you're ever in the Fresno area and want to shoot a bit in the air conditioned Fresno Pistol Range as my guest.