PM9 hollowpoint woes

[BryanP]

Greetings everyone, I just found this place and thought I'd try my luck with a question.

A couple of years ago I bought a used PM9, and discovered that it was absolutely dead reliable with hardball. It will chew up and spit out 115 grain WWB all day long with no complaints. Hollowpoints seem to be another issue altogether.

I've tried several varieties in 115, 124, and 135 grains, reduced recoil, standard velocity and +P. So far the only hollowpoint it will reliably digest is Federal Hydra Shok 135 grain reduced recoil. I guess I can live with that, but I admit it's not my first choice.

Every other variety I've tried so far seems to cause the same intermittent problem. On the first shot (usually it's the first shot anyway), the slide will lock back like I've just fired the last shot in the magazine. I can then drop the slide and continue firing, but I'm just not confident enough in this pistol to carry it. Fortunately I still have my S&W 649 for my EDC, but I'd like to be able to carry the Kahr at times as well.

Any of you more Kahr experienced folk have any insight into this problem?

[Thunder71]

Try Winchester PDX1 Bonded, my PM9 loves it... Currently trying to find some Winchester Ranger to try in it.

[jocko]

go to the kahr tech section and hit on propper prepping of ur kahr and scroll on down until you come to the part that talksabout the slide lock lever possably getting bumped by the bullet on the inside and causing pre mature slide lockingopen. easy to check out, basicallay the gun can't count so the first round thing ha to be a constant thing that is causing it. eliminate the thump hitting the slide lock lever kby shooting i9t left handed to see if u can duplicate tat issue, if u can then it is not the thumb. ur litle springhy on the left side by te slide stop cold be ouot of whact, u can callkahr and get anew one sentto yo and a # 6 torx tool will take that little srew out. alson on the kahr tech section is a sticky called cw45 fixes, scroll on down in that thread to until u come to that little shringhy section, a nice photo tutorial is there. Just a few things can cause pre mature slide locking open and the first one I would address is the thumb thing, then see if rounds are hittiing the insdie of the slide lock and moving that lever upward. It should clear but never touch, next would be the little springhy, REPLACE IT.

Is ur serial number anything in the VA or VB range?/

[chrish]

+1 on the PDX1, my PM9 ate 'em like candy (well, expensive candy) when I had a PM9.

[BryanP]

Thunder71, thanks for the suggestion, I'll pick up a box and try them.

Jocko, I'll check out the info you mention, but I would think the problems you mention would affect me with hardball as well? The only times I've ever had problems with this gun running plain old FMJ target ammo was when I didn't seat the magazine properly. I only have these problems with hollowpoints.

Edit: to answer your other question, the serial # starts with VD.

[jouesdeveau]

No problem with my PM9 when using Hornedy Critical Defence.

[JFootin]

Thunder71, thanks for the suggestion, I'll pick up a box and try them.

Jocko, I'll check out the info you mention, but I would think the problems you mention would affect me with hardball as well? The only times I've ever had problems with this gun running plain old FMJ target ammo was when I didn't seat the magazine properly. I only have these problems with hollowpoints.

Edit: to answer your other question, the serial # starts with VD.

Some hollow points are a little wider bullet profile, thus bumping the slide lock. Hornady Critical Defense has a tapered hollow point bullet that will probably work. Or you can do a little sanding on the slide stop lever where the mag follower hits it to lock the slide when the mag is empty.

I have never had this happen with my CM9. I always tap the back of the mag against my other hand, a mouse pad or something to make sure the bullets are sitting all the way back in the mag.

Different guns have quirks. My CM9 feeds Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +p HP bullets noticeably smoother and slicker than other bullets, HP or FMJ. It's like Kahr used those bullets when they designed the gun!

[chrish]

i sometimes wonder if the PDX1 feeding OK has something/anything to do w/ the bullet shape on the nose. rather than a full cylinder shape (like the hydrashok w/ the grooves but more of a perfect cylinder at the nose), they have the 'petals' that change how it reacts when it hits the feed ramp. i know that's not the purpose in that bullet design in the PDX1, but who knows.

[Big_John_1961]

124gr +P Gold Dots work great in mine, and have a nice snap to them.

[kerby9mm]

Different gun same scenario. My first p238 would do the same thing (premature slide lock not jam) I had the 1st gen recoil spring in it. Called sig,they sent the new longer flat spring and never had a problem again/yet. I think its a good idea to have a spare recoil spring/assembly whichever your gun calls for.