First day with MK9

[Atilla]

Hello everyone,
New to the forum here. Just picked up a lightly used MK9 with night sights and wood grips. Round count was reported at under 150 and it did feel very tight. I'm used to Sigs, XDs, and my LCP, this is my first Kahr. Naturally I had to take it to the range. A box of S&B fmj and 28 hydrashocks later, I had 2 FTF in the middle of the mag and 3 failures to go into battery. Also, first round would nosedive and jam.

When I got home I did read the manual about charging the gun from the hold open latch, which I feel is a cop out for poorly designed mags. Online searching of "Kahr FTF" or "Kahr jamming" found incredible numbers of postings, just like in this forum. Funny how that doesn't show up in Sig or Glock forums (it sure does for the LCP however). I am wondering if I ended up with a lemon of a gun?

I cleaned the slide, chamber, ramp, everything real good and lubed it up a little on the heavy side and hope it does better next time out. I will not EDC any gun that is not 100% reliable. To me, that means 200+ rounds without fail, with at least 50 of those my carry ammo. I like the hydrashocks and powerball for my Sig and XD and they seemed shaped well for a tight gun like the Kahr.

Any input on the positive side would be welcomed. How is Kahr on warranty work for non-original owners?

[jeep45238]

Tight tolerances, high feed angles, and a very short stroke for the size gun combined with heavy springs usually means that most people can't slingshot the gun without causing a jam, they just can't get enough speed going.

If you were able to load it 100% from slidelock, then the gun is fine in that aspect - doesn't matter what you feel their reasoning is. Learn the slidelock and love it, it's a much faster way to get back into the fight anyways.

Did you clean/oil before your range trip? Did you have an experienced shooter (besides yourself if you are one) try the gun and see if they were also having those issues? Are the magazine springs installed properly?


http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/rlee.gif

[jvberryjr]

I've had other issues with my MK9 Elite '03 - but FTF has NEVER been a problem

[jocko]

first of all give it some rounds down range, you took a gun right home and shot it, Personally for me, u put the cart before the horse. You did not read the manual and you criticised the loading request by kahr in the manual..
Indeed one can rack the slide to load a kahr eidently you could not so u criticised the un. The mearfact that it loads correctly by using the slide lock lever and not by your hand rackiing sure doesn't make it sound like the gun fault. That is a cop out if u want my opinion.

Go to the kahr tech section and read the helpful hints for PREPPING A NEW KAHR. The MK is as good as they get, u just didn't give it time. Now I can understand ur frustration but from my stand point, you didn't read the manual that is for sure, and if you feel you can't rack the slide properly on a kahr, and don't want to use the slide lock lever, u best find another gun. Kahrs are tight, they will stay that way, they are small they will stay that way, they have the stoutest recoil springs on any semi, that will stay that way. Now u as the shooter have to adapt to every gun and this one is no different.

I have a PM9 with over 25,000 rounds throuh it and if I ride my slide the slightest, I will get FTF, certainly not the guns fault. If I do my part, the gun will do its part. Take some time with it, clean it, lube it, read the manual, shoot fmj ammo until it gets running right, and I agree, 200 rounds down range before feeling good about it. Get a proper grip on this small gun also. MK kahrs are not the easiest to limp wrist but they certainly will if one shoots and gets alittle tired and doesn't realize it. The gun starts to want to move around in ur grip and then things happen.
You and the gun certainly have to mate up correctly or it will never work, be it the guns fault or shooters fault.

Please do refer to the kahr section . there are some really helpful hints that that the membership just doesnt' have to repeat to ever new owner that comes on here. Your kahr is not ammo sensitive, It will shoot the rounds you are shooting with ease. I personaly think your first msitake was goingout with hp defense ammo without even knowing
more about the gun. Why waste that expensive ammo until it gets running right.
I own a G19 and no doubt racking that slide is a breeze. Two different gun, alot different in size. bigger guns just rack easier, due to something to actualy get a grip on also. try not to compare what your sig or glock or xd does compared to eachother, as they all work differently by their own design You will also find the kahr trigger system is different than all 3 of the above mentioned guns. it is there by THEIR design. One either likes it and adapts to it or he hates it and peddles the gun and moves on. It's always ur choice.
Not trying to be an ass here either, really wanting to help but I think youcame on this forum alittle strong and to me not even taking the time to read the manual kinda exposed u somewhat..

Good luck and keep us informed. These guys know their stuff here and can help you alot, if one asks right..

Trust us, u, have a super kahr, one of the best

[Atilla]

I can see the point about charging the gun initially, my main concern was a couple failure to feeds and not coming into battery in the middle of a mag. I was not limp-wristing at all (recoil was mild IMO, compared to LCP or 357 J frame). I cleaned the piss out of it but won't have a chance to shoot til later in the week. Did do a bunch of charging drills with 7 snap caps in place and was 100% slingshotting them in (with top round depressed, natural, and extended) so that made me feel lots better. Also, while manually cycling snap caps through, I slowed down to where I got FTE or FTF and it was pretty darn slow before that issue came up. It took me 500 rounds and a few ammo selections to get my LCP (my bicycle/trail running gun) dialed in. From my CG1xxx serial number it's a 2001 or so, so it may have a higher round count than advertised, which is fine.

Ammo selection would be my next concern, outside of FMJ for practice. In my other 9's I have had good success with Powerball and Hydrashock, also have some Winchester PDX1. I can see the more bullnosed JHP's being finicky so I stay way from those.

[jocko]

I can see the point about charging the gun initially, my main concern was a couple failure to feeds and not coming into battery in the middle of a mag. I was not limp-wristing at all (recoil was mild IMO, compared to LCP or 357 J frame). I cleaned the piss out of it but won't have a chance to shoot til later in the week. Did do a bunch of charging drills with 7 snap caps in place and was 100% slingshotting them in (with top round depressed, natural, and extended) so that made me feel lots better. Also, while manually cycling snap caps through, I slowed down to where I got FTE or FTF and it was pretty darn slow before that issue came up. It took me 500 rounds and a few ammo selections to get my LCP (my bicycle/trail running gun) dialed in. From my CG1xxx serial number it's a 2001 or so, so it may have a higher round count than advertised, which is fine.

Ammo selection would be my next concern, outside of FMJ for practice. In my other 9's I have had good success with Powerball and Hydrashock, also have some Winchester PDX1. I can see the more bullnosed JHP's being finicky so I stay way from those.

The gun will smooth out, #1, u don't realy know how many rounds have been shot out of the gun. So here is what I would do.

Go to wolff gunsprings. (gunspringscom) . Your MK has factory 20.5 recoil springs. Either reorder that exact same poundage or I would go to the 22# recoil spring.s This really helps proper feeding. It just moves the slide faster back to battery. Now it might be alittle harder to rack but if u can rack the 20.5# certainly 1.5# more ain't gonna make or break u. Make sure ur recoil springs are on correctly, with the open end of the spring towards the front of the slide. For awhile use the slide lock lever to load that first round. It releases that slide with the exact same velocity every time and that is very important with kahrs, probably more than any other mid size semi auto.

Again Mk's are not ammo sensitive, It will shoot any hp round . kahrs are not ammo sensitive at all. Put another 200 runds through the gun with fmj ammo until it feels good and is running right. Then go to the defenseround of YOUR CHOICE, test it, if it works right, just stick with it. Lots of good defense rounds out there and if u ask your gonna get a sh-t load of answers to.

If u decide to order these springs while your placing your order just order a 3pak of wolffs 5% extra power magazine springs. They are super and tey just give that follower that extra ump on the last round to engage the slide stop lever. You won't notice any difference in the loading of the magazines either.

keep this forum posted. Alot here own the MK series. I do not but they will give you some pros and cons. Your MK may be totally different.....:smash:

[hussky]

I just traded my Sig P238 for a used MK9, i have put over 350 rounds through with out one issue of any kind. i thought about selling the gun because i like a safety on a pocket gun. I like this gun so much that i think i am going to forget about the safety issue. Kahr's are as solid as a piece of granite. good luck with your MK9. Hussky

[PETE14]

Two issues I had with my MK9:

1. Make sure that when you are loading the magazine that you put the bullets in the magazine snug against the back and even tap it on a surface to make sure.

2. Make sure your thumb is not hitting the slide release when shooting.

After I figured out these two problems (both operator error) I realized what a reliable high quality gun I had. I bought a P380 after my MK9 and I watch these two things on that gun and I have never had a problem.

[chp5]

[I just realized the original post is over a year old. Oh well . . . ]


Atlila - there's nothing more frustrating than a gun that doesn't function properly.

I bought a used MK9 a few months back and have shot about 600 rounds through it since - a combination of Speer FMJ, my reloads and Corbon DPX. All have been 100%. No way of telling how many rounds through the gun total.

The factory does state that you need a 200 round break in period. Most used guns are shot very little and yours may not be through the break in period yet - no way of telling.

My suggestion: (1) buy a new mag (that should tell you if the issues are mag related); (2) buy the Wolff guide rod set for the MK9 with the factory standard spring weights http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?page=items&cID=1&mID=29 ; and (3) shoot at least 200 more rounds of decent FMJ ammo out of it.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

BTW - my MK9 does not require me to use the slide lock when loading - sling shot works every time. I think the PM9's are more picky in that area.