New PM40 Slide Lock issue, paging Jocko

[LLDJR]

OK, I took the new PM40 to the range today with 4 boxes of .40 ammo. This is my 4th Kahr and I must say it was the worst experience with a pistol I have ever had.


The slide lock, will lock back almost every cycle. I have never had a Kahr do this, and I noticed that my magazine was very loose.

What is the remedy, a trip to Kahr?

[RRP]

Before sending it back to Kahr, try shooting it left handed.

[MikeyKahr]

Jocko is on vacation but he should be back shortly barring any ice cream incidences.

[TucsonMTB]

Since you appear to have some experience with the Kahr design, you may already know how easy it is to brush the lever up with your hand while shooting. As suggested by RRP shooting left handed reduces the chances of this happening, usually. ;)

Presuming that shooting it left handed, to avoid accidentally hitting the slide release lever with your hand, does not work . . . double check that the lever is installed under the slide lock spring correctly. Remember that Kahr suggests inserting with the lever at about 4:00 o'clock and letting it rotate upwards as it goes in.

If the spring to lever relationship is not the problem, look to see if there is copper from the bullets on the small part of the slide release lever that sticks into the gun to allow activation by the empty magazine slide. Finding copper indicates incoming rounds are pushing the lever up. You can ask Kahr to send a modified lever or remove a small amount of material yourself where you see the copper transferred. Polishing that area will also help.

You can usually see the clearance with the slide locked back and loaded magazine installed. You don't need much clearance, but incoming rounds pushing the lever is a formula for just what you are experiencing.

Last, but not least, the screw holding the spring may be too loose or the spring may be deformed. Both are easy to have happen while cleaning. I have occasionally needed to bend my spring back down after an errant rag catch while cleaning. It happens. :rolleyes:

Oh, and the screw needs to be snug, but don't strip the threads out of the plastic frame. There are some threads around here by Greg that illustrate the proper adjustment. I will look for one and add it here when I get a chance . . . presuming I beat Greg to that task. ;)

Best of luck and please let us know how it goes or if you have any questions about the advice. :)

[LLDJR]

I might have not paid attention and had the slide spring on the bottom instead of the top, I'll clean it and pay closer attention to the mag latch and the spring placement and let you know.

I'll also lube it up with my Gun Butter when I clean it.

Thanks guys :D

[jocko]

OK, I took the new PM40 to the range today with 4 boxes of .40 ammo. This is my 4th Kahr and I must say it was the worst experience with a pistol I have ever had.


The slide lock, will lock back almost every cycle. I have never had a Kahr do this, and I noticed that my magazine was very loose.

What is the remedy, a trip to Kahr?

the gang just posted about the right answers. IMO about the only things that makes that slidelock lock open every time is that the lever is is over the little springhy end instead of under it. Shooting left handed eliminates the thumb issue and is easy to check out and eliminate to. It happens alot with shooters but normal.not every cycle, so my bet it is the slide slock lever not correctly in place.

If that is not the issue then with the slide off the gun and magazine out of the gun, reinstall the slide lock lever and see if it is just kind of sloppy as far as the springhy doing its job right. That spring should always want to return the lever downward,never upward. Only the mag follower should move the lever upaward, BUT if that springy tip is out of whack due to maybe improper installaion, then it might feel alittle sloppyt when u slowly try to push the lever upward, By that I mean with the slide off and the lever in place, that lever should be feeling downward pressure immediatialey, not any slop until the spring starts to push it back down.

If u have to much slop there just the normal BANG/EXPLOSION of the gun can cause that slide stop lever to engage prematurely. There is some great tutorials on this forum and I think one is by WYN showing the proper way that slide stop sprng should look to. It can be tweeked right on the gun itself to..

Ur magazines are not the issue. u need to eliminate all the possabiities I kand the members mentioned. then if all that fails a call to kahr is in order. I have seen before but so so soseldom compelte slides replaced. this is something that we the owners cannot tropuble shoot. but u the owner can certainly e\limi9nate all the possable issues that we have mentioned.

If u chat with kahr after this a c alal to Jay and a full explan ation shouldbe inorder also.

Anothe thing that I wouldhighly recommend is to let another shooter shoot the gun, If he can duplicate ur issues, u know it is not shooter related and u have hence eliminated that possable to. The PM40- is a hand coanno and very often that shooter thumb is the culprit to. U gotta start somewhere and IMO a trip backtokahr is not the first palce to start either..

Keep us posted.

[LLDJR]

Anybody know the Torx Wrench size for the Mag Latch spring screw? My smallest is a T10 and that is too big

My spring tip is only, baaaarrrly on the catch, so I wonder if it isn't snap down under the latch.

[TucsonMTB]

T6 seems to be what you need . . . at least, that's what fits mine. ;)

[jocko]

its T6 Harbor freight sells a cheap kit thatworks fine..

or sear sells a quality tool; in just that one size even..

[jocko]

Anybody know the Torx Wrench size for the Mag Latch spring screw? My smallest is a T10 and that is too big

My spring tip is only, baaaarrrly on the catch, so I wonder if it isn't snap down under the latch.

should also try to refer back to Wyn's tutorial with a nice photo fo how that little sprnghy should look in the kahr tech section. Just remember u are screwing this small screw into only polym,er, soit never really tightens. SNUG is good, don't over due it. that springhy needs to be able to move somewhat around that screw and washer, as it serves two basic purposes.

#1 It keeps the slide lock lever from poppng out of the frame.

#2 I works the slide lock lever downward during normal firing with only the magazine follower to pull the slide lock lever upward

[LLDJR]

The Spring very screw was loose, it had no break away on it. so I moved the spring into position so it was over the latch properly, and tightened it down a little .

it is a Torx T-7, gonna hit the range and give it a whirl,, I feel pretty confident that this was the problem.

[jocko]

Never herd of a Torx 7 on any kahr. U might have fixed ur gun to. I try when cleaning to put a dab of grease on that spring tip, kinda makes the slide lock lever ride over it nicer--I think.

If u look at that slide lock lever where that sprng is supposed to rest,u will see a slight groove inthat area, That is where that springhy snaps into. Actually on all ofy kahrs when I put that slide lock leve rin properly I even hear a slight "snap" telling me I have done it right..

[Bawanna]

Wish I could hear a little "snap" telling me just once I did something right. Don't matter what, anything at all would do.

[jocko]

well #1 Bawanna is u NEED TO DO SUMPIN RIGHT.

I hear it all the time. Just sayin

[wyntrout]

The take down videos at Kahr show how to insert the slide lock pin and are very good.

Here's one page with a good picture of the slide lock spring and all of this can be found in several places under Newcomers and Kahr-Tech help/info.

http://i47.tinypic.com/25qbyvb.jpg

I know there are some good pictures of the spring in position on the "shelf/ledge" on the back side of the slide lock lever. I'lll try to post those when I find them.

Here's another pistol with similar issues. The right photo of the first two has the free end of the slide lock spring ALMOST in the notch on the ledge.

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=slide+lock+spring+ledge

http://kahrtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2372&stc=1&d=1284333769

The left part of the spring should be in the groove of the pin, holding it in place, and the right... free end... should be resting on the notch of the ledge to hold the lside lock down until the empty magazine spring/follower pushes the slide lock up to engage the slide and lock it back.

Wynn:)

[jocko]

wyn, notice where ur right side of the spring tip is located. WRONG PLACE. itisses that grove.. thatis pictured.