slide hard to stop open

[keitht]

I have a PM40. It is not a new gun. It takes a lot of effort to get the slide to catch open. I can usually jerk it back several times while pushing up on the stop and finally get it to work. I'm not sure if this is normal or not? The slide stop has a worn spot and I was wondering if this has any effect. Could someone look a this slide stop and see if this wear is normal or a potential problem. I can't seem to post a pic, but here is a link:

http://s180.beta.photobucket.com/user/chondro_2007/media/002_zps5086fce4.jpg.html

thanks for any assistance!

[TucsonMTB]

Can't see enough detail to make a comment. For those of us who are not PhotoBucket members the image is 240px × 135px! :rolleyes:

Does it lock back when you fire the last round?

What happens if you insert an empty magazine and briskly pull back the slide?

[keitht]

See if this helps. See the flattened spot?

It does lock back when empty.

Does the part which is damaged control locking the slide back?



http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x283/chondro_2007/002_zps5086fce4.jpg

[TucsonMTB]

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x283/chondro_2007/002_zps5086fce4.jpg
The "flattened spot" on the protrusion that engages your magazine follower to lock back the slide on empty is normal. It provides clearance for the incoming bullets. Look into the chamber area with the slide locked back and a loaded magazine inserted and you will see why it is needed.

From the same angle of view, your slide stop looks about the same as mine, which I will now put back in my pistol. ;)

Since it locks back when you shoot, we can rest assured the gun is working fine. You might have an operator issue, but that's also common, largely because of the strong recoil springs.

I wouldn't do a thing except continue to shoot it and maybe work on your hand strength. Just kidding about the hand work outs. http://home.mindspring.com/~justsomeguy/icon_lol.gif

Merry Christmas!

[wyntrout]

Here are two pictures of my P40 slide lock in a similar position. I see a slight ding on the actuator of yours, but don't know if that's relevant to your problem.

The ledge on left looks damaged on your slide lever. It should be flat as on mine. Maybe it can be filed or stone flat as it may be possibly preventing proper flush fitting.

In image#4... the lower right edge engages the notch in the slide for lockback.

Wynn

[keitht]

If it looks normal, then all is good.

The only time I can't jack a shell in the chamber by hand is when I load the 6 shot mag to the max. quite a few have tried and none have been successful. (but maybe all my friends are weanies too) I always loaded my mag one short. However, after doing some reading lately, I've found that Kahr recommends locking back the slide and releasing the slide with the thumb release. When I began doing this, it always loaded even when the mag was full. I also found that many others have had the same problem with trying unsuccessfully to hand jack the slide with a fully loaded mag. It's easy in all my other pistols but not with this one. Several shops have even looked at this thing and told me that I should send it back to Kahr for repair. They had me convinced that I had a problem.

I just have to keep in mind that when the gun is empty and the slide locks back, to insert another mag and use the thumb release to chamber another round to quickly get back into action.

I think I've got it figured out.

thanks again

[keitht]

Here are two pictures of my P40 slide lock in a similar position. I see a slight ding on the actuator of yours, but don't know if that's relevant to your problem.

The ledge on left looks damaged on your slide lever. It should be flat as on mine. Maybe it can be filed or stone flat as it may be possibly preventing proper flush fitting.

In image#4... the lower right edge engages the notch in the slide for lockback.

Wynn

I'm not 100% clear I know where you are looking at mine at. Tomorrow I may take it out for yet another look to compare with yours.

But now I'm not as convinced I have a problem at all????

I imagine that my slide has considerable more wear than the one in your pic. Whether it has enough wear to need replacing is the question.

thanks for the great pics!

[wyntrout]

Most of us carry with 6+1... full mag and one in the tube. When the gun is fired it will rack the slide! Just make sure the top round is fully to the rear of the magazine.

Wynn:)

[TucsonMTB]

Yeah, don't go cross eyed looking at Wynn's pictures. Your gun is working as it should. And, yes, Kahr recommends locking back the slide because enough of their customers have experienced difficulty doing it any other way.

If you want to put some energy where it will do some good, take a look in the technical section and read Greg's pointers on modifying the magazine follower to improve first round loading ease. He was the first to suggest it, but lots of other people have found his modification eliminates any possibility of feeding issues using the sling shot technique, even when they "ride the slide" a little while cycling the gun.

But, that is optional. You are correct in your assessment that you do NOT have a real problem. http://home.mindspring.com/~justsomeguy/thumbsup.gif

[keitht]

Is the area you are looking at, the place where my arrow is pointing?

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x283/chondro_2007/002_zps3c1653b4.jpg

[keitht]

Yeah, don't go cross eyed looking at Wynn's pictures. Your gun is working as it should. And, yes, Kahr recommends locking back the slide because enough of their customers have experienced difficulty doing it any other way.

If you want to put some energy will it will do some good, take a look in the technical section and read Greg's pointers on modifying the magazine follower to improve first round loading ease. He was the first to suggest it, but lots of other people have found his modification eliminates any possibility of feeding issues using the sling shot technique, even when they "ride the slide" a little while cycling the gun.

But, that is optional. You are correct in your assessment that you do NOT have a real problem. http://home.mindspring.com/%7Ejustsomeguy/thumbsup.gif

thanks for the tip. I will follow up and look at Greg's suggestions.

[chrish]

The only time I can't jack a shell in the chamber by hand is when I load the 6 shot mag to the max.

keitht,

don't see that anyone else commented on this, but that's kinda typical of Kahr, particularly until you've put a ton of rounds thru it, and I'm talking WAY beyond the break-in 200rds.

while mine aren't 40s, the 3 Kahr 9s I've owned (still have 2 of the 3), they all behaved that way. The only one that NOW will rack a round like any other pistol I have is my P9, which has been shot the most, couple/three thousand rounds. Plenty of folks here have TONS more than that, but I'd say it took upwards of 1000-1500 to get me to that point. But the P9 will chamber a round now, fast rack, slow rack, using the release, mag full, mag 1 short, whatever.

I had a PM, never put enough thru it to get to that point. I picked up a TP9 earlier this year and it's not there yet either. but with the TP, it behaves now like your are describing your 40. if I load the mag one short, it'll rack all 7 rounds smooth as butter (again, slow, fast, w/ release, etc). if I max @ 8 rounds, then the first will nose-dive unless I really sling shot it. out of the box, it REQUIRED using the release regardless of the number in the mag.

keep shooting the Dickens (my Christmas pun for the day) out of it, I expect it'll loosen up.

[muggsy]

An empty magazine must be in place for the slide lock to engage automatically. Pulling the slide back and trying to engage the slide lock can be a bear due to the strong recoil spring. If you are experiencing difficulty in locking the slide back w/o a magazine inserted you might try this method. It works for me and I'm a feeble old man. :) Reaching over the top helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjLbFOw8sow