Range Report: 1st time firing my CM9

[Cristofori]

After cleaning, lubing and spending some time racking the slide and dry firing, I took my new CM9 to the range today. I fired the recommended 200 rounds of ammo which was a mix of target and SD ammo in this order:

1. Winchester: "White Box" 115gr FMJ - 100 rds.
2. Aguila: 124gr FMJ (cheap Mexican target ammo) - 50 rds.
3. Remington: Golden Sabre 124 JHP - 25 rds.
4. Hornaday: "Critical Defense" 115gr FTX - 25 rds.

The Kahr performed flawlessly up until my second to last mag for the day, and then had a malfunction with the Hornady ammo. It failed to feed into the chamber from the mag. I had to drop the mag and then the round fell through clear. I was a bit disappointed as I almost had a perfect debut performance, and I hoped that the Hornadys would perform the best out of the bunch. I don't believe I did anything wrong, so considering I had no issues firing any other ammo up until that point I'm leaning towards the ammo or at least that particular round being the problem. Also of note was that the gun was ice cold before firing after being in my trunk for 8hrs on a very cold WI day, and was fully warmed up and near broken in before the Hornady malfunction.

Besides performing flawlessly as well as being cheaper in price, I found the 124 gr Golden Sabres were a bit more controllable then the Hornady's. At this point, I'm strongly considering the Golden Sabres as my preferred carry load for SD. I believe both the 124gr Remington's and 124gr Aguilas seemed the most controllable, with the 115gr WWD's and 115gr Hornady's being the harshest, so I'm leaning towards sticking with the higher bullet weights for this gun.

My accuracy was another story, which was fair to poor in general shooting this type of gun for the first time, so I won't embarrass myself by posting photos of the targets (I'm used to shooting .38spl snubbies!).

Although I have fired small .380acp semis before (and not very well), this is my first outing firing a small 9mm semi-auto. I know it's a different beast and will take practice, and I'm confident I'll be able to shoot it good enough in the future.

[Frayed Knot]

Congrats on your first outing. Sounds like it was very successful. It took me a bit to get accustomed to the small frame. I wasn't used to my pinky dangling in the wind, so to speak. I did improve after several outings and now can shoot very confidently.

[RRP]

I would say you had a very successful break-in. Having one fault, near the end of a 200 round break-in session is excellent.

Some things that could have caused the failure:
1. You may have been getting tired and didn't hold the gun as firmly as with other shots.
2. The gun was starting to get dirty.
3. The lubrication may have been wearing off.

All of these things can play a role in the failure. It isn't necessarily the ammo you were using. Time, and more shots down range will tell.

[Cristofori]

I would say you had a very successful break-in. Having one fault, near the end of a 200 round break-in session is excellent.

Some things that could have caused the failure:
1. You may have been getting tired and didn't hold the gun as firmly as with other shots.
2. The gun was starting to get dirty.
3. The lubrication may have been wearing off.

All of these things can play a role in the failure. It isn't necessarily the ammo you were using. Time, and more shots down range will tell.All true, but I have to take seriously any failures as my life may depend on it. Hopefully, after a second thorough cleaning and more range time it won't happen again.

I want to try the Hornadys again in the future, but I kind of liked the 124gr Golden Sabres and with the cost and availability of 9mm during this Obama induced panic, I'm reluctant shoot much more SD at this time.

[RRP]

All true, but I have to take seriously any failures as my life may depend on it.

I understand, completely. But you must keep the failure in proper context. It occurred during the break-in period, when full reliability may not yet have been realized.

If after hundreds of rounds, you continue to have failures, I would be concerned. One in the first 200? Not too troublesome.

[Booker T]

Great report. Indeed as RRP mentioned, 1 failure during the initial break in is not bad at all, but I understand where you are coming from in wanting 100% reliability for CC.

I would take your own advice and put some more FMJ through it as well as a few more Golden Sabres and just stick to those for now.
Try the Hornady's again at a later date after your gun has loosened up a little more and they may feed fine.

[wyntrout]

I prefer the 124-gr +P rounds for SD and carry the Speer GDSB because I want the best performance out of my short-barreled Kahr. For the range, I try to get what I want in 124-gr, but if necessary, the 115-FMJ's make holes in the paper and at up to 15 yards at my range, I don't think the impact will be much different than 124's, especially with my shooting "skills". :D

The Kahrs are very compact, close-toleranced, and especially tight when new. Only one failure after nearly 300 rounds is remarkable, especially without cleaning. I wouldn't fault the pistol or the ammo. Cleaning and lubrication are necessary for good performance.

Wynn:)

[Ikeo74]

I think the failure was caused by hand fatigue (limp wrist) after shooting 250 rounds. I bet your next session with the Hornady ammo first, will be 100% no fail.

[wyntrout]

+1 on what Ikeo74 said, too!

Wynn:)

[muggsy]

All true, but I have to take seriously any failures as my life may depend on it. Hopefully, after a second thorough cleaning and more range time it won't happen again.

I want to try the Hornadys again in the future, but I kind of liked the 124gr Golden Sabres and with the cost and availability of 9mm during this Obama induced panic, I'm reluctant shoot much more SD at this time.

I can't remember the last time I fired anywhere near 200 rounds at a perp. You must live in a really bad neighborhood. :) Seriously the gun will only get better the more you fire it. A very reliable self defense round that works well in the Kahr pistols is the Speer Gold Dot in 124 or 147 gr bullet weights.The 124 gr +P is the preferred round for many of us.

[Cristofori]

I can't remember the last time I fired anywhere near 200 rounds at a perp. You must live in a really bad neighborhood. :) Seriously the gun will only get better the more you fire it. A very reliable self defense round that works well in the Kahr pistols is the Speer Gold Dot in 124 or 147 gr bullet weights.The 124 gr +P is the preferred round for many of us.It doesn't matter if I fire 200 rounds or 2 rounds, if the malfunction occurs when I need it most, I'm in trouble. Murphy's law seems to apply to firearms especially well. ;)

Thanks for the info on the Speer Gold Dots. I will try out more different types of ammo after the panic dies down (I hope).

[Cristofori]

I prefer the 124-gr +P rounds for SD and carry the Speer GDSB because I want the best performance out of my short-barreled Kahr.I've heard great things about this round for short barreled revolvers. I will try the some in my CM9 if I can find it.


Only one failure after nearly 300 rounds is remarkable, especially without cleaning. I wouldn't fault the pistol or the ammo. Cleaning and lubrication are necessary for good performance.
Wynn:)The gun was cleaned and lubed before I took it to the range, and I only fired 200 rounds.

[RRP]

Only one failure after nearly 300 rounds is remarkable, especially without cleaning.



The gun was cleaned and lubed before I took it to the range, and I only fired 200 rounds.

I can see where the total round count confusion came from. This is from your opening post:



Originally Posted by Cristofori
1. Winchester: "White Box" 115gr FMJ - 100 rds.
2. Aguila: 124gr FMJ (cheap Mexican target ammo) - 100 rds.
3. Remington: Golden Sabre 124 JHP - 50 rds.
4. Hornaday: "Critical Defense" 115gr FTX - 50 rds.

[jocko]

I count 300

[jocko]

lots of things could be the fault of one round in 300/200 to ftf. Maybe not always the gun either, tired shooter, loose grip. oal round out of spec. . If u shoot 200/300 rounds at one session that is alot of shooting, things just happen. I wouldnot blame the gun for this but u can call it anyway u desire for it is ur gun. If ur not comfortable with the gun, there are alternatives to.

Personally I wold cal that an excellent shoot. Just sayin

[muggsy]

The gun is new and still very tight. Two hundred rounds in one session without cleaning is a lot. It's not unusual for any gun to experience a bobble in two hundred rounds. I have several thousand through my CM9 and haven't experienced a malfunction of any kind since the gun got through the break-in period. Anything mechanical can experience a mechanical failure. You are being unrealistic in your expectations. Even revolvers fail on occasion. If it's a still a concern, carry a back-up gun. Just curious. How new are you to shooting?

[jocko]

If u shoot a gun long enough, a malfunction will occur,it might not be the gun but the gun cannot talk back either, so it is the guns fault every time. Now one has to decide if and when that malfuntion occurs, , do I peddle it, or do i investiage what might have caused it. I trust my G19 but it had to go back once.

Would anyone here actually beat their life that when u pull that trigger on any gun that ur gonna get a bang thing???. U do allu can to make it perfect and then u just gotta then bet ur life on it. U have zero control over what that round is gonna do. The gun is just the deliverer of the bullet, Now u have a bullet in the gun and : Are u positive the primer is ok and will ignite???? Are u positive there is enough powder in the gun to deliver the bullet???? I. e. SQUIBB rounds, we read alot more often than not. A firing pin/striker pin that broke on the last round u shot and u don't know it until now.
SH!T can happen

Glock perfection is certainly not really Glock perfection as we know it.:Amflag2:

Hell look at allthe bown engines Nascar had this year, do u not think that every peace was throughly tested by the maker and then by thye engine builder. SH!T HAPPENS.

[Scoundrel]

It doesn't matter if I fire 200 rounds or 2 rounds, if the malfunction occurs when I need it most, I'm in trouble. Murphy's law seems to apply to firearms especially well. ;)

Thanks for the info on the Speer Gold Dots. I will try out more different types of ammo after the panic dies down (I hope).

My suggestion is that as you continue to train with cheap FMJ, you start each range session with a magazine full of the Hornady, if that's the round you'd like to use for SD.

One mag per visit is not going to break the bank, and since it will be the first mag cycled through, the other possible factors (dirty gun, lube wearing out, getting tired) will not be an issue. You'll get a more accurate representation of what it would be like if you carried for a while and then had to draw and shoot in an SD situation.

Over time you'll either gain confidence that it works, or discover that the Hornady does not feed well in your CM9. Either way, you'll have done good training/testing and can therefore make an informed decision based on good tests, rather than an emotional decision based on one event.

[JFootin]

My CM9 will eat anything, but it LOVES Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +p! I can actually hear and feel the extra slick and positive way those rounds feed into the gun. So that is my first choice for carry. And I do like Scoundrel says, emptying the 7 rounds it is loaded with to start my range session, then using less expensive range ammo.

[jocko]

ur deaf JFootin. Just sdayin

[Cristofori]

I count 300My fault! :o I only fired a 50 rd box of the Aguilas, and 25 rds each of the Remington and Hornady SD ammo, so the total count was 200.

At least this shows y'all were paying attention to my post! ;)

[Scoundrel]

My fault, I only fired a 50 rd box of the Aguilas, so the total count was 200.

Don't mind Jocko, he counts the rivets on the walls in Star Trek scenes, and complains if they used a different set for two scenes that supposedly happened in the same room.

[Cristofori]

The gun is new and still very tight. Two hundred rounds in one session without cleaning is a lot.The gun was cleaned and lubed before shooting. I wanted to get the recommended 200 rounds put through it as the range I go to is frequently packed on weekends and while I still had my free range card.


It's not unusual for any gun to experience a bobble in two hundred rounds.My .38spl snubbies don't.


I have several thousand through my CM9 and haven't experienced a malfunction of any kind since the gun got through the break-in period. Anything mechanical can experience a mechanical failure. You are being unrealistic in your expectations.If you managed to fire several thousand rounds through yours without a single hiccup, then I don't think my expectations were unrealistic to fire 200 rds without a problem.


Even revolvers fail on occasion. Extremely rare, never met someone who had a failure.


If it's a still a concern, carry a back-up gun.It not a concern at this point. I'm inclined to blame the type of ammo more then the gun, which worked great with everything else. I will clean and lube again, and then shoot some more. I very well may not experience another problem for a long time.

Just curious. How new are you to shooting?[/QUOTE]I've been shooting nearly every week for about 6 months. As I said in the first post, I've shot a .380acp a few times but this is my first small 9mm. I've shot my .38spl snubbies lots of times and I'm starting to get fairly good with them.

[jocko]

1982 rivets in scene 1 and 1992 in scene to. They can't fool THE ORIGINAL FOOL.Just sayin

I have in my man cave two 4 X 6 photos and I mean 4 feet by 6 feet photos on the wall and each rivet I have numbered. THEY USED DIFFERENT SETS., and now I can prove it.:Amflag2:

they can't fool ol jocko:Amflag2:

[Scoundrel]

Even revolvers fail on occasion.
Extremely rare, never met someone who had a failure.

My S&W 317 revolver jams up when I fire Stingers in it. I get about 16 good ones before it starts getting tight, and before I've gotten to 40 rounds, I have to move the cylinder by hand.

It will burn through bulk pack ammo all day.

But, that's a .22lr, and everyone knows that doesn't count. :)

[IP32sailor]

When I first got my CM9 I also put 200 rounds thru it on my first trip. Had 3FTF, 2 early, one late in the session. Second trip I did another 150 with 1 FTF. Probably have another 500 thru it since with no issues. I did a session blind testing between the golden sabers and critical duty both +P loads. Ran 50 of each through it with no issues. I preferred the Hornady but that's just me.

IMHO the early failures were gun, the others were me limp wristing due to the long sessions. This is my first carry gun and at this point I'm quite confident in its reliability.