Strange PM9 7-round magazine failure

[ndoren]

I can not load more than two rounds into my factory 7-round magazine for my PM9. On the third round, the bottom of the magazine follower hits the bottom edge of the hole for the magazine catch. The follower snags there and won't slide farther down, even with moderate force. See photo in link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91183590@N08/8585749637/in/photostream

I have approximately 200 rounds through this magazine, and another 200 through the 6-round magazine (which has not exhibited this problem). The magazine is disassembled and cleaned after each session.

Is this a normal occurrence? Obviously I can file down the misbehaving lip at the bottom edge of the plastic follower, but is this sensible and safe? Any feedback? Thanks! Neall

[lamppa]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8585749637_ba8d3a3763.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/91183590@N08/8585749637/)
mag3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/91183590@N08/8585749637/) by copter38 (http://www.flickr.com/people/91183590@N08/), on Flickr

[lamppa]

copy/paste the share link to embed photos.

[jocko]

file it down and then email kahr , atten jay and ask for a new follower. U might check to see ifby chance that follower is broke even. U won't hurt a thing buy relievingsome of that unneeded material in that area.

I would also take the good follower out of the 6 round mag and retest it in the 7 round mag to see if indeed it is the follower that is out of whack or maybe the magazine itself

[ndoren]

Thanks for your advice. Interesting that the Kahr site lists different part numbers for the 6 and 7 round mags. I'll email Jay and ask for a replacement. I'll probably go to the Kahr store and order a few extras, too. Sounds like they may come in handy. Thanks again. Neall

[jocko]

the followers are allthe same in the 9mm category...We have seen somefollowers that grabonto the magazine releasebutton and cause feed issues which is easily corrected by just sanding downthe right side of the follower until clearance is there. but I have never seen what urs is doing. I wold also if I ahd soe 600+ grit sand paper sand that mag cut out and smooth everthigout even more. Look at both followers out of the magsand see if u can see a difference..

[wyntrout]

I take all of my new Kahr magazines apart and go over all of the surfaces with fine grit sandpaper... 400 or 320... whatever's handy... just to look for any burrs or catches. I put some around a pencil/eraser and do the inside of the catch slot, too. I do this for the followers as well, to make every surface smooth, EXCEPT the metal pin in the follower. I degrease the inside of the tubes and lightly oil the springs with a little oil... Tetra oil, and re-assemble with one free end of the spring to the front for max lift to the front of the follower. That probably would stop your problems. I want my followers to fall freely through the magazine tubes.

Wynn:)

[ndoren]

Wynn, makes sense. I'll do the same with my magazines. I can even get a small diameter cutting bit (attached to my dremel) into the catch slot at a 45 degree angle, so that I can chamfer the edge that's catching against the bottom "shoulder" of the follower. Of course, I'll chamfer the shoulder of the follower, too. No touching the follower's metal pin, I promise. Thanks everyone for your input. I'll still take the free follower from Jay, too, so I hope he responds. Neall

[jocko]

take material off the follower, not the ag cut out,u bevel to uch and the mag release button might then fail to work right. It is the follower that is ur issue, smooth out te mag cut out with fine paper, ur removing nadda that way.

The only lubricant I use in my magazines is remington Dry spray, no runing or nuttin, gaters less crude than a liquid. Less is better in the magazines, IMO>:Amflag2:

[ndoren]

Jocko. Agreed.. I'll leave the metal magazine tube alone and just work with the follower. I don't want to compromise the latching of the magazine in the frame. The Kahr site lists two different springs... one for 6 and for 7 round, and they are definitely different springs. Same with the followers.. one listed for the 6 round, and one for the 7. In this case, they are definitely the same follower... and even my vernier caliper agrees. They probably list them separately just to avoid confusion. Thanks again. Neall

[jocko]

well were not talking about the springs, indeed the 7 and 6 round mags take a different length spring, U just need a follower, they are the same.

[wyntrout]

I just lightly use the fine grit sandpaper to check for burrs on the slot. You don't want to round them and loosen the "lockup".

It's possible to use a small file the make the slot minutely wider or taller for a better fit, but keep the squared off edge. I HAVE had to do that before.

Wynn:)

[ndoren]

I didn't mess with the metal magazine tube. The fix for me was to buff the lower shoulder of the plastic magazine follower with some fine emery cloth. The magazine seems to function normally now, without any snagging of the follower on the hole for the mag catch.

I've had that magazine at the range a few times, with about 200 rounds through it, total. I didn't have an issue until today. The only thing I can recall doing "differently" was that I disassembled the magazine after the last session and wiped it down with Gunzilla. I'd always used Break Free before that, but tried Gunzilla last time. I wonder if that had some subtle effect on the follower that expended/swelled the plastic just that tiny bit. Who knows. Things seem fine now.

[wyntrout]

Some things don't work well with plastics!:eek:

Wynn:)