CM40 S&W and PMC Bronze Ammo

[Thumb]

I got this new CM40 a few months ago and just made it out to the range today. I came with 3 different brands of ammo, PMC Bronze, Blazer and Herters. The Blazer and Herters had no problems after 100 rounds of 50 each but I could not for the life of me get the PMC ammo to even chamber. I thought maybe it was a mag problem so I loaded up a different mag and no change. Now just FYI, when I put a new mag in and release the chamber, I was holding the slide so it wouldn't slam because I don't know if that's good for the gun or not and that may be the problem. The round would go into the chamber but not all the way and trying to get it out was a chore, almost like it was jammed. Anyone else have problems with this ammo and a CM40 or any ideas?

BTW, with the ammo I was able to use, the CM40 is a nice gun.

[jocko]

use the slide lock lever toload that first rund ALL THE TIME. don't try to ride the slide, mayb ein time when the gun gets more broken in and smooths out more, u then can hand rack OK but I think u just need to try that one round by doing th slide lock release thing to see if that corrects i for you. My bet if it does then after a few hundred rounds you will be able to hand rack that round with ease. Maybe u might want to repolish the feed ramp to and inside the feed lips of the magazine. ain't gonna hurt a darn thing and who knows, it might just do the trick for you. Personally I think ur ok. U bought a hand cannon deluxe, . u bought the smallest , lightest 40 cal on the market. it is what it is, IMO a true hand cannon.

You might want to review sme of the kahr stickys as the kahr lube chart is a must and wyn's newbie thread will guide u to excellent threadd with tips that will help you get goin right..
letthat slide fly when hand racking, u ride it, it will fokk up. Kahrs are tight PERIOD. U ain't gonna hurt a damn thing by letting the slide relaese, when u fire it, that slide is moving far faster than u can ever make it move by hand method. I think more than likely that is ur issue. U need not baby your kahr, it is built like a tank..
welcomeaboard.

[b4uqzme]

sound advice. welcome thumb. I have a lot of respect for anyone shooting 40sw out of that tiny little gun. :yo: enjoy it. it will only get better and better.

[b4uqzme]

I just checked and I have no record of shooting any pmc in 40. but I have shot a lot in 9mm with no issues. I wouldn't worry about it. Just follow Jocko's advice about the slide lever and keep shooting it.

[b4uqzme]

I take that back. I did shoot 2 boxes back when I first got my K40. I don't recall any problems but remember it being a little softer shooting than some of the other rounds. I've been shooting nothing but blazer brass lately because that's what's available at a reasonable price. pmc was cheaper but I haven't seen any lately. FWIW I don't recommend the alum blazer...

[Planedude]

Some folks have reported that they found PMC ammo "loaded long" saying the bullet was seated too far out from the base (IIRC?).
That said I have never shot any PMC 40 S&W, shooting mostly Sellers & Bellot, Federal in many incarnates and Winchester white box. If you have a micrometer and a copy of the specs for 40 S&W and see if the rounds that won't chamber are too long or have the wrong/oversize diameter issues.
Love to hear about your results if you have the equipment to do that checkout.
But mostly, if your gun prefers one ammo over another, be a good daddy and buy your CM whatever flavors it likes.
That's what I do... Good shooting!

[Thumb]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I think you are all correct that the problem lies in me not letting the slide lever do it's job on it's own. I did check the dimensions between the different rounds and they are the same + or - a .001. I measured the diameter of the case and they were all .422", the total length was 1.125" of the rounds and the bullets themselves were all .216". I don't know what the actual spec is but I'm satisfied that it's probably not the rounds themselves.

I'm going back to the range next week to zero in my AR's but I'll take the CM40 with me and try again and let you guys know the results.

Once again, thanks for the quick response.

[b4uqzme]

And planedude's advice is good too. If you find a round that your gun doesn't like, quit using it. I went to the doctor the other day and said: "Doc, it hurts when I do this." To which he replied:"Don't do that anymore."

[Thumb]

Yes, that is a good theory also! :)

Since I just got this and the way ammo is hard to come by, I just bought what ever I could find at the best prices I could find. I believe I have about 5 different ones right now.

[muggsy]

Some folks have reported that they found PMC ammo "loaded long" saying the bullet was seated too far out from the base (IIRC?).
That said I have never shot any PMC 40 S&W, shooting mostly Sellers & Bellot, Federal in many incarnates and Winchester white box. If you have a micrometer and a copy of the specs for 40 S&W and see if the rounds that won't chamber are too long or have the wrong/oversize diameter issues.
Love to hear about your results if you have the equipment to do that checkout.
But mostly, if your gun prefers one ammo over another, be a good daddy and buy your CM whatever flavors it likes.
That's what I do... Good shooting!

Some folks might be wrong. If a cartridge is loaded longer than the maximum OAL it won't fit in most magazines. Just sayin. I broke in my PM9 and P380 using PMC Bronze with no problems. PMC is a state of the art manufacturer that manufactures ammo for the S. Korean military.

http://pmcammo.com/wp/about/

[Thumb]

Going back to the range this Tuesday so I'll know more then.

[Planedude]

Sorry Muggsy, not trying to say PMC is bad, but I have seen some that was explained to me as "loaded long". Did not mic it myself as the guy who was showing me the rounds is a old-time reloader and knows his ammo.
As I said, I found a group of commonly available ammos my Kahrs liked and just stuck with them. In these goofy times... well, I might just have to try more manufactures offerings as it might be all I can find.

[muggsy]

Sorry Muggsy, not trying to say PMC is bad, but I have seen some that was explained to me as "loaded long". Did not mic it myself as the guy who was showing me the rounds is a old-time reloader and knows his ammo.
As I said, I found a group of commonly available ammos my Kahrs liked and just stuck with them. In these goofy times... well, I might just have to try more manufactures offerings as it might be all I can find.

I'm not exactly a youngster myself. I've been rolling my own since the 1970s. Shot a lot of bench rest and know a lot about precision reloading. All PMC ammo meets SAMMI specs. Their ammo isn't loaded long.

[Alfonse]

I had issues with PMC .40 in my Beretta PX4. It eats everything else. But occasionally, a round wouldn't chamber (2 of 50). I was able to encourage the slide to go home and the rounds fired, so I don't really know what the issue was. I have one more box I was intending to shoot up and get rid of. I'll bring my calipers with me and measure if I have anymore issues.

[Thumb]

OK, just got back from the range and there were two other guys there with Kahr 40 S&W's and I let them try the PMC ammo and one guy couldn't get a round to chamber from the get go and the other guy shot 2 rounds and then jammed. Mine also would not chamber again so what ever the problem is, it's the ammo because we went through at least a 100 more rounds using Winchester and I believe he said Remington and not one single jam. Good thing I only bought 4 boxes, I should be able to sell them to someone who can use them.

[jocko]

no big decision here to make. GO TO ANUTTER BRAND and put this PMC ammo behind u.

My P380 when I first bought it did not like the 102 golden sabre round, seemed to be OK with the utter stuff. I emptied the box of 25 and never worried about that round again. Mayb etoday witht he P380 more broken in and much smoother it would feed them but I really don't need that round in my P380, so I just never really think about that rund either. Just to many good rounds out there to get excited about one or two not working well in some guns. Take 5 cw40 and u might find 4 that love a certain round and the utter that has issues. It is what it is..

[Alfonse]

Yeah, what Jocko said. I plan to use my last box for malfunction training. If it is like the last box, with just a few failures, that is better training at clearing a jam than snap caps.

[jocko]

now ur cookin. the old tap, rack and bangf drill ...