PM9 slide racking

[kb2wji]

I've got a PM9, which i've put over 500 rounds through. I love it!!! I have a question regarding my slide. Before I hit the range, and during any of my weekly wipe-down-re-lube's, the slide racks as smooth as silk. After I hit the range (today only 50 rounds, but usually 100 or so), the slide does not rack well. It has not yet effected my operation while shooting, but something isnt quite right.

As I rack the slide, about halfway through the motion, it'll "snag" one what feels like a spring. It'll catch on something, and if I continue the rack, it'll "click" past it. Almost like something is snagging the slide as it comes back. Once I clean and lube it up after the range, its back to silky smooth. The best I can describe it is the feeling of a kinked spring. Make sense to anyone? THANKS!!

[DKD]

Whow thats a weird one. I personally never had this happen on any of my three Kahrs.
Maybe JOCKO or BAWANNA or any other senoir member might take a swing at this one for you. Is there anyone out there ever experience this type of situation? Come on don't be shy, step up to the plate and take your cut and help a brother out.

[Bawanna]

We've heard this issue before or a similar issue where people rack the slide slowly and methodically and feel any resistance. When you rack vigorously you seldom feel those bumps.
Are all things equal. After your cleaning and relubing are you racking empty, no magazine? Do you feel the resistance only at the range when your loading from a magazine? Are you inserting a mag and then racking the slide or locking it open, loading the mag and releasing or slingshoting the slide?
I know reassembling my Kahrs sometimes due to the offset recoil spring things have to be in just the right spot and it could be the slide just getting past the high spots similar to the assembly process.
You might trying taking the recoil spring completely out and working the slide slowly to see if you feel any resistance. Maybe do that cleaned and lubed, then next range session do the same thing before you do any cleaning.
Just a guess, all I can do from afar. If it's not causing a stoppage I would think it could only get better.
I'm a habitual over luber, I try to control myself but oil and grease in the right places to me is a good thing.
Do let us know if/what you discover, it's a learning process around here.

[kb2wji]

It only seems to "stick" when I rack it after firing live rounds. It'll do it with mag out or in. I'm thinking you are on the right track with the offset spring juuuuuust being a tad off. I put er back in after cleaning and it's lined up again maybe.

[Bawanna]

I don't think I'd be too concerned about it myself. You should'nt notice it shooting and should be little hand racking at the range anyhow. Look things over when cleaning to see if you notice any abnormal wear or rub marks. A bit extra lube in those areas might help slick things up some.
A little lube on the recoil spring itself might help too.

[kb2wji]

It wouldnt be because of heat. I didnt rack it till I got home. I actually dont lube as im firing though, and i've put 200+ through it in one sitting before. I'll have to pop er open and lube it up once or twice while on the range :) And yea....that lil sucker gets HOT :)

[Bawanna]

I'm glad Ryoung said what he said and I trust his gunsmith now too. I'm usually accused of being an overluber, guess it's nice to be an overachiever at something even if it is oil and of course BP takes the lead in that.

I see no need for you to lube your gun during a range session of 200 or even 300 rounds. I usually have lube with me in case it's needed.
During the breakin of my PM45 (over lubed no doubt) I fired just under 350 rounds with no attention, no wiping anything down, nothing.
As Ryoung mentioned they are small, they are tight but I believe they are also tough enough that you can shoot the sap out of them and they'll keep running. They should only get better, and I don't think the resistance your feeling slow racking is any different than any other PM9 you could pick up. Rack it hard with authority, and you'll probably not even notice it. Go slow and you'll feel each thing happening as it comes into play, the stages of the recoil spring, the trigger bar, movement, every little step getting set up for the next shot. No worry. In Jocko's absence and with respect, shoot it like ya stole it!

[kb2wji]

It's not that its just hitting a tougher spot, but its actually snagging something. Racking it fast or slow doesnt change it. It hangs up on something. I know, pretty much impossible to diagnose without putting hands-on. Almost like a "click" as it snags and releases. Never does it unless i've fired it. I started to mess with the recoil spring assembly a little. I think a part on the slide is snagging a slightly-sticking-up part of the spring. If I figure it out i'll let you guys know!

[Tack]

I know of 4 things that like to work wet. 1911's AR's Kahr's and use your imagination for the last one.

[kb2wji]

I know of 4 things that like to work wet. 1911's AR's Kahr's and use your imagination for the last one.


Ooooo I know!! ummm... a water-slide?? :D

[Singlestack_9mm]

I think whats happening is your guide rod is catching on your outer recoil spring at the front of the gun. Rack your gun slowly and see if you notice that the guide rod is being held in the slide. When you feel the click you will see that outer part of the guide rod will shoot trough the guide rod hole. If this is the case then your outer spring at the open end is moving in front of the guide rod hole. I had this problem kahr sent me a guide rod and spring and advised me to make sure the point of the open end of the spring is to be installed at 12 o clock position when reassembling. I installed new spring racked gun about 10 times, same problem. The end of the spring would walk down if front of the guide rod hole causing the outer guide rod to hang inside the slide while racking. Good news it's a easy fix. I took some plyers and slightly bent the open end of the spring outward making it larger than the rest of the coils, reinstalled at 12 o clock and all is good. Once you understand what is happening, it's not to hard to figure out. I hope I'm making sense, I had a few Sam Adams tonight.:D

[Bawanna]

I remember that now and sounds like you might have nailed it. That would explain the catch and then the drag by feeling.

[ansehnlich1]

This is my first post. I just bought a PM9 today. Brought it home, disassembled it, cleaned it, lubed it, reassembled it, and it would stick/catch when racking the slide, about half way through racking it, very much like what the OP here is talking about. I looked at it real close and indeed, the guide rod was hanging up on the guide rod spring at the front of the slide. I tore it down again and positioned the very end of the guide rod spring at the front of the slide at 12 o-clock and put it back together. That solved the problem. Took it to the range, fired 150 winchesters through it and 50 JHP's without incident.

Real nice little pistol. More accurate than I for sure :)

[kb2wji]

Badda-Bingo! Worked. Thanks guys!! Dang, I love this little gun. It's my first and only Kahr, and honestly, alot of the appeal was size, but also that its kind of unpopular. You dont see many, which I dig. PM45 is next on the list :)

[ansehnlich1]

Hey good for you! After it's maiden range session I cleaned it and reassembled sure enough it was catching again as described. I disassembled again and bent that spring a hair as described by Singlestack9. Will have to see how it goes from here.

[Singlestack_9mm]

This is my first post. I just bought a PM9 today. Brought it home, disassembled it, cleaned it, lubed it, reassembled it, and it would stick/catch when racking the slide, about half way through racking it, very much like what the OP here is talking about. I looked at it real close and indeed, the guide rod was hanging up on the guide rod spring at the front of the slide. I tore it down again and positioned the very end of the guide rod spring at the front of the slide at 12 o-clock and put it back together. That solved the problem. Took it to the range, fired 150 winchesters through it and 50 JHP's without incident.

Real nice little pistol. More accurate than I for sure :)

It makes me wonder that if I knew to position the spring correctly from day one if I would have this issue. Mine didn't start acting up untill the 700 round mark. My guess is that I have groves worn into my slide where the open end of the spring goes that cause the spring to walk down and catch the guide rod while shooting or racking the gun. I have a old weak spring that If I install at 12 o clock position and rack the slide about 30 times it will walk down to catch on the guide rod and the open end of the spring will walk to the 3 or 4 o clock position. That why I think I have groves worn in on the inside of the slide where the open end of the spring goes. I think it's important to keep a good strong spring and bend the open of the spring slightly larger than the rest of the coils if you have this issue. But anyhow, I could be over thinking things and it's a easy fix.

[predestyned]

I've got a PM9, which i've put over 500 rounds through. I love it!!! I have a question regarding my slide. Before I hit the range, and during any of my weekly wipe-down-re-lube's, the slide racks as smooth as silk. After I hit the range (today only 50 rounds, but usually 100 or so), the slide does not rack well. It has not yet effected my operation while shooting, but something isnt quite right.

As I rack the slide, about halfway through the motion, it'll "snag" one what feels like a spring. It'll catch on something, and if I continue the rack, it'll "click" past it. Almost like something is snagging the slide as it comes back. Once I clean and lube it up after the range, its back to silky smooth. The best I can describe it is the feeling of a kinked spring. Make sense to anyone? THANKS!!
talk about de'jevu!
brother i know too well what you are going through. just look through my posts and you will see that i went through exact same thing.http://kahrtalk.com/pm-series-pistols/2258-new-pm9-feels-wierd.html i ultimately returned the gun to kahr for service. it has been 100% since getting it back.