PM45/Polygonal Barrels ?

[4T5Guy]

OK, new to this, but.. Went to get a 3 8 T. Cheep. Checked out the LCP. Better, but had that Ruger rattle. After handling a P380, I was sold. The dealer was very insistant that I should instead get the PM9. I was not interested in anouther 9mm. After much shooting with the P380, I decided to get the PM9 that I had first thought that I did not want or need. Since both of these Kahrs were the most accurate pistols of these calibers that I have, I also got a PM45. During "break in" rounds, everything functioned perfect. My standard 185 grn hard cast reloads will not work at all. These rounds have always funtioned well and are match quality in my Colts and S&Ws. It seemed that there is excessive leading, incorrect headspace, very weird primer indents, and failer to extract. Is this due to the tollerences of the Kahrs or the polygonal rifling? Most of my Colt .45s have match grade barrels and I have never experianced any of these issues.

[Bawanna]

OK, new to this, but.. Went to get a 3 8 T. Cheep. Checked out the LCP. Better, but had that Ruger rattle. After handling a P380, I was sold. The dealer was very insistant that I should instead get the PM9. I was not interested in anouther 9mm. After much shooting with the P380, I decided to get the PM9 that I had first thought that I did not want or need. Since both of these Kahrs were the most accurate pistols of these calibers that I have, I also got a PM45. During "break in" rounds, everything functioned perfect. My standard 185 grn hard cast reloads will not work at all. These rounds have always funtioned well and are match quality in my Colts and S&Ws. It seemed that there is excessive leading, incorrect headspace, very weird primer indents, and failer to extract. Is this due to the tollerences of the Kahrs or the polygonal rifling? Most of my Colt .45s have match grade barrels and I have never experianced any of these issues.

Most recommend not shooting lead bullets thru polygonal barrels. Glock says that in their manuals, no lead bullets. Many do shoot lead anyhow with good results. I've heard but can't document that its a pressure issue rather than an excessive leading issue but the two obviously could go hand in hand.
That should not effect your feeding or fail to extract issues.
Kahrs as a general rule are not terribly ammo sensitive but like anything else they may not like to feed you bullets due to the shape, or overall length. You may find also that after more break in rounds fired it may handle them just fine.
I had some lead bullets I intended to try in my PM45 but the range recently but the axe to all things lead except 22 so they remain in the box.
Kahrs do have a weird primer strike that happens as the case is extracted and ejected. It appears likea smear, like the striker is not getting out of the way in time. They all do that, considered normal, mentioned in the owners manual also as I recall.
Go to the tech section and read Jocko's prepping your new kahr and there's also and excellent lube thread there as well. It address's some of the issues you mention.
There's ton's of help here if you need or want it. All you gotta do is ask, somebody has without doubt been there, if not we'll all learn together.
Welcome.

[DKD]

Hey 4T5GUY,

I also had the same smear primer strikes especially on my PM45, but after several hundred rounds they are considerably smaller and less pronounced. All of my Kahrs seem to also like the hotter loads than the standard velocity fodder in the jacketed variety.
I have shot a box or two of handloads with both 230 gr round nose and 200 gr match type semi wad cutter style bullets. I am quite annal with my reloads as to overall seating depth and can get them to feed now that my weapon is broken in. You can try seating the semi wad cutters with just a smidgeon of shoulder showing beyond the case and hand rack smartly to see if they will chamber. I generally make up a few dummy round for that purpose to check function before loading a batch. I generally load Unique powder at 6.2 grains with the 230 gr Round Nose design. I never push even hard cast lead bullets...whats the point in that, hense I have had no issues with a box here or there with the cast fodder. Just clean her up good after a session and all should be well.

[Bawanna]

Hey 4T5GUY,

I also had the same smear primer strikes especially on my PM45, but after several hundred rounds they are considerably smaller and less pronounced. All of my Kahrs seem to also like the hotter loads than the standard velocity fodder in the jacketed variety.
I have shot a box or two of handloads with both 230 gr round nose and 200 gr match type semi wad cutter style bullets. I am quite annal with my reloads as to overall seating depth and can get them to feed now that my weapon is broken in. You can try seating the semi wad cutters with just a smidgeon of shoulder showing beyond the case and hand rack smartly to see if they will chamber. I generally make up a few dummy round for that purpose to check function before loading a batch. I generally load Unique powder at 6.2 grains with the 230 gr Round Nose design. I never push even hard cast lead bullets...whats the point in that, hense I have had no issues with a box here or there with the cast fodder. Just clean her up good after a session and all should be well.

I've used that exact reload recipe. Lately I've switched to Winchester 231. Same charge, looking for a little cleaner reload. Some improvement but not much.

[DKD]

BAWANNA,

We think alike...I wonder if your a brother from another mother?????

In any event, I have loaded as much as 6.5grains of unique, but as you stated, it is a bit dirty powder for sure, but its so damn versatile. What primers are you using, I tend to like CCI's. I always have at least 5-6 pounds on hand for reloading everything from 32 ACP, 380 ACP, 9mm, 39 spl, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, and even alot of medium to heavy shotgun shell loads. I guess she is just an oldie goldie powder who lives up to her namesake.

[DKD]

Hell if I keep on scenting I'll end up being a senior member in no time...Whew!!:D

[Bawanna]

BAWANNA,

We think alike...I wonder if your a brother from another mother?????

In any event, I have loaded as much as 6.5grains of unique, but as you stated, it is a bit dirty powder for sure, but its so damn versatile. What primers are you using, I tend to like CCI's. I always have at least 5-6 pounds on hand for reloading everything from 32 ACP, 380 ACP, 9mm, 39 spl, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, and even alot of medium to heavy shotgun shell loads. I guess she is just an oldie goldie powder who lives up to her namesake.

I like CCI primers also but I got a bunch of Winchester primers someplace and have been using them with good success. I acquired a large quanitity of Speer Lawman brass (PD range brass) and it uses small pistol primers. Took me awhile to figure that one out, thought it had to be reamed but small pistol primers work perfect. So I've been loading those.
A can of Unique, a can of 2400 and a guy could load just about anything. Makes me wonder why I have about 16 different cans on hand sometimes.
Pretty low on everything now too, time to make a powder, primer run.
Don't sweat that scenting thing, sometimes if it weren't for scenting it would be pretty darn quiet around here.

[getsome]

What do y'all think of Universal Clays? When I bought my reloading equipment and told the sales guy what I intended to load for he recomended the Universal Clays so I bought 4 pounds....In my manuals it looks like Unique and Universal Clays are very close to the same powder...The UC does seem to be a little dirty and I always find unburned powder in my pistols when cleaning....

[Bawanna]

What do y'all think of Universal Clays? When I bought my reloading equipment and told the sales guy what I intended to load for he recomended the Universal Clays so I bought 4 pounds....In my manuals it looks like Unique and Universal Clays are very close to the same powder...The UC does seem to be a little dirty and I always find unburned powder in my pistols when cleaning....

I've not used any of the UC, theres lots of new powders out there that I've not tried that are suppose to be really good. I started reloading long long ago and kind of stuck with what I've used all along. Some of the powders I used they don't even make any more.
Using the burn chart in the manuals kind of helps determine what's what.
What are you loading for? Left over powder sometimes just don't seem to be avoidable. Sometimes you reduce the load and it gets even worse, sometimes a little bigger charge cleans it up. Sometimes it just doesn't make any sense.

[4T5Guy]

Thanks everyone. I feel very welcome, and not so much of a neophite as some of the other forums seem to make people feel. I feel OK with my " pet reloads ", as I seem to be where I should be with my PM45, although I will back off a few tenths of Unique from the charge I am loading for my other .45s. CCI primers were what I started with 35 years ago, so same old same old is me. To be honest with everyone, since I had no issues with either my P380 or PM9, after the initial several hundred rounds through them, I probabaly rushed the PM45. I only put 60 rounds of Hydro's through it before I went to my hard casts. I only had 40 Hydro's left, and had 2500 or so of my reloads, so shame on me I guess. Thank you to everyone again!

[jlottmc]

Proper lubing hasn't been mentioned, but should be to shoot those reloads. That and clean it well you should have no problems.