Ding in guide rail

[Night Owl]

Received my PM9 a couple days ago and just got done taking her apart and cleaning her. This is my first ever semi-automatic pistol. While she was apart I noticed that the guide rail on the slide release side for the pistol has a small indent toward the front of the rail. If you could envision taking a screwdriver and purposely placing it on the side of that guide rail and hitting it with a hammer leaving a small indent. It doesn't go all the way to the polymer frame it's about the size of a small pencil dot. Any reason for concern?

Additionally, as has been reported here before by others after having racked the pistol about 300 times now the slide release lever is STILL darn near impossible to budge and in some cases IS almost impossible. After racking the slide it has loosened up some but not much. I still have to in many cases take a screwdriver wrapped up in a cloth and push down on it to get it to budge. Still have yet to fire it but have 2,500 rounds of ammo ready to go...

[Alfonse]

If you are talking about a little semi-circular notch out of the rail, that is supposed to be there. I assume it is some sort of locating reference for a pin in the mold. Removing the slide release seems to get easier after actually shooting it a few hundred rounds and taking it down a few times. I lube mine really well with grease. That seems to help it come out as well.

[skiflydive]

Is the magazine out when you try to push out the pin? Try it with the mag out.

[laserfish]

If you are trying to release the slide on an empty mag, it is made difficult intentionally. Lets you know you are out of ammo and you are trying to release the slide on an empty chamber.

[muggsy]

The answers that you seek can be found in the owners manual.

[CJB]

****

Well this was READ THE FRIENDLY MANUAL.... but the filtering nixed it

[OldFatGuy]

Received my PM9 a couple days ago and just got done taking her apart and cleaning her. This is my first ever semi-automatic pistol. While she was apart I noticed that the guide rail on the slide release side for the pistol has a small indent toward the front of the rail. If you could envision taking a screwdriver and purposely placing it on the side of that guide rail and hitting it with a hammer leaving a small indent. It doesn't go all the way to the polymer frame it's about the size of a small pencil dot. Any reason for concern?

Additionally, as has been reported here before by others after having racked the pistol about 300 times now the slide release lever is STILL darn near impossible to budge and in some cases IS almost impossible. After racking the slide it has loosened up some but not much. I still have to in many cases take a screwdriver wrapped up in a cloth and push down on it to get it to budge. Still have yet to fire it but have 2,500 rounds of ammo ready to go...

Did you fire it before you noticed the nick on the slide? Mine was clean until I fired it, now I have 2 little nicks on the slide. After close inspection, the only thing I can figure is it was hitting the pin. It works fine, so I'm not worried about it.

[Alfonse]

The notch I was talking about is like in this photo:
http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt57/Neko1911/IMG_4702.jpg

Completely normal.

[OldFatGuy]

This is what I was referring to. Others have talked about peening, maybe that's what this is. Sorry about the pic, my old cells phone.
http://www.kahrtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=12719&stc=1

[CJB]

READ THE MANUAL

The slide release is supposed to be hard, when an empty magazine is in place.

The notch is there, as part of the production process.


Received my PM9 a couple days ago and just got done taking her apart and cleaning her. This is my first ever semi-automatic pistol. While she was apart I noticed that the guide rail on the slide release side for the pistol has a small indent toward the front of the rail. If you could envision taking a screwdriver and purposely placing it on the side of that guide rail and hitting it with a hammer leaving a small indent. It doesn't go all the way to the polymer frame it's about the size of a small pencil dot. Any reason for concern?

Additionally, as has been reported here before by others after having racked the pistol about 300 times now the slide release lever is STILL darn near impossible to budge and in some cases IS almost impossible. After racking the slide it has loosened up some but not much. I still have to in many cases take a screwdriver wrapped up in a cloth and push down on it to get it to budge. Still have yet to fire it but have 2,500 rounds of ammo ready to go...

[b4uqzme]

I went back and re-read Jocko's proper prep sticky. Most of the issues I've seen posted here over the past couple of years are covered in that 5 year old thread. Just sayin.

Great intro OP. Welcome! Read your manual. :D Read the stickies. ;)

[alltimeqb]

Let's be clear, the notch in the slide rail in Alfonse's picture is what we're talking about, correct?

My CM9 with just over 200 rounds has something similar, but it does not look to be a machined/stamped "feature" of the metal part. It looks to be "hammered" there from something. It could be that this is how it was manufactured, but I'd sure like to know if this is fact and not an assumption.

Unless someone has Kahr documentation that this was manufactured this way, I think I'll be sending a picture to Kahr to get verification.

[b4uqzme]

Let's be clear, the notch in the slide rail in Alfonse's picture is what we're talking about, correct?

My CM9 with just over 200 rounds has something similar, but it does not look to be a machined/stamped "feature" of the metal part. It looks to be "hammered" there from something. It could be that this is how it was manufactured, but I'd sure like to know if this is fact and not an assumption.

Unless someone has Kahr documentation that this was manufactured this way, I think I'll be sending a picture to Kahr to get verification.

Please do. You deserve to hear it straight from the horse's mouth.

[alltimeqb]

BTW, pull the slide back a bit, hold it there and wiggle the slide... there's a ton 'o slop back and forth... maybe not the problem, but I'd sure like to have some frame of reference to know whether this is excessive or not (seems to me that it is).

[OldFatGuy]

Let's be clear, the notch in the slide rail in Alfonse's picture is what we're talking about, correct?

My CM9 with just over 200 rounds has something similar, but it does not look to be a machined/stamped "feature" of the metal part. It looks to be "hammered" there from something. It could be that this is how it was manufactured, but I'd sure like to know if this is fact and not an assumption.

Unless someone has Kahr documentation that this was manufactured this way, I think I'll be sending a picture to Kahr to get verification.

Yup, I was off when I complained about my dings on the slide, carry on.

[Alfonse]

Let's be clear, the notch in the slide rail in Alfonse's picture is what we're talking about, correct?

My CM9 with just over 200 rounds has something similar, but it does not look to be a machined/stamped "feature" of the metal part. It looks to be "hammered" there from something. It could be that this is how it was manufactured, but I'd sure like to know if this is fact and not an assumption.

Unless someone has Kahr documentation that this was manufactured this way, I think I'll be sending a picture to Kahr to get verification.

From Kahr's Website:

Q. There is a chip in the metal guide rail of my polymer pistol. Is this normal?

A. This is a witness mark for the polymer frame manufacturer and is present by design.
>>Back to top (http://www.kahr.com/faq.asp#top)

http://www.kahr.com/faq.asp#q22

It is in the frequently asked questions section.

[alltimeqb]

Roger that Alfonse, I just went and read the same thing. A "chip", nice feature...

[Alfonse]

It isn't a chip. It is a witness mark. But, sometimes folks think it is a "chip."

[alltimeqb]

Good point, it's there for a reason.

[Night Owl]

Q. There is a chip in the metal guide rail of my polymer pistol. Is this normal?


A. This is a witness mark for the polymer frame manufacturer and is present by design.
>>Back to top (http://www.kahr.com/faq.asp#top)


http://www.kahr.com/faq.asp#q22


It is in the frequently asked questions section.
Thank you to EVERYONE that responded to my questions and a special thanks to Alfonse with his picture on page one of this here thread and for taking the time to dig up the FAQ. Yeah that is the exact ding, er, “witness” mark in the same location on mine.

If you are trying to release the slide on an empty mag, it is made difficult intentionally. Lets you know you are out of ammo and you are trying to release the slide on an empty chamber.
Way cool, thanks laserfish.

Okay... now for a small(?!) ramble.

After receiving the pistol I promptly lost/misplaced my owners manual so I read the online version. As noted in my very first post it’s not as if it WAS intentionally difficult... it was downright almost impossible. At least for me it was.

In only a handful of cases was I able to ever actually release the slide lever with my thumb. I seriously had to take a screwdriver, wrap it up in a cloth and push on it. I write this again for prosperity in case some other new Kahr owner trips upon/over this post. In the case of MY Kahr, shooting it made all the difference as opposed to racking the slide some 300 odd times.

So, lets fast forward to today. I finally got to take here out for a spin and put 200 rounds through her without a single malfunction and now the slide release lever can be pushed down, empty pistol, with just a little extra UMPH! Every... single... time.

How did she shoot you asked? I’m glad you asked that question. Thanks for asking. She shot like ****?! I’m a professional here. I embarrassed myself in front others. I’m going to throw this pistol in the garbage!

I also own a Smith & Wesson (I put the Wesson in there in case you didn’t know what I was referring too) 642. At 7 yards I can put pretty much all my shots in a 6 inch circle with my revolver with only a front sight and a nub(?) of a back sight to get me aligned.

With the PM9 dotting the “i” I was at first consistently missing just outside down and to the left (7 O’ clock if you will. And I shall). I did manage to later (50-100 rounds later?) start to put it into the circle but only after purposely adjusting my sightline (2 O’ clock) to compensate for the flawed design in the pistol.

It’s the pistol right?! Certainly it can’t be me! Shouldn’t matter that i’ve only shot a couple other semi automatics once or twice in my lifetime putting all of 20 rounds through them. Right?

Okay... okay. So it’s me. Wow. I feel as if I have a major(?) learning curve in front of me. I was hoping to do better then that! I looked up a chart on line and supposedly when you miss in that particular spot it’s because tightening your grip before pulling the trigger or jerking or slapping the trigger? What do you guys think?

Anyway, glad to report at the least the pistol doesn’t malfunction like the shooter does. (thought I would insert one more parenthetical here just to be a little more annoying).

[Alfonse]

I have never mastered the dot the "i" sights. I am where I can group pretty well side to side with them, but I'm 4 times that distance vertically. I've changed out most of my sights to 3-dot. There are lots of folks here who can shoot the i sights well. But, after several thousand rounds I know I am not one of them. That said, give it a few more rounds. You might find you like it.

I am amazed how well I shoot a Ruger LCR with its sights. I don't know why.

[Alfonse]

I looked up a chart on line and supposedly when you miss in that particular spot it’s because tightening your grip before pulling the trigger or jerking or slapping the trigger? What do you guys think?



You might want to experiment a bit with what part of your trigger finger you use on the trigger. I have large hands and use either right by the first knuckle or on that second section of the finger on Kahr triggers. The 380 takes a different spot than a 9mm. Maybe try it dry firing as you sight it and see what position allows you to keep it on target without pulling it. Once I quit trying to use that first pad of my finger, my groups tightened up considerably. I can hit the barn pretty consistently now if I stand close enough. :)

[Night Owl]

You might want to experiment a bit with what part of your trigger finger you use on the trigger. I have large hands and use either right by the first knuckle or on that second section of the finger on Kahr triggers. The 380 takes a different spot than a 9mm. Maybe try it dry firing as you sight it and see what position allows you to keep it on target without pulling it. Once I quit trying to use that first pad of my finger, my groups tightened up considerably. I can hit the barn pretty consistently now if I stand close enough. :)
Okay. Thanks for that.

Interesting about how you shoot with the dot the "i" sights as well. Very interesting. I'll keep after it and see where it leads me. Learning a LOT right now. The grip on a semi compared to a revolver is completely different. I was playing with different things, perhaps to many. One thing I fiddled with was pulling the trigger and just before she broke would focus more on aiming as opposed to aiming way before I started pulling the trigger. The only thing that did work was aiming at 2 O' clock inside the circle. When I did that... bam. Started nailing most everything inside the circle. Don't believe the sights are off, gotta believe it's my poor shooting fundamentals...

[b4uqzme]

+ 1 Al's recommendation about finger placement.

I show this video to a lot of new pistol shooters. I'm not sure if this is what you are after but it I was a game changer for me. A good grip cures a lot of ills. Check out how he aggressively locks his left wrist. It helps with muzzle flip and with trigger control IMHO.

http://www.guns.com/2011/11/16/thumbs-forward-grip-gives-awesome-recoil-management/

[Night Owl]

+ 1 Al's recommendation about finger placement.

I show this video to a lot of new pistol shooters. I'm not sure if this is what you are after but it I was a game changer for me. A good grip cures a lot of ills. Check out how he aggressively locks his left wrist. It helps with muzzle flip and with trigger control IMHO.

http://www.guns.com/2011/11/16/thumbs-forward-grip-gives-awesome-recoil-management/
Thanks for that.

Most definitely wasn't doing this which I had totally forgotten about. Wow, so much to learn! As a matter of fact I went back and reviewed multiple videos I had watched before by Paul Howe, Jerry Miculek, Shannon Smith and Bob Vogel. It appears every one of them use this technique. Miculek likes the ability, if possible, to use the index finger of your support hand and hook the front of the trigger guard were Vogel likes it back a little bit and not jammed up with the fingers on your shooting hand. Vogel gets so high on his Glock that the slide actually cuts into the webbing of his shooting hand.

I have arguably, the smallest hands for a man on the face of the earth. With the distance between the frame and the slide on my PM9 and the size of my hands it makes this an impossibility. I can only get so high. Interestingly enough with us discussing trigger pull Miculek said in his video that "trigger pull will always be more important then sight alignment".