PM9 failure to feed question

[cyclesteel]

I figured I would start a new thread since this is a different problem then my other one.

I have a total of 450 rounds through my PM9 as of today and so far I like it better then any of the other pocket guns I have owned ( P3AT , 442) and I can actually hit what I am aiming at unlike the others which is why I sold them.

Out of those 450 rounds I have had 3 failure to feeds all on the larger extended magazine. The round would get stuck at the bottom of the feed ramp almost sitting flat not nose up and the slide would be in the racked but not slide locked position. This was either the second or third round in the magazine I do not remember but I know it was not the first. I called Kahr and I believe I spoke to Ian he thinks it is the way I am gripping the larger magazine. He thinks I was gripping the bottom to tight causing the top of the magazine to dip forward enough to cause the malfunction.


What do you guys think? I will say that I had a pretty tight grip on the gun and it only happened 3 times with the same magazine. Should I be worried? I will not be able to make it back to the range for a few weeks due to scheduling conflicts with work and I plan on using the PM9 as my main ccw rig . Is that a bad idea? I had no malfunctions with the 6 round magazine and I did not have any slide lock issues today at the range regarding my other thread.

Thanks in advance for all the info and help I do not know what I would do with out the forums probably bug the guys at Kahr even more

[Bawanna]

Carry it proud with the perfect running 6 rounders. Deal with the 7 rounders when you find the time. I'm not sure I buy into the grip theory but Eoin no doubt knows way more than me.
We've heard of issues with the larger capacity mags when the 6 rounders run fine. Wish now I could remember what we discovered about that. The mind is a terrible thing to lose.

[cyclesteel]

I'm not sure I buy into the grip theory but Eoin no doubt knows way more than me.


I am not sure if buy into it either . I was just checking everything out with snap caps and I could not really get the magazine to move back and forth at all. Both magazines have a little up and down play when they are loaded and the slide is back and I found some threads indicating that this has caused FTF in the past. I know when I grip the 6 rounder my pinker is under the magazine keeping upward pressure on it . Also the failure to feeds happened after I had a good hundred rounds through the gun so my hand was starting to get tired and I might have been limp wristing. Plus today after 450 rounds on the little PM9 my hand is pretty sore.

The FTF where pretty random and no patters where forming so hopefully it was my form and not the gun

[olympicmotorcars]

I had a lot of failure to feeds with my extended mag for my PM 40 also.
I sent it back to Kahr with a request to swap it for a flush fit mag. which they did no problem. I think the extended mag defeats the purpose of such a small concealable gun anyway.

[Wayne's World]

I don't buy into the "tight griping" theory either but I also only carry the six round clip for max concealment. I only use the seven round clip for target practice. IMHO

[bayoutrigger]

Just returned from a 3 day Tom Givens intensive training class. My son and I brought along extended mags for respective PM40 & PM9. We both experienced FTF's with extended mags. Once we started to load mags with one less round problem stopped.

On 2nd day PM40 started to have problem with mag dropping. I don't know if problem was my grip actuating mag release of something else. Givens made me use his glock at that point so as to not slow down the class.

[bigmacque]

I've not fired my PM9 yet 9 (hopefully Thursday) but the grip of the gun makes sense to me, I can see that happening.

[deadhead1971]

450 rds? Hand sore?

how many rounds did you shoot in one session?

The most I have shot is 300 in one session, and my opinion is that the gun needs a quick feed ramp/bore swab patch after about 150 rounds. Most of the failure to feeds I have had (not that many around 4) have occurred when the feed ramp was dirty with powder fouling and soot.

[cyclesteel]

I shot about 240 on Sunday and around 200 yesterday. ( I had some free time :) ) My hand is actually still a little sore today. The malfunctions did happen after I had at least 75-100 rounds through the gun I was shooting WWB and American eagle and they are both pretty dirty ammo. I did email Kahr and they said to send the mag in and they will replace it.

[deadhead1971]

I only use federal if I can get it. It's the cleanest.

[cyclesteel]

One more quick question for you guys how much vertical play should there be in the magazine when it is loaded in the PM9 with the slide locked back. Mine has a bit. With the slide closed the loaded magazine keeps the tension on there. but when locked back i can push it up and down

[Bawanna]

That sounds normal. They all seem to have extra play since they stick out about a 1/16 or so. Not sure why they are that way. Seems like putting the magazine release notch a tad bit lower would make them fit more secure but they may know something that I don't, in fact I'd wager a bit that they do.

[cyclesteel]

Bawanna45cal thanks again for info. I was playing around with the PM9 and my grip again last night and also noticed that my thumb is resting right on the mag release which also might have caused some issues. Next time at the range I will be working to develop a new grip on the Kahr.

[cyclesteel]

Tiny Update.


I actually had some free time yesterday so I went to the range. Shot 50 rounds of Federal and 50 rounds of WWB not one issue I did clean the Feed ramp after the first 50 it was pretty dirty.

[wyntrout]

Ya know, if you don't think too much about it, that slide lock lever makes a right handy thumb rest.:D
I keep my right thumb away from the frame/grip and overlap it with my left thumb... usually.
I have recorded a lot of video of my shooting and know how I hold the gun... that can be helpful... evidence of fault/blame for the slide locking back prematurely.
Wynn:D

[deadhead1971]

I have never had a FTF with a clean feed ramp. It's always happend after 150+ rounds.

[Popeye]

Every auto pistol I own reguardless of brand I've polished the feed ramp till it looks like chrome. My theory is the GSR has a hard time effecting feeding if it has nothing to grab onto.
Actually I polish the whole barrel because IMO it seems to make a big difference in how the slide cycles, but the feed ramp I pay particular attention to. JM.02

[deadhead1971]

My previous post above...need to modify... :)

I shot 4 boxes (200 rds) yesterday. I am up to 2,645 rds total. Yesterday I had 2 malfunctions. 1 failure to feed--bullet nose dived in feed ramp with 7 rd mag. This was at around the 75th round shooting yesterday. Then sometime after that the slide locked back open on a loaded mag. Both occured with the 7 rd mag. Other than that, no issues. This was with 115 gr fmj federal.

[jocko]

Every auto pistol I own reguardless of brand I've polished the feed ramp till it looks like chrome. My theory is the GSR has a hard time effecting feeding if it has nothing to grab onto.
Actually I polish the whole barrel because IMO it seems to make a big difference in how the slide cycles, but the feed ramp I pay particular attention to. JM.02

on that, plus IMO when you do what you did, if issues pop up, you know it is not because of a unsmoothed feed ramp or fully polished barrel. You IMO have pre eliminated some possables for ftf etc. I have never read of a feed ramp being ruined by polishing. Whether it helps or not is in the mind of the beholder.

My car seems to run just as good as when it is dirty as when it is clean but in my little mind I FEEL BETTER about it when it is clean..

[Popeye]

Jocko the one thing I noticed the minute I polished the ramp that when I slingshot the slide to put one in the chamber even if it's a hollow point it seems to go in easier then it ever did before. People say you can't slingshot the first round in on a Kahr and should use the slide lock well I beg to differ with that statement. Mine has no problem slingshoting any rounds including reloads FMJ or HP's.

[badge4436]

I bought 5 more 6 round mags for my PM9 when they were less expensive and don't even use the 7 round mag. Never had a problem. Carry 6+1.

[f44life]

i noticed the 7mag is feels alot sloppier when in the gun then the regular mag...i only had one ftf at 832rds...um up to 1000rds of goodness mostly federel ammo