KAHR P9 magazine issues. Defective or just a pain in the a..?

[Roadblock]

I've had my KAHR P9 for a while now and normally I carry it as a backup to my SIG P226 .40 cal at work. When I'm not working I normally carry an Ed Brown or a Wilson Combat.

This past spring/summer I decided to carry my P9 full time simply for the fact I can pocket carry it, it's lighter and easier to grab on the go when you just need a gallon of milk or a loaf or bread.

I picked up a double magazine carrier and I carry two extra P9 magazines. The problem is, when ever I take them out of the carrier, I'm missing one or two rounds and I have to fish them out of the bottom of my magazine carrier.

This issue happens constantly so decided to email KAHR about it over the weekend. I spoke with Jay in Tech Support and he told me is was normal due to the steep angle of the magazines and there was nothing they could do about it and they suggested I get "tighter" mag carriers. I've tried a few and some of them are so tight, I can hardly pull the damn mags out.

That said, I did a quick Google search and found this:

Kahr P9 vs. G26 (http://www.a-human-right.com/p9vsg26.html)


Although single-stack magazines allow for a thinner gun and spares are easier to carry, Kahr magazines have their share of problems. The three magazines I got with the gun would all dislodge the top round or two if handled less than gingerly. That caused no malfunctions in the gun but my magazine pouch would always have a loose round or two in it. Eventually, I called Kahr tech support and asked them about it: they said "bad magazines" and sent me three new ones free of charge. The new magazines had a slightly different weld in the back and worked perfectly.Finding this kinds annoyed me so I emailed Jay back and quoted that information to him but I thought I would ask for your guys/gals opinions.

I shouldn't have to deal with loosing a round or two everytime I pull the damn mags out of the carrier. Almost has me wanting to sell my KAHR.

Anyone here work for KAHR tech support?

[Bawanna]

We've heard of this before although I've never had it happen myself with my 40 and PM45. I also dont know of any tech support people on this forum but thats not to say they never see this stuff. I hope they do.
Did they offer to send you new mags when you phoned back the second time?

I also sometimes use a cell phone case rather than a conventional mag pouch. Only 1 mag of course but it holds it horizontally bullets up, comfy and unobtrusive.

I agree that you shouldn't lose a bullet or two everytime you pull your mags out. I wish I had a solid answer for ya.

[Roadblock]

I actually emailed them. I directly emailed back the same person who replied to my initial question. I actually had not seen that GLOCK 26 Vs. KAHR P9 review yet when I first emailed about the issue. I only found it after KAHR's Tech Support dismissed my issue as being "normal" and I did some "Google" searching. :(

Anyway person who wrote that review claims the new magazines FIXED the issue.

I asked why KAHR tech support treated one customers magazines as defective but not mine. Maybe it's because I wasn't writing a review lol! Maybe I should offer! ;)

If my last (second) email doesn't get me anywhere, I'm going to call them. If that doesn't get me anywhere, I'm going to order another P9 magazine as I can write it off at tax season anyway I'm sure and do some testing.

If I have to go out of pocket and it does happen to "fix" the issue, they are going to have one unhappy customer. Not that KAHR will care but hey.

I gotta say one thing for Brown and Wilson, if you have issues with their magazines, they swap them out a.s.a.p. without any question. I even offered to send my supposedly defective KAHR magazines back first. :(

[Bawanna]

I often times think some of these issues get lost in translation. I agree with Wynn also that email is best if you can get responses since it leaves a trail so to speak.
I have no doubt that Kahr will take care of this even if you aren't writing a review. I was going to suggest buying or borrowing another mag to see if in fact theres an improvement. Really can't have too many magazines anyhow the way I look at it.
My spidey senses tell me you are a lawman. Like many firearms manufacturers Kahr move LE right to the top of the heap. While I don't like to pull the LE favoritism card it does work and it has worked for me at Kahr.
Be patient but don't fall thru the cracks. I would not feel bad about sending the bad magazines back but would also hope that they would send new first or at least pass in the mail.

I'm so envious of your Ed Brown and Wilson options. I'm ecstatic that I recently was able to add a DW Cbob to my wardrobe but a Wilson or a Ed Brown is on my bucket list for sure. Course a 56 vette is on my list too and so far that isn't panning out well either. Just never ever give up.

Stay safe.

[Roadblock]

I just got a response from KAHR. The best they will do is allow me to send in my magazines for inspection.

I guess this is better then nothing. Not that it will fix anything. Guess we will see.

[Bawanna]

I just got a response from KAHR. The best they will do is allow me to send in my magazines for inspection.

I guess this is better then nothing. Not that it will fix anything. Guess we will see.

Keep us posted on this, we all care about this sort of stuff and others may benefit in the future. Guess you'll be our guinea pig this trip. (might benefit to put a business card in the package too. Hint, Hint)
Stay positive, it could very well fix everything too. Or not.

[Roadblock]

Step ahead of you, Jay said to send them in with a note, no RMA needed. I'm using our letterhead, cough. I did mention what line of work I'm in when I sent the original emailed, didn't seem to have any affect. Not that I expected any special treatment.

Will keep you guys posted. Actually might just pickup a spare mag when I get in off the road tonight and see if it helps. I called one of the guys I deal with at the local gun shop, he has some that just came in directly from KAHR a couple weeks ago so they would be or should be the newest batch/versions.

[jocko]

I hate to tell you guys this but this magazine thing with the top round going south alot in carriers is normal for kahr's magazines. Why that is I cannot tell you but it will happen on a kahr magazine more than any other company's magazines. I'm not defending kahr's magazines, just telling you that if u can't live with this or figure out how to get around it, then you best find another gun. Just my 2 cents here..

[Roadblock]

Normal or just an issue KAHR doesn't really want to address? I say that because of the review I found, that gentleman had the same issue and new magazines seemed to fix it or so the review says.

I love my KAHR, I'm just annoyed I have to go fishing all the time.

[jocko]

u might be right on both counts..

[Jim K]

Have 3. No problems.

[OldLincoln]

I had the mag issue and ended up tuning the mag lips to my ammo. When loading the mag you can see the lips spread as it fills. I don't believe it should do this and am convinced it is a design/material problem.

Anyway, I found I could wiggle the top round this way and that in the Kahr but not in the Colt. I compared the lip alignment to the cartridge in each and the Kahr definitely falls away from the cartridge. A little tweak with long nose and all was well, until I tried my HST ammo. Another little tweak and ll is well again.

If your carrier is stiff at the bullet end it might stop movement of the top round which is what causes this. I carry mine in mag slots sewn into a pant pocket and they hold well, so it can be fixed.

The thread where we went into a lot of this is here:
Let's Get to the Bottom of the Kahr Magazine Questions (http://kahrtalk.com/kahr-tech/2415-lets-get-bottom-kahr-magazine-questions.html)

[Allblackedout]

I had the mag issue and ended up tuning the mag lips to my ammo. When loading the mag you can see the lips spread as it fills. I don't believe it should do this and am convinced it is a design/material problem.

Anyway, I found I could wiggle the top round this way and that in the Kahr but not in the Colt. I compared the lip alignment to the cartridge in each and the Kahr definitely falls away from the cartridge. A little tweak with long nose and all was well, until I tried my HST ammo. Another little tweak and ll is well again.

If your carrier is stiff at the bullet end it might stop movement of the top round which is what causes this. I carry mine in mag slots sewn into a pant pocket and they hold well, so it can be fixed.

The thread where we went into a lot of this is here:
Let's Get to the Bottom of the Kahr Magazine Questions (http://kahrtalk.com/kahr-tech/2415-lets-get-bottom-kahr-magazine-questions.html)

Thanks for the thread oldlincoln and suggestions, I just went out to the garage and bent my feed lips on both my mags for a tighter fit, much better. :D

[BEARDOG]

Roadblock,
I made my own pocket mag holder for my back-up 8 rd mag for my CW9. The design of the Kahr mags I think is the problem, with the way the top round really has to point up and basically hangs way out and is exposed in the front.

SO,... This is what i did to insure it would not get pressed and pointed down and or come out of the mag.
I made a support block out of some thick black rubber, I cut it to match the angle of the top round and also ground a concave groove along the side the cartridge rests on.So now the mag rests on the lips of the mag and the cartridge case, instead of the tip of the bullet. I made it friction fitted to the mag carrier so it stays in the bottom. Works for me...may for you to?

Here is a pic before I put it in the holder.
http://i958.photobucket.com/albums/ae70/BeardogV1/cw9PB04069830.jpg

[Bawanna]

Thanks for the thread oldlincoln and suggestions, I just went out to the garage and bent my feed lips on both my mags for a tighter fit, much better. :D

It goes without saying but needs to be said, don't have no faith in those modified mags until you shoot them and make sure they do the job. I have total faith in Old Lincoln (he knows stuff) and his cure but gotta make sure.

[Allblackedout]

It goes without saying but needs to be said, don't have no faith in those modified mags until you shoot them and make sure they do the job. I have total faith in Old Lincoln (he knows stuff) and his cure but gotta make sure.

Thanks for the heads up Bawanna, I appreciate it. I Agree with you 100% on this matter, in the mean time so far so good as I have stuck the mag in the gun and cycled it by hand to eject the rounds and it does so without a hiccup. The real test will be like you said, live fire.

[wyntrout]

The 9mm mags are really bad about subsequent rounds being advanced after chambering the first round or during firing. If you just insert a magazine and chamber a round, the next round may not go up the ramp, but dive nose first. This is why the malfunctions usually start with round two or three. If you top off the mag after chambering a round or drop the magazine and push the top round to the rear, you can probably get at least two shots off.:D

Bending the magazine lips at the front a bit may help. I tried making a detent at the rear of P380 magazines and went past the point of return on one... destroyed one tube.

When a round is stripped from the magazine on chambering, I think that the rim of the top round catches in groove in front of the rim of the lower round and it is dragged forward until it noses down a bit and the top round is fed into the chamber. Sometimes the second or subsequent round is 1/4" or better forward and nosed down a bit. When the "stripper" catches the base of it, the round can dive and stick on the feed ramp. I've seen this many times.

I'll have to try this adjustment. I'm looking forward to your test results. Oh, and how the gun ejects when done by hand and actual firing are totally different. I've put a glove on and turned the gun on its side to help the rounds get out of the gun and violently yanked the slide to the rear... like "plucking" a bowstring, so there's no drag. That's closer, but still not anything like the violent action of firing and recoil. I've had Colt Officers magazines lock back every time when I did that in my PM45, but never lock back in actual firing.

Jes' sayin'.

Wynn:)

Oh, and my Kydex holders are angled at the bottom like you're doing with the addition of the ramped "spacer"... good idea. :)

Sorry, I didn't address each guy and his idea... kinda lost track there. :D

[OldLincoln]

I guess I didn't mention test firing, but please do. I did and always do whenever I mess with something. With my membership I just go in and tell them I'm test firing, no targets etc. and run a couple mags through focusing on cycling.

[wyntrout]

I like those 8-shot mags for the K9. It's one of my "house guns" and I have one of those in it and two reloads in a holder with it. I sometimes carry one of those for a reload if I'm carrying the PM9, which isn't that often.

Wynn:D