New PM40 owner, issue&question

[PaiN]

Hi all, like many here, when I was picking a CCW it became a choice between the Keltec PF9 and a Kahr PM9....my wallet won out and I got the PF. Fast forward a few years the PF served me well but I recently I wanted to step up and consolidate my handguns to .40S&W. Looking around locally I found a nice deal on PM40 ..I grabbed it in a second.
The pistol is a nice shooter and seems to work reliably for the 80+ rounds I've put through so far.....ok..the trigger is 1000% better than the Keltec's ;)
I have one question and one issue I want to bring up here.
First the issue; The followers in both the 5 and 6 round mags broke. The mags still work but they are difficult to load and don't always feed up correctly. From what I could find, seems this was a problem with older mags, Kahr's CS was great and is sending replacements. I'll keep this updated
Here's a pic of the failures:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x298/Mikepain_pics/DSC02293.jpg

and the question: I was looking at other Kahrs and most have a single guild rod/recoil spring, mine has a staged recoil rod and spring setup pictured below. Is this accessory or enhanced part?
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x298/Mikepain_pics/DSC02295.jpg

thanks

[kpm9]

The recoil spring assembly is standard in the PM series. Depending on how old it is, you might want to ask them or buy a new outer spring.

I've never see the the broken followers.

[jocko]

I have heard of followers breaking on 40 cal kahr but never have seen one in any other caliber on kahrs. Your recoil spring assembly is factory kahr. But you should measure that back part of the recoil assembley, the little flat washer that goes against the side of the barrel lug. Kahr made a change a few years back. The old size was 3/8" across, the new replacement is 1/2".

Take KPM9's advice and order a few extra outter springs for your 40 cal. they are cheap to buy and just remember that outter spring goes on with the open end of the spring towards the front of the slide.

wolff's gunsprings makes all of kahrs springs, so you can go to their site and buy um alittle less and they also make a 20.5# recoil spring for your kahr that will do very well

[500KV]

I read somewhere that the barrel feed ramp was breaking some followers on PM series pistols.
Kahr modified the feed ramp for them and solved the problem.
Can't remember where I read it though.

[PaiN]

Thanks for the replies. Someone at one of the local gun forums I visit, said something about the possible feed ramp issue...No time today to check it out, but I will try to get a look soon.

[PaiN]

to follow up on this:
Kahr said in an e-mail that there never was a known issue with the feed ramp breaking the followers and/or a modification of the ramp.

[500KV]

to follow up on this:
Kahr said in an e-mail that there never was a known issue with the feed ramp breaking the followers and/or a modification of the ramp.

Not disputing what Kahr advised but..
This is the thread I was reading about the problem you mentioned.
Specifically post #16 and #17.

Kahr p380 range report - Glock Talk (http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=988973)

[jocko]

Not disputing what Kahr advised but..
This is the thread I was reading about the problem you mentioned.
Specifically post #16 and #17.

Kahr p380 range report - Glock Talk (http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=988973)

about two different magazine issues.

With the P380 the first magazines out did indeed have a few of them where the weld in the back split at the top, but had nothing to do with the followers at all. There was never a follower issues with the P380. the magazine issue of the welds not holding is also behind them now to. All kahr magazine and for that matter most all magazines have a seem up the back of them that is welded and then smoothed out, but what was happening with some of the 40 caliber models was the followers were actually breaking. I have over 25,000 rounds out of my PM9 and I have had one follower that has broken, and I never knew it was broken or when it was broken until one day I was cleaning the magazine and that little peace fell out. It never caused me one issue. Kahr sent me a replacement and to me they look exactly the same. I have not had another issue with either my PM9, P380 or K9.

I just don't think it is the feed ramp on the 40 cal kahrs causing it but that is also a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess) I think it has to be a recoil related thing and that the follower is somehow taking the brunt of the recoil and is not holdingup well enough.

As the man (Jim K) would say, "something is out of spec".

[PaiN]

Sorry guys I have discussion going on about this in 3 places(everybody loves a good problem :crazy: ) this forum, a local forum and tech support e-mail. So, I might be slow getting all my info up.
Now, for what it is worth my impression is the problem lies in the followers, I purchased another mag(P40 6rounder) locally it is used but in ace shape. The follower in this mag is different, the slide lock pin is a rounder and fatter and lower and the front recess is deeper. When I insert this mag and light it up in there I can see a perfect fit and the feed ramp end not toughing the follower. I've not fired it with this new mag in yet(that will be Sunday) I've pulled back hard as I can on the slide many times and there is not so much as a scuff on the follower...so I doubt it is hitting
here's a pic of the new type follower:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x298/Mikepain_pics/magarr.jpg

[PaiN]

The gun is being sent in for service. :( Something is not right. With the new mag FTF rounds became very frequent and I saw faint dimpling in the face of the follower.
The shop where I bought is taking care of the RMA and shipping for me. Could be 4 weeks turn around.