UPDATED: CM9 Detailed Range Report

[hoghunter]

Brand new CM9 w/ 3 magazines using Speer Lawman 115g. I completed the Kahr Prep & Lube sticky threads prior to range visit. I will say that when I did the "Magazine Fix" section of the Kahr Prep thread and inserted the magazine without the follower and spring and then slowly inserted them I did get resistance on the mag release. I chose not to break out the sandpaper and rolled the dice to see what happens.

** I ran a total of 33 magazines (3 mags 11 times) through the CM9 for a total of 198 rounds down range.

Here were the noted issues:
- Magazine 4 Round 2 Nose Dive (Round 20) NOTE: I then went 20 mags w/ no issues
- Magazine 24 Round 3 Lodged on Ramp (Round 140)
- Magazine 27 Round 2 Lodged on Ramp (Round 158)
- Magazine 29 Round 2 Nose Dive (Round 170)
- Magazine 33 Round 3 Nose Dive (Round 195- this one was a BEAR to get out)

As you can see, the vast majority of my issues surface in the last 10 mags. I did not clean the CM9 as I shot, just kept loading and firing. That CM9 really got hot to the touch. I also used an UpLula for the first time. But I was very careful to push the round to the rear of the mag even with the UpLula.

So all that said. What is the feedback of the group? Should I go ahead and try to fix the nosedive issue or was this likely a result of a dirty gun? I am not sure I understand exactly what to do to fix the nosedive as the thread kinda runs together.

After running this many rounds at one time with the CM9 I can tell you I have NO plans to ever try it again. My hands are feeling a wee bit tender! :D

[Ressom]

With a new gun, you probably should clean it after 100 rounds. I don't know, I guess it depends on ammo. If for nothing else, you can see how the parts are wearing together and lube in those places.

I'd do the magazine fix.

Were you chambering the first round by releasing the slide stop?

[jocko]

one thing is for certain in your testing you noticed a slight hang up on the magazine follower. That ain't gonna go away with rounds down range IMO. U should fix that, as it is a total no brainer to do. IMO u rolled SNAKE EYES.

If u cleaned the gun prior to the first rip and lubed it propelry 200 rounds is nothinbg in a kahr. IMO that is not the issue, now quite possable as u even indicated your hands took a beating fromn this ordeal, so poissable some of those issues were shooter error and not gun related. do the follower mod/sanding and retest the same way, there shouldbe no hang up at all, then go out and shoot 50 rounds, now issus, consider all things good to go, lengthen your round shoots as youy feel the need but just be aware a shooter gets tired and doesn't realize it and then things happen. sometimes the love of shooting can cause shooter errror for we just don't wanna walk off the damn range.

I used to in my yoynger day s be an avid bowhunter and I lovedf to practice in my back yard atr about 20 yards, I would shoot and shoot and then I would start to nocie my shots were dropping low, still a decent pattern but low andletting another good archer watch me, he sia dif was very easy to see I was dropping my bow arm (peeking) and causing it. When first ouot , y bow arm was staying where it should andI just did not notice my slowly but surely dropping my bow arm, due to shooter getting tired and not knowing it..

[hoghunter]

OK- I did the sanding on the 3 mags (thanks to Greg for the PMs to get me in the right direction). I had to sand a ton of plastic to get them past the release. They still rub "slightly" as they move past. Wish I had 100 acres so I could go out and test, but gotta wait till I can get to the range.
So now I get to wonder what problem I created by sanding the follower :rolleyes:

[jocko]

u didn't hurt anything by sanding the follower, That fixs doesn't cause another problem, Ur probalby good to go. bit I do think I would make sure that follower passes by without any hindrance.

[Quickdraw]

When you showed round 2 nose dive, does that mean after the first shot the next round was a nose dive? Same with round 3 meaning after the second shot?

[MW surveyor]

One other thing you need to do. Number or identify your mags if they are all the same brand/capacity. That way you know exactly which one is not operating correctly.

Just my 2 cents. And as always YMMV

[hoghunter]

UPDATE:
I sanded the followers as recommended and decided to go back out to the range to see how it works. I shot 112 rounds through the CM9 with the 3 mag sanded followers. Out of the 112 rounds I had 2 Failure to Feed issues (both were on the 2nd round in the mag) on two different mags. I did not have any obvious Nose Dive issues at all, but maybe the FTFeed was some sort of nose dive?. Not sure what happened on the FTFs? One thing I did do after the second FTF was I put the feed ramp of the UpLula all the way back inside the Kahr mag before loading the next round. This way the entire round was being pushed down at the same time and not just the front of the round (hope that makes sense). I did not have any issues after that, but could just be coincidence. While I am not happy about having even 2 issues with what will be my CCW piece, I was pleased that the apparent NoseDives stopped. I mentioned on a later post that the followers still 'slightly' rub the mag release, so I just went in an shaved some more plastic. Any thoughts on the Feed issues? I will say 2 out of 112 isn't bad- but I want 100%.

[BEARDOG]

I would try some other brands of ammo.
Also a feed ramp polish can't hurt.
Make sure it's lubed up well, run it wet till everything wears in.
Make sure to pack your full mags by slapping the back into your palm.

[MikeyKahr]

Where in the 112 did the two FTF happen? If later, the feed ramp might have gotten dirty? Just a thought.

[jocko]

hoghunter, if u now have that follower going up and down with NO RESISTANCE AND ITIS HITTING YET AT ROUND 2 OR 3, THEN IT IS STILL FOLLOWER/MAG RELEASE RELATED ISSUE. 2 ftf in 112 rounds IMNO could also be shooter error, as some one asked when did ithappen, , could have you been alittle tired , grip changes etc, to me doesn't sound like it is the followers doing it and 2 times in 112 rounds kinda tells me it is a not a gun related thing either. Not trying to put the blame on you either but if u have a gun issue it should duplicate it time and time again..

do a little polish work on the follower again and also polish under those feed lips of the magazine. The smoother the better.

u stated one magazine gave zero issue,s work with it for 50 rounds and if no issue then go to the other twomags that did give ur 2 ftf and work with them, if they duplicate, it has to be in the magazines and at round 2-3 it has to be follower/mag release related... 100+ rund should not produce a dirty gun that will cause this. kahrs are not that sensitive IMO, certainly not ammo sensitive either. Certainlty more rounds down range seems to smooth out alittle little quirks and also mates the shooter and thge gun up to, which is #1 for a good marriage..

[hoghunter]

hoghunter, if u now have that follower going up and down with NO RESISTANCE AND ITIS HITTING YET AT ROUND 2 OR 3, THEN IT IS STILL FOLLOWER/MAG RELEASE RELATED ISSUE. 2 ftf in 112 rounds IMNO could also be shooter error, as some one asked when did ithappen, , could have you been alittle tired , grip changes etc, to me doesn't sound like it is the followers doing it and 2 times in 112 rounds kinda tells me it is a not a gun related thing either. Not trying to put the blame on you either but if u have a gun issue it should duplicate it time and time again..

do a little polish work on the follower again and also polish under those feed lips of the magazine. The smoother the better.


The 2 FTFs happened early in the 112 round cycle. I did go ahead and sand a little bit more when I got home. I have yet to sand the lips so that will be the next step. This could certainly be shooter related issues so I will continue to work on grip.

[heeler]

HogHunter,when I took my new PM9 out for it's first shooting I brought with me three different brands of 115 gr. fmj and shot 25 rounds thru my pistol of each.
I did clean the gun before going to the range but only half assed the pre-break in by racking the slide maybe a 100 times.
In the first 75 rounds I fired I had one jam and that was with the supplied auxillary 7 round magazine.
I went back a few days later to the range without cleaning the pistol from the previous 75 round shoot and this time took four different brands of 115gr fmj and had one fail to feed and again it was with that damn 7 round magazine.
I fired 25 rounds each from those boxes for a total of 100 rounds plus the previous 75 which equealed 175 rounds thru it.
After still not cleaning it I went back the next day without that wretched 7 round magazine again and fired 50 more to get the total round count to 225 .
I then finally cleaned it.
Every gun is different but give it a good cleaning and this time bring some different ammo and shoot 25 round of each.
My Kahr so far does not appear to be ammo picky but that does not mean yours might run fine on Federal or Winchester but perhaps not so well with the Speer Lawman.

[Quickdraw]

The follower doesn't get up to the mag release slot till after the second round is chambered or 4 left in the mag so how can that be an issue on the second round?