avjay
10-29-2011, 04:18 PM
Just purchased a new PM9 3 weeks ago. Followed all the preparation steps noted on the new purchase prep thread. First 169 rounds at the range had 2 FTF and one FTE all from the same 7 round mag. The second 7 round mag and the 6 round had no failures associated.
Went back to the forum and read up on all the threads re mag problems. Interestingly enough the problem 7 round mag (which I had purchased directly from the Kahr store) failed to drop cleanly with the mag release. Other two original mags dropped free with no problems. Then I compared the feed lip orientation with a cartridge in place on both 7 round mags. The problem mag clearly had a wider gap between the feed lips.
I used my vise with the mag fully padded to carefully compress the wider feed lips until they matched the original 7 round mag. (Mag empty and follower compressed with a pencil below level of vise jaws). Sure enough, the mag now fell cleanly with the mag release button.
Finally having read on another thread about the mag spring being "backwards" in the magazine I disassembled the mag for inspection. I had completely disassembled the mag prior to first use for a thorough cleaning and reassembly. I did not notice anything in the owner's manual about special orientation of the mag spring during reassembly and did not pay any particular attention to how I reinserted the spring after that first cleaning. So how do you tell the correct orientation when reinserting the mag spring?
Here's how: Disassemble the mag. Set the mag onto a flat surface resting on its base. Place the mag spring along side the mag. Notice that when the spring is resting flush on its bottom coil the spring will either rest parallel to the tilt of the mag or it will lean away from the mag. Therefore the spring does not have a "top" or "bottom" but it definitely has a "left" or "right" orientation. Obviously the spring needs to be reinserted with the orientation that is parallel to the mag body. I found that the spring had been inserted backwards in my problem mag. I don't know if it came that way from the factory or if I inadvertently assembled it incorrectly after that first cleaning. However when checking both of my other mags which had also been disassembled and cleaned prior to use, the spring orientation was correct. I suspect this problem came from the factory.
Did that correct my FTE and FTF? Don't yet know as my second break-in trip to the range awaits. Stay tuned for follow-up.
Went back to the forum and read up on all the threads re mag problems. Interestingly enough the problem 7 round mag (which I had purchased directly from the Kahr store) failed to drop cleanly with the mag release. Other two original mags dropped free with no problems. Then I compared the feed lip orientation with a cartridge in place on both 7 round mags. The problem mag clearly had a wider gap between the feed lips.
I used my vise with the mag fully padded to carefully compress the wider feed lips until they matched the original 7 round mag. (Mag empty and follower compressed with a pencil below level of vise jaws). Sure enough, the mag now fell cleanly with the mag release button.
Finally having read on another thread about the mag spring being "backwards" in the magazine I disassembled the mag for inspection. I had completely disassembled the mag prior to first use for a thorough cleaning and reassembly. I did not notice anything in the owner's manual about special orientation of the mag spring during reassembly and did not pay any particular attention to how I reinserted the spring after that first cleaning. So how do you tell the correct orientation when reinserting the mag spring?
Here's how: Disassemble the mag. Set the mag onto a flat surface resting on its base. Place the mag spring along side the mag. Notice that when the spring is resting flush on its bottom coil the spring will either rest parallel to the tilt of the mag or it will lean away from the mag. Therefore the spring does not have a "top" or "bottom" but it definitely has a "left" or "right" orientation. Obviously the spring needs to be reinserted with the orientation that is parallel to the mag body. I found that the spring had been inserted backwards in my problem mag. I don't know if it came that way from the factory or if I inadvertently assembled it incorrectly after that first cleaning. However when checking both of my other mags which had also been disassembled and cleaned prior to use, the spring orientation was correct. I suspect this problem came from the factory.
Did that correct my FTE and FTF? Don't yet know as my second break-in trip to the range awaits. Stay tuned for follow-up.