MK9 failure to feed

[SecedeTX]

First post!

I carry a Kahr MK9 concealed. I purchased the gun in 2001 and have put MANY different rounds through it, and have never had a failure to feed. (I have shot a lot of FMJ (probably 8 different brands), and 4 different brands of jacketed hollow point. I have even done IDPA with the MK9.

I picked up a box of Horniday Critical Defense about a month ago and went to the range. I had two failure to feed out of twenty rounds.

I cleaned and inspected the MK, and everything seemed to be in order, and I put another 100 rounds of FMJ, and 10 rounds of CorBon High Velocity through it with no problems

Anyone else have this experience?

As a side note, I LOVE the MK9 as a daily carry

[Barth]

First post!

I carry a Kahr MK9 concealed. I purchased the gun in 2001 and have put MANY different rounds through it, and have never had a failure to feed. (I have shot a lot of FMJ (probably 8 different brands), and 4 different brands of jacketed hollow point. I have even done IDPA with the MK9.

I picked up a box of Horniday Critical Defense about a month ago and went to the range. I had two failure to feed out of twenty rounds.

I cleaned and inspected the MK, and everything seemed to be in order, and I put another 100 rounds of FMJ, and 10 rounds of CorBon High Velocity through it with no problems

Anyone else have this experience?

As a side note, I LOVE the MK9 as a daily carry


Never used that ammo.
I had a few FTF with Speer GDHP Short Barrel.
But that was in the first 400 rounds and I haven't tried since.
The Short Barrel bullets have the most aggressive big mouth HP opening I've seen in a long time.
So it's not totally unexpected.
They remind me of the old Speer 200 gr 45 flying ashtray round!
I love Speer GDHP Short Barrel for my snub nose revolvers though.

The Critical Defense for my 357 is very pointy?
But it does have that soft mushy tip?

I'd just go with other ammo.
Speer GDHP 155 grain feed great in my MK40.
Recommend Speer GDHP 124gr +P.
It's one of the very best 9mm SD rounds and should feed reliably.

[MLESa7990]

My PM9 has failed to feed with hornady critical defense

[OldLincoln]

SecedeTX, Welcome to the forum! I have read a few feed issues with the CD. I haven't shot it or even held one so I don't know if it is longer or so other factor causing the feed issues. I carry HST which feeds well but only after I polished the feed ramp and chamber mouth.

It would help to know where it is hanging up or if it's in the chamber and the slide won't lock. For some failures a round can nose dive wanting to go down the feed ramp instead of up. Another is the nose of the round at a strong angle inside the upper mouth of the chamber with the rim still down on top of the mag with the slide pushing the middle. Another is the round simply stabs into the ramp and doesn't go either way.

Common fixes which would be my first choice here include replacement of the recoil spring at 1200 to 1500 rounds. Have you done that yet? If not that's an inexpensive thing to try. It comes with a replacement striker spring which you can hold off on to see if you need it. The second thing is to polish the ramp and chamber mouth including the upper inside where the bullet tip will hit and slide into the chamber. I rub some TW25 grease into the metal at those places (it's suppose to get into the microscopic pores). The third thing is to replace the mag springs. Actually, while third on the list you may save some shipping if you get the recoil and mag springs together.

With that, unless that Critical Defense is a bit long, it should feed.

[eltee]

If the gun runs good with all other ammo, but hangs up on the Critical Defense, I would say don't use the Critical Defense. I wouldn't mess with the gun.

[kerby9mm]

I also have a mk9 and have never encountered what you explained but I have never used CD. I saw a uTube about CD where a guy had problems with his gun feeding CD and when he measured them they were longer according to his uTube video. Since the gun is older and you have shot it maybe quite a bit (you didn't mention round count) I would do what Old Lincoln suggested (recoil spring replacement) and the ramp and feed area of chamber and that's all. It still feeds find with all others.

[Cyterio]

I carry Hornady Critical Defense in my MK9 Elite and I've never had an issue. I'll put a disclaimer on this though: I've only shot about 60rds of CD through it, but never had an issue with it or the 500-600 rds of FMJ I've shot through it after break-in. The only time I have had issues was during break-in, I had a few FTE and a few times when the slide didnt lock back on the last round. I can't say for sure if that was just break-in troubles or because I was running the gun a bit dry. I've found a combo of oil and grease keeps my MK9 happy.

[Finnster]

I have carried Critical Defense in 3 Autos for about a year. I change the magazines weekly in all 3. I notice that the live critical defense ammo that has been in the MK 9 is chewed up. The rim has visible notches and several scratches from the rim to the middle of the case.

I could not find any damage to the critical defense rds. that have been in the other guns just those from the MK 9

I have fired only a few rds. of critical defense through the MK 9 and hundreds of rds. of a variety of other brands. No problems at all.

Regards,

[Shift_Zombie]

First time post, so hello, but I'm considering a MK9 purchase and this concerns me for the moment. A couple of things come to mind. 1) Critical Defense is specifically designed as a low penetrator. 12" out of a 4" barrel or something. I believe it's listed on their website. It's more of a safety round against bullet pass through. This would indicate, to me, that the round is loaded light, and does not have the power to slap the slide back to chamber another round, or the hollow point is goofy. I would change the spring and use hotter ammo.

[m9x18]

My MK9 eats Gold Dot 124gr. ammunition without issue. Recently, I bought a box of Critical Defense rounds but have yet to try them. If it turns out that my MK9 doesn't CDs, then it’ll be back on a Gold Dot diet for carry purposes.

[DKD]

SHIFT ZOMBIE thats not the case at all. The CD ammo is loaded to normal pressures. The reason it penetrate 12.5" in 10% ballistic gelatin is that is what it was designed to do. The bullet jacket determines the rate of expansion which in turn limites the over penetration so common with conventional 9mm rounds. 12"-14" is considered to be about ideal. In a nut shell the bullet is exhausting all of its energy on the the target.
My .380 chambers the CD ammo best and baulks a bit on Gold Dots...,go figure as I use them in my 9mm & 45 ACP.

[CarlCyrus]

My MK9 eats everything I've thrown through it. Right now, she is loaded with 115 gr CD. But I have 124 gr Speer GD and 124 gr Rem GS in spare mags that work 100% also.

PM9 loves 124 gr GD and 124 gr GS also. Haven't tried any CD in that one yet.

None of my 1911s (.45 acp) would successfully shoot one mag filled with CD. Not sure why, but for that caliber they suck.

Carl

[cal45]

Is there a perferred round for the MK9?

[Barth]

Is there a perferred round for the MK9?

Once broke in the gun should devour anything you feed it.
For SD purposes;
Speer GDHP 124 +P
Federal HST 124 +P
Winchester Ranger T-Series 127 +P+
are some favorite 9mm rounds of mine.

(although I carry an MK40 Elite with Speer GDHP 155 gr Duty Ammo)

[cal45]

Once broke in the gun should devour anything you feed it.
For SD purposes;
Speer GDHP 124 +P
Federal HST 124 +P
Winchester Ranger T-Series 127 +P+
are some favorite 9mm rounds of mine.

(although I carry an MK40 Elite with Speer GDHP 155 gr Duty Ammo)

Thanks, Barth - I was hoping for that kind of answer.