Sad Trip to the Range with my CM9

[cpham9006]

Hello Everybody I'm new to Kahr and this KahrTalk!

I own a G19 and XD40sc and wanted a 9mm pistol i can put into my pocket. So I went with the CM9...

I just got back to the range with the CM9 for the first time. Before I did anything with the gun I went through the "Proper Prep of a new kahr" sticky and did just that....

I went to the range with 250 115 grain Federal ammo i got from Wal-mart. As I loaded the mag and inserted it into the CM9 (my spring is installed correctly on the mag) I did not know what to expect. My second shot FTF...after clearing it, my fourth shot FTF....then it was clean for about another 30 rounds...Between 50-200 rounds I experienced every malfunction.

1) FTF
2) FTE
3) when the mag was empty the SLIDE failed to stay back all the way
4) a few times when i pulled the trigger there was only a "click" no "boom", i took out the clip and it still had ammo in it, cleared the gun and out comes a round that was in the chamber..

The malfunctions happened randomly..Sometimes i emptied a whole clip with no issues, sometimes it gave me one of the malfunctions i listed above.

And the last 50 rounds, was flawless.....

Do you guys think im over that 200 round test thru my kahr? The gun range told me give it up to 400 rounds..PLEASE any advice would work...i am not a newbie btw..

[knkali]

BTW welcome! If it were my gun, i would clean it and then run another 200 through it.

[jocko]

beig the last 50 rounds were flawless maybe, just maybe the bugs have flown away. Some here have said the fedral 115 aqmmo is nothot enough and one poster had a great suggestion to test out that theroy, Buy some othe brand fmj ammo maybe even 147 grain or 125 graihn fmj aqmmo or if u want to spend some good bucks on defense ammo buy some +P 124 grain ammo and retest. If allworks out well assume it moight be ammo related, Then maybe after anotrher couple hundred rounds go back to the fedral ammo and see what happens. sometimes the shooter and the gun hav eto mate up to get allthings right. Maybe u are now adjusting to this smallass gun as far as proper grip etc and getting used to kahrs trigger system takes some rounds down range. ...200 round sis not a definitle cure all either. Most kahrs need no rounds down range, some just need more to get smoothed out. Give it some more time, try different brand of ammo to see.

[TheTman]

Welcome to Kahrtalk cpham9006. They say to get some non-chlorinated brake cleaner and spray it into the little hole in the plate that covers the striker/firing pin, in case some brass or something got into there and is keeping your firing pin from getting a clean hit on your primer. Work the striker/firing pin back and forth to allow stuff to come out of the firing pin hole. The ftf and fte may clear up on it's own, sounds like it may have been doing just that towards the end of your range session. You can take the magazine(s) apart and make sure the springs are in there right. You may need to tighten the little screw that holds the slide stop up on an empty magazine, be very very careful that you don't strip the polymer threads. Not sure what you meant by holding the slide back all the way, was it part way held back? Not sure how that would happen without a cartridge jamming it open. Did it do that everytime on an empty mag or just sometimes? I wouldn't trust it to carry until I've put at least 200 trouble free rounds down range. Some guns work great out of the box, and others take a little time to the bugs smoothed out.

[latinlaw]

My brother just baptized his CM9. Had a FTF on the first mag. Had three FTF on the second mag alone!
His next 87 rounds.......flawless. Kahr recommends the 250 round break in. My brother only did 100 rounds on his first outing with the CM9. The range we belong to does not allow gun cleaning on the property and my brother wanted to clean his CM9 for the last 150 rounds. Wanted to eliminate fouling as a contributing factor to any subsequent issues during the CM9's first outing. We are going back out tomorrow to put the next 150 rounds through the gun. Will give you an update one it's second day at the range. I own a PM9 and my brother has a PM380. We both had problems with FTF on both. My problems were caused by the 7 rounds mag. My. Brother sent his PM380 back to Kahr. They returned it 2 weeks later in working order. You said your last 50 rounds were flawless. If you are past the 250 round break in and have no problems then I'd say you are good to go. If you go past the 250 and continue to have issues...send it back to Kahr for inspection. After all, it IS Kahr's 250 round break in recommendation. Why keep spending money on ammo on a gun that is malfunctioning?

[TriggerMan]

If you need a hotter 115 load but don't want +P ammo, try Speer Lawman. If you buy online, 125 gr is usually the same price and easier to find in a choice of brands.

[cpham9006]

thank you for the advice guys. I did realize that the $19.97 for 100 federal 115 gr rounds may have not been hot enough but i figured the first 200 id shoot to break in the CM9 might as well be cheap....I plan on getting another 200 thru this Friday after work....would you guys use that yellow Remington UMC box ammo for break in..its for 250 rounds, it is 57 bucks i think.

[Micha2u]

If you have some doubts with the Federal, I would go with UMC.

I ran my CM9 through its break in period with 115 gr. UMC FMJ and it worked well for me. A few FTF and FTE incidents in the first 100 rounds but then it settled in to run fine from there with no problems.

[HDoc]

If you need a hotter 115 load but don't want +P ammo, try Speer Lawman. If you buy online, 125 gr is usually the same price and easier to find in a choice of brands.

That my choice for less expensive target loads. Notice the use of less expensive and not cheap.:(

[kahrlover123]

thank you for the advice guys. I did realize that the $19.97 for 100 federal 115 gr rounds may have not been hot enough but i figured the first 200 id shoot to break in the CM9 might as well be cheap....I plan on getting another 200 thru this Friday after work....would you guys use that yellow Remington UMC box ammo for break in..its for 250 rounds, it is 57 bucks i think.

This is what I should most of the time and have no issue with it.
But I do not use CM9. I use it (thousands of rounds gone through) for my PM9 at the range.

[Longitude Zero]

Buying and using "cheap" ammo in a Kahr is really penny wise pound foolish. Kahrs like and eat up high quality self defene ammo. Don't be afraid to use it. It is not cheap but what is your life worth. when I break in a pistol the first 50 are hot FMJ's. From there on out the ONLY ammo that is used is what I am going to carry. Fortunately for me ammo cost is a very minor issue.

[CJB]

Slide not locking back.... could be ammo, tight spring, or shooter's hold on the gun. Click-no-boom almost certainly the fault of failing to fully chamber, which could be ammo, dirty chamber, or just those breaking in blues.

I'm smiling here a little.... because after I bought a PM45, I liked it so much I got a PM9 and another PM45 - both of those used, but in nice nice shape. Now I'm thinkin' about it, I saved money by getting them used, they run great, and I didn't have to spend money breakin' em in too.

Hang in there, change ammo type if needed, take breaks at the range to help rule out the tired grip syndrome - which happens, because those little guns need a firm grip, and we do get tired.

[Virg]

I had a problems with the Walmart Federal 115g fmj as well. They would only lock the slide back about one in every 50rds or so on my new CM9. The next box I purchased was the Winchester 115g fmj and they worked 100% locking the slide back everytime. Other than the failure of the slide to lock back the Federals worked fine. I do think from now on I'm gonna buy the WWB though.

[cpham9006]

I will try another 200 rounds real soon and keep everybody updated.

[jocko]

Slide not locking back.... could be ammo, tight spring, or shooter's hold on the gun. Click-no-boom almost certainly the fault of failing to fully chamber, which could be ammo, dirty chamber, or just those breaking in blues.

I'm smiling here a little.... because after I bought a PM45, I liked it so much I got a PM9 and another PM45 - both of those used, but in nice nice shape. Now I'm thinkin' about it, I saved money by getting them used, they run great, and I didn't have to spend money breakin' em in too.

Hang in there, change ammo type if needed, take breaks at the range to help rule out the tired grip syndrome - which happens, because those little guns need a firm grip, and we do get tired.

there CJB, especialy taking that range break to let things settle down. I willsay from reading alot on this forum and ONLY reading on other forums that it seems that until these little guns with their strong recoil springs get broken in with their designed set, that one might encounter at frist some failuyre to lock open and with lower priced ammo, not +P stuff that u mgiht for awhile get some ejection issues. To test that out, IF u have any of these issue buy a box of 124 gr gold dots +P and shoot um and see if the gun functions correctly, If so, then IMO just go backto the range ammo and shoot some more and it will settle down. Kahrs are not ammo sensitive and most shooters that I knbow sure in hell don't want to shoot $23 a box of 50 rounds defense stuff for range fodder. If my guns won't shoot this wal mart wwb 9mm, then I will find me agun that will and to date every kahr I own shoots that 115 wwb with total ease. My G19 eats um like candy...

[jocko]

I had a problems with the Walmart Federal 115g fmj as well. They would only lock the slide back about one in every 50rds or so on my new CM9. The next box I purchased was the Winchester 115g fmj and they worked 100% locking the slide back everytime. Other than the failure of the slide to lock back the Federals worked fine. I do think from now on I'm gonna buy the WWB though.

not be surprised that if u tried the federal brand after shooting another 200 rounds that it will feed them with ease..

[Virg]

not be surprised that if u tried the federal brand after shooting another 200 rounds that it will feed them with ease..

Id say you're correct jocko. I left the slide locked open for about a week after the first outing with the Federals. Then I tried the WWB on the next trip and they worked perfectly. It was either the WWB were stouter or the recoil spring was limbering up a little or both. Either way I love my CM9. Its almost as small as my LCP with a lot more horsepower!

[jocko]

I would say maybe both. I can't buy that federal makes sh-t ammo.

[Virg]

I would say maybe both. I can't buy that federal makes sh-t ammo.

No jocko Federal is not sh-t ammo. I never said that at all. Just in the 9mm 115g 100rd bulk packs that Wally world sells they seem to be weak loaded as compared to the WWB. I usually buy Federal over Winchester and is why the first 100rds I put through my CM9 was Federal. But in this case the Winchesters seem to work a little better so I guess I will continue to buy them for now. Maybe after a 1000rds or so I will try the Federals again.

[cgff]

cpham9006,

I ran everything but ww115 from walmart through my CM9 and only had 1 noise dive I used 115 rems green and white box 124 & 147 American eagle and winchester silvertips along with golddots if you can try some +P and see how that does, Also a good clean with brake cleaner(chlorine free) and a thorough lube as in tech section. These little guys appear to like to run wet?

But I do have 200 rds of the WW115 from walmart waiting for my next visit to the range

[jeffe007]

Geez us! Man ur ammo prices on federal are waaaaay high!. I pay $10 a box fr federal at Wally world

[jocko]

cgff. that is the norm for kahrs, they have never been ammo sensitive. I might seem at first that some of the lower velocity ammo being used for range fodder might act up soe until the gun is broken in but I would think after recoil springs take their designed set and the action itself even smooths out more than any amercian brandammo should be OK. I just never put the major brand makers in a category of sh-it ammo. Federal, Winchester, Remingon havejust been here to many years to deserve that badge to pinned on them.

No doubt as someone posted not to long ago andit does to me good sense, if ur having ejection/failur to lock open/ failure to feed issues at first with what many call lower velocity ammo. go to the _P ammo and retest. If it doesn't work right then, indeed it might not be ammo related..

[cpham9006]

Here is a little update guys...

I went and got 200 rounds of WWB 115g to test through my kahr cm9...

Was perfect only 198 times...at 2 random times the casing failed to eject!! I did not know this until I pulled the trigger and realized there was no BOOM!... i took out the mag and pulled back on the slide and an empty casing fell out...

what could be causing this? is it the mag issue with the kahr? I have noticed when loading the mag, on the 5th round there is a HUGE gap inbetween rounds....

[mightymouse]

Buying and using "cheap" ammo in a Kahr is really penny wise pound foolish. Kahrs like and eat up high quality self defene ammo. Don't be afraid to use it. It is not cheap but what is your life worth. when I break in a pistol the first 50 are hot FMJ's. From there on out the ONLY ammo that is used is what I am going to carry. Fortunately for me ammo cost is a very minor issue.
You obviously have more green to throw around than I and giving advice with a padded wallet isn't really fair for the rest of us. Not putting you down, in fact if I had buckets of money I'd only practice with the best SD ammo made. Good for you. For me SD ammo is pricey and practicing 1000s of rounds a year adds up. On the other hand I expect a quality firearm to eat whatever is on the plate. Most American made target ammo should qualify as good ammo in my book and with a touch of work, my lowly CM9 eats everything flawlessly. So does my Ruger and Beretta. Saying a gun is finicky is only a poor excuse for substandard engineering and manufacturing.

Practicing little with expensive ammo is foolish if you can send 30 more rounds down range with a lesser brand. Just my .02