Kahr PM9 Jamming

Question
I recently purchased a Kahr PM9 for concealed carry. Actually on your advice.  It seemed like the ideal choice at first. However, after about 500 rounds it jams. I am hoping is is an easy fix as it is a fine weapon.

Generally if more than one round is put in the clip it won't feed the initial load. Occassionally it will take the initial load, but jams after firing that load. I also note that the mouth of the brass, when it fully ejects is bent and malformed. It appears that the slide doesn't go all the way back when there is a jam.

It also seems as though the top round doesn't sit in the same position in the clip as originally. At first it appeared the top round faced up at a slight angle, now it seems to lay flat like the other rounds in the clip. I thought perhaps this may keep the round from entering the breech.

Unfortunately the only way to ship it back to the factory costs $40.00 UPS one day air. This could get rather expensive after awhile. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Tom Kennedy  

Answer
Mr. Kennedy,

I'm sorry that you having such a problem with your Kahr.  They are usually exceptionally reliable guns.

Let me tell you that my first piece of advice is to send it back to the factory, but if you do, make a phone call first.  Tell them you want it right when it comes back - you can't afford $40 trips back and forth because they can't get it to work right.

Short of doing that, though, let me make some observations and suggestions.  Let me state at the outset that it is very difficult to diagnose a malfunction without seeing the gun (your description raises more questions than it gives data - that's not your fault, it's what happens when you try to describe a malfuction to another person).

1)  The Kahr magazine is a funny animal.  It has such a large relief that you can actually see the whole projectile of the top round when viewed from the side.  Because it has to sit so high up in the magazine, the top round get "reoriented" when the slide reciprocates.  This is normal, and part of the design, and this should not have an effect on function.

2) The Karh magazines have exceptionally strong springs.  This is so that they will not fail if they have been loaded for a long time.  I would therefore keep the magazines for the gun fully loaded all the time, even when not in use.  This will help to loosen up the springs a little. The stiff spring may be what is keeping rounds from feeding.

3)  Nine out of ten times, failures to feed are the fault of the magazine.  However, two came with the gun, and if you are having trouble with them both, it's unlikely that's the problem.

4) Are you using under-powered loads?  Failure to feed the first load (from slide lock, I take it, and you're letting the slide slam into battery, not trying to baby it down into battery?)may be due to a weak recoil spring, or overly robust magazine springs.  Failure for the slide to come back all the way when fired might to be due to either of those, OR under-powered ammunition.

5) If none of those are the culprit, I would try getting a gun smith to polish the feedramp and possibly the chamber.  BE CAREFUL who you let do this - some guys are not happy unless metal shavings are on the floor!  The smith should use a dremel tool, a felt bob, and POLISHING COMPOUND (not cutting compound) for this - ask they how they're going to do it before you let him have the gun.  This is not a difficult operation if it's done the right way, should not cost more than $10-15.  This is a mod I do on all my personal guns before I even fire them.  I've found that some guns don't need it, but it does no harm.  On the other hand, I've had guns that just wouldn't feed when new, that never failed once they were polished in this way.

6)  Regarding the "malformed" brass, I'd have to see it to know what that means.  If it's just dinged a bit, and flattened out, that happens with the Kahr (and Glock for that matter). If it appears actually pealed back, however, either the chamber is misaligned, the mouth of it needs to be chamfered slightly, or the aformentioned polishing may do it.

7)  The only other possibility is that the factory neglected to properly polish the breech face (this is the part of the slide where the firing pin protrudes).  The cartridge must slide up this, and if it appears rough, it may impede feeding.

8)  Last simple fix-  Are the slide rails properly lubricated?  My recommendation would be Militec-1 or Wilson Ultimalube Universal used SPARINGLY.

I'm sorry you're having such trouble.  As I said, the Kahrs are usually reliable.  If none of these things help, you'll probably have no choice but to send it back to the factory.

I wish you the best.