P40 Covert Range Report

[AZ Traveler]

I picked up my P40 Covert test fire last Saturday from my local dealer/range. Took it home, cleaned, buffed barrel and lubed it.

I got my first chance to take it to the range last evening. It was very disappointing. Used WWB 165gr. FMJ. Results - 100% failure to return to battery. It stopped anywhere from 1/8 in. to 1/2 in. from returning to battery. I have 6 mags. Same problem with each of them. I have 1 five round mag with a Pearce Grip Extension. This mag was ejected each time the chambered round was fired. Failure to go into battery also happened when releasing the slide with the slide stop. The slide feels very gritty when racking. Field stripped and checked if the recoil spring was installed correctly, it was. I fired a mag of the same ammo out of my MK40. The MK40 worked flawlessly. After 65 rounds of fighting the P40 Covert, I quit and called Dottie.

Kahr sent FED EX to pick it up today. So now the wait begins.

While having to send it back is a pain, I bought it knowing that Kahr stands behind their product and will do what they can to make me happy.

[Coffin Filler]

I can not accept that stuff like this happens. You pay good money to buy a gun for self defence and it will get you killed.

AZ knows what he is doing, and cannot determine what the problem is. Sounds like something major is wrong.

He actually goes out to TEST the gun before carrying it. There are people who buy a gun and may put a dozen rounds through it before "depending" on it. Sure that is dumb - but people do dumb things all the time.

The consumer should not be doing the Quality Control. Oh yea, Kahr will put it right and be applauded for taking care of the customer.

Good luck AZ. Fortunately this isn't your only gun so you won't be defenseless until the problem is fixed.

[Pistol]

I had a similar FTF problem, mine was mainly with hollow points. (did not seem to matter what type)

I bought the gun used, it did not have many wear marks on it. I could soon see why somebody traded it due to the FTF and lack of break in patience. (no I do not want to discuss why we have to nurse some of these pistols to life) They have their good qualities too and I think it is just common sense to test any new pistol before you can rely on it, I do not care who makes it. (this is NOT directed at anyone, just my .02 to all the comments I see in the Kahr room on this.)

The tips of the bullets were hanging up on the tip of the slide stop that is near the ramp. I called Dottie and described the issue. She suggested I send the barrel in. I did and they sent me a new barrel. I could see why when I inspected the ramp on the new one. The ramp was shaped differently in that it had more metal on the left side. This allows the bullet tips to clear the stop area by guiding slighlty more to the right. It was not a matter of ramp polish, etc.
I gave the ramp and chamber a light polishing ane lubed the barrel exterior with my favorite FP10. This pretty much reduced the break in to about 10 rounds for me.

It now feeds any HP I try (Gold Dots, Rem GS, Fed Classics) The Federal Classics were the most difficult to try at first due to the square nose. I prefer the Gold Dots for nose shape for feeding and accuracy overall.

Good to go now, it was just a little patience and a warranty part.
;d

[AZ Traveler]

I received my P40 Covert back from Kahr today. 1 week turn around.

Tech reports states they replaced the Slide Stop Spring Assembly, Slide Stop, Mag catch and recoil spring. They also polished feed ramp and extractor bore.

It was also returned with one new 5 round mag.

I may not get a chance to range test it before early next week.

I will report after a range test.

[AZ Traveler]

I was able to take my P40 Covert to the range this afternoon.

This was a much better range session. I shot 135 rounds of WWB 165 gr. FMJ, 50 rounds of my 155 gr reloads, and 12 rounds of 165 gr Federal Hydra-Shoks. It functioned almost perfect.

I had two minor issues, that I can attribute to items other then the firearm.

1st - I did have 2 rounds of the WWB that did not fire on the first hit. Both had good primers hits and both fired on the 2nd strike. I believe this is an ammo issue not a firearm issue.

2nd - The one mag that I have a Pearce grip on still ejects from the magwell, when the chambered round is fired. I believe this is a Pearce Grip issue because the mag does not lock fully into the magwell when push into the magwell easily. You must slam it in to lock in place. None of my other 6 mags have this issue. In fact the one 6 round mag that does not lock the slide back on my MK40 has no problems in my P40 Covert. I can say that I have no issues with the Pearce Grip and my MK40.

I will have to modify the Pearce Grip to get it to function in the P40 Covert.

[AZ Traveler]

I've had a couple more range sessions and I have had more failures to fire using ammo other then WWB. I had 1 failure to fire with Winchester Ranger 180 gr SXT and 2 failures to fire with Independence Ammo 180 gr FMJ.

I had originally attributed the problem to the WWB ammo but now that it has happened with other ammo, I've had to rethink this position.

I called Dottie yesterday afternoon and it was picked up today.

I saved the last failure to fire and sent it to Kahr with my P40 Covert. All had strong primer strikes, but I noticed on the last failure that the primer strike was very off center. (Sorry, I did not think about taking a picture.)

In addition to the repair I have requested that night sites be installed. Of course I am will to pay for the night sites, just hoping to save on the shipping charges.

I will post the results when I get it back.

[Rosco1080]

I will probably be purchasing my first Kahr soon. Hopefully, I dont have any problems. But if I do, I am curious are they paying for the shipping 100%. If so, do you drop it off at a dealer, and let them ship it? Just wondering how Kahr is when it comes to this. If they do not cover it I imagine it could get pretty $$.

[AZ Traveler]

Kahr is paying 100% for the shipping charges. In fact they arrange to have it picked up. I just have to tell them where I want it picked up. Fortunately I work in a gun friendly environment and can have it picked up at work.

As long it only requires a repair they can ship it back to the house. An adult signature is required. Usually no one is home at my house and I just go down to the FEDEX office that evening to get it. The office is about 15 min. away from my home.

If it requires a replacement, the firearm it must be shipped to a FFL.

[Rosco1080]

Thanks, that makes a big difference. I guess I could do the same then.

[AZ Traveler]

I finally received my P40 Covert back from Kahr on 2/2/06 after almost a month at Kahr.

The repair report stated that the barrel was replaced and the extractor bore was polished again and tested. I also had night sights added while it was there. I agreed to pay for the sights, hoping to save the freight and maybe the labor. At the point I have not been charged for anything. It was also returned with a new flush mag.

I had cleaned and lubed the firearm prior to sending it to Kahr. I did not clean it before my first range session. I did run a patch through it before going to the range. I ran about 140 rounds of WWB through it. I still had a few failures to go bang and several FTB's. I told myself that I would run 500 rounds to break it in before I called Kahr. (I know I should have cleaned it first.) I also shot my new FN High Power in 40. It works great.

For my second range session, I throughly cleaned and lubed the firearm. I ran 150 rounds of WWB through, I still had a couple FTB's and 2 failures to go bang.

I had noticed previously (before the 2nd trip to Kahr) that the two thin steel rails located inside the dust cover, were closer together at the muzzle end then at the slide stop end. The distance between the rails at the slide stop end was something like 0.685 in. and at the muzzle end the distance was about 0.660 in. I measured the slots in the slide for these rails and they measured 0.675 in. It seems to me that the frame was pinching the slide as it came fully into battery. I did include this info in the letter I sent to Kahr when I return if to them the second time.

My solution to the frame issue is a follows. I took a pan of water and put it on the stove and brought it to a boil. I held the muzzle end of the field stripped frame into the boiling water for a couple of minutes. Then I took a pair the pliers and opened up one side. I repeated the process for the other side. Now the distance between the rails measure approximately 0.685 in. over the entire length of the rails.

I cleaned, lubed and reassembled the P40 Covert.

I was finally able to get the range today. 100 rounds of WWB. Zero failures. 100 round of my 155 gr. reloads. Zero failures. 38 rounds of Winchester Ranger 180 gr. SXT. Zero Failures.

I will continue to run it through a few more range sessions before I carry it again, but I believe all the problems have been solved.

[USDefender]

Disappointing to hear about the "P" Covert needing the be "babied" in order to work correctly. As much as I want to like them, just can't see laying down the money only to have the hassel.

This being said, I own, carry, and depend on my .40 (all-metal) 'covert'. Guess I'll just stick with all-metal Kahrs.

Thanks for taking the time to report on your experience(s) 'AZ'. Sorry they weren't better...

[AZ Traveler]

USD,
My first Kahr was a K40 Covert (all steel) that had a cracked frame. It was a real sweet shooter and worked flawlessly. However it had a cracked frame and was replaced by Kahr with a MK40. The MK40 is a fine handgun, however the K40 Covert was easier to shoot.

Having owned a K40 Covert, I know how good they are.

;)

[AZ Traveler]

Today I had another range session.

100 Rounds of my 155gr reloads. Zero malfunctions.
50 Round of Federal 180gr Hydra-Shok. Zero Malfunctions.

I now have 388 rounds through the P40 Covert since "my" frame fix with Zero Malfunctions.

The range sessions will continue, however my confidence in my P40 Covert is building.

We are getting close to carrying.

Quick summary of my P40 Covert story.

First 65 Rounds - WWB. 100% Failure to go into Battery. Returned to Kahr. Mag Release, Slide Stop spring assembly, and recoil spring replaced. Extractor bore and feed ramp polished.

Next 265 Rounds - Various Ammo Mfg s and my Reloads. Still a few Failures to go into Battery and some failures to go bang with off center primer hits. Returned to Kahr. Extractor Bore polished again and Barrel replaced. Also had night sights added and as of 3 weeks after it was returned I have not been charged for them.

Next 290 Rounds - WWB. Still some failures to go bang and some failure to go into battery. Adjusted distance between thin steel rails in dust cover at the muzzle end, by tweaking the frame.

388 Rounds - Various Ammo Mfg s and my Reloads. Flawless. Zero Malfunctions.

[silky]

AZ, does polymer have "memory"? Have you remeasured the frame to see if your tweak is stable?

[AZ Traveler]

Silky,
It has been almost 2 weeks since I tweaked the frame. I just measured it per your request and there is no change in the frame. The distance between the thin steel rails still measure 0.685 in. from the slide stop end to the muzzle end.

This was a good question. With my experience molding different kinds of polymers I would not expect this to change. I know that by putting the end of the frame in boiling water I was no where near the melting point of the Kahr polymer. I would expect the melting point of the Kahr polymer to be a least twice, if not more, then the temp of the boiling water. I have some limited experience molding plastic, I however have almost 30 years of molding rubber products.

The idea with the boiling water was to soften the Kahr polymer enough that I could move it a little before it "freezes" again.

Essentially making a plastic part is like making a chocolate bar. You inject a hot material into a cold mold and the part "freezes" into shape. Generally reject parts and flash can be reground up, remelted and re molded. There are exceptions to every rule and you cannot regrind the steel parts of the frame with the polymer.