Interesting problem with my new pm9

[MilSpec.45]

I recently got a new pm9 (vc63XX). Before I took it to the range for the first time, I stripped it down and lubed it up real good following the diagram thats stickied here.

Today I took it to the range to break it in. I brought 250 rounds of WWB 115gr. 9mm and alternated the 6 round and 7 round magazine. The first 150 rounds I put through it were flawless, with no feeding or extracting problems. At this point I was fairly confident in the reliability of the gun so I let my brother try it out. Here is where the problem occured. On the third shot, the there was no bang, so I ejected the round and looked at the primer and it had a small dent in it, but it looked smaller than the one on the spent cases. After this I took the gun back and put another 50 rounds through it with no problems. That makes it 200 rounds altogether so I figured it was properly broken in.

Here is where the second problem occured.
After breking it in, I decided to try to load the gun by sling-shoting it. The first time it worked, but with the 7 round mag I had TWO failure to ignites just like what happened before. It doesn't seem like the problems should be related but it was acting like they are.

Has anyone had a problem like this before? Do you think it was just bad ammo?

I plan on going to the range again tomorrow to see if there are any more problems. I guess I will not sling-shot it anymore, there isn't really any point anyway.

Any advice or suggestions are welcomed.

[pstmstr]

Check to see if the slide is going fully forward. This is sometimes a problem on a new PM9 until it's broken in. It might look like it is but be just a tiny bit out of lock, causing a light primer strike, especially sling shotting it. Mine took a while, and a little bit of ramp polishing before I could sling shot it reliably. It works great now.

[shoen1200]

I think I remember that my pm9 manual did not recommend sling shoting the first round - it says to uses the slide release.

The first or second round trouble I could maybe see as a result of sling shot but not after....

[Kyglock22]

Originally posted by pstmstr
Check to see if the slide is going fully forward. This is sometimes a problem on a new PM9 until it's broken in. It might look like it is but be just a tiny bit out of lock, causing a light primer strike, especially sling shotting it. Mine took a while, and a little bit of ramp polishing before I could sling shot it reliably. It works great now.

+1 on what pstmstr said. I suspected the exact same thing. My new PM9 had some failures to go into battery, but now after a polish job, proper lube, and running it through the "break in" period, it works just fine now.

I will add that I personally don't use the 7 round magazine that came with my PM9 anymore because of problems I experienced with it. Dottie at Kahr Arms has a new 6 round magazine to replace my 7 round magazine on its way to me in the mail right now. Too many "problems" arise with the 7 round magazine if you ask me....but the 6 round one works great!

I also do not sling shot my PM9. I use the slide release like the owners manual says..... Maybe after more breaking in I will experiment some with sling shotting it and see what happens. :supergrin:

[J T]

Ditto on the probability that the slide wasn't completely in battery. I had my new PM9 at the range today also and had 3 occurrences of not going completely into battery.

And ditto also on nixing the 7-round magazines. Just too many feeding issues with it.

Kyglock, thanks for the idea of swapping out the 7 rounder for a 6 round mag. I think I'll give Kahr a call on that one.

[craig_o]

I have sling-shotted a few times and had only one problem; I noticed when I sling-shot I sometimes bump the slide release with my thumb, causing it to partially engage and causing a problem... check that out.

[MilSpec.45]

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

I really have no intention of sling-shoting it anymore. I was just was curious to see if mine would be reliable doing it.

I am planning on going to the range tomorrow to see if there are anymore issues, although I doubt there will be. Also I didn't have any feeding problems with my 7 rounder luckily.

[SARDG]

Originally posted by MilSpec.45
Thanks for the help and suggestions.

I really have no intention of sling-shoting it anymore. I was just was curious to see if mine would be reliable doing it.
Here is one extended thread about slingshotting the Kahr.
LINK (http://glocktalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=638602)

[MilSpec.45]

Well I have been to the range twice now since I broke in my pm9 and had the failre to fire problems. Both times I had failure to fire problems with both mags. Other than that if functioned flawlessly. I have put 550 rounds through it and the problem persists.

I think I am going to have Davidsons replace it with a new one.

Any thoughts on this particular problem?

[craig_o]

Definitely contact customer service.

I would suspect magazine issues unless you've noticed any kind of damage after you disassembled and cleaned your PM9 after each range session. If it were me, I'd take her apart again and just kinda check out the barrel and feedramp to see if anything patently obvious leaped out... if not, start feeling better :banana:. If your range has Kahr magazines (either in their rentals or whatever) you could try, I'd jump at that too.

Keep us updated! I ain't no doctor, but it certainly doesn't sound terminal :thumbsup: