Kahr PM40 failure after failure after failure!!!

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Kahr PM40 failure after failure after failure!!!

Posted: 3/13/2006 1:07:20 PM EDT

I'm about to pull my hair out. I've sent this gun in twice thus far and it fails more now then it ever has.

- Failures to return to battery (I have to push the slide all the way forward)
- Failures to eject (the case gets stuck in the slide)
- Failures to feed (round jammed into feed ramp)
- Failures to feed (round jammed into non-ejected case)

All of this running good ol' Winchester whitebox 40S&W.

This is rediculous!!!! Anyone else have issues with this firearm? Their support person is nice and all but all I want is a gun that actually works. What a novel idea that is

Hopefully this time around they will send me a new gun, which I will trade or sell right away. What should I get instead?

Posted: 3/13/2006 1:18:21 PM EDT

[#1]

sorry--no expierence w/ the kahr, but i hear great things about em....

have you tried other ammo? mags?

of course like all other gun brands, it might just be a lemon

if you do trade it in, how about a glock or sig?

Posted: 3/13/2006 1:19:03 PM EDT

[#2]

Limp wristing? The PM is a tiny package and the .40 is ALOT to handle in it...

Posted: 3/13/2006 1:21:56 PM EDT

[#3]

Keep sending it back until they get it right. They will.

Posted: 3/13/2006 2:53:06 PM EDT

[#4]

Call Kahr. I have had excellent customer service from them. They will help you and get your gun fixed quickly. I've called them a few times and they have sent me parts and I've received them within a week. They are more then happy to install parts for you but if you know a little about your gun then I would suggest having them just send you the parts and installing them yourself.

B

Posted: 3/13/2006 3:11:52 PM EDT

[#5]

I had two Kahrs that would slide lock back. sent em back 3 times and they still didnt workas reliably as they need to be for CCW. sold em both off and won't buy Kahr again. Cost me $20 each time to send them in and that's not right.

Posted: 3/13/2006 4:45:51 PM EDT

[#6]

I want a PM9 and this is not looking good.

Posted: 3/13/2006 8:08:09 PM EDT

[#7]

I’ve heard all sorts of glowing reports about them here (which I’m in no way questioning).

But my personal experience with several of them (all 9MM’s - and going back to before they were even commercially available) has not been satisfactory.

I really, really like the size and design of the things, but I have yet to find one I’d trust my life to.

Incidentally, there’s a recent thread somewhere on this site about NYPD’s problems with them.

Posted: 3/13/2006 8:23:43 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
I had two Kahrs that would slide lock back. sent em back 3 times and they still didnt workas reliably as they need to be for CCW. sold em both off and won't buy Kahr again. Cost me $20 each time to send them in and that's not right.

]

I agree. If you pay $500-$600 for a pistol that is all you should have to spend for it to work properly. Shipping handguns can get expensive also.

Posted: 3/14/2006 1:38:24 AM EDT

[#9]

If they find out something is wrong with the pistol and it's their fault, tell them you want to be paid back for the shipping.

Posted: 3/14/2006 4:31:18 AM EDT

[#10]

How many rounds through the gun? AKhr specifies that it takes at least 200 rounds to break in their pistols. I had some issues during the break in of my PM9, but not a single failure since, which is almost 1000 rounds trouble free.

Posted: 3/14/2006 6:32:19 AM EDT

[#11]

dramine: I would recuit another seasoned shooter and give that person 50rds of the WWB, and see what happens. Maybe you're holding it wrong etc. How about investing in different brand of ammo and different mags. Did you clean the gun, is there anything interferring with the slide? such as a burr etc. I've shot my buddy's Beretta 96 40S&W, and it is definitely more snappier than my 92, and my HK USP 45ACP.

Posted: 3/14/2006 10:19:34 AM EDT

[#12]

at the range yesterday a brand new one had the follower break in a new mag, I thought about getting one but all I hear is to send em back for them to work

Posted: 3/14/2006 10:30:32 AM EDT

[#13]

My $.02 worth.

I've had a PM40 for around 6 months/300 rounds. Had two or three failure to feeds, that hung up on the ramp just before battery. A nudge with my thumb would chamber the round.

BTW, Winchester 155gr. Silver Tip HP is flawless for the last 150 rounds, or so. Seems to be a decent defense round, so it's what I always carry.

Apparently there are some good and some bad ones out there.

Posted: 3/14/2006 10:31:31 AM EDT

[#14]

I'm a fairly seasoned shooter and have never had a limp wristing problem. The kick on that baby is sharp, but I don't think that can explain away all of the problems I'm having. I've also put 5-600 rounds through it. I sent 3-400 down the barrel before even complaining. Cleaned it well with CLP, etc.

I paid for shipping the first time, but second time (and I'm expecting this third time) was free shipping. Their support person is very nice, but that doesn't fix my gun!

It's a really "neat" gun. Looks nice, feels nice, small, great caliber - it just doesn't work right, especially for the amount I paid for it. Very disappointing.

I really, really like the size and design of the things, but I have yet to find one I’d trust my life to.

Exactly!

This was supposed to be for my wife, who wants to get her CHL, but I'm not letting her carry this junk! So, any other reliable pocket guns out there? And no I don't mean Kel-Tec

Posted: 3/14/2006 2:17:07 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
... This was supposed to be for my wife, who wants to get her CHL, but I'm not letting her carry this junk! So, any other reliable pocket guns out there? ...

Sure – though IMHO they’re all either .380’s or five-shot revolvers (excluding the god-awfully expensive Rohrbaugh 9MM’s).

The Sig P232 in .380 is one. Unfortunately, it’s bit large considering it’s rather mild cartridge, recoil is a little sharp since it is a straight blowback, it has a heel-mounted mag release, and it doesn’t have an externally operable slide lock.

Still, it is a superbly accurate and reliable pistol with a good-sized, comfortable grip.

Personally, when I need a small pocket handgun, my choice is a five shot .38 (or .357 mag.) revolver. It doesn’t hold a lot of rounds, and the reload is slow – but you can bet your life on it putting five rounds down range every time with no problems.

Even if I could find a reliable Kahr at this point, I’d have a hard time trusting it considering my prior experiences. I want something with a better overall track record. I’d be forever concerned it would ultimately barf when I really needed it the most.

Posted: 3/14/2006 3:54:41 PM EDT

[#16]

dramine: Hmm, sounds like a problem, well, its another trip back to the factory to get this resolved. I wouldn't give it to the wife until you personally put 1,000 rounds through it without a babble, ie the gun should function 100% during those 1,000 rounds.

Posted: 3/14/2006 4:56:54 PM EDT

[#17]

How about a Rohrbaugh? There's one for sale now on the EE and if it's still there this weekend I'll be buying my second one..........

I've put a few hundred flawless rounds through mine and am nothing but pleased with it. It took the place of my S&W 340PD as my favorite light carry piece.

Posted: 3/14/2006 7:05:39 PM EDT

[#18]

I have a steel framed MK-9 that has about 300-400 rds through it. I haven't had any problems with mine and I am astounded at the accuracy this pistol shows at 15 yards.

Having read a number of other threads on Khars, it appears to me that the problems tend to be with
the .40 S&W versions and the polymer frame ones moreso than the 9mm ones.

Khar's original design was the 9mm baseline for the original pistol over ten years ago. Then the the little MK-9, then the .40 cal came out if my memory serves me correctly.

I suspect the Khar "platform" is fine in 9mm but maybe too small to handle the .40 well enough?

Posted: 3/14/2006 7:48:47 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I have a steel framed MK-9 that has about 300-400 rds through it. I haven't had any problems with mine and I am astounded at the accuracy this pistol shows at 15 yards.

Having read a number of other threads on Khars, it appears to me that the problems tend to be with
the .40 S&W versions and the polymer frame ones moreso than the 9mm ones.

Khar's original design was the 9mm baseline for the original pistol over ten years ago. Then the the little MK-9, then the .40 cal came out if my memory serves me correctly.

I suspect the Khar "platform" is fine in 9mm but maybe too small to handle the .40 well enough?

You might be right. Both of mine were .40s.

Posted: 3/15/2006 8:14:44 AM EDT

[#20]

steveinct: I think you nailed it. I've read elsewhere that the main problems seem to stem from the polymer .40 S&W. I've heard that the steel ones are the most reliable followed by the PM9.

Their support person just emailed me a Fedex account number and that they will be replacing the gun upon receipt. I definitely cannot complain about their support. I will see if they can substitute a PM9 instead of PM40.

Posted: 3/15/2006 12:33:53 PM EDT

[#21]

I hope this is right. I realy want a PM9 but its hard to fork out $600.00 for a gun that is so questionable.

Posted: 3/15/2006 12:45:16 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
I hope this is right. I realy want a PM9 but its hard to fork out $600.00 for a gun that is so questionable.

He is having problems with a PM40, not a PM9. No problems with my PM9.

Posted: 3/15/2006 12:48:14 PM EDT

[#23]

Not all the problems are with the polymer .40's. I had to send my MK40 Elite back. After less than 200 rounds, the steel frame cracked.

Kahr customer service paid for return shipping, but after a month I am still waiting on a replacement from Kahr. As of yesterday, they had still not assembled any elites since I sent my pistol back, so I am still waiting.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Kahr PM40 failure after failure after failure!!!

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