Kahr P40 Problem. Help

[Sulaco2]

I just accired a nearly new Kahr .40 caliber P40, thats the plastic frame model, for off duty carry and took it to the range. Long story short after the first 25 or so rounds it started locking open after the first round in chamber was fired. Near the end of the string it was locking open after every first round and often the second as well. Limp wrist? Dirty? Weak recoil spring or some other known problem? Any help would be appresheated. Loads were issue 180 grain, Federal HRT's and some gold dots same weight. Have to go back to my 9mm till I get this problem fixed

 

[B18C5-EH2]

Contact Ian Burr at Kahr Arms:

508-795-3919

At the automated menu select "dial by name" then it will prompt you to dial the person's last name so you'll punch B U R R and either get him on the phone, or leave him a voice mail.

I've had to send my PM9 into Kahr for repair and they paid overnight shipping both ways and had me my pistol back to me without a penny charged to me in just 6 days total. That's just 4 business days.

As for your issue have you tried a different magazine with the same results?

 

[B18C5-EH2]

Oh BTW:

How are you chambering the first round?

It should go like this:

1. No magazine in pistol - lock slide open

2. Insert loaded magazine

3. Using ONLY the slide release lever allow the slide to slam shut without "sling shotting" it with your hand. You must only use the slide release to allow the pistol to chamber the first round and completely go into battery.

Some people unfamiliar with Kahr pistols try using conventional "slingshot the slide" method and it is not recommended by Kahr.

 

[Sulaco2]

Yes I tried different magazines did not make any difference and the loading proceedure you describe is what I always do with small pistols...so...

 

[headbangerJD]

Same thing happened to me

I bought a Kahr P40 last year. I took it to the range and put about 200 rounds through it without a problem. I cleaned and lubed the gun for another trip to the range. My 2nd trip to the range brought up your aforementioned problem. After every shot, the slide on the gun would lock the slide open. Eventually I found out that this was caused by a bent slide stop spring, which is easily fixed by replacing it. I believe that I bent it while putting the gun back together after cleaning it. The slide stop has an edge on the bottom that can catch on the slide stop spring and deform it. Kahr shipped this part to me for free the next day after I emailed them(Great Customer Service by the way).

 

[headbangerJD]

To comment on B18's post, one of the few negatives about my Kahr is that the sling-shot chambering method doesn't work well. I'm not sure if this is a sub-compact pistol problem or just a Kahr problem.

 

[csrob]

Slingshotting....

I have a Kahr CW9, and noticed the same thing. You can't feed the first one slowly, it has to be a quick slide release in order to chamber the round. I'm no expert but I think it has something to do with the way the Kahr mags are made. Also, make sure the last the round you put in the mag is pushed all the way against the back, so that it sits up at an angle. I have had no problems whatsoever since making these adjustments.

 

[dinojas]

I had a p40 years ago that did the same thing. I bought it brand new. I decided very quickly that any pistol that is brand new and still managed to malfunction regularly like that was not the brand nor the platform for me. I tend to gravitate toward reliability out of the box. If a brand can't do that then they need to head back to drawing board asap. I know factory related glitches happen sometimes that produce lemons but the whole experience felt wrong from the start.

However, as far as carry comfort is concerned... This was a great fit for me. Only I knew I couldn't rely on this weapon no matter how much I liked its specs. Also I didn't feel like giving the TLC to the thing that it needed. I just wanted functionality and the true comfort of knowing if I had to use this tool that it would do its job. I know that is a lot to expect nowadays.

 

[B18C5-EH2]

dinojas tell me what pistols you're comfortable trusting, and I'll post links to horror stories about them.



I think you've only limited yourself to fat carry pistols if you wrote Kahr off from one bad experience with one of their pistols. As others have stated it very well could have been a bent spring caused by a less than perfect reassembly, which has zero to do with the gun as much as it does a person making an error in reassembly. That'd be funny if all this time you've been trashing Kahr's name and avoiding them like the plague it was due to a simple reassembly error on YOUR part.



You're entitled to your opinion, and I'd never suggest carrying something you couldn't trust, but writing an entire company off for one bad pistol is only hurting yourself.

 

[bdb benzino]

Funny, both of my Kahrs have been flawless out of the box!! Something tells me its not the brand.

 

[B18C5-EH2]

Funny, both of my Kahrs have been flawless out of the box!! Something tells me its not the brand.

A co worker of mine has two Kahrs - CW40 and PM40. Another co worker has a P45. My best friend has a CW40. All of them have been flawless.

I own a PM9 that blew an extractor out due to my own negligence. I fired reloaded ammo (was labeled as "new" and was told it was "new) that had an overloaded round that blew out the extractor and side panel.

Since the repair at Kahr (which cost me zero and took just 6 total days) it has shot 350+ flawless rounds.

I expect perfection from my PM40 also, but if it does have an issue rather than write and entire brand off I'll give them a chance to make it right. I understand some models of some gun makers just don't work as well as others. Some people say "avoid Kahr .40 cals like the plague" but so far my own experiences have said otherwise. Everyone I know personally has zero issues with their .40 Kahrs.

 

[Sulaco2]

I called Mr. Burr at Kahr and he confirmed that in all probability my problem like suggested by Headbanger is a bent slide stop spring. I checked mine against my P9 and Boy is it bent! He is shipping me one today gratus!
Don't get any better than that.

By the by apparently they have replaced the slide stop spring screw from a flat head screw to a #6 hex.

When I get it replaced I will report back. THANKS GUYS

 

[spacecoast]

B18C5-EH2 posted

As others have stated it very well could have been a bent spring caused by a less than perfect reassembly. That'd be funny if all this time you've been trashing Kahr's name and avoiding them like the plague it was due to a simple reassembly error on YOUR part.

On the other hand, it could be a less than perfect design as evidenced by Kahr's decision to change the type of screw used.

Dude, you need to lighten up in your harsh treatment of anyone/everyone who happens to post a negative experience with a pistol you happen to favor...

 

[B18C5-EH2]

On the other hand, it could be a less than perfect design as evidenced by Kahr's decision to change the type of screw used.

It's a spring not a screw. It's not so much a revised screw but more simply a replacement screw. Careful reassembly is key to not damaging the screw.

Dude, you need to lighten up in your harsh treatment of anyone/everyone who happens to post a negative experience with a pistol you happen to favor...

Lighten up? They are allowed to trash a company, right? That's their opinion right? If they can post a trashmouth post about a company then I am not allowed to post my opinion which defends a company?

Also the way your post is worded it would seem that you feel as though I treat everyone poorly who has something bad to say about Kahr. I treated the topic starter with respect and simply told him Kahr's recommended procedure for chambering the first round. I also provided him with the best direct contact at Kahr, whom subsequently has handled the matter to the topic starter's satisfaction.

If you're referring to the guy I replied to who trashed Kahr and said:

I had a p40 years ago that did the same thing. I bought it brand new. I decided very quickly that any pistol that is brand new and still managed to malfunction regularly like that was not the brand nor the platform for me. I tend to gravitate toward reliability out of the box. If a brand can't do that then they need to head back to drawing board asap. I know factory related glitches happen sometimes that produce lemons but the whole experience felt wrong from the start.

Yes I will reply and tell him he's only missing out on an excellent pistol brand because he wrote them off without ever seeing what was wrong with his gun in the first place. A free replacement spring and he might rather be posting praises about Kahr's customer service and excellent pistols.

If you're also referring to the moron - yes I am calling him a moron - who posted in The Topic That can be seen by clicking HERE that the Kel-Tec PF-9 is "better in every possible way" than the Kahr PM9 then all I can say is the guy happened to post just a few months ago that the Kahr is "as good as" the Kel-Tec.

This message board is full of opinions. If someone posts one that I disagree with, and I have a sound basis for that disagreement, then I will certainly post my opinion too.

Sorry you don't like that.

 

[spacecoast]

It's a spring not a screw.

Au contraire, if you read the mention of it by sulaco 2

they have replaced the slide stop spring screw from a flat head screw to a #6 hex

so it's a screw that was changed, not a spring. A screw called the "slide stop spring screw", so undoubtedly it's closely related to the slide stop spring itself, and I'm deducing that the original screw contributed to the spring being bent, or being bent more easily.

 

[Sulaco2]

I also noted on the web site that of all the parts you can order for replacement on the P40 the slide stop screw part number 30 is missing from the parts inventory list it goes from #29 the slide stop spring to #31? Forgot to ask Mr. Burr about that. Seems strange that you can't order either the flat screw or even the hex version from the web site....

Not sure about your deduction Spacecoast, its the same screw just a different driver mech. from flat head to hex, more like a costing item as the flat part of the screw holding the spring is the same on either. How do you get to the screw being part of the problem?

 

[spacecoast]

Maybe no connection at all, but sometimes the causes/effects are non-obvious. I hope the new spring straightens things out for you, no pun intended.

 

[Cremon]

Great post and feedback!!

A very dear friend of mine has a Kahr P40 and it's her personal carry weapon. She's never had a problem with hers (I just asked her) but understands how it COULD happen if the slide stop spring were bent somehow. And she also always uses her slide catch to release her slide and chamber her first round. She loves hers - I passed on the service information here from B18C5 to her - thanks for that!!

I absolutely love this forum.

Don

 

[Sulaco2]

The replacement slide stop spring showed up this afternoon. I will try to get out to the range in a day or so and see if Dr. HeadbangerJD's diagnosis was correct. I also purchased another replacement spring from the Kahr parts store on line just to have one; they are so easy to damage if you are not careful when re-assembling the piece. The screw holding the spring is really strange, I think they should go back to the flat head screws for this part as often as they need to be replaced apparently.

 

[Sulaco2]

OK, just took the gun down to the lab room and fired four continuous rounds into the snail trap. No lock back on any round except the last one fired as it should. Not definitive but very encouraging! Stand by to standby...