Kahr p9 reliability questions

A

ajacobs

New member
I am supprised with the multiple realiability issues I have seen in the archives, as gun mags seem to be full of praise for the little Kahr's. Athough 2 concerns I had when veiwing the pistol have not been adressed in the archives and I was hoping someone who had quite a few rounds through one could adress them.

1. The rails are plastic except for a small metal insert at the rear, the plastic seams softer than that of a glock and glocks have almost full length inserts. Do you think this area is very prone to were with things like unburnt powder getting in there and acting as sand paper? Have you noticed any where on yours?

2. Glock owners have often cautioned against using metal mags with the polymer mag catches as they think the mag will wear away the catch, has anybody noticed this?
 
1)Glocks shouldn't use metal mags because the magazine catch is plastic. The mag catch in the Kahr is metal. Same with the HK USP9's and 40's.

2)The rails have never caused me any problems, although that doesn't mean I've never had problems with a polymer Kahr. (well documented on this site)

3)Gun rags rave about the Kahr because MOST of the issues with the polymer Kahrs only start to show up after 2 or 3 trips to the range. Most people (since the slide stop issue was fixed) LOVE their P9's and 40's after the first range trip.

Don't get me wrong, I LOOOOVE my Kahr P40, but it took a LOT of range time after 3 trips back to the shop with the P9 I had first.

Also, this does NOT mean that the P40 is more reliable than the P9... I just got a REAL lemon the first time out, and they didn't make the P40's when I bought mine.
 
Hmm this mag catch was definatly plastic. What kind of problems did you have, or tend to show up? Is it only with the p series not the k series?
 
The P9 is not a lighter K9

1) Haven't had any plastic wear show up yet on mine. But while I can't say exactly how many rounds are through mine (purchased it used), I don't think it has been many based on very little scuffing across the top of the barrel chamber from the slide. I've seen very well used K9's, and the only frame wear was on the rear of the slide rails, where the steel inserts are on a P9 frame. With steel there and in the front of the slide in the dust cover, it seems like the plastic rails in between should hold up good. Just based on the rough feel of my front steel slide rails, I'm more concerned about wear there than on the plastic rails.

2) Look closely at the inside of the magazine catch. There is a steel insert where it contacts the metal magazine. I wouldn't worry about wear there.


My P9 experience has been that this is no K9 with a polymer frame. The polymer version doesn't match the quality of the steel version (which has been phenomanal in my experience).

I sent my P9 in for the slide stop spring retaining screw upgrade, correction of very loose fit up on the front slide rails, and failure of the slide to lock open on an empty magazine. Two out of three were taken care of-it still won't lock open on an empty magazine reliably. Not one to carry extra mags, this doesn't bother me greatly, but for what a P9 costs, this is still not acceptable. I haven't decided whether to pay the air freight bill to send it in again yet.
 
22Shooter,

Is the failure to lock happening with all your magazines. I had 1 out of 4 that this would happen on and it looked like the follower was not to spec. I plan on getting another follower and see what happens.

Miles
 
I just recently purchased a p9 covert and have had several problems.During the first 50 rnds(hardball 115grn blackburn reloads)I had only one malfunction a failure to feed.with the next 50 I had about 8 incidents of the slide closing on the case catching it between the hood and slide face with the case still parallel to the bore during ejection.I noted heavy carbon deposits in the chamber and cleaned the gun. The next 50 which were speer gold dot hp 124grn I had no problems until about 40 were shot then I started having a problem with the trigger failing to cycle(it fired,slide cycled,round fed but trigger did not re-engage the striker)and 2 times the slide did not lock back.I oiled the trigger mechanism and fired another 50 rnds of gold dot with no problems.I next fired 75 rnds of the blackburn reloads with no further problems.I now have about 275 rnds through it and it appears to be back on track.I have no concens about the rails or mag catch though as they appear up to the challenge.I will however put another 200 or so rnds through it before I carry it as a b/u or off duty.I like it for size but my G27 has never burped once in about 1500 rnds.
 
Miles,
Thanks for the tip. Between the K9 and the P9 I'll give all my mags a try and see if a couple the P9 likes turn up. If I push on the slide stop (inward) just before shooting a magazine, the slide will lock open when empty until I reload. Hopefully there just needs to be a little more engagement area on the magazine follower steel insert (or the interior portion of the slide stop needs a little more area, or there is just a tad too much play in the slide stop).

Echo,
Hope you're on your way to a reliable backup. Kahr does warn in the owners manual that the pistol may need a couple hundred rounds break in before it is reliable. Sounds like yours has smoothed out after the first few boxes of ammo.
 
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