Any first hand experience with a Kahr PM40?

[VeryPrivate]

I am considering purchasing a Kahr PM40. Various threads in this forum have mentioned both reliability problems and perfect reliability of this model. I would like some real experience from people who have actually shot one. Any problems? No problems? Please keep the answers to the Kahr PM40. Thank you.

[short fuse]

Hi:
I have a Kahr PM40. I find it to be a good shooter and very reliable. So far ive not had any problems with it. The one thing I fond was when I reloaded I had to buy a special resizing die,because the shells would not chamber with the regular die. Once I bought the reworked die from Evolution Gun Works in Doylestown everything worked well.
Short fuse

[The_Boogie_Man]

I own a PM9 a PM40 and a PM45 I mostly CCW the PM45 in a SmartCarry rig or below inside waist band holster living in Florida this works best for me. All three Khar pistols have over 2,000 rounds fired. Not one malfunction of any kind. I have had great luck with these pistols. Kahr is coming out with a small 380 I will also buy one of those hopping the good luck continues.

[Rhinoman]

I would seriously consider a different pistol. I own a PM40 that has been a very big disappointment. I have put about 300 rounds through it and haven't managed to fire 3 rounds in a row without a malfunction. The pistol won't go back into battery more than half the time and I've already broken a magazine follower. I've been working with Kahr customer service and they've been helpful. They sent me a new set of springs and instructions on polishing the feedramp and slide contact areas. That didn't help the problem. I'm mailing the pistol back to them tomorrow to see if they can fix the problems.

I had gone to the gun store to purchase a Sig P239 and the salesman was really pushing the Kahr. I bought the Sig, but later returned and purchased the Kahr without doing a lot of research. I thought the Kahr would be a great backup gun to the Sig. Both weapons cost about the same, but the Sig has functioned flawlessly and the Kahr had been the worst firearm I've ever owned. I think the Kel-Tek P3AT and P11 are both more reliable than my Kahr and cost a third as much.

I understand that the steel framed Kahrs are much more reliable and you really aren't giving up much on the weight - a few ounces. I know people who love their PM9s, but I would really caution you about the PM40. There are a lot better pistols out there for the money.

[deputy tom]

I had one for a short time.The pins would work their way out of the frame.Traded that one off and haven't owned another.YMMV.tom.

[Rhinoman]

You might check out this website before forking over $800 for the PM40.

PM40 Complaints

[tobor]

PM 40 has got to have some brutal recoil, as a MK40, heavier metal frame I recently bought (now for sale by the way if you're interested, 100 rounds through it) hammers my hand pretty good. I can handle it, but my son, a newbie, doesn't like it much.)

[VeryPrivate]

I ended up getting a used MK40 about a year ago. It had some initial reliability problems. Replacing the slide stop spring took care of that. Recoil is stiff, and if I had to do it over I would have probably gotten a MK9 instead. But it is easily concealable, and as a general rule, I avoid 9mm, so I'm keeping it.

[Rhinoman]

Here's a follow-up to my experience with the PM-40:

I got my PM40 back from Kahr yesterday. There was a note in it that said that they had remachined the frame and replaced the barrel and springs. That's the third set of springs for this gun and it only has 300 rounds through it. Apparently the slide wasn't going back far enough because the barrel had "peened". Kahr is aware of this problem and their custom shop will update older models with the new barrel and recoil springs for $190. They didn't charge me anything for this. They will rebuild your old PM40 for $290 and bring it up to the same specs as the newer PM40s.

So, you buy a pistol for $750 that doesn't work. Pay $61 to ship it back to the manufacturer. Pay another $290 to have it fixed like it was supposed to have been done when the weapon was initially purchased. You now have $1100 tied up in a pistol that isn't as reliable as a $300 KelTek.

Summary - The pistol has about 300 rounds through it. So far it failed to go into battery about 60% of the time.

The factory sent me a set of springs for it at 200 rounds.

It broke a plastic magazine follower at about 250 rounds. Kahr sent me a new magazine with a plastic follower.

At about 280 rounds it was still not going into battery and the factory polished the slide and feedramp, replaced the springs again, and replaced the guide rod.

At about 300 rounds it broke a slide stop and the barrel peened and wouldn't allow the slide to retract far enough to chamber a round.

I'm going out of town for a few weeks and won't get another chance to shoot it until November.

[markd514]

I bought one and love it. It has worked flawlessly, and not once did it fail to go into battery. It never jammed. I have shot over 200 rounds so far.