Jammed gun...

[pbbad]

I am new to this forum, & was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to do with my Kahr .45. It has jammed up on me. I can only work the slide about 3/8 on an inch, & it has one round in the chamber.

Any advice?

[Bawanna]

So it's stuck with the slide down in battery? Will only move about 3/8"? Can you get the magazine out. Is the round in the chamber live or fired? My brother in law had this happen when a range guy gave him a box of 9mm makarov instead of 9mm. Couldn't happen with a 45, no way no how.
Describe the events that led to this situation. New gun, old gun, you were shooting and it just got stuck or you were loading and it just got stuck.
Lots of smart guys here, we'll figure this out. Just need more info to wrap our minds around. Minds maybe ain't the best word for me but we'll get this.

[pbbad]

I have owned the gun about a year. I bought it new, & have ran about 200 rounds through it. I have had no problems until now. I was shooting Remington 180 grain. I shot about 3/4 of the box, & was on my third round out of the clip. I'm pretty sure it ejected the old casing out, & so there would be a live round in it. I can take the clip out, & hold gun just right & see the underside of the round. I didn't realize that it had messed up until I tried to fire again. I pulled the trigger, & there was nothing there.

Is that all?

[Bawanna]

So whatever is in there now won't or didn't fire. I'd point it at a mirror and try to determine if the round is live to determine how careful we have to be.
I can't think of what could be jamming that puppy up.
You've obviously tried to pull the slide back with good effort. What I did on my brother in laws was push the front of the slide on a wood bench.
If your moving 3/8" the cartridge has to be moving a bit. The 3/8'' might allow an extremely careful prying with a screwdriver either from above or below.
Lets determine if it's a live round first. I don't gotta tell ya to be like extremely careful with that. Not a great situation.

[OldLincoln]

NOT AN EXPERT!!!!

Bawanna, I wonder what the slide could catch that would keep it from going back. I'm wondering if it failed to chamber and kinked the round so the round itself is stuck and the extractor is preventing the slide action. Any way to disengage the extractor? Would the extractor be damaged if too much pressure were applied to the slide?

[kramm]

This is interesting. Will he be able to see the end of it to tell if it's been fired? this situation just leaves me wondreing what is going on. Please keep us up on whats happening.

[JustinN]

I moved this to the Kahr Tech thread for a quicker response....

[Bawanna]

NOT AN EXPERT!!!!

Bawanna, I wonder what the slide could catch that would keep it from going back. I'm wondering if it failed to chamber and kinked the round so the round itself is stuck and the extractor is preventing the slide action. Any way to disengage the extractor? Would the extractor be damaged if too much pressure were applied to the slide?

Exactly what I'm thinking. The cartridge itself is stuck. I can't think of anyway to disengage the extractor short of getting the slide off and it may be damaged but it's gotta get pulled out. I think applying pressure on a bench might be enough to get it loose.
Usually the bore is large enough on the 45 that he should be able to see the bullet in the chamber with a mirror. I'd just look myself but don't recommend trying this at home. I'm a professional daredevil and things obviously don't always go well.

[JustinN]

So the trigger is not "cocked"?

[Bawanna]

I just had another small thought on this. It's possible that the round didn't quite chamber all the way (as mentioned above) and the slide didn't go all the way into battery which would make the trigger do nothing. That makes some sense to me. So the trigger should be basically dormant (doesn't mean safe). So we need to get the slide back and cartridge out or forward and into battery and cross fingers and shoot it. I would much prefer the slide back, get it out of there plan and it should be doable with a little patient and applied force.

[jocko]

for sure find out if you have a live round in the gun. a mirror will do or even a small wire will give you the feel of a rounded bullet or just an empty casing. . If it was mine I would then do one of two things. #1 take a rubber mallet or 2x4 and give the back of the slide a hard rap to see if it will close. If not work from the other end, especially is there is a empty round in the gun, . You could put the top portion of the slide against a hard object and push forward and see if the slide would then rack back.. That gun is not going to go off in the position it is in

I am thinking old lincoln and bawanna might be right. a crimpled brass will do that for sure. I rthink I would go with the pushing forward on a solid oblect to rack the slide to clear...My sound crud but a smitty would hav eto do one of the two mentioned..

[Bawanna]

I agree that forward pressure on a wood workbench or something solid should pop that baby open. A little back and forth pressure should break things loose.
I wish pbbad would send us a message here even if its I'm busy but I'm still alive. Guess I need closure on this one once again.

[Dietrich]

Lord,please let this have a happy ending.Amen.

[pbbad]

I just had another small thought on this. It's possible that the round didn't quite chamber all the way (as mentioned above) and the slide didn't go all the way into battery which would make the trigger do nothing. That makes some sense to me. So the trigger should be basically dormant (doesn't mean safe). So we need to get the slide back and cartridge out or forward and into battery and cross fingers and shoot it. I would much prefer the slide back, get it out of there plan and it should be doable with a little patient and applied force.

You are describing it very well. That the round didn't chamber all the way sounds correct. Your also right that the trigger is dormant. I hate to go prying on it, but I don't know how else to get the slide back. I am going to try the mirror trick. Very good idea. It will be later on in the week before I have a chance to work on it some more, & I'll be sure & let you guys know what happened.

I sure appreciate all your input. This seems to be a great board. I like it!

[Bawanna]

Go for the push on something solid on the front of the slide first, then resort to prying if necessary. It really shouldn't take much pressure and shouldn't have to damage anything. I think it'll pop open given the right pursuasion.

Do please let us know the outcome. I commend you for your patience. I'd be taking the day off work and on that gun till I figured it out. You'll no doubt have better results than I to. I sometimes struggle to leave the big hammers in the tool box. I'm doing better but it's sometimes still a temptation. That and the profanity, shucks, and darn, and gosh darn it. Like a longshoreman or something.
Best of luck to you pal, we'll be on the edge of our seats waiting for a eureka happy ending.

[duffdiving]

This happend to me as well with a CW9. I was using reloads. After inserting the mag I released the slide and it stuck almost in full battery. I droped the mag and while pointing down range tryed to work the slide open. I could not budge it. I then told the RO and he kept it pointed down range and worked the slide much more forcefully for a couple of minutes and it came free and the live round came out. On inspection the brass had a little deformity on the mouth, either from the jam or while reloaded I don't know.

[johnatw]

Would inserting a wood dowel rod in the barrel then pushing the rod on something solid be better. That would take the pressure off of the extractor.

[pbbad]

I did have some unexpected time to deal with this last night.

First off I want to thank everyone for all the advice/input. I really appreciate it.

I pointed the gun at a mirror & shined a flash light into the barrel, & could see that this was for sure a live round. I got a piece of wood about knee high or a little above the knees. Spread my legs apart, (just in case for some freak reason it would go off), placed the end of the slide on the wood, & put about half of my weight on it. The slide moved very rough, & would go in short movements, until it was open enough that the bullet fell out. Then I pushed it on back all the way. At that point, I could not release the slide to get it to fall back into place. I fussed with it several minutes, then took the clip out & tried it again. It worked. I took the gun all apart, cleaned it up, & tried it again. Same thing. If the clip is in it, you cannot release the slide once it is pulled all the way back. You have to remove the clip, & then the slide will release. I have another clip that I am going to try, & see if that will fix it, but I had left my other clip in my drawer at work. (I own my own business) I got a lot done last night, but I need to get this thing resolved, & find out what caused the problem in the first place. I"ll try to keep you guys updated.

One other thing. The casing on the bullet that was in the chamber was scratched up quiet a lot, as you would expect. It was at both end of the casing, & I am not quiet sure what to make of that.

Thanks again for all the feed back.

[jocko]

It is very difficult to close an open slide with an empty magazine in the gun.. What you are doing is actually pushing downt he follower in the magazne and this is difficult to do. I think kahr even states that. The proper way ot close a slide that is locked open is by taking the magazine out or partially out and then using the slide lock lever or with a full magazine, then one can use the slide lock lever with ease. as u are finding out it is very easy to close the slide witht he magazine out of the gun.

I have no doubt that if you pushed hard enough on the slide l0ck lever, even with an empty magazine in the gun, it will release.

[Bawanna]

I think your slide issue is normal. They are difficult to let the slide down with an empty mag and the slide release lever is designed to be hard to push down with an empty mag. I'd clean everything up, make sure it cycles good with no magazine and then try a loaded mag and see if it drops. I think you just had a bad round there.
Great idea from johnatw. The dowel would help things along nicely and allow a little firm tapping without damage to the gun. In fact I think I did that on my brother in laws but neglected to remember it. I'll refile that info in my tiny little memory bank for future reference.

I'm classifiying this as an official happy ending.:):)

[ripley16]

Your ammo is out-of-spec and jamming in the chamber. This has happened to me with three different pistols and one brand of ammo, (which I no longer use). In each case, I was either able to rack the slide with great effort, or force the slide forward into battery and shoot the round out.

Glad it worked out. I'd cease using that particular ammo though.

[pbbad]

I wondered if this might be normal. I know when I have a problem with something, then I finally get it fixed, I over scrutinize things about it.

Not shooting the rest of that box though, & not buying that ammo any more.

Yes, this is a very happy ending.

[kramm]

Well I'm glad thats over. Let us know how things go from your next range outing.
Like it when I learn something.

[jocko]

I wondered if this might be normal. I know when I have a problem with something, then I finally get it fixed, I over scrutinize things about it.

Not shooting the rest of that box though, & not buying that ammo any more.

Yes, this is a very happy ending.

is also like guns, sometimes sh-t gets pushed out the front door when indeed it shold have been going out the back door to the junk pile.. It surprises me all to hell with the many 10's of millions of rounds some of these big ammo makers put out of what very few issues their ammo gives..

[RogerP9fan]

I am new to this forum, & was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to do with my Kahr .45. It has jammed up on me. I can only work the slide about 3/8 on an inch, & it has one round in the chamber.

Any advice?Well, as you see now, you certainly chose to join the right forum. And I'm sure you chose the right gun. Let us know how it does in the near future.

[deadhead1971]

Same thing. If the clip is in it, you cannot release the slide once it is pulled all the way back. You have to remove the clip, & then the slide will release.

I have a PM9....You can press the slide release with an empty mag in the gun. It's hard but you can. But I learned the hard way--DON'T DO IT. What happens is that the metal thingie underneath the slide that rams the round in the chamber, it will go across the top of the plastic follower and put a nice gash trench through it. It will damage the top of the follower. :)

[Bawanna]

I've been told they were designed that way so a person would know right off they were trying to load an empty mag. I've looked hard trying to determine how the slide release knows theres rounds or not and I don't see it. Has to be a signal there someplace.

I guess that would be one more reason to bevel or radius that stripper and maybe some polish. Might prevent damage to that follower if one insisted on dropping the slide on an empty mag. I know I've done it a few times, I didn't note any damage to the follower though, guess I got very lucky.

[wyntrout]

When there are rounds in the magazine, that pin on the follower is not pushing up on the slide lock, so it moves easily. With an empty magazine, the pin is pushed by the magazine spring up against the slide lock and it's hard to move... duh.:boink:
Wynn:D

[Bawanna]

I see that and assumed that would obviously prevent the slide from going back into battery, lock open. I guess it could also make it harder to push down, kind of one of them dual purpose multi tasking deals.
You gotta give a little slack to those of us not blessed with fully functioning brains or powers of observation. I can't be the only one, well I guess I could be. I gotta go water a hydrant.

[wyntrout]

Sorry, ya gotta take your shots when ya can.:19:
Wynn:D

[Bawanna]

I think ya just pick on me cause I'm a full time derelict without the mental capacity to shoot flaming arrows back at ya. But what fun would it be without the occasional shot in the dark.:D:D

:eek::eek:3000:eek:

ok bye.

[wyntrout]

If you say so... I guess there's that, too. I was thinking about the cute little bunny you might have seen at the end of an unsuccessful deer hunting day.
Enjoying nature... thinking how cute the bunny is... then thinking... Dang! I'm hungry... Boom! :59: Supper! :D

I do draw a line at pulling the wings off butterflies, though.

Wynn:D