Field Strip PM40

[PJB]

Hi, I have an old PM40 that has been in a safe for years. It fires once, into the dirt, and the slide stays open after one shot. I watched various videos but am having trouble getting it apart to clean and oil it. I line up the two marks on the left side of the barrel but the pin on the right side will not push. I tried a flat bladed screw drive (as shown in the Kahr video) on the lever and tried to rap the pin with the soft end of a screw driver but it does not pop out. It flips up fine to hold he slide back. Thanks for any other ideas.

[Bawanna]

If you have it lined up, a good tap with a handle or I use a soft face hammer and just pop to get it started, it should pull out. I check the notch at the back of the lever to see if it clears.
Mine always require the tap, it doesn't seem to get easier but it's not difficult.
Get back to us if you don't get it, we'll figure it out.

[sorcerer]

I have an older P45 that I recently bought. If I align the witness marks, the slide stop lever will not clear the notch on the slide. I also was having trouble with the slide not locking back. Found that the screw and washer that captures the slide stop spring was over tightened. The over tightened screw would not allow the spring to move, and also put too much pressure on the shaft of the slide stop. Ran it Saturday in a IDPA match and it ran without issue. Wish I could’ve ran without issues.

[PJB]

I have an older P45 that I recently bought. If I align the witness marks, the slide stop lever will not clear the notch on the slide. I also was having trouble with the slide not locking back. Found that the screw and washer that captures the slide stop spring was over tightened. The over tightened screw would not allow the spring to move, and also put too much pressure on the shaft of the slide stop. Ran it Saturday in a IDPA match and it ran without issue. Wish I could’ve ran without issues.

I finally got the slide stop off. I cleaned and oiled everything. I had difficulty putting the slide stop in in the proper position under the end of the spring. I finally manipulated it under the protrusion in the stop. I fired the gun- same deal as before I took it apart- one shot and then the slide locks back, with the slide stop in the "up" position. Then you can use your thumb to push the slide stop down and fire one more shot. I am guessing the slide spring is bent though I am not sure how this would happen without taking out the slide stop recently. Maybe just metal fatigue due to the age of the gun? I ordered some spares and will see if that fixes it. Thanks for the tips.

[dao]

With the slide off and no mag in the gun, does the slide stop stick up above the frame, where it would normally go into the notch in the slide? If so, the stop and spring interface is off. Are you sure you have the right type of slide stop for that frame? There are two distinct types. There's a recent thread here where there are pictures of each, and labeled by generation.

Found it: https://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread....242#post443242

[kenemoore]

I had a similar situation with a used MK9, on that one the spring was broken. When properly installed should not be that difficult.
This video is for a MK, but works the same, pay extra attention at around the 3:45 mark. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXmSCnIOaUk
The spring holds the slide stop down during firing, and should only go up and engage the slide when the empty mag pushes it up.


Do you know if this pistol every ran correctly?

If it is not the spring, it could be the slide stop. My new out of the box, CW380 had that issue. The slide stop was a hair too long and the bullets pushed it up. Called Kahr, got a new one for free.
Once the new one was on the way, I filed a little off the bad one, and it worked correctly.

[tronatrooper]

i had the same problem with my BRAND NEW pm40. before i ever fired it i took the slide off. i am now sure i didn't put the slide stop on right, so as to engage the spring. on the first shot the slide locked back. it didn't feed the next round out of the magazine. finally after reading the owner's manual i figured it out. without the slide stop spring being properly engaged, the recoil (and this "under eighteen ounces" 40 has stiff recoil) is throwing the slide stop up to engage the slide, as though the stop were pushed up by the magazine follower (empty magazine).

the manual speaks of inserting the slide stop but doesn't adequately describe the situation and the photos (P.22) don't show the detail. the design of the end of the slide stop and the spring (part #30) are not good. it is necessary to "clock" the slide stop so that the "landing" goes under the tiny little arm on the spring, but there is very little clearance AND it's almost impossible to see if you got it right because the stop is then fully inserted.

unless you're really a "blacksmith" it's difficult to ruin the spring. the little "arm" that goes over the "landing" will be bent in (medially) by doing it wrong, but you simply (and delicately) push it back out from the inside of the gun so that it is straight in the longditudinal axis and not so low that it will never go up the microscopic ramp on the "landing".

it would be nice if i could have attached some micro photos of this, but i am not technically capable.

i havent fired the gun since this clever fix, but i racked the slide numerous times without it locking open, so i am convinced i got it right.

if you order parts from Kahr it would be a nice idea to get a couple of spare slide stop springs (part #30).

i never did like the looks of that slide stop spring assembly.

i have had a Kahr P380 for over ten years. it is never out of my reach when i am at home. somehow i never had this problem with it, even though i have had the slide off a few times. the design appears identical.