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Old October 26, 2007, 07:07 PM   #1
Trebla
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Kahr PM45 came home today

I picked my Kahr PM45 up today and I must say they did a great job again. I put 500 rounds of WWB 230gr. FMJ, and 3 boxes of the Speer GDHP SB 230gr. ammo and didn't have one malfunction. I couldn't chamber the first round from the magazine by racking the slide due to the springs being so taunt. So I chambered the first rounds by using the slide release, but after the first 150 rds. I was able to use the slingshot method. I started out with the target at 7yds., progressed to 25yds. and was very pleased with my groups. Of course there is muzzle rise and some recoil but I enjoyed them both and look forward to double & triple taps. By the time I finished with the WWB ammo I just knew I would experience at least one FTF with the Speer Short Barrel JHP because the feed ramp was absolutely filthy and still she performed without a glitch! My best group with the Speer ammo at 25yds. was 5rds. in a 1.5" pattern, slow single fire, could be better but I was pleased. I wouldn't describe the checkering on the frame's grip as irritating but it felt much better after I put a small piece of inner tube on the grip that covered most of the checkering. I didn't clean the PM45 before I took it to the range nor did I apply any lubrication before the breaking in process, its my way of giving it a torture test. I am pleased with the PM45 and as I said before I think its made very well, just my opinion not fact. If any of you are thinking about getting one, I think you will be satisfied. I apologize for not having any pictures, but I still wanted to share my findings with all of you.
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Old October 26, 2007, 07:11 PM   #2
akr
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Congratulations!!!! I was thinking about getting one of those sometime. Let us know how it keeps doing. Nice gun!
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Old October 26, 2007, 08:11 PM   #3
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The P45 is on my short list of guns I'm interested in. You certainly gave yours a workout. Good report, thanks.
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Old October 26, 2007, 08:34 PM   #4
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Congrats and do keep us posted - sounds very interesting.
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Old October 27, 2007, 10:01 AM   #5
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Chalk up one good review.

I'm a hold-out for the blackened slide variant.

If you're going to carry, what ammo are you thinking about for it?

I carry DPX160 in my short barreled 1911.
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Old October 27, 2007, 12:31 PM   #6
Trebla
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Cowbiker

My carry load is the Speer GDHP Short Barrel 230gr. .45ACP. I really like the way it felt and the way it grouped. I am going to test out some of the Winchester Ranger T, Rem Golden Saber, and the Corbon DPX when I get my hands on some. But for right now I really like the Speer Short Barrel. The Kahr PM45 with a Tungsten DLC slide is going to rock!!
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Old October 27, 2007, 12:54 PM   #7
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Thanks again for the feedback.

I suspect you'll be pleased with the DPX's performance. My Kimber RCPII performs well with it IMHO.

Given my PM9 experience, I'd encourage you to keep recoil spring, guide rod & spring assembly (w/ both springs) in your personal investory as these shorties tend to be spring sensitive, and the hotter ammo surely won't help spring service life.

Again, thanks for sharing your experience w/ this new product.
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Old October 27, 2007, 01:09 PM   #8
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This too is great carry ammo...Hornady TAP FPD
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=336810
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Old October 27, 2007, 01:50 PM   #9
Trebla
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Cowbiker: I agree with you totally. I have owned a PM9 and a P45 both with the black slides and I had to change the springs on both of them. The springs were the only thing I had to change on them and that was voluntarily. By them performing so well I didn't give buying the PM45 a second thought.


PSP: I forgot about the Hornady TAP ammo thanks for reminding me. I would like to put some of that ammo thru the PM45 as well.
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Old October 27, 2007, 02:42 PM   #10
sholling
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Congrats!!! I love my PM40.

When selecting ammo bare in mind that for the most part .45acp ammunition is designed to be fired from a 5" barrel, and as a result loses a lot of potential velocity when it's limited to a 3" barrel. The temptation is therefore to go with a lighter weight bullet to improve expansion at reduced velocities. But I don't think that this is the answer. For one thing the designers are pretty bright and engineer lighter bullets so that they will not over-expand and fragment at the expected higher (5" barrel) velocities. This often entails using a harder alloy and puts the same expansion constraints on lighter/faster that you see with a 230gr projectile.

I did a lot of research when I was shopping a load for my 3" Kimber. I narrowed my selection to (no order) the Speer 230gr Gold Dot for Short Barrels which is optimized for 4" barrels; the 'LE only' Federal 230gr Tactical Bonded; and the 'LE only' Winchester 230gr Ranger-T. I eventually settled on the Federals based on both price/performance from 3" pistols and ready availability from Internet retailers.
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Old October 27, 2007, 05:07 PM   #11
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Quote:
My best group with the Speer ammo at 25yds. was 5rds. in a 1.5" pattern, slow single fire, could be better but I was pleased.
Yikes! Could be better? That is already some mean shooting considering the barrel length and handling characteristics of that gun. Were you using a rest of any kind, or is that unsupported?

That is incredible, at least by my standards. With my S&W 640 .357, I thought I was doing well with 3" groups at that distance, slow fire, Weaver stance. Any smaller group would be downright freakish for me.
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Old October 27, 2007, 06:57 PM   #12
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Quote:
That is incredible, at least by my standards.
Yes indeed...by anyone's standards with a piece like this. Must have been just one tiny hole at 7 yards...
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Old October 27, 2007, 09:17 PM   #13
Trebla
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sholling: I spoke with Linda Olin from CCI/SPEER Technical Services and she explained to me that the engineer who created the 45 Auto SB ammo created a special flash-suppressed propellant that utilizes the maxium velocity in 45 Auto barrels as short as 3" barrels. He also enlarged the diameter of the hollow point of the bullet to expand, penetrate and retain weight out of the shorter bbls.


j-framer: I have been practicing with a PM9 for quite sometime (before I sold it) as well as the P45 and a S&W 640-0. I shot the same size group with my buddies CW-9 the other day. I don't shoot that well everyday, sometimes you get the target and sometimes the target gets you. Practice, practice, and more practice is what was imbedded in my head when I first started out, so thats all I know.


varoadking: I try to have one tiny hole in the target at any distance, but having the target at 7yds. makes it easier to do. I will never be Todd Jarret or Jerry Miculek but I will always try.
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Old October 27, 2007, 09:31 PM   #14
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Quote:
I will never be Todd Jarret or Jerry Miculek but I will always try.
They have nothing on you if you can shoot 1.5", 5 shot, 25 yard, offhand groups with a box stock DAO compact pistol...
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Old November 1, 2007, 08:18 PM   #15
Trebla
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Update

Today I ran 400 more rounds thru my PM45 and she spit them out like tobacco. I have a piece of inner tube on the grip and it feels great, kind of like the feeling the K9's grips give you but a little thinner. I noticed that WWB can get your handgun pretty dirty, I guess it was because of the powder and lubricant mixing, on the first outting it was bone dry. The slide is really getting to where I like it (loosey goosey). Kahr recommends using the slide stop to chamber the first round, but I still enjoy the old sling shot method. I practiced double taps slowly and was picking up the front sight rather quickly for the second shot. Ocassionally the slide would automatically go into battery and chamber the first round when I put in a full magazine (with force) while the slide was locked back. I am not concerned because a few of my Kahr's have done this in the past without any malfunctions because of it. I plan on running some Corbon DPX 160gr, Remington Bonded Golden Saber 185, along with some Federal HST 230 +P ammo thru it the next time out. Until then............
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Old November 1, 2007, 11:09 PM   #16
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I'm awaiting the Mk45. If they ever do it, it'll be like the old AMT Back-up .45, but with better fit & finish and a much nicer trigger.
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