Uncentered Crown on PF9

[CHighfield]

Hello everyone.

So I recently purchased a PF9 (regardless of how many people claim that it's crap) and I noticed while polishing up a few things that the barrel's crown is not centered to the bore. As a result the crown is nonexistent on one side (maybe .25mm) and rather large on the other (1mm?)

My questions are this:

1. Will this significantly affect accuracy out of such a small gun?

2. Should I send the barrel back or just have it re-crowned (local guy is really good)

I could get the camera out and use a loupe to get some pictures if need be.

Thanks

 

[Fremmer]

Is the bore concentric, so it's just an uneven crown?

 

[Teachu2]

I'd shoot it and see how it does. It may not affect it at all. If it bugs you, send it in.

 

[CHighfield]

Just the crown is uneven.

It's cut deeper (longer?) on the top than the bottom so in theory the gas would escape from the top first pushing the bullet downwards. It seems to shoot a little low and left, but I've only fired about 120 rounds through it since Dec 31st when I got it.

I'm more worried about the bullet having more of a tumbling effect, the back of the bullet flipping over the front, to be precise, due to the push of the gases.

Any idea of if that could happen?

 

[snooperman]

Bench rest it and shoot for group at 10 yards. That is far longer than you would need to use it for a CCW. If you want, call them after your test if you are concerned and they will make it good. They have an excellent customer service.

 

[CHighfield]

I have no way to bench rest shoot it. This is my first handgun as I just turned 21 last year, so I don't really have a lot to work with. Do you think I could make a wooden jig that fits in the mag well or just clamp it or something?

 

[Teachu2]

If it bugs you, send it in. Our opinions don't matter - it's your gun. I doubt you'll find an accuracy issue, but if it bugs you - send it in!

If this were a target rifle, I'd send it in. Probably not on a PF9 - unless it bugged me!

 

[GBExpat]

What Teachu2 said.

 

[wally]

A photo would likely get you better advice, but I'd not take home a gun with an obvious defect unless it was factored into the price, so I'd send it back, or better yet exchange with the dealer you got it from and let them hassle with it.

 

[Fremmer]

Get some sandbags or some other rest and shoot it slow fire at 10 or 15 yards; if the crown causes issues, you'll know. But if it shoots ok and you can't see evidence of key-holing or what you're worried about, I'd just let it go and not worry about it. Low and left may be a trigger finger or jerking issue that has nothing to do with the crown.

 

[CHighfield]

Thanks for the sandbag recommendation. I could at least do that.

As for sending it back to the dealer--I doubt that they would want anything that's been altered and I just polished it up to remove some light tool marks.

I'll just test it out, I guess. I'd hate to have to send it back and be without it, though, since I carry this gun daily.

Thanks again, guys.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Call Kel-Tec, or email them with a photo of the barrel crown.

It might not affect accuracy, but if it's as bad as you describe, it probably will. (And, more importantly, if and when you decide to sell the gun, the person buying it will notice...)

Kel-Tec may simply ask you to just send the barrel back for a replacement barrel -- there's certainly no reason to undertake the cost of shipping the entire gun. (You can mail the barrel or barrel/slide very inexpensively [be sure it's insured]; in the case of semi-autos only the lower part of the gun, the serial-numbered frame, is considered a firearm. A handgun "firearm" has to be shipped via UPS or FedEx which is very expensive, or mailed by an FFL. If you bought it from a local FFL, I'd ask them to send it back for repair/upgrade.)

A big bag of beans or rice from the grocery store (which can be used later) left in the store's plastic carry-home bag will work as a sandbag. Just squeeze off your shots very slowly. The idea of bench-resting the gun is to do all you can to remove the "human" part of the equation. Rest your HANDS (holding the gun), not the gun, on the bag. If possible, have someone else shoot it, too.

 

[jrdolall]

KT will make it right. Send them photos and call them and I bet they will let you send just the barrel back for a replacement.

It probably will not affect the accuracy of a gun that is designed to be used in close quarters but, as was said earlier, if it bugs you then send it back.

 

[gym]

If you live in FL, you have 3 days to return anything you purchase, "unless they changed the laws". Having owned a World Gym down here I know that for a fact. We dealt with it all the time. regardless what you bought, car, House, etc, the 3 day rule should apply. The store should give you a new gun anyway, I have seen dealers at the gun show do it several times when people bought demo guns and took them home to find something was wrong with them.http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/main/18c35b713adbd1ad85256cc90053b3bc!opendocument, here is the page from the AG's website, I didn't go through it but it's there.

 

[mes228]

Crown

I had a S&W Model 22A that was quite accurate. But shot so high that the sights could not come close to compensating. On their instruction, I returned only the barrel to S&W, which they replaced free of charge. Seems the barrel was crowned wrong. In some way the barrel was consistently accurate but throwing the round extremely high. The new barrel fixed it. The point of this is that a bad crown cab significantly effect a rounds impact point.

 

[loose noose]

CH, I just recently purchased a PF9 also, I've done a lot of shooting prior to getting this firearm, and I noticed mine also shot a bit low and to the left. I double checked the muzzle and noted the crown appears to be concentric. I would recommend you call KT I'm sure they will take care of you regardless of the polishing you did. I noted the allen wrench in the box to loosen and move the point of impact by moving the rear sight over slightly to the right, as far as shooting low I just took more of the front sight. Now it shoots right where I'm looking, do love that little gun.

 

[Miked7762]

If you live in FL, you have 3 days to return anything you purchase, "unless they changed the laws". Having owned a World Gym down here I know that for a fact. We dealt with it all the time. regardless what you bought, car, House, etc, the 3 day rule should apply.

Utter rubbish. These types of laws only deal with ongoing or future service contracts, items sold door to door, or items purchased at third party locations (trade shows, etc.)

 

[gym]

It's not rubbish, you merely need to sift through all of the laws pertaining to the problem in question. There are "if you research it" laws that cover returning merchandise regardless of what the product was. But you need to do the work.
Any respectable dealer will try to make it right without going that far, or you can take them to small claims court.
A call to the Dept of Agriculture, "who handle business licenses and rules pertaining to sales and your options when dealing with licensed businesses will tell you how to proceed. My business was contractual but also retail. so I know there are options. I owned 5 salons with 200 people and a gym in Broward that was 40,000 sq ft. There are always ways to take care of problems, unless you just don't want to he bothered.
Several times a call to the local BBB worked wonders.