CM9 night sight installation - no gunsmith interested

[Dreamliner787]

I'd like to get night sights installed on my new CM9 but after checking around town (Houston) it seems that no gunsmiths are interested in doing this type of work. They'll do a Glock with no hesitation but when I bring up that I want it for a CM9 then they're not interested. I guess I can try to DIY but I would prefer a professional to do this instead. Do you all encounter same issue as well and anyone know a good gunsmith in Houston who can and would install night sights on a CM9?

[MLESa7990]

Why not have Kahr do it? That way you know it'll be done right. If you or a gunsmith install them and damage them, Kahr won't warrant any of the damage.

[Bear549]

It is not really that hard, just take your time. I take the slide and secure it into a vice between two boards or in a workmate. Oil the sight notce and use a small piece of dowel rod to knock the old sight out and the new sight in. Use a set of calipers or an accurate rule to measure that it is centered in the slide. The front sight is really easy to pull off with a pair of pliers and install the new one with red loctite on the nut. Although, if you are not comfortable doing then sending it off to Kahr is a good choice.

I imagine that the gun shops do not want to do it because their Glock sight vice does not fit the smaller Kahr slide. I would think though that any good gunsmith would not have an issue doing this.

[Tilos]

Dreamliner787:
Send the SLIDE to the sight maker to be installed.
They do installs all day long, every day...and if things go south they can just grab another sight.

[Markis82]

I found the same thing here in South West Florida. No one would touch it. I called Kahr and made arrangements to send them my slide and install the rear night sight. They did a great job. The sight was installed perfectly centered and the POI is right on the POA. Well worth the $ and week wait.

[Russ]

I'd like to get night sights installed on my new CM9 but after checking around town (Houston) it seems that no gunsmiths are interested in doing this type of work. They'll do a Glock with no hesitation but when I bring up that I want it for a CM9 then they're not interested. I guess I can try to DIY but I would prefer a professional to do this instead. Do you all encounter same issue as well and anyone know a good gunsmith in Houston who can and would install night sights on a CM9?

Dreamliner787

I had Kahr install the night sights on my CM9 and I am glad I did because when the second front sight broke off after shoooting 50 rounds Kahr refunded my money. Had I done it myself or hired another gunsmith do you think Kahr would have taken my gun back for a full refund?

Looking back I would still have my Kahr had I just kept the plactic sights.

It was so incredibly frustrating. The first sight loosened up at about 70 rounds and before I got to 100 rounds the front sight flew and it was lost.

I shipped the Kahr back and waited for another 3 weeks for the new front sight and in jsut 50 rounds it blew off and was lost.

I gave up called Kahr and told them I am done.

I know there are a lot of Kahr owners who have had success with after market night sights but Kahr could never figure out why my CM9 would not accept the sights and if I was to do it all over I would have never done it. That one decision ruined my loyalty with Kahr. :7:


Russ

[Dreamliner787]

Looks like sending it to Karh to do is the best option, but last feedback from Russ is troubling. Is there a problem with the CM9 slide design that it just won't hold night sights in place. Now I'm wondering whether or not I need to mess with it or just leave it alone. Night sights are nice to have but not a must have for me. I'm a new Karh CM9 owner and so far the pistol runs good for me.

[Ressom]

Now I'm wondering whether or not I need to mess with it or just leave it alone.

I think leaving it alone might be a good decision. I had a trijicon night sight and now I'm back to the original plastic front sight (see my other thread on the details). I think I actually prefer the bigger white dot of the plastic sight. I see it better than I did with the trijicon. The trijicon wasn't that bright to begin with.

[Markis82]

Looks like sending it to Karh to do is the best option, but last feedback from Russ is troubling. Is there a problem with the CM9 slide design that it just won't hold night sights in place. Now I'm wondering whether or not I need to mess with it or just leave it alone. Night sights are nice to have but not a must have for me. I'm a new Karh CM9 owner and so far the pistol runs good for me.I do not believe there is any design flaw with the CM9 slide. I think if you look at all the night sights out there and compare that to the amount of problems with the night sights, you'll finds he percentage is very low. Considering Russ had a consistent problem, that problem was specific to his gun. Personally, I have hundreds of round thru my gun not effecting the night sight on bit. I did the front sight installation myself. Furthermore, if there was some type of design flaw, you'd see it talked about much more. The stock plastic front sight is so easily broken off. If there was a flaw, the stock sight would be breaking off way before the metal night sight on many people's guns.

[MLESa7990]

Looks like sending it to Karh to do is the best option, but last feedback from Russ is troubling. Is there a problem with the CM9 slide design that it just won't hold night sights in place. Now I'm wondering whether or not I need to mess with it or just leave it alone. Night sights are nice to have but not a must have for me. I'm a new Karh CM9 owner and so far the pistol runs good for me.


One experience reported on a manufacturer specific forum should not worry you...

[BEARDOG]

I agree with the last 3 posters.
I don't think a few reports(like 2 or 3 that I recall) makes for a design problem.
I have the Trijicon front only night sights on my CW9 and my CM9. Have not had any trouble with mine.

BUT, FYI...
With that said, I just found out in the other current sight thread that XS is going to be bringing out Big dots for the CW/CM lines. If I where you, I would try to wait for them. IMO they are great defensive sights for a gun like our Kahrs and If they would have been available that's what I would have put on mine... and I still may in the future.

[Dreamliner787]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I'll be sending mine into Kahr and let them do it. This pistol is excellent!

[nelly]

I asked Jay at the service dept at Kahr if they could install "Big Dot" sights on my CM9 & he e-mailed me back a few hours ago stating- No-at this time they can't because there is no Dovetail in the slide.I also spoke directly to XS sights and they confirmed that they can't right now because they are trying to find a way to do it on the present slide design,this may be the reason alot of people won't try to install front Big dots on CM9 or PM9's. XS can,however install them on the Kahr P380's as they have the dovetail cut in already on the slide...

[Tilos]

nelly:
PM9= dovetail
just sayin'

[nelly]

Thanks Tilos,I didn't know that the PM9 had a dovetail for the front sight,I learn somthin new every day...

[Dreamliner787]

On the Kahr website they list: Tijicon, Meprolight, Williams Firesight and even the Big Dot (old style). Which do you think is better fit for the CM9?

[Markis82]

On the Kahr website they list: Tijicon, Meprolight, Williams Firesight and even the Big Dot (old style). Which do you think is better fit for the CM9?Only the Trijicon sights fit the CM9, right now. Some say that Meprolight has a set that works with the CM9, but I have seen anywhere to order them.

[kiki]

I recently installed myself new sights on my pm9! It wasnt as hard as some people made it out to be. Removing the old sights was not that tough. I sprayed oil on sights and put slide on padded vise and used a steel punch to remove them. Made sure not to mess up slide. Installed novak rear and meprolight front sight. Then centered them and red loctited them in...so far i have run 300+ rnds and sights are holding tight....and shooting p.o.a. :0)

[Tilos]

kiki:
I kinda did the same, except I used a flat bladed screw driver instead of a punch.
I just cut the handle off of a cheap screw driver that was close in width to the dovetail for more coverage than a round punch.
Way less chance of messing up the slide or sight...and I put electrical tape on the blade too.
Tilos

[ArmedProgrammer]

Found a better way than punching them... $60 tool - but it works like a champ.

http://www.sightpusher.com/

I've now done a CM9 (rear) and an older K9 (both) with it and as long as you take your time - it works great.

[krylon360]

Dreamliner787

I had Kahr install the night sights on my CM9 and I am glad I did because when the second front sight broke off after shoooting 50 rounds Kahr refunded my money. Had I done it myself or hired another gunsmith do you think Kahr would have taken my gun back for a full refund?

Looking back I would still have my Kahr had I just kept the plactic sights.

It was so incredibly frustrating. The first sight loosened up at about 70 rounds and before I got to 100 rounds the front sight flew and it was lost.

I shipped the Kahr back and waited for another 3 weeks for the new front sight and in jsut 50 rounds it blew off and was lost.

I gave up called Kahr and told them I am done.

I know there are a lot of Kahr owners who have had success with after market night sights but Kahr could never figure out why my CM9 would not accept the sights and if I was to do it all over I would have never done it. That one decision ruined my loyalty with Kahr. :7:


Russ
Sorry for bumping an old thread.
Finally someone with my issue.
Bought my CW9 from Gunnies in Orem (You're in Utah, so I'm sure you know the place) 3 weeks ago. on my 75th round through it, front sight popped off. I was at an indoor range at Get Some, so was able to find it. Popped it back in, 10 rounds later, it was back on the ground.
Just going to get a night sight and put it in.