New CW9 - probably old questions

[tomwalshco]

Just got to a point where I was losing confidence quickly with my current 9mm carry piece so I jumped on the Kahr wagon after months of reading about them. Got the CW instead of the PM because of size, not price, really. Should be here end of the week.

I guess my 1st question is what exactly is getting broken in during the 200 round period. Mating friction parts? Springs? Feed ramp? I'm a tinkerer so I'll break it down and clean it up (including the striker channel) and lube before I put 1 round in the chamber. Mags, too. I can certainly rack the slide a few hundred times to mate the slide surfaces.

Or do I have to drive it like I stole it?

I also find beltclips very comfortable. Don't need a lecture about the dangers.... Have a Glock 36 and 2 Kel-Tecs that have clips and wear great. Just wondering if anybody else packs their Kahr that way.

Read a few posts down where a guy couldn't get the slide closed (or open again) on his maiden round even with a gunshop guy right there. What the hell?

Thought I read somewhere that the ramp is nickel plated. Is that true? Chamber, too?

Thanks.

[jfrey]

Welcome to the club of happy CW9 owners. Mine has been great, as have most here. My CW has now replaced my G36 as my main carry weapon.
Yes, the feed ramp, chamber and barrel are chrome plated. I'm sure that is more cost effective than all the polishing it would take otherwise.

You can sit and rack the slide if you want, but it is a lot more fun to run ammo through the pistol. The 200 rounds smoothes things out all over the pistol and the trigger will be a lot better afterwards. From there just pour the ammo to it and have fun.

I've got around 450 rounds through mine so far and only (1) light strike and I still don't know why. Clean everything well before you shoot it the first time and then get after it.

[wyntrout]

tomwalshco, welcome to the forum. Check out the info available here before getting too advanced in tearing your gun down. I hope that I never have to get past what Kahr considers adequate, or have to do what Kahr advises against. What I mean is that there are instructions and aids available to help you tackle the striker channel and all. Too many guys start taking things apart and stuff shoots everywhere and they ask for help on putting it back together. There is a lot of experience available here... and most of it is good.:D
Enjoy your new gun and the forum.
Wynn:yo:

[Vinikahr]

Welcome.

This is my CW9 during break-in period at 15 yrds.

[rkirk]

Welcome to the forum.

I shot several different models, last year. The MK9, it shoots very nice, a little heavy for me. Also tried the PM9, lighter and the grip was torture. Like you I decided the CW9 with a full grip and a 3.6 inch barre. l decided it would be easer to control and shoot. Its grip is also killer on the hand. All of the polymer frame Kahr pistols are textured the same. I added a Hogue Handall grip when I ordered a spare magazine from Kahr. The Hogue grip makes a big difference. Clean and lube the pistol before you shoot. Oh and follow the instruction to load the first round using the slide release. You will love this pistol.

-- Richard

[jocko]

tomwallsh co

PM sent. nice gun u will love it.

[ripley16]

Just got to a point where I was losing confidence quickly with my current 9mm carry piece so I jumped on the Kahr wagon after months of reading about them. Got the CW instead of the PM because of size, not price, really. Should be here end of the week.

Congrats on your new Kahr. What caused you to lose confidence in your CCW (Glock?)?


I guess my 1st question is what exactly is getting broken in during the 200 round period. Mating friction parts? Springs? Feed ramp? I'm a tinkerer so I'll break it down and clean it up (including the striker channel) and lube before I put 1 round in the chamber. Mags, too. I can certainly rack the slide a few hundred times to mate the slide surfaces.

That's a good question. I'm not a great believer in the "break-in" theory myself. Personally, I think it has more to do with getting aquainted with the nuances of the gun, rather than any actual changes that occur to the parts of the gun. Kahrs aren't especially tight, but they are small and light and that's a combination that many shooters have to adjust to, especially with the larger calibers the Kahrs come chambered for.

I'm of the opinion the hand racking a slide accomplishes little. Shooting and racking are't the same dynamic. I view it more as a bonding event, intead of gun altering or fixing. But that's just my opinion.



I also find beltclips very comfortable. Don't need a lecture about the dangers.... Have a Glock 36 and 2 Kel-Tecs that have clips and wear great. Just wondering if anybody else packs their Kahr that way.

Personally I'm uncomfortable using a clip because it leaves the trigger exposed. A holster is just as concealable and just as accessable IMHO.


Read a few posts down where a guy couldn't get the slide closed (or open again) on his maiden round even with a gunshop guy right there. What the hell?

Not enough info in the post to tell. Who knows what happened?



Thought I read somewhere that the ramp is nickel plated. Is that true? Chamber, too?

Nickle or chrome? It seems they are plating with chrome now. I'm pretty sure my older barrels are plain stainless. They sure look different. Chrome is a good thing to have on the barrel.

[tomwalshco]

[QUOTE=ripley16;11467]Congrats on your new Kahr. What caused you to lose confidence in your CCW (Glock?)?

No, my Glock 36 has been perfect. It's the 9mm little guy from Cocoa, FL that won't get a round in the chamber reliably. Probably weak mag springs. I've changed everything else. Got some single stack Smith springs coming...


Personally, I think it has more to do with getting aquainted with the nuances of the gunI think that's a great observation. Anxious to see how I quickly I take to the trigger. I like DA triggers for SD, I just don't like heavy AND long. Give me one or the other, thank you. I like long and smooth, personally.


Personally I'm uncomfortable using a clip because it leaves the trigger exposed. A holster is just as concealable and just as accessable IMHO.I love them. In the summer, even a great holster can feel like a wadded up wool sock with a bar of Lava Soap wrapped inside. I'm sure Plaxico Burress wish he'd had one on his.... G22 I think. I try not to buy pants and shorts that are sewn together with 20# fishing line.


Nickle or chrome? It seems they are plating with chrome now. I'm pretty sure my older barrels are plain stainless. They sure look different. Chrome is a good thing to have on the barrel.I like stainless barrels, but I'm sure Kahr tested the hell out of the plated parts. But that would also account for some "mystery flakes" people write about. I'll keep my eye on it, thanks.

Very good input, ripley.

Last dopey question this trip will be - what kind of luck have people had with cheap-ass ProMags? Any MegGars on the market? $44, wow? I've bought a couple of guns in my life for less than that!

[jocko]

u can find factory kahr magazines cheaper than directly from kahr, stock with the factory magazines. they are the best by far. save a few bucks take a big chance...

If you own a kahr be it one year old or 16 years old IT HAS BEEN NICKEL PLATED. Never was a stainless barrel in the first place. Made by Lothar in Germany out of "proprietary" steel (what ever in the hell that is) Stainless will rust, not easily but it has ironin its make up and that is sometimes why someone willnotice some coloring in his stainless.

Nickel and chrome palted are totally different also.

[tomwalshco]

I borrowed this pic from another post about night sights - thanks, Greg. Are the darkened areas on the rails (both sides) of this slide where the nickel (or chrome) has flaked off???

Is it a warranty issue or just "live with it?"

[jocko]

I borrowed this pic from another post about night sights - thanks, Greg. Are the darkened areas on the rails (both sides) of this slide where the nickel (or chrome) has flaked off???

the slide is all stainless. Looks like crude to me but also could be discoloration on the slide there to . Stainless will discolor sometimes as it has iron in its make up. Certainly nothing to loose any sleep over, especialy when you are looking at a photo of someone else's slide that you know nothing aobut either.

It is a tool more less, and used will like all tools show signs of being "used"

[tomwalshco]

Thanks, man. That makes me feel better. No problem for me with wear or peening marks, but flaking - not so much. I don't want my Kahr looking like a bumper on a '59 Cadillac after a few hundred rounds.

I've got an old Beretta 92 that's been shot a million times, and the slide movement is still as smooth silk....

[jocko]

Thanks, man. That makes me feel better. No problem for me with wear or peening marks, but flaking - not so much. I don't want my Kahr looking like a bumper on a '59 Cadillac after a few hundred rounds.

I've got an old Beretta 92 that's been shot a million times, and the slide movement is still as smooth silk....

ur butt, you wish you had an original 59 caddy. Bumpers like slides can be redone:33:

[wyntrout]

Welcome.

This is my CW9 during break-in period at 15 yrds.

Hey, Vini'! Were you shooting at that little red thingie? You did nick it a little bit, but it looks pretty healthy!:D

Ha! Ha! Just pulling your leg a bit. Pretty good shooting, really, especially for 15 yards. I think you would have nailed the BG.

Wynn:behindsofa::p

[Vincent]

As far as detail stripping the slide it is just not needed. I did it on my carbon steel E-9 when we parkerized it last year. The pistol was bought new in 1995-1996 or so(??) when they first came out and was used as a first line defensive pistol all those years. It was looking kind of poorly. Other than that I never saw a reason to detail strip the slide.

[Vinikahr]

Hey, Vini'! Were you shooting at that little red thingie? You did nick it a little bit, but it looks pretty healthy!:D

Ha! Ha! Just pulling your leg a bit. Pretty good shooting, really, especially for 15 yards. I think you would have nailed the BG.

Wynn:behindsofa::p

I guess am a good shot. I can hit with my eyes close.

[Vinikahr]

Hey, Vini'! Were you shooting at that little red thingie? You did nick it a little bit, but it looks pretty healthy!:D

Ha! Ha! Just pulling your leg a bit. Pretty good shooting, really, especially for 15 yards. I think you would have nailed the BG.

Wynn:behindsofa::p

Here is another, I can be quite deadly at 15 yards! :eek:

[wyntrout]

I'll say. What gun is that?
Wynn:)

[In-Yo-Grill]

I'll say. What gun is that?
Wynn:)

That is a Diamondback 380. I almost bought one of those instead of my Kahr P380.

[recoilguy]

Welcome to Kahrtalk. It is good that there is a place like this with as many people who actually know about Kahrs as opposed to those who heard about one from a guy they work withs brothers cubicle mate that had a problem. I own the CW9 and I carry it 90% of the days of the year. I am 100% confident in it and 100% happy with its wear and reliablity.

RCG

[unclenunzie]

If you are going to do the slide detail strip, which is not something most folks do BTW, I heartily recommend doing so inside a large ziplock or like bag. The striker spring guide rod is just ready and waiting to launch into another universe if your hold slips a bit. Mine did just that, I ordered a spare, and promptly found it atop my office window frame.

FWIW, I did a simple field strip, inspection, cleaning, prior to firing my NIB PM9. When I got around 800+ rounds through (all perfect) I did the detail strip just to learn the details and to see how gunked up the striker channel got. It wasn't bad, but I could see that I had allowed oil to get in there which creates a kind of muck. Apparently for all striker fired pistols, this is to be avoided so now I follow the lube directions more closely, and keep the channel pretty dry.

Best of luck with your new Kahr, I am sure you will become attached to it :)

unclenunzie

[tomwalshco]

Nobody on ProMag input??

[ripley16]

Nobody on ProMag input??

I'm guessing the vast majority of us use factory mags. I've never seen, nor looked for a ProMag for any of my Kahrs.

[getsome]

+1 Stick to factory mags with a Kahr...I know they are expensive but they are well made and work...Try Guns for Sale (http://www.budsgunshop.com) for a good price on factory Kahr mags...

[WMD]

Tomwalshco,

Congrats on the gun!

With respect to the pic you attached in the previous post....

There is no plating on the slide. There is nothing to flake off. The slides are stainless. Not sure what the stain is. it could be gummed up gun oil. I do not think it is a big deal and would not worry too much about it.

[tomwalshco]

Just got it yesterday, shot it this morning for the 1st time. Excellent. I'm very pleased. Shot it side by side with my other carry, Kel-Tec PF9, and is considerably more pleasant to shoot. Glad I got the CW instead of the PM. Feels great in the hand. Trigger is fine.

Stripped the slide down all the way this afternoon. Good instructions on this site. Wasn't that bad. Almost like a Glock. Just have to watch out for the springs. Had it halfway stuck in a ziploc during the initial part of the surgery. Striker channel was surprisingly clean. No shavings or flakes anywhere. Feed ramp has to be coated. No way could you get it that shiny.

Think the next procedure will be Trijicons. I'll give Vincent a call if I get in trouble....

Forgot about Bud's and the mags. I'm still tempted to get a ProMag. I'm pretty good about getting those crappy things to run.

[mr surveyor]

I've tried promags in a KelTec Sub2000, an SKS and a Beretta CX4 Storm..... all of them were dismal failures. I would spend another 10 bucks and get the real thing with the Kahr lable on it.

jmo


surv

[rjmcw9]

Welcome Tom, I too am pretty new here. I have read a few of your post on KTOG. I have a PF9 also and I am glad I found my CW9. If you think the trigger is nice now what a couple of hundred rounds, it just keeps getting silkier. I saw a guy on you tube raving about Pro Mags in his P9, I will try to find the link and post it. Good luck, not that you will need it. RJM





Tom, Try this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPa3MtWkias

[tomwalshco]

Welcome Tom, I too am pretty new here. I have read a few of your post on KTOG. I have a PF9 also and I am glad I found my CW9. If you think the trigger is nice now what a couple of hundred rounds, it just keeps getting silkier. I saw a guy on you tube raving about Pro Mags in his P9, I will try to find the link and post it. Good luck, not that you will need it. RJM

Thanks, RJ. Just trying to perfect my carry system. I'm not out of love with my PF9, been trying to get it running good. Not to hijack my own thread, but I like it over at KTOG because there are a bunch of guys there that enjoy digging into problems and figuring them out. Very open-minded group.

Also have a G36 that I carry when I feel like a .45. But many of the group hanging around their forum aren't tinkerers and would rather stick their baby in an envelope and wait 6 weeks rather that figuring it out. Typical thread there is "Hey look at my new G19!" Well yea, but it looks just like the other 10 million I've seen at the range this week. Have an issue and the advice generally is "Send it back..." Taking a branding iron to the the grip is big fun there. Ask for opinions on an LCPs vs a 3PAT and most of the answers will be "Just get a G26 (27)!!!"

Halfway bummed my CW9 ran so well for the 1st 150 rounds. Got nothing to do but clean it, now. That's no fun. :)

Maybe that's why I want to get a ProMag. It'll keep me occupied screwing around with it for a month.....

[tomwalshco]

Tom, Try this.

YouTube - Kahr PM9 Review 2 - Racking Problem Solution! ProMag Magazine Does The Trick! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPa3MtWkias)

Good vid, I noticed my Kahr mag did the same thing this morning - top round seemed kind of floppy. But it ran fine - and I did rack the 1st round as recommended by manual. I really don't care because I keep one in the chamber anyway. But it did send me to gunclips.com to buy me one of those $19 jewels. If it sucks, it might save me ammo money at the range.

[wyntrout]

gunclips.net not com

[Vincent]

That is a solution to a non problem. When in doubt read the directions:rolleyes:;)

Second thought on this is that I am NOT going to carry a pistol that is not loaded. Most personal defense situations occur in seconds. I am not going to be loading my pistol while the bad guy treats me very poorly. I have been shooting these little pistols since the early days and have never found the loading sequence to be an issue.

[rjmcw9]

Tom let us know if you try Pro Mag, kinda curious myself. I am looking to buy a K9 Elite which will give me more mags automatically (no pun intended), but a CZ 75 Compact got in my way last weekend. Elites are kinda hard to come by.

[tomwalshco]

Sure, no problem. Should be here in a couple of days. I usually take them apart and clean. Buff the sharp edges off the follower, check to see the lips are parallel, then polish the inside of the lips real good. Load it up and see what happens....

My experience with the cheapies is that many times the round doesn't get presented in the proper orientation, which usually leads to nose dives, ramp jams - but the ramp on the CW barrel looks long enough to maybe overcome some of that. If not, I'll tweek the top of the spring and give it a little dogleg bend up by the follower.

[wyntrout]

I just did that to my 7-round PM9 mag spring last night. Then I lightly sanded the front of the follower, especially on the side of the retention slot. I then put a little MilTec all around the follower and dried it with a hair drier. I think there has been some dragging on the front of the follower, or it's a combination of the bullets being thicker at the base and drag, but the bullets below the top round aren't making it to the top as they should every time. I've had no problems with the flush 6-round mags.
I had repeated jams like that with the 7-round mag that wouldn't feed until I pushed in the bottom of the mag. There's too much slop in the retention mechanism/slot.
When I get a chance to go to the range again, I'll test my "mods" on the 7-round mag. I'm kind of hoping to get my p380 one of these days and take it to the range.:(
Wynn

[unclenunzie]

I neglected to mention I bought a couple promag 7 rounders for my PM9 during a midway clearance sale. I think I had a couple of slide lock back issues when I first ran them, don't really remember too well. After that they performed OK. That said, I stocked up on factory mags when I found a decent price on them, and haven't bought any more promags. I might in future, but I don't plan to use non-factory mags for defense/carry, simply not comfortable with that.

unclenunzie

[ripley16]

... I then put a little MilTec all around the follower and dried it with a hair drier... Wynn

I do something similar with all my mags except that I use the dry lube product Eezox. I clean 100% of all the part of the mag with the product, let it dry per the instructions, wipe down, reassemble and shoot or store away. Eezox is also a top notch rust preventative.

I reserve Militec 1 for the gun itself, (great product), but Eezox works very well on the magazine and isn't heat activated.

[jocko]

I do something similar with all my mags except that I use the dry lube product Eezox. I clean 100% of all the part of the mag with the product, let it dry per the instructions, wipe down, reassemble and shoot or store away. Eezox is also a top notch rust preventative.

I reserve Militec 1 for the gun itself, (great product), but Eezox works very well on the magazine and isn't heat activated.

used remington dry lube spray inside my magazines. Not sure it does worth a crap but it never gums up. I work every new magazine I own over before going out with it. I indeed polish under the feed lips. I polish 360 degrees the follower. I check to see that the follower never hangs up on the magazine opening that engages the magazine release button. I rub my mag springs on 600+ auto grip papers all around a few dozen times each.

can I honeslty say I feel any difference from doing so???NO I cannot,, but I know in my mind that when i go out and shoot that if I do have any issues, I can immediately eliminate the magazine as possably being part of it,...
Magazines and slide lock levers and recoil springs are the 3 things that one can trouble shoot himself and prep a gun before going out with it, to be sure those 3 things are doing what they are designed for.

I just believe that alittle TLC on a new gun before going out with it, fresh out of the box will eliminate many little piddly issues that we so often read on these gun forums. Yes I kow they should all work out of the box and most all do but alittle extra TLC goes a long way. Maybe that is one reason my PM9 has over 25,000 rounds through it and has just been utterly reliable since day one....
:32:

[tomwalshco]

Not to change the subject, but what is that trap door looking piece on the top right side of the grip, just below the slide serrations. Is that some kind of panel they seal up after the manufacturing process? Is that a torx head screw in there?

[jocko]

Not to change the subject, but what is that trap door looking piece on the top right side of the grip, just below the slide serrations. Is that some kind of panel they seal up after the manufacturing process? Is that a torx head screw in there?

where men hide their spare condoms:)

[tomwalshco]

Will a couple of Extenze fit in there, too?

[jeep45238]

Made by Lothar in Germany out of "proprietary" steel (what ever in the hell that is)


Probably LW50. It's a very, very good steel and is used in Lothar barrel blanks by some AR makers known for 1 hole accuracy. 1x8 poly twist Wylde .223 chamber.


Nobody on ProMag input??


I've yet to see a majority of ProMag users like them. Most regulate them to plinking duty only, regardless the platform.


Not to change the subject, but what is that trap door looking piece on the top right side of the grip, just below the slide serrations. Is that some kind of panel they seal up after the manufacturing process? Is that a torx head screw in there?


It's where gas is supposed to be vented in the event of a case rupture, instead of destroying the frame. Yes, it is a torx.

[ripley16]

where men hide their spare condoms:)

You have spares? Sorry to hear that.:third:

:D

[jocko]

You have spares? Sorry to hear that.:third:

:D

tiger sent them to me, toldme he won't have any use for them anymore.:o

[jocko]

"""It's where gas is supposed to be vented in the event of a case rupture, instead of destroying the frame. Yes, it is a torx. """""

actually the real reason it is there is because kahr could not get the internal parts inside the polymer frames without some type of side opeing. The all steel version don't need that for the grip area is skelotonized anyhow. Sounds like a good sales pitch but if gases escape that far back to blow out that little flap door only held in by a small torx screw that actualy screws directly into the plastic even, then IMO there is really some thing far more wrong with the gun that a k-boom or something on that order.

Kahr went to the torx screw in the last couple of year over a steel pin that went totally through the gun. Personally I liked the pin better as I think it actually held better to, due to about 7X more surface area for the pin to hold to. I would never advise taking out that torx screw, just to be looking in that area. for once those threads are stripped you are kinda screwed. There really is no need to be taking that side plate off either. everything can be spray cleaned from above with ease. It is a nice designed system really, or otherwise kahr would have had to designed a sorta drop in platform such as sig's #250 or even glocks is a drop in platform also. There fore a big big saving in weight for sure. another reason why so many of the new compacts out today are still 4 to 8 ounces heavier than kahrs.
That torx screw size today is either a size 5 or 6 torx. Kahr went to the small size 5 in the P380's not sure what size the big polymers are. mine is a six 6, they can be bought at sears singally for about $4 or directly from kahr also for about $20 with postage...

PS. I measured my two screws on my P380 and PM9. My PM9 taks a torx size 6 and my P380 takes a torx size 5, buy um both at sears and be sure, snug them, don't try to over tighten then...
__________________

[tomwalshco]

actually the real reason it is there is because kahr could not get the internal parts inside the polymer frames without some type of side opeing. The all steel version don't need that for the grip area is skelotonized anyhow. Sounds like a good sales pitch but if gases escape that far back to blow out that little flap door only held in by a small torx screw that actualy screws directly into the plastic even, then IMO there is really some thing far more wrong with the gun that a k-boom or something on that order.


So if a guy would need to get at the trigger mechanism for upkeep, he would go in there??

[jocko]

So if a guy would need to get at the trigger mechanism for upkeep, he would go in there??

replace parts not to lub them. There is no need to do that, as that back flap only serves the rear of the frame area where the cocking cam is located etc and all of that can be taken care of up top. \

Your question is a yes but it is also a no no to ever mess with that side. Actually the trigger mechinism is up by the trigger area which again is all servicable up top to. These spray cleaners will do it all for you, no need to ever take 100% down. Unless you want to box it up to send it back to kahr to have them put it back together correctly...

[jeep45238]

actually the real reason it is there is because kahr could not get the internal parts inside the polymer frames without some type of side opeing. The all steel version don't need that for the grip area is skelotonized anyhow. Sounds like a good sales pitch but if gases escape that far back to blow out that little flap door only held in by a small torx screw that actualy screws directly into the plastic even, then IMO there is really some thing far more wrong with the gun that a k-boom or something on that order.


Ease of manufacture, absolutely - just parroting what Kahr states on their website.

If the case head ruptures, the gasses will be going out down through the magwell area - right where that flap bugger is. It will pop out and give before the frame itself.

If you think that there's something worse going on than a Ka-BOOM in that situation, I'd love to hear it (curiosity - I think a gun blowing up in your hand is about as bad as you can get).

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/1911motivation.jpg

:D