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View Full Version : How to test a CW9 striker?



mfcmb
03-24-2010, 10:37 AM
A common method for testing a pistol to see if the striker is working properly is to: unload the pistol, c-o-c-k it, point the muzzle straight up, insert into the barrel a pencil with the eraser down, and pull the trigger. If the striker is working properly the pencil will pop entirely out of the barrel.

I recently tried this with my CW9. The pencil hardly moves if I insert the pencil eraser first, but it pops out of the barrel if I insert the other end of the (new, unsharpened) pencil.

Is this normal for a CW9, or is my striker not working properly?

Bawanna
03-24-2010, 11:09 AM
A common method for testing a pistol to see if the striker is working properly is to: unload the pistol, c-o-c-k it, point the muzzle straight up, insert into the barrel a pencil with the eraser down, and pull the trigger. If the striker is working properly the pencil will pop entirely out of the barrel.

I recently tried this with my CW9. The pencil hardly moves if I insert the pencil eraser first, but it pops out of the barrel if I insert the other end of the (new, unsharpened) pencil.

Is this normal for a CW9, or is my striker not working properly?

Just my opinion mind ya, but if it's shooting out with the wood end down I'd say your ok. Sounds like the eraser is just too soft or has too much give to it. I've had this happen before as well.
As a side note the good ole pencil is a great fix for 9mm or 38 cal holes in wood doors. Just coat it with glue, stick it in the hole so it sticks out both sides. Let it dry, bust off the excess, sand a bit and stain or paint. Long story.

Pender1
03-24-2010, 11:59 AM
As a side note the good ole pencil is a great fix for 9mm or 38 cal holes in wood doors. Just coat it with glue, stick it in the hole so it sticks out both sides. Let it dry, bust off the excess, sand a bit and stain or paint. Long story.

That sounds like it could be a very interesting story.

jocko
03-24-2010, 12:04 PM
not sure I would consider that a test of a proper working striker. Going bang every time is a very good test. The pencil thing sounds good but to me not a test of pass or fail...

ripley16
03-24-2010, 12:19 PM
I've always thought the Kahr striker design was the pistols weakest link. Suffering through a whole bunch of lightstrikes was the root cause for this belief.

I did a quick test of several pistols. Inserting the lead end of a new, unused pensil yielded these results;

Kahr TP9, never a malfunction, the pencil cleared the barrel by about an inch.
HK USPc, pencil flew about 3 feet straight up.
HK P7, pencil flew up about two feet.

My conclusion; the energy imparted by the Kahr is less than some other highly rated pistols, but then, I've known this for a while. This is a neat and easy way to demonstrate it.

Bawanna
03-24-2010, 12:35 PM
not sure I would consider that a test of a proper working striker. Going bang every time is a very good test. The pencil thing sounds good but to me not a test of pass or fail...

I use the pencil test after cleanings inspections etc, if I shot it to test I'd have to clean again and the cycle would continue. (would that be a bad thing)? just a quick make sure things are doing what they are suppose to do test. While it is not scientific by any stretch and would be difficult to measure, if the pencil clears the barrel you know without a doubt that the striker is hitting hard enough to bust a primer. I'd have to with all do respect say it is indeed a pass/fail test. I shall await my thrashing and hope maybe just once that I'm right on this one. I was right once, I think it was 1968 but might have been 69.

xaircav
03-24-2010, 02:52 PM
A good writing instrument for a striker test is a Bic pen. The end opposite the point with the cap removed. The Bic has to be centered in the barrel. You can also test the decock funtion of a SA/DA this way. If you decock and the pen does not move you're good.

jocko
03-24-2010, 03:03 PM
I use the pencil test after cleanings inspections etc, if I shot it to test I'd have to clean again and the cycle would continue. (would that be a bad thing)? just a quick make sure things are doing what they are suppose to do test. While it is not scientific by any stretch and would be difficult to measure, if the pencil clears the barrel you know without a doubt that the striker is hitting hard enough to bust a primer. I'd have to with all do respect say it is indeed a pass/fail test. I shall await my thrashing and hope maybe just once that I'm right on this one. I was right once, I think it was 1968 but might have been 69.

really worth arguing about either. The kahrs go bang and with a 7+pound striker spring it is on par with about every other striker fired gun out there. Actually I have the 5# striker spring in my PM9 and over 25,000 rounds and no light strikes. Pass/fail, what ever flaots ones boat is fine with me, Just my 2 cents worth..

Bawanna
03-24-2010, 03:16 PM
really worth arguing about either. The kahrs go bang and with a 7+pound striker spring it is on par with about every other striker fired gun out there. Actually I have the 5# striker spring in my PM9 and over 25,000 rounds and no light strikes. Pass/fail, what ever flaots ones boat is fine with me, Just my 2 cents worth..

Mr. Jocko, I'm appalled that you would even consider that I'm trying to argue with you. We're sharing knowledge and tactics here. If the pencil flies out the striker is working yes____ no____. If the answer is no, how did the pencil fly out of the barrel. Remember I'm keeping the notebook full of all the abbreviations according to Jocko which I'd like to send to you for an autograph. Never know, you might be president and then I'd have something collectible. Let me look up something for ya, M, N, R, ah yes, under "S" Scientific Wildassed Guess = SWAG. That ought to buy me a gold star. What ever you say floats my boat right down the Mississippi in style. I don't want to sound like I'm sucking up or anything, that wouldn't be manly or in my case half manly.

10Kahrs
03-24-2010, 04:58 PM
I like the #2 230gr ticoranda pencil myself !

Bawanna
03-24-2010, 05:15 PM
I like the #2 230gr ticoranda pencil myself !

Now that's what I'm talking about. One of my personal favorites as well.:cheer2::cheer2:

mfcmb
03-30-2010, 10:03 AM
Thank you all for your comments.

grimm
03-30-2010, 12:00 PM
A lot of yip yaps being spewed here. To the op, the pencil test you are doing will NOT work with the eraser end in on your CW9. Why you say? Because the extractor is in the way. It will not full rest against the breech face. The reason the sharp end works somehow, because it is clearing the extractor and the pointy end goes in the striker channel, thus making contact. A proper size chopstick will work as well just to test.

On larger calibers like .45, there may be enough clearance for the pencil to clear the extractor and rest against the breech face, thus making contact with the firing pin/striker when fired.

Bawanna
03-30-2010, 12:04 PM
A lot of yip yaps being spewed here. To the op, the pencil test you are doing will NOT work with the eraser end in on your CW9. Why you say? Because the extractor is in the way. It will not full rest against the breech face. The reason the sharp end works somehow, because it is clearing the extractor and the pointy end goes in the striker channel, thus making contact. A proper size chopstick will work as well just to test.

On larger calibers like .45, there may be enough clearance for the pencil to clear the extractor and rest against the breech face, thus making contact with the firing pin/striker when fired.

Is a yip yaps a good thing or a bad thing?

grimm
03-30-2010, 12:09 PM
Is a yip yaps a good thing or a bad thing?

Since you asked, a yip yap is a nice way of saying bull$hit. ;)

Bawanna
03-30-2010, 12:38 PM
Since you asked, a yip yap is a nice way of saying bull$hit. ;)

I'll note that in my Jocko abbreviation manual. Lets see under "Y" yip yap. Wow only entry under the ''Y'' heading. YIP YAP = bull$hit. Got it.

I thought that's what we did here? Thank you for saying it in a nice way.:music:

racuda
03-30-2010, 07:44 PM
Speaking of the pencil test, is anybody old enough to remember when it was something girls did?

Bawanna
03-30-2010, 07:47 PM
Speaking of the pencil test, is anybody old enough to remember when it was something girls did?

We are poor little sheep who have lost our way, what are you talking about. What did the girls do?

wyntrout
03-30-2010, 08:24 PM
Speaking of the pencil test, is anybody old enough to remember when it was something girls did?

Hmmm... maybe holding a pencil in a way unique to women...er... yeah, women to hold a pencil without using their hands... and not all women are sufficiently equipped. Getting into risqué territory....:blushing:
Wynn:D

jeep45238
03-30-2010, 09:15 PM
Sounds like the eraser is just too soft or has too much give to it.


Bingo. That's why I use cheap pens with a solid end to 'em, lasts dang near forever and doesn't suffer from that problem :D

jfrey
03-30-2010, 09:23 PM
Wyntrout, it seems that if you have to explain - they ain't old enough. It's funny the things gravity does to folks over the years. Know what I mean?