How "pre-loaded" is a Kahr Striker?

[Sgt 127]

If this is in the wrong section, my apologies, feel free to move it.

I'm curious to know ho "pre-loaded" the stiker/firing pin is in a Kahr when the pistol is chambered and ready.

Looking at other striker fired handguns, these are a few things I found.

A Glock (based on what I have figured out) is about 60% preloaded. As you press the trigger, the rest of the 40% (or so) is loaded up on the striker spring and it then slips off the sear and fires. The odds are, IF the firing pin safety failed in the off position and, the striker slipped off the "sear" there are fair odds that the gun would fire. There is enough energy stored up to likely pop a primer.

A S&W M&P is almost 100% preloaded. The striker is being held back by the sear and, blocked by the firing pin safety. If everything went wrong, the gun would fire. Much like a 1911. The hammer is back, all the energy necessary to fire the gun is already stored.

An HK P7 is, when cocked, is about 100% preloaded, and at rest, the stiker has very little energy behind it.

Anybody know about a Kahr? If it is in carry mode, and, everything went wrong, the firing pin safety is stuck in the "up" position and, the striker dropped forward, would the gun fire? The Kahr has alot more trigger movement than any of the above, but, it doesn't seem that there is much striker movement until the last 1/4" of travel.

[jpshaw]

Preloaded to the width of the safety plunger that holds it out of the bolt face plus the amount of travel to get there. Probably over 50% but couldn't say for sure.

[Sgt 127]

Well, for future reference, it looks like a Kahr (K9 is what I looked at) is about 75%+ preloaded when the gun is at rest.

[muggsy]

Maybe this will help. Looks like about 90% to me.

http://www.kahr.com/kahr-unique-design.asp

[Sgt 127]

Thank you. That's a very cool link. I think you are right, I was conservative at 75%.

[jpshaw]

Thanks muggsy. Neat little animated visual there. Does look like about 90% to me too.

[jocko]

Well, for future reference, it looks like a Kahr (K9 is what I looked at) is about 75%+ preloaded when the gun is at rest.

certainly not 75% at all. My guess is less than 20%. that animated video is very liberal with that portion. If u wanna test it out take the slide off and now pushin the striker block to release the striker all the way. Now slowly pull back the striker and u will see it click locked and that is where the striker lays until that long 3/8" trigger pull is done . I even think I am high at 20% but not sure how one can prove it one wat or the utter, but I am darn sure it is not 75% anutter thing one can test even, as IMO the striker block is an added safety for I personally feel it the striker is release without pulling the trigger even that little travel is really under no real spring tension to even fire a round. test that out ur self by pushing in the striker block and not touching the striker and see how it moves forward. IMO sure not with any force to fire a round but again this is Kahrs super safety, that can only release the striker block by the caming action of the cocking cam,. That cocking cam IMO is one pretty darn nice design, as it does two things perfectly, no way for one of those to get out of time either. The striker in the kahr is an enertia striker and at its rest position, there is just IMO no real enertia. Probably oe of the safest semi's out there IMO especially when u tack on a 3/8" trigger travel.... or for many thousands of K9's 1/2" trigger travel

Just sayin

[jpshaw]

I guess the animated visual could be less then perfect but the only thing we know for sure, or can measure, is where the striker is in the fired position and where the striker is in the rest or ready position. We can assume that trigger travel will not necessarily transfer to striker travel when measured and that the striker can be pulled back by hand further then it will travel with the cam. The unknown portion is how far that striker cam pulls the striker back before allowing it to slip off. To measure that Kahr itself will have to step in or one of us will need to push a littler modeling clay into that slit behind the striker "tab" to see how far that tab went back before moving forward. Something I might try after our short family vacation. Hopefully, in the meantime, someone else will do it first. :)

[kerby9mm]

Take the mag out of your gun,shine a light in the magwell,pull slide back to reset. With the light shining on the striker assembly pull the trigger and watch. Repeat and watch then you can see first hand with the movement of the srtiker.

[jocko]

I guess the animated visual could be less then perfect but the only thing we know for sure, or can measure, is where the striker is in the fired position and where the striker is in the rest or ready position. We can assume that trigger travel will not necessarily transfer to striker travel when measured and that the striker can be pulled back by hand further then it will travel with the cam. The unknown portion is how far that striker cam pulls the striker back before allowing it to slip off. To measure that Kahr itself will have to step in or one of us will need to push a littler modeling clay into that slit behind the striker "tab" to see how far that tab went back before moving forward. Something I might try after our short family vacation. Hopefully, in the meantime, someone else will do it first. :)

to much to worry aobut IMO, it is what it is. If u think it is 75%, so be it. We seem to get through what ever poercentage it might be. I was under the ijpression thgat when kahr says a 3/8" trigger travel, that meant the trigger is gonna gravel that far before the striker is released. My contention is that whenthat striker is pulled by a tad and the striker block takes over that one still has to pull back 3/8" to make the bang thing happen. I would not think kashr wold maeasure that striker from a fired striker position for the gun willnot funcition until the cocking cam pulls the striker back fur enough for the striker blacok to take over. Just my 21 cents on this.

. When kahr made the 1/2" triger NYPD trigger they did nuttin to the striker \or cocking cajm or striker black but merely changes the actuyal trigger position along with a change in the trigger bar..:Amflag2:

[FLBri]

to much to worry aobut IMO, it is what it is. If u think it is 75%, so be it. We seem to get through what ever poercentage it might be. I was under the ijpression thgat when kahr says a 3/8" trigger travel, that meant the trigger is gonna gravel that far before the striker is released. My contention is that whenthat striker is pulled by a tad and the striker block takes over that one still has to pull back 3/8" to make the bang thing happen. I would not think kashr wold maeasure that striker from a fired striker position for the gun willnot funcition until the cocking cam pulls the striker back fur enough for the striker blacok to take over. Just my 21 cents on this.

. When kahr made the 1/2" triger NYPD trigger they did nuttin to the striker \or cocking cajm or striker black but merely changes the actuyal trigger position along with a change in the trigger bar..:Amflag2:
This is true!(If I interpret what Jocko said correctly....:)) The trigger travel is 1/4" AFTER the trigger bar engages the cocking cam on all 3 Kahr trigger varieties, in my experience. The difference is the length that the trigger travels before engaging the cam. By the way .... this also means that the reset length is effectively no different on any of them. Dry fire any Kahr but don't release the trigger .... load the striker by pulling the slide back (with an empty mag please) part way. Than slowly release the trigger until you feel the reset. It's always at the same spot where the bar engages the cam .... the rest is just fluff.