MK9 Reliabilty Tuning

[mhotz]

Didn't find a thread on this subject, so I'm asking here -- I have a 2003 Elite MK9 -- nicely broken in, but still has some infrequent reliability (FTF) issues – not often enough to bother with or worry over if this was just a fun gun, but it is one of my two daily carry guns (depending on circumstances I switch between the MK9 and my Dan Wesson CCO – has anyone sent their MK in to a smith for reliability tuning, such as the work over that Cylinder & Slide offers? If so, who did you use and what are your thoughts on the results?

[sharpetop]

Why don't you let Kahr make it reliable? Give us more info as to what the gun is doing, ammo type, how many rounds fired, etc. and I'll bet somebody on this forum will have you fixing the issue yourself, possibly saving some cash.

FTF may be something as simple as a weak recoil or magazine spring or the ammo you are using.

[mhotz]

Kahr is a possibility -- but I'm interested in hearing which smiths other mk owners have used and their opinions of the work done -- seems that a common feeling is that Kahr, Cylinder & Slide and the others are mostly just buff jobs with very little actual reliability work

[b4uqzme]

Never really needed to send my MK out for anything. It's fine the way it is. The only failures I've experienced were my fault...not the guns. If it's clean and lubed and the springs are up to date...go shoot the fokker.

[FLBri]

Kahr is a possibility -- but I'm interested in hearing which smiths other mk owners have used and their opinions of the work done -- seems that a common feeling is that Kahr, Cylinder & Slide and the others are mostly just buff jobs with very little actual reliability work

The reason that they aftermarket is flooded with "mostly Buff Jobs" is that there isn't much else you can do to a stainless Kahr. The design is what it is, and if all the parts are gliding at the right tension ... you can't improved the trigger, you can't change the feed angle, etc. These are inherent parts of the design. If all these things are 'not broken' there isn't anything else to be done.

That's not saying that there can't be issues, so if you have one that isn't working, you may need to "buff" a part, change a spring tension, etc. It's not the type of handgun that tinkering helps any. Buff it up, clean and lube ..... and "shoot the fokker". ;)

I own several stainless Kahr pistols. I have two that have had extensive work done to them .... yes, mostly buff jobs. One is mirror polished tip to tail and a claim of "trigger work". The mirror is awesome ..... but I wish he would have left the trigger alone! Another is Cerakoted with added slide serrations and some other polish work on key parts. They are no more reliable than my other 'stock' everyday handguns.

[ReManG]

I think most of the Smiths are simply fluff and buff on the Kahrs as the metal ones are pretty much interchangeable. I have an extra slide from another member here, swapped out the barrel and RSA, back to shooting with no hang ups... That the slide is from an older era where they were roll marked (you could tell from the high points on the "M'' part) and while I checked it out thoroughly prior to firing, it showed no real different wear than the original slide. I "painted" rails with a sharpie marker and marked the wear with the old and new slide..... not really more wear one way or another. I like tinkering though, so maybe I do not have the same attitude as you do, but I do not want to spend the funds to send mine off if it has problems... Kahr or I should be able to work it out...

[jocko]

The reason that they aftermarket is flooded with "mostly Buff Jobs" is that there isn't much else you can do to a stainless Kahr. The design is what it is, and if all the parts are gliding at the right tension ... you can't improved the trigger, you can't change the feed angle, etc. These are inherent parts of the design. If all these things are 'not broken' there isn't anything else to be done.

That's not saying that there can't be issues, so if you have one that isn't working, you may need to "buff" a part, change a spring tension, etc. It's not the type of handgun that tinkering helps any. Buff it up, clean and lube ..... and "shoot the fokker". ;)

I own several stainless Kahr pistols. I have two that have had extensive work done to them .... yes, mostly buff jobs. One is mirror polished tip to tail and a claim of "trigger work". The mirror is awesome ..... but I wish he would have left the trigger alone! Another is Cerakoted with added slide serrations and some other polish work on key parts. They are no more reliable than my other 'stock' everyday handguns.


nice post, IMO. Just sayin

[Ikeo74]

Where is the "Cylinder" located on a MK9?

[FLBri]

Where is the "Cylinder" located on a MK9?

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.html

[mhotz]

Thank you - your responses are much appreciated