CM 9 Hates Cold Weather

[Grapenut]

We've got a major storm sweeping up through the Shenandoah Valley and on up the North East Coast on up into New England, through next Wednesday morning. It's gonna dump six to thirty-six inches of snow on most all of us.

I just remembered leaving my CM9 in the car, this afternoon so I just now went out to retrieve it. Got it inside the office here and pulled out the magazine, cleared the gun and when I tried to dry fire the gun, it would not release the striker. Pulled the trigger all the way back and nothing.

Any ideas on what happened and how this needs to be corrected ? Thank goodness the walk from the car to the inside of the office was a short one and a safe one.

Nut

[root]

Sure you don't have some cleaning/lubing agent that has it gunked up? I'd say that's likely the case. Something probably thickened in the cold and is gummign it up.


Let it warm up and try again later.

[deadeye]

Yep. I would dismantle the slide and clean the striker channel. Always keep oil out of the striker channel and ejector. Don't ask how I know!

[O'Dell]

Don't blame the gun - I hate cold weather too!

[dirtengineer]

Another possibility that I had to deal with when I was stationed in Alaska was condensation. If you took a cold rifle into a warm humid tent and then back outside, condensation would form and then freeze. Would lock the gun up tight. Might also want to clean it up and try a lightweight lube.

[DonGlock26]

Rem oil is good for cold weather lubrication.

[Planedude]

Ok, lets all remember, what we already know.

"happiness... is a warm gun..."

I would fix this issue one of two ways.
A. Move someplace warmer.
-OR-
B. Find a better cold weather lube.

Since I chose answer A, I personally can't helps so much with answer B... (but I love Froglube).

I bet the gun runs better after a cleaning Grapenut and agree that frozen condensation makes the most sense as the problem. Good luck and post updates.

[DubDubU]

Mine had the same trouble. Something inside contracts and changes the release point. In my case the trigger would bottom out on the frame before firing. A trip back to Kahr solved it. There has been several older threads about this.

[Redstate]

DubDubU, did Kahr tell you what they did to solve it?

[DubDubU]

Redstate, First I have to correct my earlier post. It was bottoming out before firing but not on the frame. They didn't give a specific reply as to what they did. Can't find the repair slip but it was something like "repaired trigger mechanism". What i did notice after it came back was that the trigger now travels a little further back than it did before.

[Redstate]

Thanks, DubDubU.

[keb73]

Ok mine is doing the same thing.I just discovered it this past weekend.I left my Cm9 in middle console of vehicle and in got mid 30s overnight here in North Florida.Next morning it would not fire unless two finger squeeze VERY hard against back wall.Problem resolved slowly as gun warmed up inside.,,Was able to consistently duplicate the problem by a 20 minute fridge stay..Not a lube problem as I flushed out all lube with poly safe scrubber and it did same thing..

Kahr said send it in on MY dime Next Day air which will be 60 bucks even with my commercial UPS account at work..I told rep very politely that Ruger and Smith will send a label via email but he said that Kahr doesn't cover shipping to them although I've read on forums that sometimes they do..Guess luck wasn't with me that day..

Very sorry to hijack and with my 1st post at that.I suppose I could have started the exact type of post but that would be redundant..Also wanted you to know you are not alone on this..As mentioned previously,Google search shows old post on this and other forums addressing this very problem..Breaks my heart really cause I have been a CM9 cheerleader pretty much.It was a firearm that I made friends with right from the get go and my main carry..

[Alfonse]

You could use shipmygun.com http://www.shipmygun.com/go/

[keb73]

You could use shipmygun.com http://www.shipmygun.com/go/
I'll check that out.. Thank you..

[keb73]

Ok update. After a a couple back and forth emails,Kahr did in fact email me a prepaid Fed Ex label .Pistol was sent off today. Will continue update when I receive the firearm back or if Kahr contacts me before then ...

[McE]

Yikes. I used to keep a gun in the car (properly secured) but stopped for the same fear of condensation havoc. I don't have any guns that are cheap enough that I wouldn't care so much about leaving in the car.

Guess that sounds like a reason to buy another gun!

[hardluk1]

After reading about some guys cold temp issues in the past I took my cm9 , cw9 and tp40 and put them to bed freezer over night loaded . Only 0 to -1* .
Walked them behind the garage in a towel so no heat loss and only 50 feet away and fired a mag from each with no issues . Only difference from stock is all have a wolf RP striker spring and I polish my striker and channel on all new pistols so maybe that's the difference. Any how they run fine .

[keb73]

Ok just received Cm9 back today via FedEx..I sent it off last Wednesday so that was a fast turnaround..Point for Kahr..

Out of the box trigger is smooth as a cue ball..And I mean smooth..Point 2 for Kahr..

So next thing I did was put gun in the freezer to see if problem was fixed..I will report back in 30 minutes...

[keb73]

Ladies and gentlemen,we have ourselves a winner!..20 minutes in the ice box and trigger pulled as smooth as it went in..I am happy,ecstatic really,that Kahr got my favorite carry in working order..Another point Kahr..

Note said that trigger and trigger bar was reworked,lubed,and tested good with 28 rounds.

[Have Trumpet Will Travel]

I am a new Kahr owner, bought a CM 40 through GB.com and picked it up a week ago. First thing I did was wipe it down and I noticed it would not dry-fire so I sprayed gun-cleaner into the striker channel, also into and all around the bottom of the slide. I don't like the idea of mandatory dismantling of the slide internals on a brand new gun. Now I know it is easy, see POST #22. Eventually I was able to irrigate enough to make it functional. Tomorrow I intend to shoot it for the first time on Friday the 13th !!! It is cycling rounds from the stock 5-round clip very well when just racking. It is also very easy to break down, I've gotten really good at that. This is not my only semi-auto, I have a Remington 1911 R1-S, both Colts Defender and Mustang (.380), an LCP and a Beretta PICO that was notorious for FTE although mine has no problems that way. Have already ordered an MK 40 Elite and word on here is that the all-metal Kahrs run superbly.
I have a lot of years working with, maintaining and using all things mechanical; and I admire the Kahr line of pistols' design, size and practicality. This is going to be my "go-to favorite" everyday carry, it is just a matter of time involved with the learning curve for this particular brand. Wish me luck, please.

[keb73]

Call Kahr and tell them your dilemma...

[Have Trumpet Will Travel]

Just did the "detail strip" of the slide and gun is firing as it should, every time. Trigger is smooth, was "rubbery" before. Pulling the rear cover off and reassembling is a piece of cake, all the parts are hardened enough that a person would have to use improper technique to scratch or gouge anything. Very well made inside, the only thing I did was use a 7/32" round file to remove a nub (or a sprue from casting ?) on the striker block. It stuck-out like a blemish, barely mosquito-bite size and with a few strokes of the file was gone. I wonder if it was rubbing on the inside of the stainless slide and hindering movement. Anybody else see this on theirs? You don't have to look very close.
There was not a speck of dirt inside and I now realize we oil the slide, the inside mechanism runs best when DRY. Love these KAHRs . . .