CM9 Slide disassembly: Do it or not?

[kevin1]

Kahr’s instructions recommend to not go beyond the usual field striping of the gun. They say “DO NOT DISMANTLE THE PISTOL FURTHER THAN THE MAIN COMPONENTS DESCRIBED ABOVE (except Magazine). To do so may create an unsafe condition and affect the pistol’s Warranty.”

So, what’s the good word? Disassemble the slide or not? If so after how many rounds?

[Bawanna]

Many do it before they ever shoot it. Some never do it but use brake cleaner in the clean out hole on the bottom of the slide.

Awhile back there was frequently debri left behind and gummed up the striker channel. Don't seem to hear of it as much lately.

I took mine apart brand new just to see if it was the case with my PM45. It was perfectly clean but a little too oily.

I don't think I've taken it apart since and it's been several years.

If your not having issues, you can just use the clean out hole. I don't even do that every cleaning. Once you've done it, it's not difficult.

The first time can be a bit frustrating but there's plenty of help here and some stickies that walk you through it.

[vinnier6]

In my mind there is no way around it...it needs to be detail stripped in order to get it all the way clean and inspected...I don’t care what kahr says

[bobandmikako]

I hadn't done it on any that I've purchased new. I've always sprayed in brake cleaner and flush out any gunk periodically. I recently picked up a used MK9. The gun is in excellent shape but the previous owner was a pretty heavy Froglube user and I could see green sludge in the slot the extractor sits in and the striker channel. I found it easy to disassemble the slide, and I'm really glad I did. There was a lot more gunk in there than I expected. Anyway, I put everything back together, and the gun runs great. These instructions seem pretty good: http://naws.com/Kahr_Slide.pdf To press down the back extractor pin, I used a steel dental pick. It was thin enough to fit the hole and rigid enough to press down the pin.

[DJK11]

Strip it down and clean it! My P380 had metal in the striker channel and my first PM45 was full of metal. I phoned Kahr and their response was "you must be using Winchester primers". The pistol was new and I assume only fired at the factory. No way spraying the clean out hole would have flushed it clean.

[JethrosDad]

I agree. Detail strip and clean of the striker channel is vital. If the striker channel isn't clean the gun might not go bang. I tend to lean more toward over cleaning than under cleaning. Gun gets detail clean every couple hundred rounds. You would not believe the metal/lint/carbon/gremlins that get stuck in the striker channel.

[skiflydive]

No reason not to tear it down. It's just pieces and parts. Do a search for the "Ripley Retractor" on this site. It's a piece of coat hanger wire bent to hold the striker spring back while you do the rest. I use a jewelers screwdriver to press the extractor pin in. Also, the chances springs will fly increase exponentially if you don't do something to contain them. I put the whole slide in a big ziploc and poke the screwdriver in from the outside. Another suggestion I saw was to take the slide in a (dry) shower stall and put a cover over the drain so the parts don't go down. There's some trepidation the first time you do it, after that it's a breeze.

[GA_Sheepdog]

I do it to all my kahrs when I first clean it. I wouldn't disassemble the slide very time you clean the gun but maybe every 1000 rounds or so.

[RustyIron]

So, what’s the good word? Disassemble the slide or not? If so after how many rounds?

Zero. On my only Kahr, I disassembled everything prior to shooting it the first time. I needed to see if anything needed "touching up." Cleaning the striker channel should be part of periodic maintenance. Dirt or oil in there can turn your pistol into an awkwardly shaped club.

[Bawanna]

I did a PM9 last night, it was a piece of cake. Good reminder on the Ripley Retractor. It's a life saver. I used a jeweler screwdriver as well. About the smallest one in the kit.
Easy. It was clean and dry and I know it had never been taken apart before. But it's being sold to a friend so I wanted to make sure it started out right.

I do recommend an plain metal coat hanger for the Ripley Retractor. I thought I'd try a coated hanger, kind of be protective and not scratch.

I think it's too slippery, wants to slide off to easy. I might not have it exactly the right length or something but the metal works just fine and doesn't slip off.

[lee1000]

I took my PM9 apart before I shot it and then applied used motor oil from my truck to lubricate it. I haven't had a malfunction in 500 rounds. I did find a small shaving in the striker channel.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[Cymerej]

Unless I begin to experience some issues with my cm9 I think I am going to do what Kahr says and stick with the standard field strip clean/lube. Does anyone do the more detail clean after higher round count intervals? Say every 1000 rounds or so?

[Cymerej]

Ah. I reread page 1. It seems some do detail every 1000 rounds.

[lee1000]

Ah. I reread page 1. It seems some do detail every 1000 rounds.I take apart the slide every 500 rounds or so. The larger slot in the slide allows more oil and garbage to get in the striker channel. I never oil the striker but always find oil in there, I use the thicker EWL 30 sparingly.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[vinnier6]

I take it apart every time I clean...it’s to easy to do and it’s peace of mind that I know it’s clean in there

[Old No7]

Strip it down and clean it! My P380 had metal in the striker channel and my first PM45 was full of metal...

My new CW380 was pretty clean, but I installed a Lakeline Improved Striker while I was in there; but the used K9 I got recently was full of crud, including small metal flakes and chips -- very glad I cleaned that out before trusting it to concealed-carry duty.
I highly recommend it also. :Amflag2:

Old No7

[drw]

My PM9 had small brass chips in the striker channel when I took it apart after 500 rounds. It was cleaned with brake fluid after every 100 round range session and it still had the tiny chips in the channel.

[antifa]

One more question...
So many different opinions out there on solvents for cleaning. Setting aside the plastic frame, if I want to remove every trace of oil, grease, etc from the metal, what do you recommend ?

[unclenunzie]

synthetic safe gun scrubber, or for a lot less, non-chlorinated brake cleaner. I have found the brake cleaner rather harsh, but either will strip all oil from the metal.

[tony k]

One more question...
So many different opinions out there on solvents for cleaning. Setting aside the plastic frame, if I want to remove every trace of oil, grease, etc from the metal, what do you recommend ?


synthetic safe gun scrubber, or for a lot less, non-chlorinated brake cleaner. I have found the brake cleaner rather harsh, but either will strip all oil from the metal.
Do not use the brakleen in the red can. Use the GREEN can only.

[lee1000]

One more question...
So many different opinions out there on solvents for cleaning. Setting aside the plastic frame, if I want to remove every trace of oil, grease, etc from the metal, what do you recommend ?Do you follow Arizona Antifa (spoof account) on FB? They're hilarious

[antifa]

I don't. I can imagine!
I barely have time to follow what my local friends are up to.

[antifa]

Why I CCW, 24/7.
(Per expectations of the Moderators, I'd prefer that we keep politics in its right place - outside of this forum.)

[DJK11]

I use Hopes and flush it clean with QD Electronics cleaner. Four dollars a can at Walmart and plastic safe.

[Bawanna]

Why I CCW, 24/7.
(Per expectations of the Moderators, I'd prefer that we keep politics in its right place - outside of this forum.)

This EXACTLY! Never heard of them myself and prefer to keep it that way.

[kevin1]

I just did a slide disassembly. It went fine. The gun has around 500 rounds and the firing channel was relatively clean (some brass chips, but very minor). I used some q tips followed by compressed air to clean the firing channel but didn't use any solvent or oil (should I?). The dirtiest part was the extractor. The disassembly is harder than the Glock, but much easier than the Sig P226. I've watched some videos on the slide disassembly of the P226, and I think I'll send mine to Sig when time comes.

[Bawanna]

Most recommend leaving the striker channel dry. If needed you can use solvent to clean but then use the Q tip and air to clean it all out. I do the same with oil. I oil it but then I remove as much as I can so it's just barely coated. Theory being solvent or oil would attract junk.

If you didn't I don't think it would be worth the effort to take it apart and do so until the next time you decide to clean it. I go a long ways between cleanings myself and never found I was being neglectful. Could vary I guess from gun to gun.

[lee1000]

Why I CCW, 24/7.
(Per expectations of the Moderators, I'd prefer that we keep politics in its right place - outside of this forum.)The moderators have an obligation to moderate the comments of domestic terrorists.

[lee1000]

This EXACTLY! Never heard of them myself and prefer to keep it that way.ANTIFA is a domestic terrorist organization and they don't belong here. They've been very violent. Don't help them

[RustyIron]

Most recommend leaving the striker channel dry. If needed you can use solvent to clean but then use the Q tip and air to clean it all out. I do the same with oil. I oil it but then I remove as much as I can so it's just barely coated. Theory being solvent or oil would attract junk.

In the old days, I never worried about striker channels. You can barf in the Glock slide, and it will still fire. Mine's been black and goopy, without problems. Then I got a Kimber, and one drop of oil in an otherwise spotless striker channel would destroy reliability. I haven't experimented with Kahr's, but nowadays I keep everything dry, but I'll rub the striker between my fingers (which have been handling other parts that have been oiled), and call it good. A drop of oil might be ok, but I can't risk it.

[Cymerej]

ANTIFA is a domestic terrorist organization and they don't belong here. They've been very violent. Don't help them
Yep. You want to discuss, share or debate an idea in the public arena to influence opinions and government policy? Great, that is called politics. I can understand d that being moderated to protect the interest of this community.
But what ANTIFA is doing is not politics. It is violent, disruptive, offensive and disturbing. Physically attacking opposition, burning American flags, destroying private property and wearing masks while rioting/"protesting" isn't politics, its vile. If someone with a username of neonazi, kkklynchdaddy or suicidebomber they would also be treated with some caution. The ANTIFA is attempting to influence through fear, that's terrorism by definition.

[JethrosDad]

Yep. You want to discuss, share or debate an idea in the public arena to influence opinions and government policy? Great, that is called politics. I can understand d that being moderated to protect the interest of this community.
But what ANTIFA is doing is not politics. It is violent, disruptive, offensive and disturbing. Physically attacking opposition, burning American flags, destroying private property and wearing masks while rioting/"protesting" isn't politics, its vile. If someone with a username of neonazi, kkklynchdaddy or suicidebomber they would also be treated with some caution. The ANTIFA is attempting to influence through fear, that's terrorism by definition.


And we are doing exactly what he/she wants by continuing the conversation about their "group". The only reason someone would make a screen name like that to post on forums is to stir the sh*t pot. If we collectively choose to not engage him/her in these arguments hopefully they will go away.

My 2 cents.

[Bawanna]

I can help in this instance since I think the original question has been answered and addressed.

Thread closed.