Used but unfired K40 and a mystery

[Bytor]

I recently could not pass up a local deal on an unfired stainless K40 with wood grips, 3 mags, 3 holsters for $300!! I rarely find this kind of deal. Only fired 33 quick rounds due to extremely cold conditions, but it was 100% so far. Now the mystery part. There is no roll pin or hole drilled for it in the frame just forward of the slide stop pin as seen from the right side. I have only field stripped it once to lube before firing. I failed miserably on try 2 after banging the slide stop carefully with a hammer on the plastic grip of a screw driver (no scratches allowed). I used the orange plastic spacing doohicky in the chamber for proper slide alignment. So I haven't studied the interior in regard to the missing roll pin. Anyone seen this before? Ser. # is DF78xx. I have no idea on a build date. Thanks!

[gb6491]

I recently could not pass up a local deal on an unfired stainless K40 with wood grips, 3 mags, 3 holsters for $300!! I rarely find this kind of deal. Only fired 33 quick rounds due to extremely cold conditions, but it was 100% so far. Now the mystery part. There is no roll pin or hole drilled for it in the frame just forward of the slide stop pin as seen from the right side. I have only field stripped it once to lube before firing. I failed miserably on try 2 after banging the slide stop carefully with a hammer on the plastic grip of a screw driver (no scratches allowed). I used the orange plastic spacing doohicky in the chamber for proper slide alignment. So I haven't studied the interior in regard to the missing roll pin. Anyone seen this before? Ser. # is DF 74xx. I have no idea on a build date. Thanks!
Welcome to the forums and congrats on acquiring a K40 in such a sweet deal. :)

I've not seen a "K" series gun without that pin. It retains the slide stop spring.
Wynn's photo:
https://i.postimg.cc/dQpyyWDW/K9slidelockspring-3877-zpsc9db0c1b.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
The "MK" and "T" series guns have a screw that retains the slide stop spring. This is similar to what is found on the poly frame guns.
Photos from https://www.lightfighter.net/topic/what-about-kahr-lots-of-pictures?page=2
https://i.postimg.cc/J0ktxLtp/T9spring1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/qq3x9q1n/T9spring2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/66vV67h4/TP45spring.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

I'd like to see how your K40 is done.

Regards,
Greg

[Cokeman]

Pictures?

[Bytor]

Awesome pics. Thanks. All I know is that I am using the chamber tool for proper alignment and am literally banging on the plastic handle of a screwdriver with a full size hammer so I don't scratch the frame. That slide stop is rediculous. Won't come out. I'm actually thinking of grabbing my short sledge hammer to have a few whacks. I tried the cheat I saw where you insert an empty mage before doing it. That's how I got it out the first time. This had better get easier or I'll never shoot the darned thing! Just frustrated.

[Bawanna]

What's a chamber tool, I'm lost? There's a notch on the bottom of the slide that you need to pull the slide back to line up with the little ear on the bottom of the slide lock/Take down lever.
Hold it so it's lined up and one little tap and that pin should just pull out.
If it's not lined up, you beat on it all day and it ain't coming out.

The first little bit has pretty good resistance but once it starts, your home free. Really shouldn't be that tough.

I usually just hold it lined up and take a plastic tipped hammer and just tap, a screwdriver handle should work if you can hit the pin. Some line it up and then push against a dowel or piece of wood. Easy.

[Bytor]

Wow. So this is different. This plastic chamber tool is inserted in the chamber which holds the slide back the perfect amount. No struggling required. I had the slide retracted EXACTLY as pictured in the owner manual and everywhere else I've seen. The thing is, mine does not need to be retracted nearly as far, and the slide lock came right out. I wonder if it has anything to do with the different design without the roll pin? Comparing it to the pics of the inside of the frame, no slide lock spring is visible, or the cut out for it. Of course, no rollpin. The steel above the slide stop is solid, not notched out there. Seems to be a rolling change in the design. That's my only guess. So the chamber plug thingy is inappropriate for this one, as it holds the slide open too far. Otherwise, it does field strip easily now. Thanks for the help. I'm not currently with a picture hosting site, or I would post some. If anyone is really dying to see some, pm me your email address, and I will send a couple.

[getsome]

That's great to hear.....Glad you got it figured out and now you have a sweet shooting pistol....I remember my first Kahr was. CW40 way back in 2009...I couldn't make heads or tails out of the owners manual and it seemed they were talking about several different models and it wasn't very clear or helpful at all....I had taken mine apart but couldn't get the slide to go back on....That was my first striker fired Poly gun and I admit I didn't know what I was doing so I got on the old interweb and found Kahrtalk and the good folks here helped me out and told me how to get the slide and slide stop pin back in correctly.....Lots of helpful folks here and Bawanna and Greg have a vast amount of firearms knowledge if you ever need help in the future......Welcome to Kahrtalk and go enjoy you beautiful new pistol.....

[Cokeman]

You don’t need an image hosting site. Just upload the pictures as attachments from your device. Lots of people don’t use hosting sites. You don’t need them.

Rush fan?

[Bytor]

You don’t need an image hosting site. Just upload the pictures as attachments from your device. Lots of people don’t use hosting sites. You don’t need them.

Rush fan?

His nemesis is waiting at the gate...lol

[Bawanna]

Have to have 30 post before you can upload from device.

[Bytor]

https://i.postimg.cc/23YzZJRZ/20190306-202832.jpg (https://postimg.cc/23YzZJRZ)https://i.postimg.cc/vxh2gDR3/20190306-203803.jpg (https://postimg.cc/vxh2gDR3)https://i.postimg.cc/XGwzWQsM/20190306-203824.jpg (https://postimg.cc/XGwzWQsM)

Here'sa few pics.

[Bawanna]

You have a slide lock set up like the polymer guns. The spring that holds it is on the left side held in place by that little screw.

Must be something new, both my K's have the type like Greg posted, with the roll pin and the spring on the right side.

That clears a few things up indeed. Course it also brings up the question, when did they start making K's like that or is a predecessor to the style we know now.

Color me confused for a bit.

[Bytor]

I'm not sure either way, but this is the highest numbered ser. # in the K40 pictures that I've seen. Just guessing it's newer. I'm a little embarrased at the dirt and dryness of it. I just wiped it for the pics. She's well greased and oiled now in all the right places.

[Cokeman]

His nemesis is waiting at the gate...lol

Awesome!

[wyntrout]

I found my pictures from 01-01-2013. Whatever is used must hold the SL lever aligned with the opening in the slide for removal. The one that I had was for the K9 and possibly the same vintage K40. I got my K9 in March 1998. I sold it several years ago as I only carry the polymers that size now, plus the P380 for max concealment and easy on and off... handy these days with my daily radiation treatment. I even forgot to put it back on and left my van with the shop at Sam's Club to repair a flat and rotate and balance my tires. I was inside the store and going to the restroom and realized my pants were too loose. I had loosened the belt when I got back to my car from the treatment center! I quickly went outside and around to the work bays where the guy was just putting the lift arms under my van on one side, so far. I told him that I needed something out of the gloce box and he said go ahead. Whew! The pistol and extra mag/holder were there. I have to watch that! :eek:

The chamber block was $5 plus shipping and I got one with a bunch of other stuff that I ordered.

I'll post some K9 internal pix, too.

[wyntrout]

Some inside pix of the 1998 K9.

[wyntrout]

And the pin.

[Bytor]

Thanks for the pics. Yes, that is the chamber plug I have. I will compare my slide stop to yours. I'd guess it has to be different. I'm concerned about extra parts since Kahr may be stopping the .40. The slide stop was on my list.

[Bytor]

I just realized something. Take a look at the left side of my slide just above the slide stop. There is a semi circle relief cut ala a 1911. I don't see this on other K40's. There is also a disassembly mark on the slide further forward that aligns with a very subdued mark on the frame. That's why I didn't have to withdraw the slide very far to disassemble. It would have been nice if Kahr had that info in the manual!

[Bytor]

Double post

[MMyers1970]

Awesome pics. Thanks. All I know is that I am using the chamber tool for proper alignment and am literally banging on the plastic handle of a screwdriver with a full size hammer so I don't scratch the frame. That slide stop is rediculous. Won't come out. I'm actually thinking of grabbing my short sledge hammer to have a few whacks. I tried the cheat I saw where you insert an empty mage before doing it. That's how I got it out the first time. This had better get easier or I'll never shoot the darned thing! Just frustrated.


My K9 doesn't have takedown marks. The K series requires the slide to be retracted much further than you think for disassembly. But also it helps to keep the mag in. Pull the slide back until the big notch on the slide aligns with the front of the slide stop. push the slide stop out from the other side with the edge of a magazine baseplate, and the slide stop will LAUNCH out.

[gb6491]

I just realized something. Take a look at the left side of my slide just above the slide stop. There is a semi circle relief cut ala a 1911. I don't see this on other K40's. There is also a disassembly mark on the slide further forward that aligns with a very subdued mark on the frame. That's why I didn't have to withdraw the slide very far to disassemble. It would have been nice if Kahr had that info in the manual!
They do have that info in the manual, it's just not in the "Dismantling (K Series)" section. It's in the "Dismantling (T, TP, CT, P, CW, PM, CM & MK Series)" section. Your gun is the only "K" series I've seen that field strips like a T, TP, CT, P, CW, PM, CM & MK series.
Regards,
Greg
http://i64.tinypic.com/2r4k13q.jpg[
https://i.postimg.cc/XvqYR8fP/20190306-203824.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Bytor]

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm hoping the MK slide stop part is the one I'd need for this K when I decide to get one.

[gb6491]

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm hoping the MK slide stop part is the one I'd need for this K when I decide to get one.
My guess is that the MK/T40 lever will work: https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/pistol-parts/kahr-028m4e-slide-release-lever-028m4s.asp

I think it would make sense for Kahr to standardize the lever in their metal frame guns. However, I've looked and haven't been able to find another example of a K series similar to yours. Shoot, maybe you have a missing factory prototype;) I think it's pretty cool that you have a somewhat unique pistol that you can get parts for (if you need them):cool:

Based on my experience with my K9 and MK9, I'd also say that your K40 is probably easier to field strip than the run of the mill variety.

Regards,
Greg

[Bytor]

It is pretty cool knowing it's a bit different, but not in a bad way. It is so simple to take down now that I know how to do it properly. I believe that's why it was sold to me. The owner pointed out that it was very hard to break down.

[Bytor]

I actually found another K40 on GB within that is built with the same specs.https://i.postimg.cc/ppmbK8Bw/Screenshot-2019-03-11-17-32-45.png (https://postimg.cc/ppmbK8Bw)15 digits of my ser. #. They do exist.
https://i.postimg.cc/kBLrs41B/Screenshot-2019-03-11-17-32-41.png (https://postimg.cc/kBLrs41B)