Brand new cm 45 won't fire.

[Sidewinder 48]

Nib,1st time shooting.gun will not fire when pulling the trigger.everything seems to be in working order.chambers a round,no issue.I cleaned it yesterday.the barrel was tough to get out and the spring jumped on me to the floor and was tough to get back in.any advice?Thanks.

[Bawanna]

Are you getting a primer strike? Hearing the striker release? Guns going fully into battery?

[Sidewinder 48]

Gun goes into battery and round is cleanly chambered by slingshot or slide release.no primer strike.trigger breaks cleanly when dry firing.

[Bawanna]

Sounds like you got a broken striker. Seems strange for a new gun but if no primer strike it's not getting hit.

[Sidewinder 48]

Makes sense,but a mystery being nib.I cannot recall when I bought my ct45 if it came with a factory spent round.this gun did not.

[topgun1953]

A couple things you can investigate. First, put an unsharpened pencil in the barrel (i like the unsharpened end not the eraser) and pull the trigger. It should leap out of the gun. Second, Lock the slide back and turn the gun over. At the back of the slide you'll see a plunger thing (strker block) that you can press down. Depress it and move the striker forward. The tip should be protruding through the breech. If the pencil jumps out, the striker probably isn't broken. If you can get the striker tip to protrude through the breech, you can check it for integrity. Finally, just pull the striker back and shake the gun. Listen for a broken piece...which might be the broken striker. I'm sure Greg will be around with some good pictures for you.

[Bawanna]

Great idea, I'd forgotten that you could depress that drop safety and push the striker forward and see if it has protrusion.
I do the pencil trick quite often as a function check myself. I just use a new pencil and use the eraser end.
You should be able to depress that drop safety and shake the slide and hear the striker rattling around in there, especially true on Glocks, had the guys do that every cleaning so they could detect if there was crud in the striker channel.

There's a sticky on how to break down the slide, that would tell for sure but I'm thinking something is off with the striker.

[Sidewinder 48]

The pencil does leap out.the striker tip is easy to see but is more flush with the breech wall(near extractor I believe).when I run my finger over striker tip,you can just barely feel the tip.not really protruding.what gives?if the pencil leaps out,why does it not go BOOM,and why no primer strike.I guess I'll search some threads on kahrs customer service.never had a problem with my ct.thanks for the pencil test,I was not aware of that.

[Sidewinder 48]

Just to add,I checked placement of striker tip on my ct45 and looks identical to my cm.all I have done was remove slide,visually inspected and place slide back on since my range visit.maybe I will attempt live fire one more time before it takes a trip back to kahr.

[gb6491]

Great idea, I'd forgotten that you could depress that drop safety and push the striker forward and see if it has protrusion.
I do the pencil trick quite often as a function check myself. I just use a new pencil and use the eraser end.
You should be able to depress that drop safety and shake the slide and hear the striker rattling around in there, especially true on Glocks, had the guys do that every cleaning so they could detect if there was crud in the striker channel.

There's a sticky on how to break down the slide, that would tell for sure but I'm thinking something is off with the striker.
Even though it passes the pencil test (a very good suggestion), I also think a disassembly of the slide might be prudent. Inspect and clean out any debris and gunk (to include any lubricants).

Here's the .pdf on how to do it: http://naws.com/Kahr_Slide.pdf (http://naws.com/Kahr_Slide.pdf)

In addition to the .pdf, there are videos out there that show how to dissemble the slide.
This one is similar to the .pdf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi3VFRll2L4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi3VFRll2L4)
Here's a different technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc0E-lYnwQU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc0E-lYnwQU)

IMO, a Ripley Retractor makes it much easier: http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?13404-Kahr-Upper-Dis-and-Reassembly&p=166487#post166487 (http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?13404-Kahr-Upper-Dis-and-Reassembly&p=166487#post166487)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i186/ripley16/Kahrtool002.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i186/ripley16/Kahrtool001.jpg

This might help as well:
https://i.postimg.cc/sxVdWLqn/ksp-copy.jpg

Regards,
Greg

[Sidewinder 48]

Thanks to all for the instruction.you can always count on the firearm community for help.Greg,I pushed the extractor pin in and it had a little give and bounced back.I'm sure it's my imagination,but the striker pin seems to be protruding a bit more.I am going to study all this great instruction and maybe disassemble the slide tomorrow.why do I feel like this is a easy fix but I'm missing something.i,of course would like to avoid sending it back to kahr for however long and taking another hit on a ffl fee on the return.

[Bawanna]

Thanks to all for the instruction.you can always count on the firearm community for help.Greg,I pushed the extractor pin in and it had a little give and bounced back.I'm sure it's my imagination,but the striker pin seems to be protruding a bit more.I am going to study all this great instruction and maybe disassemble the slide tomorrow.why do I feel like this is a easy fix but I'm missing something.i,of course would like to avoid sending it back to kahr for however long and taking another hit on a ffl fee on the return.

The time for the trip to Kahr is unknown but even a day is too long for us gun lovers. There should not be an additional FFL fee. Kahr in a situation like this will send a call tag and you can mail it from home and it will get delivered to your home, somebody has to be there as it will be signature required. If they don't a gun shop can usually ship much cheaper than you can and it's easier, then it comes back to them but no transfer, it's already yours.

[gb6491]

Thanks to all for the instruction.you can always count on the firearm community for help.Greg,I pushed the extractor pin in and it had a little give and bounced back.I'm sure it's my imagination,but the striker pin seems to be protruding a bit more.I am going to study all this great instruction and maybe disassemble the slide tomorrow.why do I feel like this is a easy fix but I'm missing something.i,of course would like to avoid sending it back to kahr for however long and taking another hit on a ffl fee on the return.
It might not be your imagination: the striker block and extractor spring (maybe the rear pin as well) intersect. Perhaps something is dirty/damaged where they meet that prevents/slows full movement of the block (which could impede the striker's travel).
Regards,
Greg

[Sidewinder 48]

The time for the trip to Kahr is unknown but even a day is too long for us gun lovers. There should not be an additional FFL fee. Kahr in a situation like this will send a call tag and you can mail it from home and it will get delivered to your home, somebody has to be there as it will be signature required. If they don't a gun shop can usually ship much cheaper than you can and it's easier, then it comes back to them but no transfer, it's already yours.invaluable info^^thanks.fortunately,I can carry my p365 or shield as a back up if needed.I know it sounds crazy,but a lot of what I have learned about firearms is when there is malfunction.by no means do I welcome this,but on the positive side,when it's all said and done I will gain knowledge.this gun feels right.the fit and finish is impressive for a $350 pistol.the grip on a flush mag gives me a full pinky rest.this gun has the black cerekote slide (I don't like shiny).it's as small as my p365 and I bought a 6+1 mag,which by the way I have been jumping on that mag trying to get the 6th round in.in other words I really like this pistol and will make it work.

[Bawanna]

And we'll help you make it work. I encourage you to follow Gregs advise and strip that slide. The extractor tunnel is a chain, the extractor, a spring and a solid rod so the movement you discovered is normal but it could be gummed up or junk in the striker channel or extractor channel messing things up.
I'm perplexed that it shot the pencil out but doesn't make a mark on a primer. I wonder if it's possible that chamber was cut incorrectly and the round is sitting too far forward. Might try the plunk test, just drop a cartridge in the barrel outside the gun and see if it sits flush or too deep.
Go ahead and take the day off and work on this, I want closure and a happy ending.
If it comes down to going back you of course need to call CS and let them know the issue, if they don't offer a prepaid shipping label ask for one.

[Sidewinder 48]

I mean,it shot the pencil a foot.I chambered one round into a open action and it looked flush to me.could I have done anything when I cleaned it,out of the box before live fire.the recoil spring was a bit of a pain and I had to tap the barrel out,the barrel was in there that tight.probably should have mentioned that a while ago.all my other semi-autos,the barrel,spring,guide rod are removed easily.

[Bawanna]

Pencil should fly out with gusto. A foot is actually kind of girlyman. Sitting down most guns will actually come close to an 8ft ceiling.
Something is hanging up in the striker channel or it's a bad striker.

[oldtimer]

CDC electrical cleaner and an air compressor may solve your problem without a lot of disassembly.

[dustnchips]

I would pull the thing apart just to make sure. I seem to remember someone posting that they did this in a gallon zip lock bag so they wouldn't loose parts. There is a posting of a retainer made out of a piece of coat hanger wire that makes this easier. May be someone on here remembers the posting with the wire retainer. It worked well on my CW380 and my PM9.

[skiflydive]

I would pull the thing apart just to make sure. I seem to remember someone posting that they did this in a gallon zip lock bag so they wouldn't loose parts. There is a posting of a retainer made out of a piece of coat hanger wire that makes this easier. May be someone on here remembers the posting with the wire retainer. It worked well on my CW380 and my PM9.

Yup, Gallon zip loc. Put the slide in it, seal it up and poke your little screwdriver in. Search for Ripley Retractor for the retainer explanation.

[DavidR]

I would pull the thing apart just to make sure. I seem to remember someone posting that they did this in a gallon zip lock bag so they wouldn't loose parts. There is a posting of a retainer made out of a piece of coat hanger wire that makes this easier. May be someone on here remembers the posting with the wire retainer. It worked well on my CW380 and my PM9.

You can also use the slide stop. With a small screwdriver pull back the striker spring and plunger and then insert the slide stop pin end into the space between the back plate and the plunger. You can them, with a tiny screwdriver or similar tool, depress the rear pin in the extractor tunnel which takes pressure off the back plate allowing you to slide it off.