Different slidestop/takedown lever/pin on K's

[dao]

Anyone notice the slide stop levers on the K series guns don't have the half-moon shaped dog and corresponding notch on the slide?
Instead the slide is notched to allow the base of the lever to slide out.
Also they are missing alignment notches on the slide and frame to aid in side removal.

Anyone know why it appears that only the K9 and K40 guns are like this? The means of retention of the levers is different too, and this might have something to do with it. But the absence of the alignment marks doesn't really make sense. Of cours the alignment marks have always been on the wrong side of the gun, but that's a different matter.

[Bawanna]

The retention in my opinion is 10x better on the K's. Since the notch and the base of the lever have to line up, you don't really need any marks. I too was consternated when I first noticed that and somebody even thought they got a blem with no alignment mark.
I'm ok with it myself. Don't hurt anything.

[dao]

Does the pin on the K's remain hard to push out, or does it ease with time and repetitive break-downs?
The reason I've always thought they were on the wrong side is because the pins on new Kahrs, and some older ones, are a bear to push out. And so trying to look at the head of the pin to push it out with something while keeping the slide in the right place can be a pain.

[Bawanna]

I line it up and give it a little tap with a plastic hammer or screwdriver handle. Once past the first little jump, it's easy peasy.

[dao]

I'm always happy to see mine get easier as they break in. Because keeping the alignment as you turn it over to tap the pin is the challenge. Even with the hand strength I have remaining from my constuction days it can be tough keeping these little machines in line :D Of course if I still had the callouses I used to have the pin would give up its position quicker.

[dao]

So apparently there are two styles used on the K9? One with the slide cutout for the base of the pin and one for the half-moon dog on the lever? This is kind of curious to me because even on Kahr's website the pictures of the K9 do not show the half-moon cutout on the slides. Any idea when they changed over? I know that sometimes Marketing illustrations are not always accurate, in any line of production and I guess this must be the case here.

MK/(K9 New Style) Black Slide Release Lever (https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/mk-k9-new-style-black-slide-release-lever/)


K9 Black Slide Stop (https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/pistol-parts/kahr-028k9b-slide-stop-028k9d.asp)

[Bawanna]

Interesting, I never noticed that. I must have the earlier one without the little half moon. The one with the half moon probably has reference marks on the slide and frame although it's still not needed. One just lines up the little half moon instead of the base of the release.
Sadly in my opinion the T's have the other type of retention with the goofy little multi function spring and tiny screw on the left side. At least the tiny little screw screws into metal so that's some benefit.
I'll try to take a picture of how I hold the gun when I remove the pin, not sure I can but what the heck.

[Bawanna]

Here's how I hold mine. I use both hands to position, then hold with my weak hand (left) while I tap the pin, very lightly, doesn't take much but I can never push it out without some sort of tool.
The first pic is for the one without the half moon, so I only have to pull back far enough to clear the front of the pin or the pin itself.
https://i.postimg.cc/TYTLn2my/AA1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Both mine are early models so I don't have one with the half moon on the back end of the lever but I hold the same way, just have to line up the back. Slightly harder to hold but not difficult at all. When taking this picture I continued to hold the slide while I reposition and put the camera down, not hard at all.

https://i.postimg.cc/kMQRVRV3/AA.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

I do the same pretty much for 1911's and others as well.

[dao]

Well, I recently bought a July 1995 K9 (AD08xx). It's the first Kahr I've had which I have real trouble getting the pin out of. I hold it like you're holding yours but it still manages to creep just enough while I'm turning it around to tap the pin to prevent me from getting it started. It might be because I replaced the recoil spring with a fresh one and it's still very strong?

So I built this last night. Makes it much easier. Guess I need to man up.
I drilled the top hole to the exact depth required to get the pin's base dog centered on the notch. The barrel descends down into that hole while the muzzle end of the slide stays on top of the block. The bottom hole is just to allow the guide rod room enough to prevent the slide from going back enough. Without that bottom hole the slide would stop too soon because the guide rod would bottom out before the barrel would. I could have made the bottom one no deeper than 1/8" and it would have worked fine.

Oh, and thanks for the pictures!

[Bawanna]

That's a fine invention. I've heard of some setting up a punch in a vise and then holding the slide back while pushing on the punch. Your invention beats that considerable.

[dao]

Thank you Sir.
It won't mar the finish, and I don't have to look at it to know the slide is positioned where it needs to be. So that's good.
I don't know how much this gun was shot or cleaned but I'm hoping it loosens up over time so that I don't have to use my vinyl tap hammer to get the pin to move.
I just made it yesterday and haven't used it but twice to test it. I'm thinking that with some vinyl washers I could probably "adjust" the depth for other guns with a shorter distance for the slide to travel to line up, that need as much persuasion to give up their pins. As I mentioned before, every Kahr I've owned has loosened over time to where a finger on the backside of it is enough to push the pin, but this being of the old style retention I'm not sure this one ever will be moveable without a tap from a hammer to get it started.

[Bawanna]

It probably won't ever be moveable without the tap and that's a good thing. Keeps it tight. I wish all the Kahrs had this same system, especially the T's. The other just seems like a weak sister to me. Too easy for the little screw to loosen and mess things up. Never happened to me, course I only have the PM45 and the T with that set up, so maybe I'll stay lucky.

[topgun1953]

I put a sharpie cap into the breech to hold the slide open. It is just about perfect for alignment and then I tap the pin out.

[dao]

If you think the other type Kahrs are a weak sister you should take a gander at the Sig P938 and 238. Once you line up the slide you can practically blow on the pin to get it out :D Don't get me wrong, their fine pistols and I like them but some of the very early ones required an owner bend on the springs to keep the slide stop lever from coming out if the guns were turned on their left side and held there while manually racking the slide.

I think with this "tool" I'll be fine with the tap to remove method. At least until I man up and recover some of the lost strength in my left hand.

[Scott321]

I have an older K9 purchased around 2001. It is hard to get the slide stop out. I grip it how Bawanna illustrated in his post, then use the plastic back of a screwdriver to push it out.

[dustnchips]

@dao. I made a wood block similar to the plastic one for my P380 a couple of years back. I also made a wooden pusher for the pin.

[ripley16]

FYI... Kahr also makes a hold open block for the K series.
https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/case-and-tools/kahr-take-down-block-only-k-series-and-e9-tdnblock.asp

Years ago I whittled a small block of wood to insert into the breech. Now I usually just use the square rear end the magazine base to push the pin out. Only once have I been able to push the pin out with my thumb.

[dao]

I guess all great minds think alike huh guys? :D

Thanks ripley I didn't even think about making something to go inside the barrel. I may pick one of those up on my next shopping trip to Kahr since it's small enough to fit in my cleaning box. I visit their site all the time and have never run across one of those. Priced right too! Hey Dusty how about pics of what you came up with? We're living proof that necessity is the mother of invention.

I started out making a push block with a piece of white HD plastic but like the Colonel said it's much easier to give it a tap, so I just settled on using the vinyl side of my gunsmithing hammer instead of the push block to go at the pin.

[FreeMe]

My AE series K9 did get a little easier with time. But I still tap it out with the plastic hammer, because I don't like pain. ;) My Elite 03 is still just as tight as ever, but it hasn't been shot or cleaned nearly as much. Add me to the list of those who prefer the system on the steel frame version.

That Kahr hold-open block? The one I got doesn't quite line things up. I still just hold the thing as Bawana illustrated and tap the pin out.

[Captiva]

Over 30 types handguns collected, and this is the one (no slide release notch) I couldn't take apart until I found this thread. Thank you!

[Old No7]

That's a fine invention. I've heard of some setting up a punch in a vise and then holding the slide back while pushing on the punch. Your invention beats that considerable.

+1 on what Bawanna said -- that's some mighty fine thinking there!

Old No7

[dao]

Aw shucks, thanks :o

[187911]

I have one MK9, MK40, and K9, and I have two K40s.
https://i.imgur.com/0XdpWee.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/CKMCZhB.jpg

The K40 on the far right with slide stop that has a slanted end and a frame without screw and spring on it needs do be tapped out in order to break the gun down. If you look below, it also doesn't have the notches on the frame and slide that aids in field stripping.

All the others have the notches on the slide and frame, and I can pop the slide stop out with only medium pressure by hand after lining up the notches. I don't need any tools.

https://i.imgur.com/ViT4SRJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BnAsIV0.jpg
MK40 Manufactured Feb 2000
https://i.imgur.com/gZgOH5q.jpg
K40 Manufactured Feb 2014. This is most difficult to field strip and I need to use a tool to knock the slide stop out.
https://i.imgur.com/yCbw0Cu.jpg
K40 Purchased NIB Apr 2019.

[yqtszhj]

That’s a nice metal frame Kahr collection you have there. That makes me envious, and it takes something to make me feel that way.

[kenemoore]

My K-9 made in 2012 is of the harder variety. No witness marks, just eyeball the slide stop and the notch, and tap with a mag.

[Bawanna]

The K40 on the right is a far superior design in my feeble opinion. It locks up more positively on the off side with a straight kind of a leaf spring affair. Doesn't rely on the tiny little screw and spring on the near side.
Both systems work just fine but I like the far-right style better. Not that hard to tap it out.

[187911]

The K40 on the right is a far superior design in my feeble opinion. It locks up more positively on the off side with a straight kind of a leaf spring affair. Doesn't rely on the tiny little screw and spring on the near side.
Both systems work just fine but I like the far-right style better. Not that hard to tap it out.

I agree with you as I don't like the extra parts, but the newer design with the indicators on the slide and frame, the cutout on the slide, and the screw/spring on the frame is more convenient, easier to break down, and never caused an issue.

I purchased the MK40 used, so I don’t know how many rounds were put through it. It's still going on 23 years old, and still going strong with the screw design.

I wonder why and when Kahr switched up the design.

[187911]

That’s a nice metal frame Kahr collection you have there. That makes me envious, and it takes something to make me feel that way.

Thank you. I need a T9 or T40 in my life though. That's all I am missing.

[kenemoore]

Several years ago, I had a chance to buy a .40SW CZ 75B for 300 bucks with three mags. I passed because I did not have any other .40 guns. Now I am thinking, I should have bought it.
Because often .40 is the only ammo available at local shops. So because of that and this thread, I am currently bidding on a K40 on gunbroker. If I win and have to buy it, it's all y'all's fault.
BTW, it has the older slide stop.

[BirdsThaWord]

Very nice invention there dao. Some good thinking there for sure!

[dao]

What can I say, I had a Frank Zappa moment :D