CW9 - keep on loosing front sight

[skipjack]

Hi, new subscriber here, but am a long time lurker.

I have a CW9, which was bought used. I've put around 800 rounds through the pistol.

Problem I have is the CW9 keeps on launching it's front sight at the range. I just lost the 3rd one. The 1st two were the plastic ones, but the last was a tritium night sight that I bought from Kahr. Using ordinary range grade ammo; Winchester white box 115gr ball for the last session.

The 1st sight was original, the other two I put on following Kahr's directions. They stayed in place for about 200 rounds before seeking orbit.

Getting frustrated. I like the pistol, but it's not reliable for CCW if the front sight randomly flies off.

Right now I'm temped to put another plastic sight on it and sell the thing.

Has anyone else had this problem? What did you do to solve it? The only thing I haven't tried is buying a sight from Dawsons, but I really don't want to burn another $50 + just to watch it fly away within 200 rounds.

BTW also have a PM9. Very happy with it.

Thank you for any input.

[skipjack]

Well, I think I found what I did wrong. Dawson recommends using red locktite under the sight base, where Kahr didn't. Since the mounting posts sheared off where they met the sight base, maybe this is it.

Thank you for any input.

[getsome]

Yes it’s a common problem but if you like the pistol and it shoots well go to Amazon and buy a bottle of Loctite green 609 retaining compound and apply it to the screws of a new set of Dawson sights and I promise they will stay put……A word of warning about the Loctite green bearing retainer stuff, don’t use it on anything you might ever need to take apart again in your lifetime……….Blue is good for holding things but can be taken apart again fairly easily with hand tools, Red is strong stuff and sometimes requires a bit of heat to remove a fastener but the Green is permanent atomic bomb proof stuff and will stand up to recoil and your sights will stay put and stop running away from home……….

[gedallum]

Did you use blue loctite on the two screws for the tritium night sights?

[skipjack]

Thank you for the replies.

Yes I did use blue loctite in the screws. They and the posts stayed in the slide. The posts sheared off at the base of the sight, just like the plastic ones.

Thinking it over, I will look for slightly longer screw if I replace the sight with another tritium sight from Kahr. The ones it came with didn't go into the sight body.

[gedallum]

I think you may be onto something there. I didn't realize that the screws were that short. I am no expert, so take my opinions with a grain of salt. I would think that a combination of slightly longer screws and loctite (probably blue) under the front sight base and on the screws of the truglo would hold it in place for a long, long time. One thing to check when you get the new sight is to make sure that the posts are not too long and prevent the sight from tightening up on the slide. The posts fit a little loose in the slide holes if I remember correctly. Both screws need to be tightened down firmly but not really torqued too much (they are really small). The front screw is a bugger to get a screwdriver to grip well. Even if you can't find longer screws, I would try it one more time using red loctite under the front sight base and on the screws. I have recently installed the Kahr (Truglo) night sights on my CW9, but I only have about 100 rounds on it since the installation. No problems yet. Let us know what you decide to do. Good luck!

[skipjack]

Thank you again for all of the input.

I decided to order another Truglo front tritium sight from Kahr. Will see if I can find longer screws plus use red locktite between the sight base and slide and see if it stays on.

Still don't know if I will keep it. Right now it sits between a often carried Glock 27 and the PM9 in size and capability. Its becoming a safe queen. Who knows, maybe I'll turn it into some sort of project gun, although I don't know what to do to it yet.

[skiflydive]

FWIW Loctite isn't a glue or adhesive per se. It's not intended to glue the sight to the slide. It's an anaerobic thread sealer (meaning in the absence of oxygen,) to keep fasteners from coming apart. They make adhesives but here we're always talking about blue and red which are specifically for threaded fasteners. Not intended to "glue" your sight to your slide. YMMV.

[bugs]

while I did not have the front sight popping off, I wanted TFOs on my CM9 , so I had a dovetail cut into the slide; now more sight options are open for me and I know the ft. sight will be there for me. $75 for a dovetail cut beats a $50 lost tritium sight and another $50 for the chance of losing another one; go with the dovetail and be done with it.

[bugs]

pardon this question, if the posts are "sheared " off, how will locktite prevent shearing ? if the post is "sheared off" wouldn't it have to be rubbing against something?

[bugs]

pardon this question, if the posts are "sheared " off,  how will locktite prevent shearing ? if the post is "sheared off" wouldn't it have to be rubbing against something?

[skipjack]

while I did not have the front sight popping off, I wanted TFOs on my CM9 , so I had a dovetail cut into the slide; now more sight options are open for me and I know the ft. sight will be there for me. $75 for a dovetail cut beats a $50 lost tritium sight and another $50 for the chance of losing another one; go with the dovetail and be done with it.

Sounds like an idea. Did you get it done locally or send the slide to someone?

As for the posts shearing off, the only thing I can think of is the weight of the sight vs the recoiling slide. Yeah, doesn't make much sense. That's why I'm searching for some insight with this thread.

And yes, locktite isn't a glue, but others mention using it, and I'm looking for successful ways to keep the sight in place. Loosing the sight probably isn't that common because the internet would be full off complaints and solutions if it was. There's a way to put it on correctly, but the info is not easy to find

[bugs]

I had the dovetail cut at a local gun shop (one of the best gun related investments I've made); looking back I did have a ft. sight come off my G21 but that was because it hit the edge of the port (early in my USPSA life) I was shooting thru; that was a wedged sight, replaced w/ a screw ft. sight and learned to stand back from the ports; now no worries.

NRA LIFER

IDPA BELIEVER

[skipjack]

Here's an update.

Received the new sight and called Kahr to get any updated information on how to properly install it. They told me that they if I sent the slide and sight in, they would install at no charge and warranty it if there are any more problems. This is on a gun that was made over 10 years ago.

It's a solid deal for me. Putting the stuff in the mail tomorrow.