PDA

View Full Version : anyone else hate slide stop spring



Slynchee
12-01-2010, 10:46 PM
I have a new PM40 and I can not understand why Kahr made the slide stop spring the way they did. I have already bent the spring in once and was forced to use needle nose pliers to lift it back out. I am sure that it will break sooner than later if this happens again. WHY would Kahr do this

Bawanna
12-02-2010, 12:10 AM
I have a new PM40 and I can not understand why Kahr made the slide stop spring the way they did. I have already bent the spring in once and was forced to use needle nose pliers to lift it back out. I am sure that it will break sooner than later if this happens again. WHY would Kahr do this

It looks like a weak leak but I just put a little grease on the lever pin itself. When I start the pin in I keep the lever at 4 or 5 oclock position. Then rotate it up just before its time to push it home.

I"ve had no problems at all. Some have a ton of rounds thru them without touching that spring too. It works.

I much prefer the way the steel guns are set up but probably hard to do with polymer frames.

jocko
12-02-2010, 07:17 AM
I have had the same PM9 slide stop spring in since I bought the gun and now it has over 30,000 + rounds. I would say at least it has been apart 250 times.. If you take your time it will not get damaged. I don't like it either but it is what it is and you just have to definitely install the slide stop lever exactly liike the manual states What Bawanna sta3tes is a big help to. alittle dab of grease on the slide stop lever or the spring tip itself helps things snap together even nicer.

garyb
12-02-2010, 07:19 AM
Nope. I have not had any problems so far. I have been very careful during dis and re-assembly and everything works fine.

Kingcreek
12-02-2010, 08:47 AM
I find it a minor irritation. I'm really glad I read and re-read the instructions before I did the first field strip.

Slynchee
12-02-2010, 11:52 AM
Does anyone know how to replace the Slide stop spring. I can not find this information anywhere

jocko
12-02-2010, 12:14 PM
U will need a #6 torx tool to take that screw out, and just remember that screw goes into polymer not a metal treaded insert. If you over tighten it, u will strip the polymer threads right out and then u are screwed. My advice to anyone who think they have bent the slide stop spring where it is not working correctly it to try to adjust it without taking out that little screw. it can be done very easily with a small needles nose plier..

The little spring tit should engage the slide stop just enough to always want to pull the slide stop downward, never upward. If the slide stop is inserted correctly, without the slide on even, u should be able to flip it upward and it will immedately want to return it downward. The follower is what pulls the slide stop lever upward, not that spring. very easy to check to see if you have done it correctly to. just remove the slide and reinstall the slide stop lever (correctly_) and then insert an empty magazine. It should pick up that slide stop lever and move it upward.

I dab of gun grease on that little groove on the slide stop lever will help it ride over that little spring alot easier. There is a little groove in that slide stop lever that that little springhy fits into when properly insatlled. U should always hear a snap noise when it is done right. Onehas to IMO really screw up that little springy to have to actually replace it. It willnot wear out, it shouldnever break kand unless u just screw it up big time there is no need to take that little screw out either. do it all correctly formt he git go and it willnever give one issue. I do feel I am proof of that as i know I have take my PM9 down over 250 times in the 30,000+ rounds that has went through it and I have never touched that little springhy. I do think it is a fragile area but also I do feel that if one doesn't abuse that area either, there should never be an issue. Most springhy faults are induced by the owner and not by the gun itself..

TheTman
12-02-2010, 12:45 PM
I agree it could have been designed better. I'm sure glad I read the forums before i took the slide off my Kahr.

Bawanna
12-02-2010, 01:20 PM
Be sure to read the 05 production jamming thread. GB Greg just made a great post that answers your question perfectly.

gb6491
12-02-2010, 01:32 PM
Does anyone know how to replace the Slide stop spring. I can not find this information anywhere


U will need a #6 torx tool to take that screw out, and just remember that screw goes into polymer not a metal treaded insert. If you over tighten it, u will strip the polymer threads right out and then u are screwed. ...
I think the Torx size is not standard as I used a T-6 successfully, but read here that a Torx-IP5 was needed and on another forum that a T-7 was used.
Regardless, there is a great need for caution when doing the replacement becuase of the screw into polymer that Jocko mentioned. To this end, it is not necessary to completely remove the screw if you are only replacing the spring; just loosen it enough to get the spring end out of its hole in the frame. Here is some suggested reading in regards to replacing the spring:
http://kahrtalk.com/p-cw-series-pistols/2774-new-380-same-issues.html#post29719
http://kahrtalk.com/pm-series-pistols/3351-new-pm9-owner-slide-lock-spring-question.html
http://kahrtalk.com/p-cw-series-pistols/3275-new-p380-any-special-fluff-buff-considerations.html#post34206
http://kahrtalk.com/15672-post5.html
Regards,
Greg

jocko
12-02-2010, 01:50 PM
definitely not a T7 size a T6 is what is needed. Ithe IPS thing is not needed either, but to be on the safe side, one can order the too direclty form kahr

gb6491
12-02-2010, 02:22 PM
definitely not a T7 size a T6 is what is needed. Ithe IPS thing is not needed either, but to be on the safe side, one can order the too direclty form kahr
I know that Kahr sells two different torx drivers for poly frame guns: Kahr Arms Case & Tools (http://www.kahr.com/Case-and-Tools/Case-and-Tools.asp) .
I did use a T6 Torx driver on my CW45. However, another person reported needing a different size on their CW45:
THR - View Single Post - Kahr CW45 (http://thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6817756&postcount=25)
The Torx-IP5 was referenced by the person changing the spring on a P380:
http://kahrtalk.com/29719-post5.html
Now, it's possible they could be mistaken about the tools they used (though I doubt it).....I just think it might be prudent to have a selection of Torx drivers on hand.
Regards,
Greg

jocko
12-02-2010, 02:29 PM
t5 fits the P380, the other tool that kahr sells. someone had told me before that the side panels are T5 on the big guns but I don't find tha true. It wouldmake no sense to have two different sizes on one gun.

Slynchee
12-04-2010, 06:29 AM
Jocko,
I took the needle nose pliers and bent the spring back up like you suggested. It seems to be working better. I am concerned that I will continue to bend the spring and have to bend the spring back up over and over again. How many times can I bend it back up before it will finally break? It does not seem that stable of a design.

jocko
12-04-2010, 09:17 AM
It won't break but just remember that little spring only returns the slide stop downward, so tweek it until it does that with ease and your good to go. U should be able to install the slide stop lever and the little spring should ride over that shoulder on the slide stop lever and actually make a click sound, You can certainly feel it . If u look at that slide stop lever, you will see on that little nub that the spring rides over there is a very slight groove in that nub. That is where that little spring will end up when u install it. For as week as an area as it may seem , we dont really see any continuing issues in this area unless one installs the slide stop incorrectly, then they have to re tweek it.

actually that slide stop spring has alot of engineering into it for that spring does two things. #1 It holds the slide stop lever downward with that little tit on the spring. #2 the back side (left of the screw) also is a spring action set up also for it will snap into that little groove on your slide stop pin that is right next to the flat side of the slide stop lever. That is what holds the slide stop from coming out of the gun also.. I always put a dab of grease on these two areas of the spring as it just helps for everything to snap into place nicer, IMO.

With the slide off the gun and now you have tweeked it, reinstall the slide stop lever and now insert an empty magazine and see if the magazine follower moves the slide stop lever upward. Don't over tweek it or u make the follower work to hard to move it upward and then you might get some failure to lock open. I know ur gonna say " how in the hell do I know if I over tweek it"..? Doing the above testing will show for you

That is also why some people feel the need to over tighten this little screw for they see that the engire spring seems to be loose in the mounting. I do think only partially that the top portion of the spring is held into place by that cupped washer, allowing the spring to do it two related functions. If that spring was dead nuts tight and could not move, then it would cease to be a spring.

Last resort if you think you have really screwed up is to call kahr and order a new slide stop spring but just be damn careful when taking that little screw out and putting it back in. One can tweek it like you did perfectly while still on the gun. truthfully, it is not rocket science to do this.

good luck..???Probably a bad term to use as it is not luck.

Bawanna
12-04-2010, 11:04 AM
Worth noting I believe GB Greg, can't never remember his other numbers adivsed that you don't have to completely remove that spring retainer screw. You can just back it off enough to get the spring off. That should alleviate any chance of cross threading and messing up the tupperware.
It doesn't sound like your to the replacement point yet. Do what Jocko said, I ain't gonna agree with him no more but he accidently said the right stuff for once.
That little dab of grease helps and starting the slide stop if the lever down about 4 or 5 oclock position and then moving up to 3 at the insertion point saves some grief.
It's not rocket science, well it kind of is to me but I dont have a fully functioning brain but it's not hard once you get a grasp on it.

jocko
12-04-2010, 12:25 PM
that might work OK bawanna but that little spring has a 90 degree bend in it that goes into a small hole in the polymer grip. having never tred to take one off, I can't disagree with GB Greg either. That damn little screw is short anyhow, so one has to be very careful in workng in that area even. With the the screw snugged, that entire spring should be able to move, .

I do have a question to ask of guys who have screwed around in that area, What would you tink of when you take that little screw out of the opolymer frame that before you put it back int a dab of super glue on the little screw and then screwing it in the grip till snug. I would think this would give that screw a good solid base to adhear to in case when removing that little screw, one messed up those threads a tad and didn't know it. Again all that little screw and washer vup does is hold that spring thing in place not solidily in place as the 90 degree bends is what actually keeps that little springy thing from falling out of that area when the screw and cup are in place.

Has anyone tried the super glue thing??

jlottmc
12-04-2010, 04:33 PM
My P45 was acting up last night at the range. I bent the spring back, and if I ever take that screw out, I'll use it. I just don't want to do that though.