Firing pin protrusion

[bumpfire]

Kahr customer service has not answered my question of what the spec is.
I think I am just stuck with figuring it out for myself. I measured three of my Kahr's at .032" and one is .028" so my guess is spec is .032" with a tolerance of +_ .004" or if less my .028 is out of spec.
I have seen on other threads that they will suggest a user try different brands of ammo if they get light strikes. I think that is unacceptable as I think a firearm should function with all brands of ammo that are in SAAMI specs.
The extractor will hold the round tight to the breech face so even a loose chamber or short case should fire 100% of the time which is required of a firearm.
I think there is a SAAMI spec for protrusion as it becomes part of the chamber but I can't find it. It is obvious to me that every manufacturer has a spec but Kahr is just not sharing theirs for some unknown reason?

[jocko]

bumpfire; PM sent...

[bumpfire]

Over the weekend I measured two of my 4 Kahr strikers and the PM9 in question was .010" shorter. The .010" shorter was from the tip to the shoulder. The service department said not to worry if it works but offered to send a new one if I wanted. I wanted and thanked them for going the extra mile.

[mr.72]

There's a doc on the Brownells web site that suggests .050" to .060" is the right amount for a center-fire pistol.

BROWNELLS : GunTech : How Does It Work? Brownells Firing Pin Protrusion Gauge - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools

However, the primer indent needs to be (according to my informal survey on the internet) about .016" and the protrusion of the firing pin/striker needs to be sufficient to make such an indent, and therefore the protrusion, when more than enough to make such an indent, is not the primary factor in light strikes. So the question needs to address the headspace and other geometry of the chamber of the pistol as well as the striker protrusion, striker spring energy and mass of the striker itself since it is the momentum of the striker that causes the primer to ignite. Drag in the striker channel could have a major effect, misalignment of the striker with the hole in the breech face could have a huge effect, or if the striker gets bent then it would obviously have an effect.

I suspect that Kahr strikers are on the short side in general and I find it interesting that they are, maybe anecdotally, .010" shorter than Glock and .018" or more shorter than the standard protrusion spec for "center fire pistols" that I found on the internet. I don't have an Armoror's Handbook or such a reference to check, but it could be worthwhile. However I think the problem is not so much the protrusion as it is likely other issues related to light strikes, more to do with manufacturing tolerances, which include the striker dimensions, spring rate and dimensions, striker channel finish and gunk, alignment, etc.

[bumpfire]

Thanks so much for the info.

The .010" is how much shorter my black PM9 than my other three Kahrs. The reason I am getting a new striker is that I could not find any spec. on protrusion. Kahr customer service said they can not give out that information.
Because it is my full time cary gun I just want to be sure.

[mr.72]

The cynic in me thinks that the reasons Kahr CS "can't give out that information" is either:

a. Kahr customer service reps do not have access to that information -or-
b. If they gave out that information, then it may reveal how many manufactured guns have out-of-spec strikers, causing a ton of requests for new strikers.

[jocko]

The cynic in me thinks that the reasons Kahr CS "can't give out that information" is either:

a. Kahr customer service reps do not have access to that information -or-
b. If they gave out that information, then it may reveal how many manufactured guns have out-of-spec strikers, causing a ton of requests for new strikers.

bottom line it it works don't screw with it..

[mr.72]

bottom line it it works don't screw with it..

Yeah, or if it doesn't work, then you're screwed.

[bumpfire]

The supervisor had the information but could not release it.

I have 3 Kahrs that read .032" with a feelers guage.
If the new striker is .032" I will call that the spec.
I ordered a protrusion guage and will recheck all four and post what it is.

[bumpfire]

I got my Protrusion guage today and measured all 4 Kahr's. They measured:
PM9 black with new striker .037
PM9 stainless .037
P9 .037
T9 .043
I am very happy and case closed.