Question for Kahr owners

I think it's normal - at least in my experience with my Kahrs. Never really paid much attention to it once I understood the way these guns cycle. If you strip it and press the striker forward past the block, then touch the pin from the breech face, you can feel how little it takes for it to move back. I'm guessing your dry fire snap occasionally jars the striker back behind the block.

Have you cleaned it since you bought it? I would at least flush out the striker channel...

The firing pin protrudes until the side cycles to the rear. Normal. Cleaning not a bad idea. Google the "ripley retractor" to make disassembly of the slide easier. The Kahr Forum has many helpful tips.

The owners manual covers this, iirc. I think that it is only an issue if the firing pin can protrude beyond the breech face after it's in the most rearward position with the firing pin block reset. I think that's a setup for a slam fire.

The Kahr forum has a sticky on the proper method to prep your Kahr (and don't forget to check the mag spring if you're having issues, they sometimes get inserted backwards)

SteadyD said:

I just picked up a Kahr CW380 a few days back. I know it is normal for the firing pin/striker to protrude from the breech face after dry firing, and then once the slide cycles the firing pin retracts. However, sometimes (once every five or six times perhaps)after dry firing the firing pin is NOT protruding from the breech face. Is this normal?

Thanks as always!

Click to expand...

I'd say normal.
At the end of it's forward travel, the Kahr striker is not under any spring tension. It's possible for the striker to rebound back into the slide when dry firing (especially if the trigger is being held back).
Regards,
Greg

Ditto on flushing out the striker channel. They seem to get dirty quick. I also believe that the Kahr likes Higher pressure ammo. Be sure and line up recoil springs correctly.

I started using a Sonic Cleaner about 6 months ago and one those gun accessories I can only wonder why I did not get one years ago. I use Ballistol Milk. (90% water and 10% Ballistol). Cleans great and leaves a very light coat of oil that does not gum up. I then use a can of compress air to blow everything out and dry. I have over time broken down and cleaned out all my striker channels. For me, the Kahr was on the difficult side. You have to be really careful not to loose a part are spring.
Clean a firearm really well and then place in a sonic cleaner and be surprised what you left behind. I also dunk in my Magazines, Makes them very slick and they function great.

usp9 said:

The firing pin protrudes until the side cycles to the rear. Normal. Cleaning not a bad idea. Google the "ripley retractor" to make disassembly of the slide easier. The Kahr Forum has many helpful tips.

Click to expand...

I did a search for "Ripley Retractor" and didn't find anything relating to Kahr pistols.
Care to elaborate on what it is?

I believe it is just a name from a Individual owner for a homemade tool like a cut clothes hanger or such, Check out any video on Kahr takedown you can use a number of things

dfariswheel said:

I did a search for "Ripley Retractor" and didn't find anything relating to Kahr pistols.
Care to elaborate on what it is?

Click to expand...

Here's a link to a KahrTalk forum thread about the "ripley retractor" , a homemade tool to hold the striker, spring and guide rod in place while you remove the back plate. Prevents parts from flying away. Simple and effective when taking apart the upper of any Kahr. Turns a three handed process into a two handed process. Created by a forum member Ripley16 then later another forum member coined the term "Ripley Retractor". Sounds much better than "coathanger thingy".

Use a small jeweler screwdriver to pull the guide rod off the back plate. Insert one end of the retractor into the space. Hook the other end onto the breach face. Pressure is relieved from the plate and you can begin the process to remove it, (another three handed task).

http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread....-the-Kahr-s-Upper!&highlight=ripley+retractor

Or this 15 cent piece (pegboard)



Just be sure to not loose any parts. It looks easier than it is. I always order spare recoil springs. And when I did I also included many of the small springs and parts, extractor as well. If you loose a spring you will have to pay for the shipping which is ridiculous. Better to be prepared ahead of the time.

How do you use the pegboard hook?

FWIW; In my opinion, the tough part about working on a Kahr upper is relieving the pressure of the extractor spring and pin off of the backplate. The hole is tiny that one uses to push the pin away from the plate and the pin has a indent in which it rests so it has to be moved a distance to clear the indent. Again, I use a small jewelers screwdriver. Even doing all of that, sometimes the plate fits snuggly and must be pried loose to start.

usp9 said:

How do you use the pegboard hook?

FWIW; In my opinion, the tough part about working on a Kahr upper is relieving the pressure of the extractor spring and pin off of the backplate. The hole is tiny that one uses to push the pin away from the plate and the pin has a indent in which it rests so it has to be moved a distance to clear the indent. Again, I use a small jewelers screwdriver. Even doing all of that, sometimes the plate fits snuggly and must be pried loose to start.

Click to expand...

The is a youtube video showing a guy taking down the Kahr and using it. If you cannot find it, I will look later. The Back Plate can be a real Bi***! I do not think Kahr spends much time in making many of there parts very smooth, hence the amount of break in time. After you get the black plate out, be sure and smooth it down with some sand paper and hone the receiver slot down a little. Also you can just use the take down pin instead of the hanger etc.

Here is a good video. Very clear.

I see. Thanks for the video. However, the main benefit by using the ripley retractor is that the spring loaded parts are all held in place and completely off of the rear plate while you work on depressing the extractor pin and moving the plate. It seems the spring would still be pushing on the pegboard hook, making it harder to move the plate. Just my opinion of course. I've done it both ways and found the retractor much easier to use.

Tony k said:

The owners manual covers this, iirc. I think that it is only an issue if the firing pin can protrude beyond the breech face after it's in the most rearward position with the firing pin block reset. I think that's a setup for a slam fire.

Click to expand...

You likely won't appreciate how little the M16 firing pin is constrained.

It can leave a dimple on the primer just loading a round. And yet over 7 million don't have an issue with it and there have been no major recalls to "fix" it.

I suspect the design engineers at Kahr might just know what they are doing, especially considering the number of patents they hold in recent history. They seem to be advancing the state of the art of mechanical design, not falling into major traps of liability. Despite suspicions.

Tirod said:

You likely won't appreciate how little the M16 firing pin is constrained.

It can leave a dimple on the primer just loading a round. And yet over 7 million don't have an issue with it and there have been no major recalls to "fix" it.

I suspect the design engineers at Kahr might just know what they are doing, especially considering the number of patents they hold in recent history. They seem to be advancing the state of the art of mechanical design, not falling into major traps of liability. Despite suspicions.

Click to expand...

I hear what you're saying, and that's one of the reasons I like Kahr as a company. Big difference is that the m16 has a free floating firing pin. I'm pretty familiar with the dimple you are referring to.

Kahrs do not have a free floating firing pin, and that's a significant design difference. It is under constant spring tension, so if the striker block is not doing it's job the firing pin can protrude beyond the breech face and strike the primer under spring tension as it goes into battery. That's a setup for a slamfire with Kahr's design.

I tried to link to the Kahr onwners manual, but it's too large of a file, bit you can find it here. https://www.kahr.com/brochures-manuals/

See page 23 of Kahrs owners manual. It specifically says to inspect for this condition and defines how to do it.

Tony k said:

I hear what you're saying, and that's one of the reasons I like Kahr as a company. Big difference is that the m16 has a free floating firing pin. I'm pretty familiar with the dimple you are referring to.

Kahrs do not have a free floating firing pin, and that's a significant design difference. It is under constant spring tension, so if the striker block is not doing it's job the firing pin can protrude beyond the breech face and strike the primer under spring tension as it goes into battery. That's a setup for a slamfire with Kahr's design.

I tried to link to the Kahr onwners manual, but it's too large of a file, bit you can find it here. https://www.kahr.com/brochures-manuals/

See page 23 of Kahrs owners manual. It specifically says to inspect for this condition and defines how to do it.

Click to expand...

Tony k said:

Kahrs do not have a free floating firing pin, and that's a significant design difference. It is under constant spring tension, so if the striker block is not doing it's job the firing pin can protrude beyond the breech face and strike the primer under spring tension as it goes into battery. That's a setup for a slamfire with Kahr's design.

Click to expand...

When cartridge is being fed, by the time its bottom raises high enough for a contact with a firing pin, the latter is held by the sear, not the safety. In fact, safety becomes disengaged as the round is being chambered, because the trigger is still pressed at the time. The critical safety component in this case is the disconnector (or equivalent - in this case the cam), not the safety.

Tony k said:

See page 23 of Kahrs owners manual. It specifically says to inspect for this condition and defines how to do it.

Click to expand...

Just about every gun manual says that. My Walther PPQ manual does.

Tony k said:

I hear what you're saying, and that's one of the reasons I like Kahr as a company. Big difference is that the m16 has a free floating firing pin. I'm pretty familiar with the dimple you are referring to.

Kahrs do not have a free floating firing pin, and that's a significant design difference. It is under constant spring tension, so if the striker block is not doing it's job the firing pin can protrude beyond the breech face and strike the primer under spring tension as it goes into battery. That's a setup for a slamfire with Kahr's design.

I tried to link to the Kahr onwners manual, but it's too large of a file, bit you can find it here. https://www.kahr.com/brochures-manuals/

See page 23 of Kahrs owners manual. It specifically says to inspect for this condition and defines how to do it.

Click to expand...

In a fully functional Kahr pistol, the striker is not under striker spring tension when it protrudes from the breech face. The end of the striker spring does not push directly on the striker, rather it pushes on the striker spacer. The spacer has some travel, front to back, in the striker body. When the "legs" on the front of the spacer contact the end of the striker tunnel, the spacer is stopped but the striker can continue forward via inertia. There is no spring tension on the striker once the striker spacer is in contact with the end of the tunnel. You can check this by removing the slide and holding the striker block down while moving the striker back and forth. It will not be under striker spring tension for the small amount of travel that the spacer's travel provides.
Regards,
Greg