Kahr k40 won't fire

[gsmith]

This is my first post. I have been lurking for a while and have gotten some great info from this site! I borrowed a friend's K40 while he is out of town, took it to the range, loaded the mag, pulled the trigger and click, no boom!
To check the ammo (2 different kinds), I fired 2 mags through my CZ40, no problem. What should I look for? The range officer took a look and said the striker, wasn't striking (that was my guess too)!

Thanks in advance for your help!

gsmith

 

[gbelleh]

Welcome to THR!!
I hope your friend wasn't using this gun for defense!

I'm sure others with more knowledge of the inner workings of Kahrs will offer help soon.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Gsmith...

Yes, welcome. We're mostly a good bunch here. Do you think you friend didn't know the Kahr would not fire? Maybe he did something like remove the firing pin before he left. Or worse, maybe it broke on his last range session and he didn't realize it. Have you ever seen the pistol fire before? Please follow up on this mystery.

Will

 

[gsmith]

Will, Thanks again. No I had not seen this gun before. He has a lot of guns and I am looking for a CCW. I had heard a lot of good things about the Kahr's and asked if he had one. He didn't say anything about any problems and I didn't think to ask. I downloaded a manual from the Kahr website, but have not had time to look at things yet. Any help on what to look for once I field strip it would be appreciated!

 

[dfariswheel]

Basically, what you need to look at for problems are:

Check the rotary sear in the back of the frame. This should have two "lobes" on the top area. One is formed to pull the striker/firing pin back, and the other, rounded one activates the firing pin lock.

Pull the trigger and make sure the rotary sear rotates, and both lobes look OK.

Next check the bottom of the slide.
Make sure the firing pin lock moves up and down into the slide smoothly.

Check the lobe on the bottom of the striker/firing pin. Make sure it's not damaged or altered.

Check the firing pin spring by pulling the pin back SLIGHTLY, (not much) and insure it has plenty of spring tension and isn't broken.

Press the firing pin lock in, and move the firing pin forward. The pin tip should protrude very slightly from the breech face pin hole. (Kahr's pin doesn't protrude as much as most gun designs).

If everything looks OK, check the chamber for built up crud.

Test fire, insuring that the slide is going all the way forward into battery.

Best bet: A broken firing pin tip.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Was there any sort of mark on the primer at all?

If not, chances are it's either a broken firing pin or something in the firing pin channel that's keeping it from contacting the primer.