jeep45238
02-10-2010, 12:21 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKdXmcdB5WE
Having trouble with windage on your Kahr? Before you start moving sights or ordering parts and blaming the gun, try modifying how you shoot the gun first. Yes, many, many, many people say that it can't be them because they don't do it with any of their other DA guns that have harder pulls. Give this a try though - it's free, and requires absolutely no modification to the gun, ammo, or mags.
The Kahr is a bit unique in that aspect though, and it demands that you be willing to break or modify habits to shoot it well using your sight picture. Most people that are used to double actions are NOT used to how close the backstrap (hence the palm) is to the breaking point of the Kahrs (which is at or slightly past vertical). This is true both of revolver shooters, and of DA/SA and DAO auto-feeder pistols (like Beretta 92, CZ75, 2nd gen Taurus Millenium pro, and others). It is ESPECIALLY true for somebody used to the straight back trigger motion of a 1911.
While it is very true that no 2 guns of the same make/model/caliber will shoot to the exact point of aim, we're dealing with pistols, not 1/4 MOA repeatable bolt actions here. When centered in the dovetails, the sights will be close enough to poa that most people won't be able to notice.
The same is true about the height of the sight. You'll find that almost every 5" 1911 with novak sights runs a .175-.180" tall front sight post, though the officer models are much taller. Fixed sights are close enough to not worry about, IF you do your part!
Like it or not, that's how it is with these guns. You HAVE to revert back to basics and focus EXTENSIVELY on that trigger finger and isolating it's movement.
Short of a burr on the crown or a very very loose sight, excessive windage adjustment/error is almost ALWAYS the shooter, not the gun.
Most people are aware of the whole "put the pad of your index finger on the trigger" aspect. MOST of these people are NOT aware that to keep the windage proper you HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FINGER PERPENDICULAR TO THE BORE WHEN THE SHOT BREAKS. This is true of rifles AND handguns.
If you fail to do this, especially on a gun with a sweeping trigger with a long pull, your finger will wind up putting pressure on the SIDE of the trigger, moving the gun - vs. on the face of the trigger and keeping the windage true.
Normal starting point:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo44.jpg
Normal ending point (notice portion of finger that moves the trigger is NOT 90* to the bore):
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo45.jpg
Normal starting point:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo46.jpg
Modified ending point (last digit is much closer to perpendicular to the bore when the shot breaks)
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo47.jpg
If you need to drift the sights, and you do so to make it hit point of aim when you grab the gun and just shoot, that's fine and dandy - but that is no way, shape, or form, the fault of the gun, solely the shooter. Would this matter in a defensive situation? Well, having damn near been there, I don't even remember drawing the gun, but it was right in front of me pretty quick. I highly doubt you'll be looking for a sight picture at all.
Having trouble with windage on your Kahr? Before you start moving sights or ordering parts and blaming the gun, try modifying how you shoot the gun first. Yes, many, many, many people say that it can't be them because they don't do it with any of their other DA guns that have harder pulls. Give this a try though - it's free, and requires absolutely no modification to the gun, ammo, or mags.
The Kahr is a bit unique in that aspect though, and it demands that you be willing to break or modify habits to shoot it well using your sight picture. Most people that are used to double actions are NOT used to how close the backstrap (hence the palm) is to the breaking point of the Kahrs (which is at or slightly past vertical). This is true both of revolver shooters, and of DA/SA and DAO auto-feeder pistols (like Beretta 92, CZ75, 2nd gen Taurus Millenium pro, and others). It is ESPECIALLY true for somebody used to the straight back trigger motion of a 1911.
While it is very true that no 2 guns of the same make/model/caliber will shoot to the exact point of aim, we're dealing with pistols, not 1/4 MOA repeatable bolt actions here. When centered in the dovetails, the sights will be close enough to poa that most people won't be able to notice.
The same is true about the height of the sight. You'll find that almost every 5" 1911 with novak sights runs a .175-.180" tall front sight post, though the officer models are much taller. Fixed sights are close enough to not worry about, IF you do your part!
Like it or not, that's how it is with these guns. You HAVE to revert back to basics and focus EXTENSIVELY on that trigger finger and isolating it's movement.
Short of a burr on the crown or a very very loose sight, excessive windage adjustment/error is almost ALWAYS the shooter, not the gun.
Most people are aware of the whole "put the pad of your index finger on the trigger" aspect. MOST of these people are NOT aware that to keep the windage proper you HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FINGER PERPENDICULAR TO THE BORE WHEN THE SHOT BREAKS. This is true of rifles AND handguns.
If you fail to do this, especially on a gun with a sweeping trigger with a long pull, your finger will wind up putting pressure on the SIDE of the trigger, moving the gun - vs. on the face of the trigger and keeping the windage true.
Normal starting point:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo44.jpg
Normal ending point (notice portion of finger that moves the trigger is NOT 90* to the bore):
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo45.jpg
Normal starting point:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo46.jpg
Modified ending point (last digit is much closer to perpendicular to the bore when the shot breaks)
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/Photo47.jpg
If you need to drift the sights, and you do so to make it hit point of aim when you grab the gun and just shoot, that's fine and dandy - but that is no way, shape, or form, the fault of the gun, solely the shooter. Would this matter in a defensive situation? Well, having damn near been there, I don't even remember drawing the gun, but it was right in front of me pretty quick. I highly doubt you'll be looking for a sight picture at all.