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Thread: Newcomer Welcome and Info Links

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Exclamation Newcomer Welcome and Info Links

    Welcome to the KahrTalk Forum. We're a small, but enthusiastic and FRIENDLY community... well, for the most part. We're trying to make the site easier for newcomers to Kahr to learn about Kahr pistols.

    My welcome here is a work in progress and will take some editing and help from the monitors. It's going to be a "sticky" to be placed at the top of this page of the forum, and comments aren't expected here. Links for what I'm discussing will be added at the end of this post.

    I also started a Comment on Newcomer Welcome thread for comments!

    These are my opinions, but I've been here for over three years and have benefited from the experience and help of many of the members. We learn from each other and hopefully can pass on some of this knowledge to you, and likewise, you may help us with learning about these pistols and YOUR experiences with them.

    There are a lot of knowledgeable people here who have had a great deal of experience with these compact concealed carry pistols. Of course, there are some who think they know a lot, so consider the source of information... whether it comes from actual owners and people who have experience... or from someone's hearsay on the 'Net.

    Kahr.com is a great source of information and there are many threads, posts, and links to those and information at Kahr.com. The magazine reviews are helpful in seeing what "experts" have to say and they usually show their results with the ammunition they use... muzzle velocity, energy, and accuracy... and any problems they had with the pistol or ammo... very helpful in deciding what ammo to carry for self defense. Of course, your results may vary. The Kahr trigger pull is very much like a fine-tuned revolver and takes getting used to.

    Before doing anything with your new Kahr, the best thing you can do is watch the take down video for your particular pistol and then read the Frequently Asked Questions where you may find answers to your burning questions. Some of the favorites:

    the chip missing from the left rail in the frame -- The little "nick" in the left frame rail is for manufacturing alignment.
    the fraying plastic rails -- The polymer rails are for alignment in slide installation and not supportive.
    the use of +P ammo. -- All Kahrs are rated for +P ammo, but NOT +P+.

    If you didn't get a manual with your pistol, you can download a .pdf file from Kahr.com, too.

    In any case, before you take your new Kahr apart and try to "intuitively" put it back together, WATCH THE TAKE DOWN VIDEO! I can't overemphasize this as there are several ways you can jam or break your new pistol and induce "malfunctions"!

    All springs have a certain orientation and this affects performance. Magazine springs have the free end to the front of the follower/tube.

    Recoil springs are placed on the recoil rod with the OPEN END to the front. That end is looser and the rear is closed to grip the rod and stay in place.

    The little spring residing behind the slide lock release lever does several things and is easily damaged. The forward loop rests in the groove on the slide lock pin to retain it in place and the free end at the rear must rest on a ledge on the back of the slide lock lever to push down the slide lock until the magazine follower rises to the top on the last cartridge. Both parts of the spring are easily damaged with improper insertion of the slide lock pin! The Take Down Video emphasizes proper insertion and shows the process in detail. Please watch the video! Many new owners, experienced with firearms or not, will find the Kahrs have different features or designs than other pistols. IF you decide to tighten that screw holding the washer and spring in place... BE VERY CAREFUL and DON'T OVER-TORQUE the screw. It's threaded into plastic and stripping the screws can require a NEW FRAME! I have used the bare Torx bit to tighten with finger pressure alone... less is better!

    A major problem with insertion of the pin is NOT getting it through the peanut-shaped hole in the barrel lug. If you get the pin forward of the hole, it may require grinding the slide lock to remove the pin, or more expensive, a trip back to Kahr for a gunsmith's attention. Please pay attention, most malfunctions start with this very important pin being inserted improperly!

    To chamber a round, Kahr recommends first locking the slide back, inserting a loaded magazine, and then releasing the slide lock to chamber the first round.
    For carry, most of us remove the magazine and top it off to give us the magazine capacity +1 for carry. Make sure the top round is fully to the rear in the magazine. Racking or sling-shotting the slide can be done, but the chance of adding drag by riding the slide, even a little bit, can slow the slide's forward motion to preclude proper chambering of a cartridge. These Kahrs are compact and very tight in tolerances. With break in, the action will loosen up and you might be able to reliably rack the slide for chambering, but the slide lock method removes the chance for riding the slide for most people.

    Kahr pistols have a striker safety block that prevents firing unless the trigger is pulled, so it it safe to carry with a round in the chamber.

    This is a very long-winded welcome and I really ramble along, but it's too easy to damage your new Kahr without learning something about them.

    We look forward to talking with you and sharing experiences. Again, welcome to our community!

    Wynn

    A.K.A. wyntrout

    Take Down Video: http://www.kahr.com/Pistols/Kahr-CM9.asp

    Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.kahr.com/faq.asp

    Manuals and Downloads: http://www.kahr.com/sitemap.asp

    Kahr Lubrication Diagram: http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14750

    Kahr.com Site map: http://www.kahr.com/sitemap.asp

    Archives, Magazine Articles and Reviews: http://www.kahr.com/product-reviews.asp


    There are many other helpful links under this forum heading as well.

    .
    Last edited by wyntrout; 09-11-2012 at 10:45 AM. Reason: Add links
    USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
    Avatar: Wynn re-enlists his wife Desiree, circa 1988 Loring AFB, ME. 42nd BMW, Heavy (SAC) B-52G's
    Frédéric Bastiat’s essay, The Law: http://mises.org/books/thelaw.pdf

    Thomas Jefferson said

    “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
    and

    "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

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