kahr matinence questions

[Pender1]

ok guys, I've got 2 questions for you, but I'm just going to combine them into one thread out of laziness.

I have a PM9 with an uncertain round count(bought it used, old owner didn't remember). So I'm contemplating changing out my springs. Haven't had any trouble, just want to change them out and have a sure round count on the spring. My question is should I have a break-in period with the spring? As it is I've never had a single problem with it, except for a friend limp wristing it.

My second question is about my P380, is there any advantage to getting the stainless slide rod other than it being more rust proof and looking nicer? Any downside to it? I just bought one and figured if while I'm paying for shipping from Kahr I'll go ahead and get everything I want.

thanks in advance

[Bawanna]

I'd shoot the gun soon as possible after swapping out springs just to make sure everything works and is installed correctly but I don't see a need for a break in.
The stainless guide rods are more durable and will last longer. I'm not even sure on the 380. Do they have stainless guide rods or are they like the other PMs with a one piece unit like my PM45. I got the stainless rod for my K40 with no regret. Looks and works real nice.

[Pender1]

the p380 appears to have a one piece blued guide rod, not the double spring setup the PM's have. not sure why it's not stainless though.

[Bawanna]

None of the factory ones are stainless. I can't remember the name now but there's a fella that makes them that several have bought from or direct from Kahr. Bedair maybe. Seems like it was something like that. Nice stuff he has.

[jocko]

ok guys, I've got 2 questions for you, but I'm just going to combine them into one thread out of laziness.

I have a PM9 with an uncertain round count(bought it used, old owner didn't remember). So I'm contemplating changing out my springs. Haven't had any trouble, just want to change them out and have a sure round count on the spring. My question is should I have a break-in period with the spring? As it is I've never had a single problem with it, except for a friend limp wristing it.

My second question is about my P380, is there any advantage to getting the stainless slide rod other than it being more rust proof and looking nicer? Any downside to it? I just bought one and figured if while I'm paying for shipping from Kahr I'll go ahead and get everything I want.

thanks in advance

change out the recoil spring assembly. Leave the striker spring alone, Unless it breaks, it will not wear out, same thing for the slide lock lever spring. LEAVE IT ALONE.

Magazine springs, if in doubt replace them. they are cheap insurance. I think your doing the right thing.

My P380 has over 1300 rounds through it and is the same factory recoil rod. It will not wear out, if you like the stainless rods, pay the price and get one, not going to hurt a darn thing. You have two nice guns there.

PM sent also.

[Pender1]

thanks Jocko, got your PM. good info.

[wyntrout]

Kahr has SS guide rods/recoil spring kits for most or all of their pistols. Doesn't anyone ever check out the Kahr site for info and products??

Here, just below Ported Barrels under accessories:

Kahr Accessories (http://www.kahrshop.com/accessindex.html)

Kahr's accessories and parts should be the first place to look, and their Frequently Asked Questions, maunuals... copies, downloadable versions and so on and so on....:confused:

Ya know? The source. There are all kinds of links at the top of the forum home page! Or this one, for that matter!

Wynn:rolleyes:

[jocko]

thats what we have u for wyn!!!!

[Pender1]

well wyn, I read the FAQ's the other day and unless they updated very recently no one has asked about breaking in new springs. and I was more asking about the SS guide rod because I'm trying to talk myself into spending more money on one because I think the one it came with looks like crap next to all that shiny stainless

[wyntrout]

Dang! Everyone is sitting in front of a computer and at the top of this page is a link to Kahr Arms/KahrShop.com where you can find authoritative information and help.... I hear a lot of "I don't know but I've heard" or "I think" kind of discussion and a lot of opinionated, some wrong, some right... I can go either way... I don't try to act like I know everything, though. I do the same thing sometimes, but it seems like no one tries to avail themselves of readily available information and the people that make these guns have a lot of info online at your disposal with minimal effort on your part. I go there once in a while trying to find info for someone else who's sitting in front of computer with the same opportunity to do what I'm doing for them.
I'm not whining or complaining, just amazed that people will look anywhere but the Kahr Arms online site FIRST.
Wynn:)

[Pender1]

good point, a lot of people are incredibly lazy, I'm just typically skeptical of product reviews that come from the manufacturer. Asking people with experience is normally a more reliable source of information.

[wyntrout]

well wyn, I read the FAQ's the other day and unless they updated very recently no one has asked about breaking in new springs. and I was more asking about the SS guide rod because I'm trying to talk myself into spending more money on one because I think the one it came with looks like crap next to all that shiny stainless

I know what you mean. It irritates me that every little piece in these guns isn't made of stainless steel... and that they will sell you some instead of including that with the gun in the first place.

Guide rods... it should come from the factory an SS piece... but I don't care what it looks like if it doesn't stop doing its job. The only thing that shows is the flange cap nut or whatever under the barrel. I don't care that it's not shiny or matching the rest of the gun, but that's just me. Some guys like to accessorize or make them unique... add their own touch, etc. That's fine. I just want my to work and be reliable.

I had to help my buddy go buy a computer today, so I didn't get to the range with Franken-Boomer... maybe tomorrow.

Wife's off one more night so I need to run get lottery tickets and then get to working on dinner! She thinks that I spend too much time here... in front of the computer... and too much money on guns, computers, stereo, and other stuff. :rolleyes: Women!

See ya later, guys.
Wynn:yo:

[Bawanna]

Better stand up a minute and step away from the computer Wynn. I believe you got a burr under your saddle, or maybe a infected tooth bothering you. You don't seem your normal self. I know, I know, define normal? I'm not the one to ask in regards to normal.

Go shoot Frankenboomer tomorrow, maybe that'll recharge your batteries. If it misbehalves I fear we're all doomed.

[wyntrout]

Speaking of opinions and possibly bad info.... :boink:

I HAD to step back a bit... LOW SUGAR... having a bit of :eek: :w00t:

Wynn:D

[Bawanna]

BAD INFO. I know a saddle burr when I see one. And just like belly buttons, everyone has an opinion. You keep jelly beans around for that blood sugar. Seems like they's work pretty good.

You callin me out son?:D:rolleyes:

[wyntrout]

Joe, will the saga never end with Boomer?? I was looking at older pictures trying to see if the slide had changed in the front... now beveled a bit, when I noticed the trigger pivot pin was backed out! I could see inside the left-hand side! I first noticed the right side was not flush and then thought what the heck??
I tried light tapping with a screwdriver handle butt, but didn't want to bend that retention pin or break the plastic!
Do you or anyone else know anything about this. I really don't know if the retention pin is inserted from the outside or from inside the frame.
I fired off a message and pix to Eoin this morning. Damn! I hope this doesn't mean ANOTHER separation... I didn't even get to shoot it... which is probably a good thing. The left side isn't supported very much and I don't know what could have happened if I had fired it.
I just can't believe all of the trouble with this one gun... will it ever end???
Wynn:(

Something weird is happening with picture uploads... maybe due to the malware warning???
I was uploading pix as usual... I resized and cropped them from 2MB or so to below 97.7 KB... the upper limit for .jpg images to be uploaded here.
When I upload the resized images I got further reductions... ie. image 270's original size is 2.4 megabytes and I resized it to 90.1 kilobytes and when I uploaded that, it was further reduced to 17.4 kilobytes... so I tried uploading the full-sized 2.43 MB image, which takes a while... then I got a reduction to 33 kilobytes. What the heck is going on??:confused:

[jocko]

it is put in from the outside. wyn,my PM9 pin moved about what your looked like and my retention pin was still way up there. Only thing I could figure was that the pin was not actually making contact with the pin even, so I pushed out my trigger pin a tad more and put some super glue on it and taped it back in and it has never moved. I was not going to send it back for that unless my solution did not work. This has been about a year plus ago. Another thing that could possably be but I doubt it is tha the trigger pin end is out of spec, . I would bet if you returned it to kahr, they would try replacing it with a new trigger pin and crossing their fingers. I don't think once that retention pin is inserted it can be take out. No doubt if you had a duck it would drown to..

[wyntrout]

Thanks, Jocko. I tried driving it out a bit and then tried pushing it back in with a big pair of slip jaw piers with rubber guards but I cant get the thing flush. I pushed it in or partially out so I could see the pin and if there was a way to get it out of the way, but the retention pin goes up into the frame and it couldn't scrape it down a bit to be able to grab the darn thing and pull it out of the way. I tried a little bit to use a plastic rod and my screwdriver handle to tap it flush but no go. I didn't want to wake my wife up.
I finally just put it aside until I hear from Eoin.
That darn pin doesn't protrude very far into the pivot pin hole, but the pivot pin doesn't want to get back past the darn thing.
Wynn:(

[jocko]

sounds tome like the retention pin is doing what it is desinged to do. The trigger actually is pushed out by a pusher and it has to slide by the retention pin with some force to get by it. So if it wa smine, then I would just lay the gun with the retinion pin side down on a taped hard surface and then from theother side with a flat punch and tape on thepunch head, give that trigger pin onehell of a rap and it willgo back, then keep an eye on it to see what happens after that. Your not going to hurt one thing wyn by doing this,maybe to error on the side of caution push the trigger pin from the retention side alittle further out and then set up the situation as I described and before giving the trigger pin that love tap, put some super glue on that right side area and then drive it home. I think it willstay put after that. MINE DID

[Bawanna]

Worth a shot, a flat piece of hard wood might work to put on top of that pin also. I just looked close at mine, I always thought that the pin hole didn't go all the way thru but its like your, just so flush and tight that you can't even see it.
Since you got a message in to Ion, I'd run this plan by him and see what he has to say. Dang this is tiring. I'm wondering if you got somebody elses bad frame now, doubtful but your luck with frankenboomer lately ain't been stellar.
If I was Kahr you'd be getting a brand new hand selected complete gun to start over with, this is getting beyond ridiculous.

[wyntrout]

Dang! What a PITA! I got a dowel and whittled down one end to the size of the right side of the pin that needs to go flush. I got a small hammer, but had to turn it sideways because the first whack missed... ouch! Worried about hitting the gun, too.:)
I've given it several good whacks... several times and it looks good on the left side, but then pops back inside the frame! The right side just won't go completely flush. I tried backing it out a bit and having a go at it, but it pops the back wrong way after a few seconds.
I'll try a shorter piece of wood and my slip pliers with the guards on the grabbing parts.:)
It's too oily to use my threadlocker and I don't want to completely remove the darn pin. No word from kahr, yet. That's the problem with addressing a particular person... he might not be there!<sigh>

this malware/attack site stuff is bothersome, since my default browser is still set to Firefox.

Wynn:(

[Bawanna]

Wonder if you could move the trigger back and forth a bit while trying to push the pin in or perhaps a small c-clamp. I doubt threadlocker would do any good on a smooth pin, the super glue or something of that nature would be a better choice although I'm not warm and fuzzy with the permanent nature of that stuff if you ever have to change a trigger spring or something.
I'm wondering if the retainer pin end lines up with anything like a notch in the trigger pin? Never seen one out so not sure what it even looks like. Maybe the scehmatics here have a clear enough picture.

[jocko]

thread locker will not work and super glue will not prevent one from moving the pin if needed. The retainer pin is not a replacement part, as once in,, unless it actually backs itself out, you can't get it out. I have seen that retain pin back out also. My PM9 did that ONCE. Not sure a wooden dowl wyn is the right thing to use as there is some absorption in the wooden dowel over a flat punch.

actually moving the trigger itself backand forth IMO will do nothing, as the trigger pin is actually allthe way through the trigger and both sides of the polymer grip. there is quite abit of thickness in the grip area where that pin goes through on both sides. My suggestions to wyn is merely a way in which I think will work as it has worked for my PM9 and if all esle fails, then send it back to kahr. It will not void any warranty either and more than likely will solve the issue of the walking trigger pin. I had those two frame pins in my kel tec and my ruger lcp even walk alot as they were only polymer pins even and the only way I couldkeept hem in lace was super glue or something on that order. THREAD LOCKER will not work..Super glue will work and yet with a good swift hit on that pin, it will break loose of its glue status and allow one to remove it..I have yet to ever read of anything in that kahr trigger set up ever breaking where pin replacement isnecessary...

[wyntrout]

Well... just heard from Jason at Kahr CS... personal call and he gve me his direct number for any more on this "episode". I'm going to move this over to a separate thread. I've really co-opted or hijacked this one! I'll include before and after pix.

Pender1, sorry I hijacked your thread and I didn't mean to discourage you from asking questions, especially about personal experience and opinions, etc. That's why we hang around here. I just meant that often I have to do the looking up of stuff readily available at the top of the page at Kahr's sites, or Google something that I don't "know". OOPS... letting out my secret! :eek:

Some of the SS pins are sold by Kahr and someone said they didn't know where to find them... I would look at Kahr's Kahrshop first and then elsewhere... sometimes things are cheaper elsewhere, like magazines, and maybe quicker if the shipping is not outrageous (extra profit).:)

I seemed to have fixed Boomer for now and will start a separate thread on this topic.
Wynn:) :hippie:

[jocko]

Worth a shot, a flat piece of hard wood might work to put on top of that pin also. I just looked close at mine, I always thought that the pin hole didn't go all the way thru but its like your, just so flush and tight that you can't even see it.
Since you got a message in to Ion, I'd run this plan by him and see what he has to say. Dang this is tiring. I'm wondering if you got somebody elses bad frame now, doubtful but your luck with frankenboomer lately ain't been stellar.
If I was Kahr you'd be getting a brand new hand selected complete gun to start over with, this is getting beyond ridiculous.

retention pin hole on mine does not go all the way through. I have never seen one that did. are u saying that you can see on the inside of your frame a hole all the way through where the retention pin actually goes??? My P380 does not show it either. One would think that it would make sense to have the hole go all the way through inorder for the techs to drive the retention pin all the way out for possable replacement of a new retention pin.

[Bawanna]

I can't see both ends of the retention pin, just the end where it's inserted. Like you say, once thats in there there must be some magic to get it out. I was talking about the right side of the trigger pin itself. Its perfectly flush with the frame and looked like you'd have to drill it out in order to remove the trigger pin. Looking closer it's just a nice tight fit. I'm not taking it out ever myself anyhow, just wondered how Kahr did it if they ever had too. I too have never heard of anything breaking on the trigger itself. We did hear of that one guy whose trigger pin sheared of part way in. Didn't disable the gun but looked unsightly and wasn't right.

[jocko]

it pushes from the left side to the right side and a good swift hit with a punch on the right side and the pin will get by that retentin pin and slip right out. I am very sure kahr uses a pusher set up to do this, as no harm can come if one slips. Ur right, no need to mess in that trigger area and I seem to recall the photo of that broken trigger pin end on the right side..

wyn did a really neat and nice job, now lets hope it holds..