Hello from new member...K40 find

[ScottSouth66]

Greetings all,just signed up to share and learn in the Kahr world. I'm typically a 1911 fan,been carrying and 'smithing them for over 25 yrs. My only beef is once you shrink them to less than Commander size they typically fail in operation. SO,I've been drawn to the K size Kahrs for 15 yrs since their inception,small,DAO and stainless or plated for carry,and .40 S&W at least is as close to .45 ACP as you can get w/out carrying a BRICK in your pocket.

A few weeks ago I was at the local fun shop when a lady brought in her late hubby's k40,still in the box w/mags and papers. She wasn't"into the gun scene" and wanted to sell it. The owner offered her $395 for it and she bit. I asked him what HE wanted for it,and since I'm a good customer(20 guns in 10 yrs) he let me have it at cost!

I guestemated the ser# at 1998ish through the sticky. Appeared to be scantly fired. It was in it's original matte finish and soft Houge grips at the onset,but as a 1911 customizer I have that "bling" bone in me. So using my rouge wheels and a few hours of elbow grease,I polished the side flats to a mirror,leaving the upper and lower surfaces matte for contrast and tactile feel,and ordered a set of Pao wood grips from Kahr.

The grips were WAY too thick as opposed to the rubbers,so I inletted @ 2mm off the inside of each panel w/my Dremel. That did the trick. Now I carry it daily in a DeSantis pocket rig. Here's the before and after pics....

[jocko]

don't loose those hougue rubber grips. they don';t make them anymore. I had wood one son mine and went back to the hogue, they just felt so so much better and the grips screws stayed in plaqce. A proble3m I had with my woooden grips. Keep an eye on the righgt side grip screws. if they get a tad loose u can get some light strikes from that as the gtip itslef holds that trigger bar in propper aligment. U bought that gun at one hell of a price IMO. Pruple locktite willhold the screws in ploaqce but still easiy come off when cleaning the gun. Keep solvents off the grips. ALL SOLVENTS. Nice gun..

[ScottSouth66]

don't loose those hougue rubber grips. they don';t make them anymore. I had wood one son mine and went back to the hogue, they just felt so so much better and the grips screws stayed in place. A problem I had with my woooden grips. Keep an eye on the righgt side grip screws. if they get a tad loose u can get some light strikes from that as the gtip itslef holds that trigger bar in propper aligment. U bought that gun at one hell of a price IMO. Pruple locktite willhold the screws in ploaqce but still easiy come off when cleaning the gun. Keep solvents off the grips. ALL SOLVENTS. Nice gun..

Thanks for the heads up,I had to use lock washers under the screws as they were too long after slimming the grips. They actually "crunch" when they snug up. I beveled the mag well while I was at it. I suppose I "Elited" it as it were...

I also trimmed a tad of material off the big clunky plastic base plates as well,eventually I'm going to replicate them out of aluminum or stainless just for hoots...

[Mike_B]

Man, that is one beautiful gun! How difficult is it to polish SS like that? Or maybe I should ask how easy it is to screw up if I would attempt it?

[AJBert]

Purty!

[ScottSouth66]

I simply LOVE stainless as a canvas,yea I know,it's not "tacticool" with all that reflection and such,but the finish will last forever,as it's not a plating. If I were deep deep undercover,heh heh,I'd left it alone,but as a civilian CCW piece it will prolly get shown off at the range more than the dark ally.


I started out using some 400 grit Wet/dry automotive sandpaper lain out on a piece of thick glass and slid the sides of the slide and frame in one direction,then progressed to 600,then 800 then 1000 grits. All found at any auto parts house or Wally world. The trick is not to skip a grit progression,each removes the previous ones scratches. It guess it took 3-4 hours of elbow grease,as Kahr's matte finish is really not that aggressive.

Then I used some felt buffing wheels in my Dremel kit and the jeweler's rouge they provide to get that mirror look. I suppose I coulda' went all out and polished the vertical surfaces as well but I like the contrast and the added gripping ability,plus the top of the slide NEEDS to stay matte to kill reflection during fire.

I used my Dremel to cut a 45 degree angle around the mag well and finished with a Swiss file and 400 paper. It allows the mags to be inserted like butter. I also used some 1000 grit to polish the entire barrel and ramp,careful not to over do it because they are all plated after all.
I REALLY wish they had a laser guide rod for these guns,rather than the laser grips. That would rock.

I may eventually install night sights. I did a LOT of dark room to room searches back in the day when I was a bail-bondsman and really appreciated some abstract reference point to my weapon in hand...

[chipD]

Welcome, Very nice work looks great.

[jocko]

Love those grips. is that stadard kahr finish or what. sure does look nice.

[Bill K]

Welcome to KahrTalk.

What a great find. Your work adds new meaning to "diamond in the rough".

[ScottSouth66]

Thanks for the kudos gents. I'm actually contemplating machining a couple base plates along a slimmer profile,though still supporting the pinky finger. As you may notice I've taken the rolled edge off the plastic base and thinned it a tad already,I'll not remove anymore as it would prolly lessen the integrity of the plastic base.

Stainless plates would offer me a tad more peace of mind against any hard impacts,but add weight,so perhaps aluminum? The grips are stock finish,all the material I took off was from the back side. They're no thicker now that the rubber ones. I'm just a wood-n-steel nut...this is what a Glock wants to be when it grows up,heh heh,,

[7shot]

looks really nice...congrats!

[cobrasjp]

Welcome to the forum. It's the friendliest one around and always very civil.
That is one BEE-U-TIFUL pistol! You're obviously a very talented guy and it will be great having you around the forum.
I've got a K9 and have always wanted the wood grips, but did not like the extra thickness. If you ever decide to "practice" on another pair, I'd probably be interested in taking them off your hands when you're done with them.