Is this condition normal in a K9 Elite?

[Gunthr]

I have a new one, and I love it, its a great shooter so far. A buddy who buys and sells guns a lot looked at it, and said he wouldn't have accepted this gun due to the slide having play in it.... you can move the slide side to side about 1/32". This play can best be seen and felt in the back end of the gun. He said that he feels a gun costing this much should have a precision fit, not be this loose.

Do other k9's have this amount of play in them? Would you call Kahr about this?

I don't want to overreact, but its bugging me now. Thanks for your opinions

Gunthr

[Bawanna]

It sounds perfectly normal to me. This has come up a few times in the past. I don't recall the thread to look for at the moment.

It's hard to tell exactly how much movement your talking about just verbally but they do have what many consider alot of movement. It's not a high end custom fitted 1911. That doesn't make it wrong, it's just different. And most importantly it works.

I'd certainly not panic at this point. I'll see if I can find that earlier thread. I'm sure one of the gang here will beat me to it, they are all wicked fast.

[Bawanna]

I'm coming up empty trying to find the previous thread I was thinking of.

As I recall it was talking about a PM or one of the tupperware models anyhow.

Maybe some of you other folks with better memories than I can help here or shed some light on this.

Hang loose gunthr, it's saturday morning, the cavalry will be along to help.

I'm gonna delete the similar thread in the tech section so we don't double up on this. If you don't mind. Feel free to utilize that tech section, either place is perfectly fine, just want to focus our efforts in one place at a time.

[Gunthr]

thx Bawanna - Good point about the gun working. Don't worry, I'm chillin. :-) I don't necessarily believe the slight wiggle is out of spec, just wanted to make sure.

Gunthr

[JFootin]

My CM9 doesn't move a hair's width! Of course, it is a subcompact polymer frame gun.

Bawanna, could more play be needed in the steel framed K9, maybe because steel expands and contracts more with temperature changes (just a guess)?

[gb6491]

.... you can move the slide side to side about 1/32". This play can best be seen and felt in the back end of the gun. ...
Gunthr

1/32" does seem a little much to me. How are you measuring it? The only thing I have that comes close to that kind of frame to slide play is a +20 something yrs. old Springfield Armory 1911

...That doesn't make it wrong, it's just different. And most importantly it works...

I absolutely agree with Bawanna. How's it shooting for you?
That Springfield Armory 1911 that I mentioned above is still a fine shooting and reliable gun. It'll shoot better off a rest than I can hold it; even then it's not too bad. Here's a crappy cell phone photo I took last time I had it at the range (first magazine of the day at 10 yds. standing):

Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

I'll get my K40 out after awhile and see how much it moves. I know there's some movement but as GB pointed out 1/32'' is actually alot. If that's just a guesstimate it probably isn't so bad but I can't say that is the case for sure.

Sometimes I wish we could toss these things in the transporter and zap it to each other so we can look and feel stuff (why did I just think of Angels?). It's ok Melissa, I slapped myself soundly directly on the face so hard it hurt. I feel duly punished.

Be alot easier to diagnose and make better judgements.

[JimBianchi]

I just wiggled my MK9 (bought new in 2005, maybe 4K down the pipe), it has less than 1/64 of an inch in play, very tight.

My K9 (made in 1999, 4K or more, down the pipe) has just slightly more play, but barley.

My GLOCKs have much more play and are 100% reliable.

[ripley16]

How does it shoot? That's all that matters, IMHO.

[JFootin]

A had a Jennings 22lr pistol many decades ago, and it had that kind of play in it. But it was made out of metal so soft you could scratch it with a fingernail. But it worked-most of the time.

I also owned a Beretta 22lr mini a long time ago that I could not even find the target with a bullet at 15 feet (almost as bad as jocko). Never could figure out where the bullets were going. So, I got rid of it.

[Gunthr]

thanks for the input ... I'm going to try to get a link to a short clip of the play in the slide tonight.

[Barth]

My MK40 Elite is crazy tight.
No play at all.
I still agree that how it functions is the important thing.

Actually, I've emailed technical questions to service@khar.com
and they have responded like the next business day.
(forgive me I grew up outside of LA)

Example
Hello,
I have recently bought a Kahr MK40 Elite 2003 Micro Compact K4048N
Serial # HA4223. Have replaced the guide rod with the Kahr Stainless Steel version.

Question -
How many rounds fired do you recommend before recoil spring replacement
for this model?

Thanks in advance and have a great day!

Kahr response:
Good morning. Thank you for the question. We recommend changing the recoil
spring every 1200-1500 rounds or every couple of years (whichever comes
first) if this is a carry gun. If it is a range gun only, then you may
change the recoil spring whenever failures begin to occur. I hope this
information helps.

[Gunthr]

Thanks for the info Barth. I'd be grateful if you guys would have a look at the short clip of my K9. It is poor quality but should show the range of play that I'm getting. True, my gun shoots well, and is accurate, but it is a little disconcerting to see this much play. If its this loose now, it can only get looser over time. It might be a safety issue. What do you think?

http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...IDEO0062-1.mp4

[tv_racin_fan]

Doesn't appear to be much in the way of play to me at all. I'd have to check my K9 but I am sure the amount of play is very similar.

[Barth]

Doesn't appear to be much in the way of play to me at all. I'd have to check my K9 but I am sure the amount of play is very similar.

+1 That looks fine to me???