CW45 (and other poly Kahr pistols): issues and fixes

[dmdalton]

I'm still amazed by the thickness of that area and the more robust notch on the PM9, as compared to the .45's. It just doesn't seem right!
I opened mine up some more and added one to the K9 of 12+ years. It had little marks on the thin, un-notched area, so I gave it some freedom! I also beveled all of the strippers a bit more and polished them and the underside of the slide there where it rides over the cartridges in the magazine.
Wynn

Like you say, it is very thin on the bottom, but there isn't any pressure on it like there is at the end/front, so I guess it isn't a problem. If you want to notch it, the thinness does makes it easy.

Dave D.

[cgo99]

Very nice thread, lots of good info. Thanks for this.

[Andyo5]

Slide stop pops outwards on CW45: Cause and fix.

THE PROBLEM:
I found that on my CW45, the slide stop would become disengaged from the slide stop retention spring and pop outwards (to the left) enough that the slide would not stay open after the last round. This would happen even though I had pushed the slide stop in as far as possible, and heard the click.
It was worse when new, and seemed less frequent as the pistol became broken in.
THE CAUSE: While cleaning the gun, I noticed that the washer that holds the slide stop spring in place was showing a worn area, just adjacent to the hole in the frame for the slide stop. Hmmm! The blueing was removed on a sliver of material, and some wear was evident. Well, there is only one thing that would cause this wear. Sure enough, when I assembled the slide stop into the frame (slide was off so I could see everything), and heard the 'click', I could see that the boss at the bottom of the slide stop shaft was contacting the spring washer . My theory is that pressure against the slide stop was causing it to disengage from the retention spring as the gun was being fired.

THE CURE: I filed the edge of the washer where the wear had been observed. I filed until I could see a sliver of daylight (clearance) between the slide stop boss and the washer when they were assembled. Guess what! Today at the range the problem was gone and the slide stop stayed in place.
My only 'caveat' is that if you rotate the washer for any reason, so that a new part of it moves adjacent to the hole; the problem will return.

THE CONCLUSION: It seems to me that this washer is a bit too thick and needs to be reduced a few thousandths of an inch in thickness.

[gb6491]

Nose dives:
Follower interference:
The follower simply needs to be made so that it does not contact the latch at anytime. To prove this to myself, I marked the area of the follower that appeared in the latch window, then reshaped the upper portion of the follower and cut off a portion of the skirt. *If you are doing this mod to eliminate nose dives, you may not need to remove as much material as shown here. Try removing just enough material to allow the follower to pass the magazine latch without issue. You can usually see where the latch is being scrapped by the follower. (see this photo: http://i51.tinypic.com/2zf0qxk.jpg )
Now, the follower does not contact the latch at any point. Magazine latch window (OEM follower on the left, modified on the right):


Left, OEM follower (notice areas contacted by the magazine latch) 2nd from left, Modified follower.
UPDATE!!! - I now prefer to grind/sand/file the follower skirt for clearance vice cutting it (see right two photos). The upper part of the follower still needs to be reshaped for clearance as shown in the photo of the modified follower.

Magazine spring installation:
I might also suggest to check the orientation of the spring to the follower. We've had folks report receiving a new magazine with the spring installed incorrectly.
Correct position of spring on the follower:

[jocko]

u

THE PROBLEM:
I found that on my CW45, the slide stop would become disengaged from the slide stop retention spring and pop outwards (to the left) enough that the slide would not stay open after the last round. This would happen even though I had pushed the slide stop in as far as possible, and heard the click.
It was worse when new, and seemed less frequent as the pistol became broken in.
THE CAUSE: While cleaning the gun, I noticed that the washer that holds the slide stop spring in place was showing a worn area, just adjacent to the hole in the frame for the slide stop. Hmmm! The blueing was removed on a sliver of material, and some wear was evident. Well, there is only one thing that would cause this wear. Sure enough, when I assembled the slide stop into the frame (slide was off so I could see everything), and heard the 'click', I could see that the boss at the bottom of the slide stop shaft was contacting the spring washer . My theory is that pressure against the slide stop was causing it to disengage from the retention spring as the gun was being fired.

THE CURE: I filed the edge of the washer where the wear had been observed. I filed until I could see a sliver of daylight (clearance) between the slide stop boss and the washer when they were assembled. Guess what! Today at the range the problem was gone and the slide stop stayed in place.
My only 'caveat' is that if you rotate the washer for any reason, so that a new part of it moves adjacent to the hole; the problem will return.

THE CONCLUSION: It seems to me that this washer is a bit too thick and needs to be reduced a few thousandths of an inch in thickness.

shoulda just call kahr and had them send you a new washer and slide stop spring. That would have solved ur issue.

[jlottmc]

Good thread this one.

[gb6491]

Recoil spring installation:
http://kahrtalk.com/showpost.php?p=39958&postcount=1

So, I'd like to bring to light a mistake I made awhile back when I first got my Kahr CW45. The reason I am sharing this is not for criticism or to hear what a dum dum I am. I'm sharing this as a tutorial lesson for people newer to shooting sports and firearms. The first opportunity I got to shoot my CW45 I was stoked and excited. I felt like Jeff on an episode of gunblast.com. This was also the first opportunity I had to let the misses shoot guns after being told durin her rasin' that it weren't fit for her to learn. So, a box of WWB FMJ and 2 magazines AND my Remington Express 12 gauge w/extended tube (9+1 for 2 3/4 in) and some field loads I set off. After a nice drive through the country listinin to country I found a spot set back in the woods with a large, natural berm of dirt and rock that was the ideal place for a free shoot. Off the road but such a large berm that safety was assured. I even remembered ear pro for the both of us. The first few magazines through at about 75yrds and I was VERY impressed with accuracy, recoil and overall performance. Rock bustin sure was fun. I then let the misses shoot it for her first time which resulted in alot of coaxes not to be afraid of it goin off and keep hands on it etc. After her 4th or so shot I noticed the guide rod sticking out of the front. WAIT A SECOND! Upon closer inspection I realized that one end of the spring is open and the other closed, to which I had reversed them. Silly ole hillbilly! Needless to say it was an easy fix. The misses could barely hold that huge 12 gauge up so I got her to firing from the hip. Wish I had a video! Anyways, Always be extra careful that you reassemble your firearms correctly. I made a rushed, novice mistake and noticed it in time to correct it without trouble or damage!

That's good advice written above
Spring installation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAuHn7dyuWI

Difficulty with recoil spring/guide rod installation (aka guide rod bevel issue):
2edgesword was finding it difficult to insert the recoil spring and guide rod in his CW45:
"O.k., I've disassembled and assembled my CW45 twice for cleaning. The toughest part is reinserting the recoil spring and guide rod assembly. I'm getting it done but lining up the guide rod to insert through the hole in the slide is hit or miss. Any suggestions on getting it right the first time every time?" http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5389

Turns out his guide rod end had no bevel on it:

Greg

I think you have identified the problem. The end of my guide rod has NO bevel whatsoever which would explain why if the rod is not aligned just so it won't start through the hole in the slide.

It appears that a finishing step (adding the bevel) may have been missed.

Factory beveled CW45 guide rod:


2edgesword's fix (http://kahrtalk.com/showpost.php?p=61082&postcount=12)

Five minutes with a dremel and the problem is solved. Added just enough of a bevel that the guide rod easily starts through the hole and allows the other end to clear the breech end of the barrel. So what took minutes of fidgeting now takes two seconds.

Also see: http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6085

Custom replacement guide rods for the CW/P45:
http://guiderod.com/
http://www.tcsgunshop.com/Manufacturingpage.html

Regards,
Greg

[deuce]

I just found this posting and it helped me tremendously. Up until now I thought I had a defective slide due to the thin,chipped up metal I found between the recoil spring and the barrel of my CW45. I went down to my shop and filed it to look like the pictures submitted by gb6491 and wyntrout. Easy job,just took minutes. Thanks to all the members of this forum that help people like me to learn so much about my guns. An amazing amount of info hidden in the threads of KahrTalk!

[gb6491]

Ejector differences

Ejector differences:

As 0311Hoosier points out in this thread: http://kahrtalk.com/p-cw-series-pistols/4758-new-ejector-style-cw45.html, there is a difference in size/shape between the PM45 ejector and that of the CW45/P45.

PM45 ejector:

CW45 ejector:

Regards,
Greg

[gb6491]

Replacing the slide stop spring

Replacing the slide stop spring:

Here's how I did it (as always, this is not intended as a "how to", but rather "how I did it". If attempted, YMMV and would be at your own risk):

I used a T6 Torx driver on my CW45. (another person has reported needing a different size on their CW45:
THR - View Single Post - Kahr CW45)
Tweezers or needle nose pliers will make things easier (as does a small probe).
Using the Torx driver, loosen the retaining screw enough to lift the portion of the spring near it's non-captured end out from under the screw/washer and clear of the frame.

With the non-captured end of the spring out from under the screw/washer,...

...it needs to be rotated to this position (non-captured end above the captured end):

At this point the captured end of the spring can be lifted out of it's hole in the frame and the spring removed:

To install, I reversed the procedure and tightened the retaining screw as described here: http://kahrtalk.com/15672-post5.html
Regards,
Greg


Deuce, Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad the tread was of some help to you.

[gb6491]

Slide stop spring adjustment:
After installing the new spring, I did some experimenting with the screw that holds it in place (Note: I was very careful when doing this so as to not over torque the screw and damage the frame). I found that by tightening it just to the point that the spring seems to operate as two distinct springs (where before, the whole spring seemed to move easily as one) made for a much tighter fit of the slide stop. I say seems becuase you may not be able to eliminate all movement along the length of the spring, but just limit it how easily it's done. YOU DO NOT WANT TO OVER TIGHTEN THIS SCREW. I then loosened the screw until the spring would move freely as it had done before; this resulted in the stop being as easily removed as it previously had been. I played with how tight the screw was until I found a median that I liked; leaving it just tight enough that the springs travel seems to mimic two distinct springs and the stop is tight enough that I need to use something to start it out of the frame (though I can do it by hand if need be). My CW45 functions perfectly with the spring adjusted this way: no more inadvertent "lock backs" or the stop being pushed out of the frame by nose dives. Again, this is just what worked for me and how it did it, not how to do it.


Here's a video to better explain (hopefully) how I tightened the slide stop spring screw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c50P7HCAATo

Later on: I found this posted about tightening the slide stop spring:

“I also called tech support to get the proper way of setting the screw and they said:
The spring looks somewhat like a G and that the screw should be tight enough that the top and left part of it do NOT move. If I understood him correctly, the bottom perhaps from 6 o'clock and going counter clockwise should move and that the rest should be clamped down.” (http://kahrtalk.com/showpost.php?p=3...stcount=post20)

This seems to verify what I found when replacing my slide stop spring.
FWIW: I've been running my larger slide stop (unmodified lever) since replacing the spring (and tightening it as described above) and have not experienced any more premature locking back of the slide (or the slide stop being pushed out by nose dives).

Failure to fire - Light strikes and firing pin protrusion:
gman reported having failures to fire due to light firing pin strikes in his P45: http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4927
In the thread he mentions:

...I think what's going on is the striker pin is only protruding past the breech face by 0.025. The minimum SAAMI spec for case length is 0.895 and with my total headspace 0.913 (chamber of 0.910 plus hood of 0.003) means a clearance of 0.018 is present (0.913-.0895) with only 0.025 protruding; (0.008) this isn't much of a strike on a primer.

Anybody else ever see this , how far does others P45 striker protrude from the breech face?

As I posted in reply, I measured the protrusion at .035" (+/- .001") in my CW45

gman later reports:

Happy DANCE!! My P45 will now run my reloads after increasing the striker distance past the breech and using Fed 150 primers. 80 rounds of combat stages no FTF.

Their is more discussion on firing/striker pin protrusion here:
http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=153

I got my Protrusion guage today and measured all 4 Kahr's. They measured:
PM9 black with new striker .037
PM9 stainless .037
P9 .037
T9 .043
I am very happy and case closed.

I'd like to add here that I have a P380 that was having light strikes: the fix for it was to replace the cocking cam. The old cam was not lifting the striker block high enough that it didn't interfere with the striker: http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.p...a-happy-ending

[gb6491]

Front sight installation:

Kahr OEM: From this thread http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5623

I've never installed the plastic sight, but I do know you will need to melt the posts to hold the sight in place. Kel-Tec uses the same system on their PF9 and P-11 pistols; so here's some info from the KTOG forum:
http://www.ktog.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/Ya...num=1287183163
"REPLACING SIGHTS

INSTRUCTION FOR REPLACING PF-9 FRONT SIGHT:

The PF-9/P11 front sight has two little plastic legs under it. The sight is attached by putting the legs through the two holes in the top of the slide and peening over (melting) the plastic legs on the inside of the slide.

TO REMOVE SIGHT:

With a soldering iron or woodburner iron, (or something that you heated in the gas stove burner) gently heat the two prongs until they soften enough to pull the sight out with pliers. Now clean all residual plastic out of the slide.

TO INSTALL SIGHT:

Place new sight into holes. (make sure dot is facing rear.) With aforesaid melting tool, gently peen over the ends of the legs while holding pressure down on the sight to assure a tight fit. Make sure that no plastic hangs down to interfere with barrel."

I'd apply a little red Loctite as well.

Regards,
Greg

Dawson Precision: Dawson Precision now offers front sights for Kahr CW series pistols: www.dawsonprecision.com SIGHTS FRONT:Kahr Front Sights Category.
Installation instructions: http://www.dawsonprecision.com/image...%20Insert2.pdf
See the Dawson night sight installed here: http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?p=59903#post59903

Trijicon: Try contacting a Kahr Sales representative about purchasing just the front Trijicon sight.
To install the Trijicon front night sight, you'll first need to remove the OEM sight. It's held on by two plastic posts that have their ends melted to act as rivet heads:

Tape around the sight to protect the slides finish, then use pliers to break the front sight posts (a slight rocking motion will accomplish this):

A quick video of how easy the front sight comes off: OEM sight removal

Then use a tool to remove the remainder of the posts from the holes in the slide.

The Trijicon sight is installed with Loctite and a small screw that goes into the rear post:

Installation went smoothly on my CW45:

However, I did have issue with the sight screw on the CW9 preventing the gun from going into battery (this has been reported by others as well); well actually, it was bad enough to preclude assembly of the pistol. I was able to work around it by cleaning up and enlarging the countersink done by Kahr on the front sight post hole (see post #63 for further instruction in regards to fitting the front sight):


Note: Some members have posted photos of newer CW9 and CM9 pistols that show Kahr has increased the depth of the countersink on these pistols.
Finished:

[jocko]

dam gb6491. I wish we could get that entire thread of yours as a sticky. Your photo work is excellent as is your fixes to. I have mentioned it on here a coule of times but so far on "deaf ears".

[LSP972]

This should DEFINITELY be a stickie. gb6491 is to be commended for his concise explanations and excellent photography.

.

[LSP972]

... very light reloads (4.0 grn Bullseye over 200 LSWC).

I'm sending you a PM query regarding this so as not to clutter up the thread with OT stuff.

.