Deep cleaning Kahr pistols

[TacticalCompact]

Hey, I've got a Kahr P40 and an Mk9.

The .40 is the first handgun I've ever owned. It said in the manual to only field strip the gun for regular cleaning, and leave the rest for the gunsmiths. Well, at a training course I took out of town the gun stopped shooting. I said to hell with the manual and took it down to the little pieces.

Come to find out, there was quite the buildup of what looked like brass shavings inside the tunnel where the striker travels, and stuck to the striker itself. All that metal fouling was preventing the striker from coming into contact with the primer of the cartridge in the chamber.

I can see now that the open design of that part of the pistol will allow metal shavings and other grit into where the striker resides, causing a possible failure. Sure, it took nearly 2000 rounds for it to happen to me, but the message was clear: break it down all the way every time.

I took apart the mk9 which has more like 800 rounds through it now, and found only minimal contamination in that area, so I realize if you do this only every 500 rounds or so you are probably okay. But I don't want to take the chance that somehow during that last 200 rounds at the range, something snuck in there that will prevent it from running properly in a SD situation when my life depends on it.


From the other Kahr owners, have you noticed the same kind of problem? Do you break yours down all the way frequendly for cleaning? What about the other guns like Glocks? I know of Glocks that run for thousands of rounds without even a cleaning that work just fine. Are they designed differently to prevent this?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Naturalstate]

Wow! I have owned 3 Kahrs and never had a problem.. Can I ask what ammo you shoot at the range..

I hope not re-loads! New Winchesters or Remingtons I have used from Wal Mart... Short Barrel Gold Dots or Golden Saber in .40 cal.

However, really (really) keep these guns well oiled. I have both Polymer and Stainless K-40's . I do clean after each range use.

[TacticalCompact]

Yes I keep them very wet. They like it that way for sure. I do shoot TMJ reloads because they cost me $5 less per 50 than the walmart stuff. That said, I noticed the same kind of residue when I only shot the new walmart stuff. How many rounds do you have thrugh yours?

[andersmg]

I clean all my handguns wihtout totally taking them down. I fieldstrip and clean them first then I use the pressurized Breakfree CLP, I spray it into all the little nooks and crannys and then let it set for a few minutes, then I use compressed air to blow it all out. So far this method works well for me.

[SIXTO]

I have several Kahrs, and have had similar problems when I shoot the a lot, such as when taking a class, and with cheaper ammo.
I don't really shoot them much anymore, so I haven't adopted a schedule for a complete tear down like I do my other pistols. I would think a complete tear down after every range trip would be excessive, but I think after 500 or so would be about right for a Kahr.

[lance22]

Just a reference ... pdf document on how to disassemble a Kahr Upper. Pdf link on on page two of the following thread on the GlockTalk "Kahr Club" forum:

(down towards the bottom of the page)
Detail Stripping the Kahr's Upper - Page 2 - Glock Talk

[Banzai Jimmy]

lance22 - Thanks for posting that link! That's good stuff.