Kahr K9 Elite 03 Trigger Too Light?

J

JJNA

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I have carried a Kahr K9 that is 20 years old (made in 1995). I like much about the gun, except maybe the trigger, which is long and mushy, and perhaps also the thin black finish. So I recently purchased a used Kahr K9 Elite 03 (made in 2005) in stainless steel from an online auction. The gun is in a great shape and the trigger is indeed shorter, smoother, and crisper... and A LOT lighter, so much so that it caught me by surprise the first time I dry fired it.

My goodness, this supposed DAO gun has a trigger, that is, according to my RCBS gauge, somewhere between 4.75 to 5 lbs. in pull weight! I feel like this is akin to carrying a 1911 with the safety unlocked, hammer cocked, and grip safety taped!

Can someone with experience with recent Kahrs confirm that this light trigger weight is indeed normal? Thanks.
 
I guess it's all subjective. I have experience with Kahr's going back nearly 10 years and have found that the triggers have remained relatively constant; long, smooth pulls with a full reset. I wouldn't really characterize them as light but defentily not heavy. I also have never felt uncomfortable with Kahr triggers and carry. I find they are just as suitable as any other gun I would carry, Glock, M&P's, ect..
 
I too have owned both the original long K9 trigger and an elite K9. IMHO, the elite trigger is superior to the old standard Kahr K9 trigger but still plenty long and heavy for safety sake. A pull weight less than 5 #x is indeed light for a Kahr. Perhaps the striker spring has been changed to a lighter weight. Many Kahr enthusiasts do this with a new Wolfe spring replacing the heavier standard Kahr spring.

Time and practice will allow you to adjust to the Elite trigger. I really prefer it. Kahr now uses it in almost all their models. The Elite K9 is a world class CCW IMHO.
 
I have and carry a Kahr K9 "2003" Series Elite. It's the best Kahr trigger that I have tried, including triggers on regular K9's and T9's. I've fired and owned a number of poly Kahr's as well. To me, it's the best, smoothest, and lightest trigger. It probably just scares you because you might have had more like a 10-12 lbs trigger on your old Kahr. I feel that the travel on my K9 is still very long. Even though it is smooth and relatively light, it would still take a deliberate press of a trigger to cause the gun to fire. If you carry with a good holster that covers the trigger guard and never put your trigger finger within the trigger guard unless you are going to fire, you should be O.K. My question to you is: does it still have a normal amount of travel?

Even though my trigger is light and smooth, it still feels like a double-action trigger. Most new shooters have problems not moving the gun when pressing the trigger because of the long travel. Also, it's somewhat tricky to get fast shooting down.
 
No doubt about it, the trigger is a pleasure to press, but it just seems SO LOW in weight for a DAO. The trigger travel distance appears to be about 2/3 to half of my 1995 Kahr K9.

Seriously, most of my DA/SA guns have heavier single action pulls than the DAO on this 2005 Kahr K9 Elite 03. I re-measured the pull weight and it is around 4.5 to 5 lbs.

Maybe I should replace all the springs in the gun. Probably a good idea to do that with the recoil spring anyway and the magazine release seems a bit spongy compared to the older K9 I have (which has a very definite and clicky magazine release). Might as well replace the striker release and trigger springs too while at it.
 
this may be the first thread complaining that a trigger is TOO light.generally speaking, in most peoples preference, light trigger = good trigger. but if it makes you uncomfortable, I understand. I wonder if the old springs are compatible with the new khars to get the heavy back for you. maybe a call to CS could lead you in the direction for a heavier trigger spring. probably wouldn't be too difficult to just make one yourself if your mechanically inclined. if not, a gunsmith could probably figure out a cheap and quick solution.

good luck
 
I'd be more comfortable with the 6-8 lbs. on a DAO or striker-fired gun with no safety (and no trigger safety either). 4.5 lbs. is getting to the SA with no safety kind of territory.
 
Hmm.... I don't know. It is a double action only gun. Trigger weight x trigger travel = striker energy. Trigger pull is lighter and shorter. That can only mean lower striker energy. It is fundamental physics. Perhaps trigger could be too light.

-TL
 
I'd be more comfortable with the 6-8 lbs. on a DAO or striker-fired gun with no safety (and no trigger safety either). 4.5 lbs. is getting to the SA with no safety kind of territory.
Click to expand...

If the trigger pull is less than the weight of the gun, it's nearly impossible to fire it without meaning to
 
The trigger springs could be too light, however, the gun is actually a striker-fired gun, like a Glock and not a true double action trigger.

You could always send your gun to Kahr and get their New York trigger springs installed. They used to do this at least. Or at least I thought they did. I'm pretty sure the New York trigger kit put the trigger up to around 12 lbs and lengthened the pull. They sell the undoing of the NY trigger here: http://www.kahr.com/Upgrades-and-Service/Kahr-K9-Trigger-Upgrade.asp

Kahr was willing to negotiate with me a bit when they sent me a .40 barrel instead of a 9mm. They polished a barrel ramp for me for free because of this mistake. Maybe they'd put heavier springs in for you.

The other option would be simply to send the pistol in to Kahr for a "Factory Tune-up Service.": http://www.kahr.com/Upgrades-and-Service/Kahr-Factory-Tune-up-Service-Package.asp This would replace all important springs in your pistol, including ones related to the striker and the trigger returning it to factory spec springs. However, my concern is that you simply don't like the trigger on a new Kahr K9 Elite. Mine is really nice, and nice means light and smooth for me.
 
I have the 'Special Edition' K9, carbon slide and stainless frame. It has the 1/2" NYC trigger pull and is certainly firmer than the Elite I tried, which is supposed to be 3/8".
 
Kahr does not make, nor did they ever make, a 12 # trigger. The "New York" Ks had a standard trigger. The reason the NYPD dropped the Kahr was because Kahr would not alter the trigger.

Kahr specs claim the standard trigger is 1/2" travel @ 7-8# pull, Versus the elite, at 3/8" travel and the same pull weight. Several springs affect the weight of pull.

Darker Loaf's suggestion for a "Factory Tune-up Service.": is a good one. A change of springs will give you a factory spec K9 Elite which, IMHO, is a very nice pistol, with a smooth crisp trigger, good accuracy and small profile. What's not to like. If the shorter pull makes you uncomfortable then Kahr could always change the trigger out as well and give you the longer pull.

Personally I very much prefer the elite trigger on my newer K9 to the long, (too long IMO), of my older carbon steel K9. Apples and oranges. I suggest you give the elite a few range visits before a final decision. :cool:
 
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I prefer heavier DAO triggers in my Glocks and Kahrs.

I have NY-1/3.5 connector options on the Glocks and standard Kahr triggers (but I do wish they were 8 lb triggers!

You have to holster these guns folks, sometimes under stress and quickly. Plus you may have to let another person use it and light triggers with no safeties is a hazard for those without a lot of training.

Wish an aftermarket company would make a heavier setup for the Kahr.

Deaf
 
Ok, so after some research, it appears that the "Elite" trigger pull is supposed to be 7 lbs. (with a 6 lbs. OEM spring) and 3/8 inch of travel.

The 2005 K9 Elite 03 I just bought has a trigger pull of 4.5-5 lbs! This is definitely not factory spec. I suspect a former owner either installed a new striker spring or even cut the existing one. I suspect the latter because I am told that even using a Wolff 5 lbs. competition-only striker spring yields a pull weight of about 6 lbs.

So I might have to replace the striker spring for sure to bring it back to factory spec. And it's a good practice to replace the recoil spring on a used gun anyway, so there's that as well. And finally, by pressing the magazine release button half way in, I can get it to be stuck there. So clearly the magazine release button spring needs to be replaced as well.

I am now debating whether to buy those three springs and replace them myself (or locally by a gunsmith) or send the gun into Kahr for the factory tune-up service which is $175+$25 shipping (and shipping from me would be at least $25, so the total is more like $225).

I should probably do the latter, but it's annoying to have to spend $225+ on a used gun. At that point, I would have been better off buying a new one. :(
 
DIY on the springs you mentioned (mag button, striker, and recoil springs).
The only difficult part is the replacement of the trigger return spring. It can be done with basic home tools...I replaced my wife's kahr K9 long trigger with Elite trigger parts to get the short pull...but it was not fun.

If I had to do it again, I will still do it myself.
 
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I have an older Kahr K9 - what's involved in replacing that trigger with the elite trigger system. I really like my older K9 because it actually is carbon steel with a factory brushed nickel finish - resists rust and looks like stainless, but it's not. I've wondered about upgrading the trigger.
 
I would probably carry a K9 with 5lbs DA.
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I would bet that a factory striker spring will increase the trigger pull to factory spec. Also, with new striker spring, less chance of light primer strike.
Again, replace the mag button, striker, and recoil springs yourself.
Once you have it disassembled, ensure that there are no burrs on the mag release button that could cause the sticking you mentioned.
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Again the only one to sweat is the trigger return spring.... but with a punch and hammer it can be replaced (you may want a new pin and plastic washer. I used the old pin when I replaced the trigger parts on mine).
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