Kahr P9 Field Stripping?

J

Jaywalker

New member
I have an early P9 that I enjoy a lot. I've had no problems with shooting it, but field-stripping it is a bear. (I imagine there has been a lot of discussion about this, but with the Search function down, I can't find it.)

The problem is that there is no slide catch that holds the open slide in a position that allows me to drive the pin out of the receiver. That requires me with one hand to hold the slide at exactly the right point while looking at the left side of the piece. Thumb pressure alone won't move the pin out, so with my second hand, I hold a wooden dowell against the pin on the right side, which I have to keep an eye on by looking at the right side of the piece. Then, of course, I tap the dowell lightly with my third hand. Obviously, as an engineering effort, my approach requires two heads and three hands to accomplish.

I've considered having a chunk of wood fashioned into a cone, then wedging that into the ejection port to hold it open the exact right amount to allow a two-handed disassembly, but I wonder whether there's anything or any technique that is easier. Almost anything will be "better" than my approach.

Jaywalker
 
Your observation is correct (disassembling a P9 is a PITA), and your solution seems reasonable, just be careful of the extractor.

I hook my left thumb thru the trigger guard & wrap my fingers over the slide and squeeze., I can hold enough compression on the slide to line up the notch and push the slide stop out with punch or a dowel.

Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with the gun - reliable, accurate, good trigger, small, light & concealable.
 
Jaywalker:

Here's the trick to field stripping Kahrs. Remove the magazine and lock the slide open. Visually verify that the chamber is empty. Check with your finger. Check it again.

Are you really sure it's empty? Check it again.

Now, lower the slide. Hold the gun in your left hand, with your thumb through the trigger guard and your fingers wrapped over the front of the slide. In this position, you will be able to retract the slide the appropriate amount AND hold the gun with just your left hand. Now, turn the gun over so you can look at the extension of the slide stop. I use the plastic handle of a screwdriver to tap out the slide stop.

It's really easy once you get the hang of holding the gun and retracting the slide with your left hand. Until then, you're right, it takes three hands.

M1911

PS: I think Kahr makes some plastic doohikey that will keep the slide open the right distance. But once you learn the trick above, you'll find that's the easiest way to do it.
 
I had some trouble with my K40 when I first got it. I have it down to a science now. At my cleaning bench, I remove the mag if it's still in and check to make sure it's empty. I have a plastic handle screwdriver laying on the bench in front of me with the blade facing away. With the gun in my right hand I use my left hand to push the slide back from the muzzle end. With the notch lined up with the pin I just put the pin onto the handle of the screwdriver and push down. That pops the pin. Then I hold the gun in my right hand and lay the corner of the muzzle on the bench and push down slightly. This allows me to remove the pin by pulling it out. No sweat at all.

And Kahr does have a doohicky that would work.
 
All right, I'm now a triple threat. I have the "piece in the right hand, thumb against the rear of the ejection port" thing (which I have practiced and it does work), the "work bench pin-popping" (which I'll try tomorrow), and, of course, the "two heads, three hands" approach... Thanks folks, I can now do it without the Kahr or the Jaywalker doohickey.

Jaywalker
 
For my P9 I use the left-hand thumb in the trigger guard, hand wrapped around the slide method. BUT, I use the corner of the plastic magazine base to press the slide release far enough through the frame to get a grip on the release from the other side and pull it all the way out.

This works for me every time and doesn't require any bench tools or specialty items. Give it a try I think you'll find it works for you too.
 
Misunderstood Instructions, but It Worked!

This is embarassing, and I didn't notice it until I read stellarpod's variation. In trying to follow M1911's original directions the other day, I clearly screwed them up, but got to an answer anyway. All I can say is that the instructions were on the computer, and I wasn't in front of it when I attempted disassembly.

Instead of putting my thumb through the trigger guard, I locked the slide back, then put my right third (large) finger through the trigger guard, and my thumb braced against the rear of the ejection port slide before releasing the slide catch. This held it steady while I tapped the pin with the plastic screwdriver handle with my left hand. (BTW, the plastic handle tapping was a breakthrough for me, too. I hadn't considered it because the pin was so close to the overhanging slide. That's why I thought I needed a dowell to get to the pin.)

Well, I just tried the "thumb through the trigger guard" approach and I can see that it has some advantages. First, there's less chance that the slide will pinch my thumb, and second, I get to tap the pin with my right hand. Thanks.

Jaywalker
 
Jaywalker:

No problem. I wish I could say that I figured this out myself. But a few years back I too was whining to another Kahraholic about needing three hands to fieldstrip. He told the me about the thumb through the trigger guard method. It's kind of the Kahraholic secret handshake...

M1911
 
Kahr makes a takedown block. I ordered one for my K9 about a month ago and have never had an easier time stripping the gun.:)
 
Kahr does make a takedown block. It's $5 from http://www.kahrshop.com/
My P9 Covert has tiny registration marks on the slide and frame that let you see exactly when the slide has been pulled back to the right point; then I have no trouble tapping out the slide lock pin using the plastic handle on my cleaning rod. The procedure described by most in this thread is exactly what the manual says to do (left hand fingers wrapped over slide, left thumb in trigger guard, use fingers to move slide backward).
 
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