Some random thoughts on the K9

[harrydog]

I hadn't shot my K9 for quite awhile and so yesterday I ran a couple boxes of ammo through it. It's an Elite 98 that I've had for maybe 5 years. What a great gun this is - one of my very favorites.
It's never had a single malfunction since day one. The felt recoil is light. The accuracy is very good. And it's a great size for anything except pocket carry.
I had always thought about having some custom work done to it. Maybe a "carry package" like the one that Cylinder & Slide offers, which includes throating the barrel, polishing the feed ramp, trigger job, tuned extractor... But it's been so utterly reliable as it is, that I hate to mess with it. Maybe just a trigger job and front strap checkering someday. Ned Christiansen and Ted Yost are two very highly respected pistolsmiths who do custom work on Kahrs.
The rubberized grips that come with the K9 are very good - excellent really - but I want to get a set of wood grips, just because they look so good.
It carries and conceals very well in an Alessi WSDT, which is an IWB holster. I think I'm going to pick up an OWB Alessi for it. Either one from the Kahr website or a CQC/S ordered from Alessi directly. I can't recommend Alessi products highly enough.
I just changed the recoil spring to an extra power Wolff 22#. The standard weight spring is 20#. I haven't shot it with the heavier spring yet, but it's very noticeable when racking the slide. From what I've read, the original Kahr K9's came with heavier springs, but so many people complained about having difficulty racking the slide, that Kahr later went to a lighter spring. My feeling is, the heavier spring is better, particularly if you're shoot any +P. I don't think there is a downside to using a heavier spring, but if someone knows of one, please let me know.
That's about it. Most of the buzz these days if the PM9 and the plastic Kahrs in general. The K9 tends to get over looked and that's a shame, because it's the best Kahr in my opinion. :)

[hayseed_40]

Personally I would not pay somebody to do the "carry package" - especially if it is error free. Keep it simple. If one cant shoot well without it - one is not going to shoot well with it.

[harrydog]

True enough.
But a better trigger never hurts and front strap checkering would give me an even better grip. Minor points though. It's a fine gun just the way it is.

[hayseed_40]

Yeah, I would not mind a little front checkering on my MK40...

[NukeRJ]

I have a Kahr T9 and K9 and i checkered the front strap 1/2 in wide and from 3/4 inch below the trigger to the magazine well in 30 lpi. looks great and works even better. nothing beats a nonslip grip on a hot day.

[NukeRJ]

Factory is 20# and has always been that. But Kahr ran 2000 K9's with an 18# spring and dubbed them lady Kahrs. It was to expensive to adjust all the firing mechanism to handle the faster slide speed so they went back to 20#. which should handle all +p+ loads. 22# spring will handle high pressure loads with ease for range days as well, but may have trouble cycling weak target rounds.

[harrydog]

Originally posted by NukeRJ
Factory is 20# and has always been that. But Kahr ran 2000 K9's with an 18# spring and dubbed them lady Kahrs. It was to expensive to adjust all the firing mechanism to handle the faster slide speed so they went back to 20#. which should handle all +p+ loads. 22# spring will handle high pressure loads with ease for range days as well, but may have trouble cycling weak target rounds.
Apparently the very early K9's had a 24# spring. This is a quote from Handgun Magazine, May 1998:

"It requires about 17 pounds of pressure to pull the slide to the rear to the MK9, vs. 20 on the standard K9. (The very first K9s had 24-pound recoil springs and just about required you to throw your shoulder out of joint to hand cycle the action, for the historically minded among you.)"

I remember reading this somewhere else also, but can't remember where.

[BackDraft]

Originally posted by harrydog
Apparently the very early K9's had a 24# spring. This is a quote from Handgun Magazine, May 1998:

"It requires about 17 pounds of pressure to pull the slide to the rear to the MK9, vs. 20 on the standard K9. (The very first K9s had 24-pound recoil springs and just about required you to throw your shoulder out of joint to hand cycle the action, for the historically minded among you.)"

I remember reading this somewhere else also, but can't remember where.

I changed out the 20 lb spring back to a Wolffe 24 lb and no problems at all. It might take some effort to charge it but with the +P+/+P loads I use I prefer it