Installing new S/S guide rod in MK9 Elite

[elbee314]

OK, I give up. How is the factory plastic guide rod held together. I have tried to unscrew it to no avail. I have Kahr stainless steel rod, but the instructions do not suggest anything about the disassembly of the plastic rod to free the captive springs. Probably need to cut it but.......

Any comments short of 'hey stupid' would be appreciated. I can slap myself in the forehead shortly!

[AZ Traveler]

The only way to get the plastic guide rod apart is to cut it.

[mecenas1991]

Return the new ss rod to Kahr, get your money back and buy non- captive version from Wolff. Much better deal.
Read the posts in the thread on "The first day at the range for Mk9" above

[elbee314]

I am going to have to work that one over. I am going to have a conversation with Kahr on the subject in the morning. Great little pistol, but the parts, and the instructions on the parts leave a bit to be desired. This should be a simple operation, and I can see no real reason that the springs need to be captive. It is sort of nice when you take the gun apart to know the parts are not going to fly everywhere, but anyone taking a pistol apart would be on the look out for this as it is more common than not. Besides we all love to search the entire room for a flying part now and then. Keeps us on our toes.

[elbee314]

I would love to have additiional information about how the fool guide rod is supposed to be taken apart from the forum. However it does appear that Wolff is the way to go at this point.

[BackDraft]

Personal Opinion: go with the Wolffe set up. I replaced all my springs with Wolffe spring and they have worked great and I usally replace recoil spring and striker spring at 3,000 rounds and mag springs every year or 2 depending on how much shooting I am doing.

[JCM298]

elbee314,

I did a lot of reading about replacing the guide rod before ordering the Wolff set-up. Threads here and on pistolsmith.com convinced me that Wolff was the better of the two.

When the rod and springs arrived, they were really "drop-in". No fitting was required.

John

[elbee314]

I just looked at the Wolff site. I will work with the guys from Kahr, if they ever return my phone calls, to return the Kahr part. Then I will order the Wolff parts. Anyone notice that the Kahr part is EXACTLY the same as the Glock 26 part. Same P/N!!

[warmrain]

I didn't think the Wolf part was available in stainless...?

[NailShooter]

Geez, it's not a big deal to install the Kahr s.s. unit.

Cut the end of the plastic rod off w/ side cutters, put the spring assembly on the new rod, a drop of loctite on the threads and screw on the end cap. Mine fit perfect, although I like the looks of the black rod better than the stainless one.

You're right about the instructions though--they aren't very well written.

NS

[elbee314]

OK, I heard back from Dottie the Goddess of Kahr. Box Cutter, and off with its head. Yeppa, have to destroy the dumb plastic parts. No big deal, but I normally hesitate to break stuff, even if I am planning to throw it away, go figure. A few start up gitters, and off we go.

Thanks for all the help. I did send a note to Dottie suggesting that they really need to add this little step to the instructions. Gun folks are funny in not wanting to take sharp objects to their cool toys.

I have to admit that it does seem odd, a $920.00 pistol that they install a factory plastic part, and have a stainless steel part waiting to be sold as an option. I suppose the reality is that the guide rod may not do very much in action as the springs probably compress in a fairly straight line and don't create much of a problem for the plastic. But it does seem wrong none the less.