Difficult to charge the Kriss

Hello all, I just wanted to say hello (first time post) and ask a question.

I just picked up my Kriss the other day and I have not had a chance to get any range time with it yet. The one thing I found concerning/annoying was how hard it is to cock or charge the weapon. It is so tight that it feels like I am going to break the charging handle some times. My fingers are bruised and swollen from operating the charging handle. I am a big guy, 6-6" and 250 lbs and I still have a hard time getting the charging handle to work.

Is this normal? does it need range time to break in or am I looking at a defective weapon?

All the best!
Mark-

Hey Mark,

Welcome. I have been hearing the same issues with a few other KRISS vector owners.

Do me a favor. Remove the two bottom pins and pull the bolt and slider out. Now pull the charging handle. Is it still difficult?

If not then check your slider/spring assembly. remove the bolt and try pushing the slider down toward the floor plate.

Like this but do it outside of the gun.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/460325_306358626098341_157275704339968_757076_1589377430_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/466371_306358672765003_157275704339968_757077_1683907860_o.jpg


I suspect that KRISS ARMS updated the recoil spring on the KRISS Vector. This is the only thing I can think of that would give you so much resistance.

Take a look at my video. Watch how easy it is for me to rack the charging handle back. I am not using that much force at all. I would say about the same amount of force required to rack a pistol or AR charging handle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sDOQtKXMCo

Also are you charging it back empty? without a mag inside?

Thanks for the reply! Without the bolt and recoil spring its smooth as silk. I suspect your right about the change in the spring... Even outside the gun its stiff but not nearly as stiff as when assembled. As far as force used to charge, its not anywhere like an AR. I shoot compound bows and I would liken the pull needed to my 65lb draw bow... so WAY outside the norm of what a fire arm should need. It also seems to have a bit of a stick, I don't think the guide rod is either smooth or lubricated with a slick enough lubricant. I will try some white grease on this but the spring seems to be the culprit.

I have tried charging the weapon with the magazine in and out... no difference there....

Solscud007 wrote:Hey Mark,

Welcome. I have been hearing the same issues with a few other KRISS vector owners.

Do me a favor. Remove the two bottom pins and pull the bolt and slider out. Now pull the charging handle. Is it still difficult?

If not then check your slider/spring assembly. remove the bolt and try pushing the slider down toward the floor plate.

Like this but do it outside of the gun.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/460325_306358626098341_157275704339968_757076_1589377430_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/466371_306358672765003_157275704339968_757077_1683907860_o.jpg


I suspect that KRISS ARMS updated the recoil spring on the KRISS Vector. This is the only thing I can think of that would give you so much resistance.

Take a look at my video. Watch how easy it is for me to rack the charging handle back. I am not using that much force at all. I would say about the same amount of force required to rack a pistol or AR charging handle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sDOQtKXMCo

I used some Wilson Ultimate Lube on the moving parts with little or no difference. I may need to cut the spring down but I don't want to void my warranty or make the weapon unsafe....

sadly I would call KRISS USA in Virginia Beach and tell them that the recoil spring is too strong that it makes charging the weapon difficult.

id shoot some rounds through it before i called kriss, see if it loosens up some. Can also try this:

It has nothing to do with finger strength. the handle folds out and should slide back. It is the recoil spring that is too tough. I recommend shooting a few hundered to 1000 rds and see if it breaks the spring in.

nih wrote:id shoot some rounds through it before i called kriss, see if it loosens up some. Can also try this:

Lolz... I'm a big guy with too much time on the porn sites to need grip power

I had my girlfriend try to run the action and she could not budge it. I have to cock it by holding on to the handle and pushing forward with the pistol grip. Pulling back on the cocking leaver just bruises my fingers. Its ridiculous at this point... Should I ever need it for defense my adrenaline would help with the issue but its not in the realm of any firearm I have ever used... seriously its about a 65lb pull weight that often binds when you start the pull.

I think its either defective or they need to deal with the spring.

Sounds like you need to call them and let KRISS fix it.
to the site

I had a similar experience with a CA spec Kriss SDP. On delivery to the FFL I was using for the DROS, he was unable to clear the weapon ... the bolt would not retract under any human pressure on the charging handle. I had to pull the four takedown pins and clean it of the factory oil and relube twice with froglube paste before the charging handle could be used to retract the bolt. I have only about 100 rounds through it and seems no looser. If another 100 rounds fails to make a difference this weekend, I'll be calling TDI.

Mine was acting almost the same (probably not as hard as yours to charge as you described it) and found that a good clean and lube job and 500 rounds did the trick for me. I noticed a big difference between fresh from factory and 500 rounds so give it a go first like nih said before you send it away.
Good Luck

I just picked up my SDP today. It's as you guys are describing and extremely hard to charge to the point where I thought I might break it if I tried any harder. I disassembled it and gave it a through cleaning and lubed everything up and now it's better.... I'll put some downrange saturday and I hope that will loosen it up some more.

I was at a gun store today and held a new KRISS from the rack
And it was hard to charge I was like wow I can now see what you
Guys are saying

So odd that the would increase the spring rate of the recoil spring. Mine works great.

Joe Wilmot, who is a member here got his Vector back from KRISS and says they really made a difference.

Received my carbine today after being sent ack for a hard charging issue. Whatever they did seems to have worked, much easier to charge. I only have to master engaging the bolt latch. GREAT JOB BY KRISS. They even put the pair of shooting glasses that I purchased in the same carton, saving me the shipping costs.

I spoke with the main gunsmith the other day and the only spring they changed was the spring that is used to drive back the charging handle... As this spring runs smooth I wonder if there is a bad batch of main springs?

I did COMPLETELY clean the spring and action and re-lube everything. It made a big difference but its still not 100%. It no longer binds but is still harder to charge than any normal firearm. I wonder if the ID (inner diameter) of some of these springs is out of spec? this would cause the spring to bind and give undue resistance as it snakes down the guide..... Just not sure at this point. I will put a few hundred down the pipe and see where we are at.

I just got my kriss on Friday and I'm having the same issues. I have the CA version. I guess I will call TDI on Tuesday.

I just got my SDP 48 state version. I thought something was jammed up! I pulled the pins dropped the bolt and managed to get it so I could charge it! I fired 1 mag through it but its still tough to charge. I am calling them tomorrow!

so today..got a picture from my dealer. kriss sbr in his hand. he got 3 in, asked him if charging handle was hard to pull back, he said it was fine.

now just have to wait on stamp....

will he let you shoot it?

my dealer is my friend, he leaves on vacation tomorrow and i just got back from work trip, i'll go down and fondle it next weekend, pay for it, do my sbr paperwork and put some rounds thru it. i have few diff brands of 230 gr, want to see which is best in gun before bulk order and zero my delta point.

if he says charging handle is fine, then its fine.

im hoping for a 3 month stamp, i think im prepared for a six month wait though.

look for 6-7 months

When I got mine I had similar issue with the charging handle so i took it apart cleaned it and greased it in the tracks that the bolt follows as well as the guide rod for the recoil spring. Made a huge difference its now tolerable still a little stiff but it will break in more with time. Personally I believe its a combination of binding in the tracks and the recoil spring guide rod but the grease definately made the difference.

Sent mine back to Kriss for the hard charging issue. They said they could not find any out of tolerance issues. I asked them to carefully look at the spring. They said everything was ok, so they sent it back. Amazingly when I got it back it charged with half the force when I received it. They must have done something, but don't want to admit they have some charging issues. Call them and ask for a RMA and a UPS label and send it back.