I want reviews of Kahr PM40

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codybrown

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So I'm looking at getting one of these for my girlfriend for concealed carry. She's 5'6" and 140lbs. I personally carry a M&P40c, and am extremely happy with it. It is pretty big for her though. I prefer a 40 caliber since I already have lots of stuff for it, and I think a .45 is to big for her. I got interested in Kahr due to their size. The only thing I don't like is the magazine capacity 5+1 or 6+1 with the extended mag. For those of you who have this pistol, or any Kahr in general, what is your experience with them. They aren't a cheapo pistol (this one is $750), and I'm a big believer in you get what you pay for. We're planning on going to pick it or something else up on Sunday.
 
I don't have any experience with the PM40 but I recently bought the CW40 and paid $369 for it. I read a lot of mixed reviews about break in period etc. I have about 200 rounds through mine and
i have not had a single issue concerning reliability. It has a pretty good kick and i was a little disappointed in the accuracy. However it is the best size/fit for me for concealability so I am happy witrh it. The PM series seems very well made, but I can't imagine how much more kick the smaller version would have.
 
I've shot my friends at the range. It's got quite a bit of pop to it considering how small it is. Also, make sure to shoot it 200 rounds or so before you carry it, they're a bit tight.

My friend's jammed up after about 59 rounds of UMC 40 FMJ. On it's very first outing. Got progressive better, but still a tight fitting gun.
 
Probably not a gun for anyone who is not an experienced shooter. I don't have one but there is reportedly a great deal of felt recoil. The .40 is a hot round for such a small and light frame. Might consider the MK40 as the extra weight helps somewhat with the recoil, or consider a smaller cartridge. Nobody seems to complain about the recoil on the Rohrbaugh.
 
Got one, took it out shooting once. Snappy, snappy recoil. Couldn't warm up to it at all.

Sold it like the other two Kahr pistols I bought and tried. I want to like their products, I just can't seem to do it. It's a personal preference thing, I guess.

Sold 'em all.
 
I've got the K-40, bought this one used (like new), it has the smoothest trigger out of the box, it is a little snappy on the recoil but nothing an experienced shooter couldn't handle, on accuracy I can hit a 5 gal container at around 25-30yrds which isn't too shabby from a 3" barrel (just don't ask me to do it one handed under pressure)
 
The rear sight flew off of mine after about 100 rounds. Some reliability problems, and I had to get a new barrel from Kahr as it was shooting very low. Easy to carry, but not 100% reliable... a heavy 2" smith 38 might be a better choice for her... It does kick quite hard and my girlfriend didn't like it.
 
personally

a kahr 40 cal is to much for her. They are snappy indeed, they are lite indeed, they are small indeed.

Go with a cw9 in a kahr, , she can handle it perfectly and ammo is half the price of 40 so she willbe able to shoot more and longer.

The cw series kahrs can be had for under $400 in all calibers.

Just from readng most of the posts here, I think you can see the 40 cal is one snappy round.

Get her something that she can really enjoy shooting, try to find a 9mm cw and a 40 cal cw kahr and let her be the judge. I think she will decide in the first magazine--my bet..
 
I totally agree with Jocko, and some of the others on here about
the 40 cal. Most beginners develop a nasty flinch just anticipating
the snap, and they end up not like shooting at all.

I would let her learn with the CW9 - it in my opinion is a fantastic pistol,
and caliber for the newbe's out there

Good luck, and be safe!
 
Pm40/CW9

Have had both. I am not a wimp and I have tried a variety of autos.
I agree with Jocko.

A PM40 is for those who have the hand stregnth, patience, lack of flinch, and $$ to break it in. Mine was also tight and had to have a second barrel for proper feeding.

It took time to get it settled in and it is a stiff kick, I do not know many gals that like the muzzle blast and recoil of one like this and it is not easy to rack the slide.

The CW9 is far more likeable as noted above for several gals I have seen. It is a bit bigger.

I may as well say it---- If you let a woman choose what they like, it may surprise you. It will not be what you think is best many times. But if they like it and practice with it, that is the goal. YMMV
 
I have to agree with most of the posts as the PM40 for it's size has plenty of pop or felt recoil. I have a PM9 that it is slightly smaller, and for it's size, it has a good pop to it. If the size of the PM40 is what she wants, I suggest to have her go with PM9. Ammo is cheaper, you can practice more, and of course there's less recoil. Just my opinion, LM.
 
I agree with the other posts so far. I have a PM40 and it has a noticable snap. I absolutely love it, but I shoot 20,000 rounds per year, and I usually shoot it with meduim velocity 165-grains like the older GD or current HS. It feels more like a 9mm when loaded with 40 "lite," but still puts a bigger, heavier bullet downrange. Mine didn't need any break in and has 500 rounds w/o a single problem, but my other Kahrs needed the prescribed 200-rd break-in. It does shoot a little low at 25 yards, but it groups very well.

For your girlfriend, I would suggest something that recoils less and has a slide that is easier to manipulate. When my wife shoots with me, a bigger, heavier 9mm or .38 is what she likes and shoots best with. I wouldn't even ask her to try the PM40. She'd be mad at me. (But I love to shoot it and carry it about 10 hours a day)

Get a PM40 for you and a .38 Spl snub for her. :evil:
 
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Damn JayAreOne. alittle low at 25 yards, I absolutley cannot hit jack**** at 25 yards with my PM9 and Ihave 18,350 rounds through it.

Alittle low to me is amazing accuracy for a PM40 at that distance.

darn good shooting is what I am really trying to say.

snappy little bugger though isn't it..
 
I enjoy firing my PM40! It's snappy, but I like that. I can't say what anyone else would like.

It's small enough to carry comfortably, and packs enough power for me. I've had mine for 5 years so it was a couple hundred $ less back then. It's one of my favorite carry pieces.
 
I would say try the P-9. It's a better balance of features for a new shooter then the PM line. If you have to have a .40 look at the K-9 or search around for a T-40. You should be able to find either for around $500-600. The T-40 is hard as heck to find though.
 
Every Kahr that I've shot has had it's own personality. My absolute favorite is the P45... trigger is like butter, it puts three clips of ammo into an inch and 3/4 at 21 feet, never a hick-up, 19 ounces, and it has LESS felt recoil than my all stainless Officer's ACP. (I have huge hands, and so I appreciate the added length of the P grip over the PM)

The P-40's recoil would work the gun up high in my palm after several quick shots... I would definitely have anyone of smaller frame (male or female) fire this gun before purchasing it. It too shot with incredible accuracy. ...well beyond what anyone would reasonably expect from a 3.5" barrel. Seriously, this thing produced spooky groups!

I would recommend the p9 or K9 for a female shooter, as the recoil is very manageable. Mine was purchased in Diamond black with Novak night sites for $560. I was really disappointed with its grouping though... it was the worst of the lot, opening up to about 3.5" at 21'. It also came with a much stiffer trigger that seemed to load up way more than the other guns... but a quick swap of a Wolff 5lb spring smoothed out the trigger immensely.
 
Well we went and looked at it this past weekend and decided to pass. While we were shooting it, I got out my M&P40 and let her shoot 50 rounds through that and I think she's in love!! We're going to go to an indoor range about an hour and a half from my house, and she's going to the the M&P9c back to back with my .40
 
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