Kahr CW40 potential issues

[russcoh]

I know there are many threads addressing the Kahr here, however I wanted to get some specific opinions.
I've been considering a Kahr CW40 as a new CCW choice, and like almost any gun have seen a few complaints about it. The most common seems to be mags dropping during firing, remedied by a stiffer mag release spring. Does anybody know if Kahr is shipping all new CW series with the stiffer spring? I've also read the stiffer spring is a rumor, it may actually be a magazine catch with a longer tooth. Has anybody had other issues or feedback with this gun?
Thanks in advance for the tips and feedback.

 

[jocko]

I think Kahr has went to the metal mag rlease on all their semi now. I never had any troubles with the polymer release and have 15,000 rounds through my PM9 and it has never released once on me. Some of the issues with the polymer release was excess flashing still on the release and the polymer release actually had a metal insert inbedded in it when made which was supposed to make the actual contact with the magazine. I think this sometimes did not mate correctly and preventd good magazine contact. I don't think they made a stiffer release spring either. Mine is plenty stiff the way it is. Buy it you will love that littlle pocket rocket. Expect recoil as the gun is extremely lite and the 40 cal is extremely powerful. Those who have them though love um.

 

[9mmepiphany]

be aware that the CW only comes with one mag adn non-dovetailed front sight. also i has a cast slide and conventional rifling.

it's still a nice gun, just know what you're giving up for the lower price

 

[jocko]

nothing wrong with the cast slide, haven't read of one breaking yet.. it is still stainless and conventional rifling over polygonal is very debateable. My PM9 has all the bells and whistles on it from the factory and for me I would pay the difference to get them to. Especialy the dovetailed sites. I have already installed the xs24/7 tritium big dot nite sites on my PM9 and I love um. Can't do that with any cw series. Other than that everything inside is the same. The extra magazine is a nice addition to, but I guess in the price of the gun, I really paid for it..

to the above post about the cw slide being cast YOU ARE DEAD WRONG. All kahr slides are made out of 4140 bar stock. I checked with karh and today got the reply back that all slides are made of 4140 Bar Stock...

 

[MarshallDodge]

I have an E9 and recently picked up a P40. The recoil on the 40 is very snappy. If you haven't shot one yet, you may want try before you buy.

 

[John_galt]

I had a P40, for about a month. Traded it in for a Glock 26.

Even after the breaking in period, was not reliable. FTF was a big problem, and no I was not limp wristing it. Others was magazine disconnecting. Part of that may have been I am left handed. But to control the recoil of a .40 in such a light gun, you have to have a strong grip, when shooting left handed, get lots of magazine disconnect. But mag won't drop free when empty, has to be extracted.

It may be the .45 version is controlable with a recoil less snappy, more of a push. I've not had a chance to try one.

Other problems, magazine followers made poorly. A thin bit of plastic breaks easily on the leading part. Then the follower binds and won't feed the last round. To Kahr's credit they replaced it very quickly with no hassles. Customer service was good, better than most. When reassembled after field stripping, you have to be very careful not to bend the slide lock spring. If bent, the slide won't lock on an empty mag. Another pitfall is that same little spring can slip under the slide lock when reassembled, then it locks slide open after every shot. You have to watch very carefully when you reassemble, then verify after.

I like the .40 round, have other platforms, but the Kahr P40 isn't a good one, at least for me. I wanted to use it for CC, but was never reliable enough. Lots of good options for small CC handguns, as much a I wanted to like Kahr (and after spending $560 on it I really wanted to like it), just wasn't able to trust it.

 

[9mmepiphany]

i have to concur that the recoil of the P40 is "snappy".

even the 9mm will get you attention, but maybe that was because i was also shooting my P7 that day

 

[danmoultrie]

700+ rounds through my CW40. No FTF, no jams of any kind with WWB or gold dots. Only one issue, and that was behind the rear sight. I put the slide stop on the wrong slide of the slide stop spring, so slide locked back on each shot and was a PITA to get back apart to fix. Just something to watch out for, but I shoot the cw better than any other centerfire hg I have ever shot. DAO trigger is LOOOOOONNNNGGGG but smooth and light.

 

[hooter]

325 rounds through my PM40 without a failure of any kind. I do agree a Kahr 40 is not for everyone (recoil sensitive). It does have some snap, but I thought my S&W airlite was worse.

 

[jocko]

at alittle over 18 ounces,one can expect the kahr cw40 to be alittle snappy and indeed it is that. The cw9 is just so much sweeter to shoot IMO, course I am a 9mm fan to.

 

[secord357fan]

Just bought a cw40 myself

This is a neat little gun. I went and put 50 rounds through it today. I had some problems with the slide locking back at random times, sometimes with consecutive shots and some times after two or three rounds. Any advice out there?

 

[jocko]

NO SO. 9mmepphany

I hate it when people state things that they know absolutley nothing about.


EVERY KAHR SLIDE is made from 4140 bar stock stainless.... The cw series is 4140 bar stock stainless.

The cw series compared to the PM series does not come with the extra magazine, does not come with dovetails sites ( alla no nites on front), less engraving on the slide (wow-big deal). Does not have a forged slide release lever. has standard barrel rifling over the polygonal, which probably 90% of all guns made have standard rifling. It is no more accurate with either.The CW series is priced lower due to the above features on the P and PM series BUT THE SLIDE MATERIAL IS ALL THE SAME..


oop's kinda sorry, I seem to have basically reposted what I said on Sept 28th.

 

[jocko]

secord357fan

load ur cw 40 up again and insert a full loaded magazine . With slide open look down and see if by chance your ammo is hitting the slide lock lever. check the lever that makes contact with the follower to see if it is brass in color. If so , the rounds are hitting the slidle lock lever. Either file alittle of that lever tit off , or change ammo brands or call kahr and have them send you a new slide lock lever.. Just make sure you have that slide lock lever inserted properly so that that little "C" shaped spring on the left side of the grip is actually pulling the lever down and not wanting to force it up.,The magaziner follower is what pushs up the slide lock, not that little spring. It is there to pull the lever down..

 

[benderx4]

I had some problems with the slide locking back at random times, sometimes with consecutive shots and some times after two or three rounds. Any advice out there?

You would think that a brand new gun would work right out of the box, wouldn't you? I would. Do a search for your problem and unfortunately you'll probably find lots of hits.

Personally, if you plan to carry this weapon, I would get as many rounds as you can down the pipe before trusting your life with it. The so-called "break-in" period.

Again, I ask, why do brand new guns require a break-in period? What's up with that? Why do so many guns require a fluff and buff? If that is needed to have the gun cycle properly, shouldn't it be done at the factory? Why should you have to file anything?

Good luck with your Kahr. Apparently, after the bugs are fixed, and the break-in period, it's supposedly a pretty good gun.

 

[jocko]

good question

My $1000 Para went back 3 times, before it got right good enough for me to sell it. A shame as I loved the gun, just didn't love me back . Kinda hard to go to any gun forum and not find complaints, normally people who have issues come on gun forums and complain, those that are happy, probably don't even know these forums exist. They just shoot um like they stole um.

 

[Seven For Sure]

They need a break in period because the tolerances are tight. They could make them looser but it would be a different gun. I don't think 200 rds. is too much to put through a new gun. I shoot many more rds. before I'll carry a gun made by anybody including Glock. It does take a lot longer to put 200 rds. through a Kahr than a Glock because of mag capacity but relax, go shooting and you might enjoy yourself. I've got a P9 and a PM9 that have never malfunctioned in any way with over ten times the reccommended amount through each.

To the thread starter, I'd look around for the cheapest P40 you can find. Night sights may be an option you will want someday and the last time I bought a Kahr mag it was $40 shipped. I looked hard for the cheapest source as well.

SHOOTING IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN (UNLESS IN A SD SITUATION)

 

[jocko]

yup

200 rounds down range is nothing. Another way to enhance breakin, is to grease up those rails and then just sit there and rack the slide about 500 times (will take 5 minuts maybe) as fast as u can. No bang involved but still gives the slide and rails some mating without ammo being spend down range. Kahrs and I have two of them IMO are the tightest semi's I have ever owned. My PM9 now with 16,000 rounds down range is still very tight. I kinda like that..

 

[benderx4]

Jocko: Just so you know, my local Gander Mt has a nice used PM9 with night sights for $549. (No break-in period - yea!)

Based on your enthusiasm, I'm going to give that puppy a shot once again as I would love a pocket 9 for the Winter and I'm not about to purchase a Rohrbaugh.

I just hope it works half as good as yours. Wish me luck!

 

[secord357fan]

Returned the kahr!!!

I returned the kahr yesterday to the sporting goods store i purchased from here in northern michigan, no hassles! Layed away a walther pps 40cal. I just couldn't bring myself around to keeping the kahr for cpl. It shook my confidence!

 

[jocko]

benderx4

ur wish is "granted".