New to Me Kahr MK40
- Thread starter Tallball
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Armybrat
Member
Yeah, I like Kahrs….but have only owned the tupperware variety.
(CW45, PM9, CW9, CT380)
Still have the CW9, with the others in my son’s hands.
(CW45, PM9, CW9, CT380)
Still have the CW9, with the others in my son’s hands.
Bought this CM45 a couple of months ago. Still breaking it in. Getting new 308 on paper, shot 5 S&B 230s rested over backpack at 25 yds.
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Have CW45s, CW40, and CW9. Hers's my CW40 in pocket holster:
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Really like the "little" Kahrs
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Paul
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Have CW45s, CW40, and CW9. Hers's my CW40 in pocket holster:
.
.
Really like the "little" Kahrs
.
Paul
citizenconn
Member
Nice gun, but Dude, your bullet has a hole in it.
Styx
Member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2014
- Messages
- 3,282
Very true. I own 5 steel Kahrs. My first was in a f2f sale for a new Kahr K9 with nights and leather holster for $500. The second m K40 purchased used at my LGS for $350. The next two were a MK9 with night sights and a K40 purchased from Gunbroker for around $350. The last was a NIB K40 brought at BudsGunShop for $300. These were all $700-$900 MSRP pistols. Gunbroker were full of them for $350-$450. Now they are far and few between, and much more expensive like you said.
silicosys4
Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
- Messages
- 3,679
My experience with plastic Kahrs was abominable. I had a cw40, a pm9, and a pm40.
The cw40 was a garbage pile of a gun that had multiple issues. The pm9 and pm40 were just unreliable, after dealing with the cw40 I didn't bother fussing with them, down the road they all went.
Now my k9 has been the exact opposite. It is a well sorted gun and has been 100%. I bought it last year for something like $225. The plastic guns left such a sour taste that I almost didn't buy it, but at that price I couldn't say no. Its now one of my favorite semi autos.
I would love to find a mk9. I won't have anything more to do.with their plastic guns but the steel ones are a different animal altogether.
The plastic framed Kahrs were redesigned from the metal frames and unfortunately significantly cheapened the design...and not in a good way.
Compare the magazine release assemblies between the plastic and steel guns.
The cw40 was a garbage pile of a gun that had multiple issues. The pm9 and pm40 were just unreliable, after dealing with the cw40 I didn't bother fussing with them, down the road they all went.
Now my k9 has been the exact opposite. It is a well sorted gun and has been 100%. I bought it last year for something like $225. The plastic guns left such a sour taste that I almost didn't buy it, but at that price I couldn't say no. Its now one of my favorite semi autos.
I would love to find a mk9. I won't have anything more to do.with their plastic guns but the steel ones are a different animal altogether.
The plastic framed Kahrs were redesigned from the metal frames and unfortunately significantly cheapened the design...and not in a good way.
Compare the magazine release assemblies between the plastic and steel guns.
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SSN Vet
Member
I'd love an MK Kahr.... but in 9mm for me 
Styx
Member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2014
- Messages
- 3,282
Man up and get the 40 calI'd love an MK Kahr.... but in 9mm for me
sparkyfender
Member
I bought an MK9 around 2001 for my first real carry gun. It was more of a hot ticket back in those days, and it wasn't cheap even back then. Loved it and carried it for years, then got bored and sold it pretty cheap to buy something forgettable like a dummy.
Been looking for a new one online, but no way was I interested in paying what they are asking for them. Found this one used at a shop 40 minutes away this morning after reading this thread, $399.00 plus tax, heck yeah!
I think I did okay. Anyone know to get an approximate date of manufacture without calling Kahr?
Love the pictures you guys are posting of your metal and poly Kahrs, hope they keep coming!
Been looking for a new one online, but no way was I interested in paying what they are asking for them. Found this one used at a shop 40 minutes away this morning after reading this thread, $399.00 plus tax, heck yeah!
I think I did okay. Anyone know to get an approximate date of manufacture without calling Kahr?Love the pictures you guys are posting of your metal and poly Kahrs, hope they keep coming!
sparkyfender
Member
Thanks!Sparkyfender, that is a very good deal and a fine-looking pistol.
Now you have me wanting one of those.
Yep, that's the feeling I got from reading this thread as well.........
Scarpia
Member
Greetings fellow Kahr Fan Boys...I haven't visited this forum recently (years) but decided to toss in my comments on the Kahr guns. I always knew there was something different in their design. I handled one at a LGS but never fired one, until:
(PM9): I stumbled across a PM9 at one of my go-to shops, put it in my hand and knew I needed that little guy. Out the door at $330 and off to the range I went. Wow! What a very cool shooter. It is CA/MA (?) compliant with loaded chamber indicator and external frame safety both of which I have no issues.
(CW45): A CW45 quickly followed but this one had some chambering issues. It was a struggle to get it to go into battery but that was solved by tuning the extractor assembly, namely, shortening the extractor's push rod by about 0.020" and polished all components. I also replaced the recoil spring with a known 20 lb Wolff spring. I suspect the spring that came with the gun might have been changed to 18 lbs by the previous owner. That would have made racking the slide easier but also caused the extractor's claw not to slip over the brass rim. Anyhow, the CW45 now loads, fires and ejects without issues. It seems to like round nose bullets versus hollow points, so I only use 200 grain round nose for that gun (all hand loads, my go-to 45 powder is Alliant Reddot).
(K9 Elite '98): Shopping for a K40 at another of my LGS's, I came across the K9 Elite '98 and snapped it up. I paid big bucks ($660) for it but now totally hooked on Kahr's, I coughed up the bucks, no regrets. As expected, it is a terrific shooter, feels great in-hand not to mention how sweet it looks. Buffed to a bright shine, she's a looker.
(MK9): Still in the search for a K40, at the same LGS where I got the K9, I glanced at their 9mm display case and spotted the MK9. It had a sticker price of $650, way over my budget so I asked how much they would take for it...$475. I jumped all over it at 475. After the deal was done, I and asked why they discounted it by $175? The owner said he was closing the business at the end of this year and more or less was reducing inventory. This MK9 is now my go-to carry 9mm.
(K40): Still on the lookout for a K40 or MK40. I know they are out there and are going for big bucks so when I see the one that works for me, I'm going for it. Stay tuned...
I have replaced the recoil spring in the CW45 with a Wolff 20 lb, replaced the K9 and MK9 recoil spring with a Wolff 18.5 lb. springs and replaced all the factory striker springs with Wolff 5 lb springs. After a bad experience with a failed brass that blew out the side of one of my polymer carry guns, I decided to only carry metal framed guns in the high pressure 9mm and 40 S&W calibers. I'm OK with polymer with low pressure 45's. I have never experienced a brass failure in 45.
As an engineer (and adjunct faculty member of an engineering college), I consider the design of the Kahr as brilliant. Justin Moon got it right in every way in his design, his rotary cam approach compress the striker spring and release the sear is light years ahead of Glock and other DA gun manufacturers methods. I bet the designers at Glock are asking themselves "why didn't we think of that?". The very stiff recoil springs that is a major complaint of Kahr owners is intended to ensure the timing of the action, that is, to allow the bullet to exit the muzzle before the brass is pulled from the chamber. This means the brass will never have to contain the high pressure gas in the barrel while the bullet is still in the barrel. The gun that exploded in my hand (and yes, it hurt) had a very light and easy to rack slide which I suspect was the reason the brass failed. The slide came back before the bullet left the barrel; the brass could not contain the high-pressure gases still in the barrel. The stiffer the recoil spring, the more time it takes to separate the barrel and slide exposing the brass. Twenty-pound springs might be an over kill but a typical factory 16-pound spring is cutting it close.
The CW45 has a Kimber (#1000173A) 7+1 magazine (Note: The Kimber magazine's lip needed to be sanded slightly so it did not interfere with the low sitting extractor on the slide). The PM9 and MK9 have Magguts 7+1 follower and spring plus Pearce extensions. The K9 is all stock other than the springs described above. I'll retro the K9 with the Magguts follower and spring when they are available.
(PM9): I stumbled across a PM9 at one of my go-to shops, put it in my hand and knew I needed that little guy. Out the door at $330 and off to the range I went. Wow! What a very cool shooter. It is CA/MA (?) compliant with loaded chamber indicator and external frame safety both of which I have no issues.
(CW45): A CW45 quickly followed but this one had some chambering issues. It was a struggle to get it to go into battery but that was solved by tuning the extractor assembly, namely, shortening the extractor's push rod by about 0.020" and polished all components. I also replaced the recoil spring with a known 20 lb Wolff spring. I suspect the spring that came with the gun might have been changed to 18 lbs by the previous owner. That would have made racking the slide easier but also caused the extractor's claw not to slip over the brass rim. Anyhow, the CW45 now loads, fires and ejects without issues. It seems to like round nose bullets versus hollow points, so I only use 200 grain round nose for that gun (all hand loads, my go-to 45 powder is Alliant Reddot).
(K9 Elite '98): Shopping for a K40 at another of my LGS's, I came across the K9 Elite '98 and snapped it up. I paid big bucks ($660) for it but now totally hooked on Kahr's, I coughed up the bucks, no regrets. As expected, it is a terrific shooter, feels great in-hand not to mention how sweet it looks. Buffed to a bright shine, she's a looker.
(MK9): Still in the search for a K40, at the same LGS where I got the K9, I glanced at their 9mm display case and spotted the MK9. It had a sticker price of $650, way over my budget so I asked how much they would take for it...$475. I jumped all over it at 475. After the deal was done, I and asked why they discounted it by $175? The owner said he was closing the business at the end of this year and more or less was reducing inventory. This MK9 is now my go-to carry 9mm.
(K40): Still on the lookout for a K40 or MK40. I know they are out there and are going for big bucks so when I see the one that works for me, I'm going for it. Stay tuned...
I have replaced the recoil spring in the CW45 with a Wolff 20 lb, replaced the K9 and MK9 recoil spring with a Wolff 18.5 lb. springs and replaced all the factory striker springs with Wolff 5 lb springs. After a bad experience with a failed brass that blew out the side of one of my polymer carry guns, I decided to only carry metal framed guns in the high pressure 9mm and 40 S&W calibers. I'm OK with polymer with low pressure 45's. I have never experienced a brass failure in 45.
As an engineer (and adjunct faculty member of an engineering college), I consider the design of the Kahr as brilliant. Justin Moon got it right in every way in his design, his rotary cam approach compress the striker spring and release the sear is light years ahead of Glock and other DA gun manufacturers methods. I bet the designers at Glock are asking themselves "why didn't we think of that?". The very stiff recoil springs that is a major complaint of Kahr owners is intended to ensure the timing of the action, that is, to allow the bullet to exit the muzzle before the brass is pulled from the chamber. This means the brass will never have to contain the high pressure gas in the barrel while the bullet is still in the barrel. The gun that exploded in my hand (and yes, it hurt) had a very light and easy to rack slide which I suspect was the reason the brass failed. The slide came back before the bullet left the barrel; the brass could not contain the high-pressure gases still in the barrel. The stiffer the recoil spring, the more time it takes to separate the barrel and slide exposing the brass. Twenty-pound springs might be an over kill but a typical factory 16-pound spring is cutting it close.
The CW45 has a Kimber (#1000173A) 7+1 magazine (Note: The Kimber magazine's lip needed to be sanded slightly so it did not interfere with the low sitting extractor on the slide). The PM9 and MK9 have Magguts 7+1 follower and spring plus Pearce extensions. The K9 is all stock other than the springs described above. I'll retro the K9 with the Magguts follower and spring when they are available.
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I like that I've had a couple Kahr's (9mm and 45) in the past good guns, if I had one of their steel 40s I'd probably still have it as it's basically very similar to the Walther PPS 40 that I still have.
I mostly carry a smaller caliber in my suburban environment but it's nice to have the option to drop something that sends 180gr bullets down range in a pocket when I get out in the woods.
I mostly carry a smaller caliber in my suburban environment but it's nice to have the option to drop something that sends 180gr bullets down range in a pocket when I get out in the woods.
obiwan1
Member
I love my K40. Had it since 2001. It's my "low profile" gun as it conceals very well IWB.
Charlie98
Member
I've had a fair amount of Kahr pistols... but only in 9mm or .45ACP. I agree with one of the other posters... I think the 9mm Kahr is the sweet spot in their lineup, based on size, handling, and reliability.
I've owned something like 5 CW9's, and still own 3 of them. They are my EDC pistols, and I rotate them about every 2 months. I gave one away to my brother (birthday present,) one shot quite a bit left (sold,) leaving the 3 best ones for me. My first CW9 was bought used, from my FFL, at a good price. I bought it with the intention to test drive a poly 9, and I was already predisposed to hate it... not only because it was poly, but 9mm as well. Real guns are metal, right? Wrong. My first range session and I fell in love with the stupid thing....
That original pistol was actually stolen out of my truck (because all you need to break into a SuperDuty is a .99 flat blade screwdriver,) so I had to scramble during one of the Dark Ages (Obama) and I finally found the last CM9 at the gunshow. I wasn't particularly enthralled with the smaller CM, but it packed well, took all of the same magazines and holsters as the CW9, and I had one. First chance I got, I picked up another CW9... because one is none, and two is one. And then I bought another CW9... the one that shot left. So I sold that one... and bought another CW9... because three is two. Oh, look! Another CW9! ...let's get it!
During this time, I also picked up one of my dream Kahrs... a P45! It sure looked good on paper, but it never really fit my hands well, and, honestly, it had problems. I think it was short chambered.. but Kahr was not willing to let me ship it on their dime, so I took the easy way out... I traded it off... for another CW9 and some magazines. I eventually bought another Kahr .45... a CW45. While it was more reliable than my P45, it never really lit my fire... and I sold it off, too. I also bought a PM9, which isn't a bad pistol... but the slide release/cam pin has a habit of walking out under recoil. I'm sure it's an easy fix, but I haven't bothered with it, yet.
I've been told the K9-series pistols are the best, but given the price tag, it's unlikely I'll ever get one unless I just luck out. I see a lot of used Kahrs, both steel and poly, at my LGS, but they are almost always .380's, .40's, or .45's... and that holds no interest to me. I see very few 9mm Kahrs for sale.
I have 4 different holsters I use to tote my Kahrs around...
The self-modified Galco IWB pictured above...
The High Noon Slide Guard... just a fantastic holster...
I liked the High Noon so much, I bought one for my 1911's...
When I travel, I prefer the Alessi shoulder holster... it's a lot of holster for such a small gun, but it gives me access while seated, and I don't have to fight with it when I put my seatbelt on...
I also have a very nice Alessi IWB clip holster... it's a little more bulky than my Galco, but it's rigid enough where I can reholster without going through gyrations (no photo.)
Epilogue: I mentioned above that my original Kahr CW9 was stolen out of my truck. It was, of course, picked up during a bust. After a few years I kind of had written it off... as lost in the bueraucratic never-never land. Lo and behold... 7 years after the fact, I get a call from the local PD... "you want to come and pick your pistol up?" Why... yes I do!
One small scratch across the slide... but otherwise unmolested! It even had it's magazine...
I've owned something like 5 CW9's, and still own 3 of them. They are my EDC pistols, and I rotate them about every 2 months. I gave one away to my brother (birthday present,) one shot quite a bit left (sold,) leaving the 3 best ones for me. My first CW9 was bought used, from my FFL, at a good price. I bought it with the intention to test drive a poly 9, and I was already predisposed to hate it... not only because it was poly, but 9mm as well. Real guns are metal, right? Wrong. My first range session and I fell in love with the stupid thing....
That original pistol was actually stolen out of my truck (because all you need to break into a SuperDuty is a .99 flat blade screwdriver,) so I had to scramble during one of the Dark Ages (Obama) and I finally found the last CM9 at the gunshow. I wasn't particularly enthralled with the smaller CM, but it packed well, took all of the same magazines and holsters as the CW9, and I had one. First chance I got, I picked up another CW9... because one is none, and two is one. And then I bought another CW9... the one that shot left. So I sold that one... and bought another CW9... because three is two. Oh, look! Another CW9! ...let's get it!
During this time, I also picked up one of my dream Kahrs... a P45! It sure looked good on paper, but it never really fit my hands well, and, honestly, it had problems. I think it was short chambered.. but Kahr was not willing to let me ship it on their dime, so I took the easy way out... I traded it off... for another CW9 and some magazines. I eventually bought another Kahr .45... a CW45. While it was more reliable than my P45, it never really lit my fire... and I sold it off, too. I also bought a PM9, which isn't a bad pistol... but the slide release/cam pin has a habit of walking out under recoil. I'm sure it's an easy fix, but I haven't bothered with it, yet.
I've been told the K9-series pistols are the best, but given the price tag, it's unlikely I'll ever get one unless I just luck out. I see a lot of used Kahrs, both steel and poly, at my LGS, but they are almost always .380's, .40's, or .45's... and that holds no interest to me. I see very few 9mm Kahrs for sale.
I have 4 different holsters I use to tote my Kahrs around...
The self-modified Galco IWB pictured above...
The High Noon Slide Guard... just a fantastic holster...
I liked the High Noon so much, I bought one for my 1911's...
When I travel, I prefer the Alessi shoulder holster... it's a lot of holster for such a small gun, but it gives me access while seated, and I don't have to fight with it when I put my seatbelt on...
I also have a very nice Alessi IWB clip holster... it's a little more bulky than my Galco, but it's rigid enough where I can reholster without going through gyrations (no photo.)
Epilogue: I mentioned above that my original Kahr CW9 was stolen out of my truck. It was, of course, picked up during a bust. After a few years I kind of had written it off... as lost in the bueraucratic never-never land. Lo and behold... 7 years after the fact, I get a call from the local PD... "you want to come and pick your pistol up?" Why... yes I do!
One small scratch across the slide... but otherwise unmolested! It even had it's magazine...
Scarpia
Member
"Epilogue: I mentioned above that my original Kahr CW9 was stolen out of my truck. It was, of course, picked up during a bust. After a few years I kind of had written it off... as lost in the bueraucratic never-never land. Lo and behold... 7 years after the fact, I get a call from the local PD... "you want to come and pick your pistol up?" Why... yes I do!
One small scratch across the slide... but otherwise unmolested! It even had it's magazine..."
Great story Charlie...thanks for sharing. Slightly off topic, but my '68 Firebird-400 was stolen in 1970 when I just got out of the Navy. I was in Boston at that time, four years later in 1973, it was recovered in California when someone tried to buy it at a used car lot.
One small scratch across the slide... but otherwise unmolested! It even had it's magazine..."
Great story Charlie...thanks for sharing. Slightly off topic, but my '68 Firebird-400 was stolen in 1970 when I just got out of the Navy. I was in Boston at that time, four years later in 1973, it was recovered in California when someone tried to buy it at a used car lot.
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