If you get a bad one out of the box, Kahr will make it right. My CW9 had a defective frame, didn't make it through half a box, initially, but its been about 100% since its return. I got mine to shoot 9mm lead reloads as cheap practice analog for the PM40 I usually carry.
Basically I shoot 50 rounds of hard cast lead reloads (147gr 3.7gr Unique) and 5 rounds of 115 gr FMJ (Wolf or Blazer) every week, wipe it down put in safe until next week and repeat until I start getting failures to go into battery at which point I take it down and clean. Only need to do this about every four months or so. I figure the gun has paid for itself already in ammo savings shooting the cheapest 9mm vs the cheapest .40S&W, payback was quicker still since I shoot mostly lead reloads in it.
I have to clean the mags when I start getting nose dives into the feed ramp. I recently replaced the recoil spring again too. Just normal maintainence for a high use pistol.
My brother-in-law has one, and while his is reliable, he's having a little trouble with the recoil and muzzle blast.. It may sound counter-intuitive, but try some premium 147gr JHP SD ammo as the muzzle blast is greatly reduced over the lighter premium JHP rounds.
My other most common carry is a S&W SC360 .357Mag loaded with 158gr JHP -- if I need it how much my hand might hurt afterwards is the least of my worries. This at 15.5 oz fully loaded make the CW9 and PM40 real pussycats
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I practice with an all steel 2" .357Mag pistol as its analog, I'm not a masochist.
--wally.