P45 or CW45?

[Cartman]

So I'm going to the gun show tomorrow with a S&W 1911 to trade for a Kahr, I am ready to own a .45 I will actually carry. I know the only difference is supposedly the slide machining and the barrel rifling, but if you were in my shoes, would you save the cash and get the CW or pony up a hundred or so (you know they'll only give me 25-40% of the retail on the Smith) to get the P45?

[jlottmc]

Your call. I now have both. The CW is a hair heavier, but not noticeable. Same smooth trigger, same everything. The wife LOVES her CW45, and if I had to buy another poly Kahr, it would probably be the CW series, just because I'm a cheap bastard. Both have been 100% as long as I remember to put them back together right (only issues I've had with the P45 were my fault). They both shoot well. Accessories like sights are starting to become more prevalent for the CW side too. Either way, it's a good call.

[TheTman]

I'm a little biased, having 2 CW pistols, but I'd get the CW45, and spend the balance on ammo, or maybe a CM9. It's been said here on the forum, that the CW45 is just about as accurate as the P45. One advantage of the traditional rifling in the CW series, is you can shoot unjacketed lead bullets, which I understand is a no-no on the pistols with the polygon rifling. I guess using handloaded or reloaded ammo voids the warranty, but after the warranty is up you can shoot what you want with it. Not sure how they would know you were using reloads if you used jacketed bullets, and reloaded the cartridges within specs, and didn't leave squib round in the barrel then try to shoot again.

[jocko]

I would not worry about the warranty on a kahr pistol. If you reload and know whqat your doing won't everhave ONE issues. Ain't gonna be long anyhow an you won't be buying lead bullets let along find lead wheel weights either.

Just can't see how one can go wrong with the cw 45, it is as accurate as the P45, more accurate than 99% of all shooters can get out of it and for what it is, the price doesn't justify the absoulte quality of the gun either..

[Bawanna]

I'll throw my pennies worth in favor of the CW also. If a super deal presented itself on the P or even a PM I'd jump but having a CW in your shopping sights is a good thing.

What are you hoping to get out of your Smith 1911. It's just too big?

[Cash.45]

I went to a gun show to pick up a P45 but came across a brand new CW45 for the ridiculous price of $369, so I jumped on it and haven't looked back. The money I saved went to extra mags and ammo. This little gem shoots like greased lighting. I also like the fact that the slide serrations go top to bottom instead of only halfway because of the milling on the P45 slide. I think it gives me better purchase when I'm racking the slide (tap-rack-bang, you got to love it!).

Now for the required disclaimer: YMMV

[Cartman]

What are you hoping to get out of your Smith 1911. It's just too big?

It retails for $890, street (I'm guessing) probably around $750, so I think $375 is realistic from a wholesaler. Yeah, it's just too heavy. Nice and thin, and has literally never failed, but I just don't reach for it in the morning when I have the PM9 feeling like a paper clip. I want a .45 option that I will carry. I also have only Kahrs and revolvers except for the Smith, so this will get my manual of arms consistent too.

[PaiN]

Just for you info, the CW45 for some reason(unlike the rest of the C line) is a bit longer in the slide than its P brother... CW45= 6.32" vs. P45= 6.07"

[Fedor]

http://www.gunblast.com/Kahr-45s.htm

[jlottmc]

Mine interchange just fine. Holsters, magazines, I even traded tops and such to show my wife it could be done. The only noticeable difference I found was in the weight, just enough to feel. My wife loves her CW. Either way, it's a great shooter, and you'll carry it often.

[gb6491]

Just for you info, the CW45 for some reason(unlike the rest of the C line) is a bit longer in the slide than its P brother... CW45= 6.32" vs. P45= 6.07"

I've seen those measurements on the Kahr site and have wondered about those differences. FWIW, my CW45 measures 6.232" from the back of the slide to the front of the barrel (the slide itself goes 6.181"). That said, I doubt it really means much in the scheme of things.
Regards,
Greg

[Cartman]

And the winner is, the CW45. I am such a shmuck, I made a deal with a guy having gone three quarters of the way through the show. I make the deal for a straight trade, and then walk an aisle over and find a used PM45 for $650. Oh well, what's done is done. I will post some photos in the next couple of days, I'll do a range report on the break in when I get to the range. Thanks again to everyone who contributed.

[jocko]

i WONDER

i've seen those measurements on the kahr site and have wondered about those differences. Fwiw, my cw45 measures 6.232" from the back of the slide to the front of the barrel (the slide itself goes 6.181"). That said, i doubt it really means much in the scheme of things.
Regards,
greg

who does the weights and measures at kahr sometimes???

U know that ol saying, figures don't lie but liars do figure!!!!

[Bawanna]

And the winner is, the CW45. I am such a shmuck, I made a deal with a guy having gone three quarters of the way through the show. I make the deal for a straight trade, and then walk an aisle over and find a used PM45 for $650. Oh well, what's done is done. I will post some photos in the next couple of days, I'll do a range report on the break in when I get to the range. Thanks again to everyone who contributed.

$650 for a used PM45 isn't really a gift. I think that's what I paid new for mine maybe 660 as I recall.

A straight trade for the PM45 might have been decent. Probably not that bad for a CW45 really since you were only figuring 375 for a dealer trade.

I left a nice Springfield 1911A1 all ported and polished, didn't look hardly shot on the table at our gunshow this morning. My son was kind of wanting it but managed to walk away. A fella was walking around with a blued version of the same gun, not ported for 750, he offered it for 675, he walked from that one too. More will power than me I guess.

[PCollen]

Your call. I now have both. The CW is a hair heavier, but not noticeable. Same smooth trigger, same everything. The wife LOVES her CW45, and if I had to buy another poly Kahr, it would probably be the CW series, just because I'm a cheap bastard. Both have been 100% as long as I remember to put them back together right (only issues I've had with the P45 were my fault). They both shoot well. Accessories like sights are starting to become more prevalent for the CW side too. Either way, it's a good call.

I've posted this question in a seperate topic thread. But with you having both the P45 and CW45, can you tell me if the CW45 has two metal slide rails on each side of the polymer body, or just rear metal slide rails only. My observation from on-line pics/vids is that the mid-point slide 'rails' are gooves formed into the polymer body, and not metal. Is this correct ?