New CW9 and CT380 arriving tomorrow.

[RolandD]

Howdy all,

I've been lurking around for about a month, absorbing all the info I can. My wife and I went to several gun shows to handle guns, and then we rented and shot the ones we liked. My favorite was the CW9, closely followed by the CM9. My wife's favorite was the LC380, closely followed by the CW380. After a lot of research and discussion, we decided to both go with Kahrs for simplicity, and that the CT380 would be a good fit for her. Two weeks ago, I placed and order with Tombstone Tactical for a CW9 and a CT380. The CW9 was $310.60 and the CT380 was $316.34. Shipping was free. By the time payment had cleared, the CW9 was out of stock, which is why it's taken two weeks for them to arrive.

I go into to this with knowledge of the finicky nature of Kahr Arms. I have made copious notes on ammo to avoid and ammo to try. I have my New Kahr Prep Instructions printed. A can of Brakleen, non-clorinated, brake parts cleaner sits in the drawer along side a bicycle inner tube. Each gun has it's own log book to keep track of cleanings, ammo fired, any malfunctions, modifications, etc. For our first range trip with our new guns, I picked up a 50 rnd box of Federal Champion 95grn .380 FMJ, and a 50 rnd box of Federal Champion aluminum cased 115grn 9mm FMJ. I also have a 30 rnds of WWB 147grn 9mm JHP and 9 rnds of Freedom Ammo mixed brass, reman 115gnd 9mm, on hand. I may pick up something different from my LGS when I pick up the guns.

What am I forgetting?

[greg_r]

I got my Kahrs just about a year ago. While I knew of Kahrs, I never paid much attention to them as I could not afford them. I did not know about the value series.

I had bought a S&W M&P Shield in 40 S&W back during the ammo famine when all you could find was 40 S&W. I loved the Shield, hated the 40S&W. I went to the LGS intending to trade the 40 toward a 9mm Shield. The LGS just happened to have the Kahr CT380 and CW45 in stock. They had been ordered by a customer who never came back to pick them up. While the 9 Shield was on the counter, I fondled the two Kahrs. I liked the CT380 a lot, and the CW45 even better. The CW45 fit my hand like it was custom made just for me. Plus they were chambered in 380acp and 45acp, my favorite two semi automatic pistol calibers. I bought them both for just over $600.

Got back home, got on the internet, read some reviews and began to worry a bit. Like you, I read of the finicky nature of the Kahr. Worries were unfounded in my case, so far anyway. The CT380 has run fine, a bit hard to rack the slide. I don't have a problem with it, but my wife just can not do it. The CW45 has dropped the magazine, but only once when my nephew was firing it. I do believe it was operated induced, it has never happened again. The slide on the 45 is easier to rack, but still stiff.

My biggest problem with the Kahrs is trying to stage the triggers. You just can't. The way to operate them is to just pull the trigger straight through. They have wonderful, butter smooth DA triggers, so it's easy to do, just hard for me making myself do it, but I grew up on single actions.

Hope you and the wife enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. Good luck with them. FWIW, mine have not been ammo sensitive, so far they have eaten whatever I've fed them.

[RolandD]

I got my Kahrs just about a year ago. While I knew of Kahrs, I never paid much attention to them as I could not afford them. I did not know about the value series.

I had bought a S&W M&P Shield in 40 S&W back during the ammo famine when all you could find was 40 S&W. I loved the Shield, hated the 40S&W. I went to the LGS intending to trade the 40 toward a 9mm Shield. The LGS just happened to have the Kahr CT380 and CW45 in stock. They had been ordered by a customer who never came back to pick them up. While the 9 Shield was on the counter, I fondled the two Kahrs. I liked the CT380 a lot, and the CW45 even better. The CW45 fit my hand like it was custom made just for me. Plus they were chambered in 380acp and 45acp, my favorite two semi automatic pistol calibers. I bought them both for just over $600.

Got back home, got on the internet, read some reviews and began to worry a bit. Like you, I read of the finicky nature of the Kahr. Worries were unfounded in my case, so far anyway. The CT380 has run fine, a bit hard to rack the slide. I don't have a problem with it, but my wife just can not do it. The CW45 has dropped the magazine, but only once when my nephew was firing it. I do believe it was operated induced, it has never happened again. The slide on the 45 is easier to rack, but still stiff.

My biggest problem with the Kahrs is trying to stage the triggers. You just can't. The way to operate them is to just pull the trigger straight through. They have wonderful, butter smooth DA triggers, so it's easy to do, just hard for me making myself do it, but I grew up on single actions.

Hope you and the wife enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. Good luck with them. FWIW, mine have not been ammo sensitive, so far they have eaten whatever I've fed them.

The trigger was what really sold me on the Kahr. They were so much better than anything thing else we fired.

My guns have arrived at my LGS. I'll be picking them up on my way home from work. Woohoo.

[Bawanna]

Don't be concerned about anything until you have reason to be concerned.

The dreaded break in everyone worries about is just a good idea for any gun, any brand. Good for you and good for it.

Good solid ammo, they don't much like girlyman loads especially new, good solid grip so the action has something to work against.

Stay away from the cheap off brand ammo, leave any steel case stuff on the shelf, don't want that.

Should be fine. If you get a balk, come on back and we'll work it out.

[Armybrat]

Good luck with both.
The CT380 is my every day pocket carry in the 11 months of warm/mild weather we have, and the CW45 is for the one month of jacket temperatures. Neat & reliable little pistolas, IMO. I'd like to get a CW9 too, just what fer.

[RolandD]

Don't be concerned about anything until you have reason to be concerned.

The dreaded break in everyone worries about is just a good idea for any gun, any brand. Good for you and good for it.

Good solid ammo, they don't much like girlyman loads especially new, good solid grip so the action has something to work against.

Stay away from the cheap off brand ammo, leave any steel case stuff on the shelf, don't want that.

Should be fine. If you get a balk, come on back and we'll work it out.

Don't worry Bawanna, I don't sweat the small stuff. If I did, I'd already be freaked out. One of the front guide rails has a Nick out of it and the polymer bulges out around the front rails on the CW9. The nick doesn't appear to effect functionality and the bulge is in every photo I see of the Kahr.

[RolandD]

I field stripped the 9 about a dozen times last night. I can almost get the slide stop out without resorting to using something to push it out. A couple more dozen times and it should be easy. Racked the slide about a hundred times, also. My wife had a migraine and didn't get to play with hers much. Tonight, they'll get a full cleaning and lube. Maybe she will feel better and can sit and rack it while we watch TV. If the weather's good, we'll go to the range on Monday.

I bought a couple more 50 rnd boxes of ammo when I picked them up. RPT brand. The 9mm is 115grn fmj round nose, but the .380 is 100 grn fmj rnfp, so we'll see how that feeds.

[Bawanna]

The nick in the rail is a witness mark to align the rail in the polymer during assembly, completely normal and on every single Kahr.

Same with the bulge. Completely normal. No worries so far.

[RolandD]

The nick in the rail is a witness mark to align the rail in the polymer during assembly, completely normal and on every single Kahr.

Same with the bulge. Completely normal. No worries so far.

I haven't noticed it in any pics of others. I'll post a pic tonight, but I'm not concerned, just curious.

[Bawanna]

I think it's even noted in the owners manual. I know it's on Kahrs website under frequently asked questions.
The bulge also if I remember correctly.

[RolandD]

I think it's even noted in the owners manual. I know it's on Kahrs website under frequently asked questions.
The bulge also if I remember correctly.

This is in the front rail, on the left hand side

[Bobshouse]

Left hand as your looking at the gun or pointing it away?

It is as Bwanna says, a witness mark. Your 380 probably doesn't have one.

[RolandD]

Left hand as your looking at the gun or pointing it away?

It is as Bwanna says, a witness mark. Your 380 probably doesn't have one.

You are correct. There isn't one on the .380

[RolandD]

The recoil spring is bent, also. Don't really see that that could effect anything either.

[RolandD]

So, first cleaning and lube completed, and I made my first modification. The 9 mm mag follower was hanging on the mag catch slot. Haven't even loaded the gun, yet. Just the mag and as I would manually thumb the rounds out, the follower would hang after four rounds and quit feeding. I took soon 400 grit sand paper to the follower and it works fine now.