Kahr with cut down grip

[JeepGuy79]

I am thinking about buying a Kahr CW45 cause the price is dirt cheap and they are good guns. The grip is a little too long to use as a carry for me. I am getting pretty decent at this gun modding stuff lately I think. So I have this idea. I am thinking about getting a CW45 and a PM45 grip then cutting down the grip to the length of the PM45 grip and use that mag in it and the factory CW45 mag can be a back up/spare or whatever. This will give me a nice short grip I can hide and a little longer barrel to make it a bit more accurate and have a little longer sight radius.

For the price difference of my long barrel/short grip creation and a standard PM45 I can buy nice aftermarket sights (I happen to like XS), a decent holster, some ammo, and a crimson trace laser. It's a huge price difference. The pm is a really nice gun series but for the cost I can do a lot. I am not making a target gun just a gun I want to work and be accurate to 20 meters and under. Here is what it would look like:



Don't laugh too hard at my butcher job with the computer. In real life I can hopefully do a lot better. Anyway. You guys see any cons to this? Anyone ever done it? I have seen a glock done this way I think it was a 19 using 26 mags. It turned out pretty well. This will not have as long of barrel to short of grip ratio as the glock 19/26 conversion. Any input is good input. Let me hear it.

[Estand]

Yes, I've seen several people do that to the P9 versions for the same reasons. Kahr has a forrum that you can find the examples I speak of. Good luck!

[RPB]

Years ago I used to want short grip/long barrel.

I understand the theory, though my eyes/glasses have limited "depth of field" in vision and I'm much more accurate with shorter slide guns. and they are easier to carry for me. I had a Glock 17L I never hit a target with, a 17 I could use sometimes if the target was a trash can lid instead of a pie plate, a 19 that worked ok, and a 26 that's accurate for me on paper plates.

Now, I do the opposite Glock 26 for the short slide to not go clunk on a metal chair at my thigh when worn at 3:00, with 20 round mags (Glock 17 +3 extension) With my arthritis I can find the grip, and have more ammo too
Angle/cant so the mag/grip is more vertical and it disappears at my side more than a cell phone would. When I want less angle/cant I use a Glock 19 mag, so my side rolls/love handles can expand at Thanksgivin' dinner (or wear at 5:00 instead of 3:00)

I extended the grip on my Pocket pistols too, but shorter barrels/slides are better for pockets less than 12" deep.
I think what you are thinking is cool though ... I really want a pocket .45 I have not "looked" yet just need to buy some other stuff first....(probably PM45 , possibly a MILLENNIUM PRO™ COMPACT 745 instead of a Heizer Defense 2-shot derringer) to back up my XD45 when I carry it.

Yesterday I gave my custom XD45 with 4 full mags and 6 extra boxes of Critical Defense ammo to a retired LEO 1911 guy to torture test, rapid fire, slow fire, limpwrist and try to get it to fail and give me a report on it versus his best 1911 (he owns hundreds of 1911s-it's his obsession) and report on reliability AND recoil (he knows my hand condition) when he's done, see if I need it or a 1911 he could sell me as I move from 9mm to .45 He said it will be a couple weeks, because he "has to" go to a gun show next weekend. I"m guessing San Antonio rather than Longview or Gainesville's

[JeepGuy79]

Thanks guys.

I will check out the kahr forum.

RPB you say you can't hit with a 17L but can hit with the 26? That is weird. Usually people are the other way. I can hit well with short pistols better than most my friends but I can't say I hit better with a shorter one.

That is a lot of mag to hide in that little gun, what holster are you using? for me the slide part is usually pretty ez to hide but the grip/mag is the hard part to cover. My glock 30sf even canted far forward in a supertuck pokes my shirt a bit. How are you hiding that 26 with the super long mag"?

I ordered the gun and have it coming. I think with some XS sights it will be ready to rock... I am not going to cut the grip, the PM45 grip is only .31" shorter than the CW45 (4.8" vs. 4.49") most the size difference is in the length (6.32" vs. 5.67") which is still only .65".

[RPB]

Thanks guys.

I will check out the kahr forum.

RPB you say you can't hit with a 17L but can hit with the 26? That is weird. Usually people are the other way. I can hit well with short pistols better than most my friends but I can't say I hit better with a shorter one.

That is a lot of mag to hide in that little gun, what holster are you using? for me the slide part is usually pretty ez to hide but the grip/mag is the hard part to cover. My glock 30sf even canted far forward in a supertuck pokes my shirt a bit. How are you hiding that 26 with the super long mag"?

I ordered the gun and have it coming. I think with some XS sights it will be ready to rock... I am not going to cut the grip, the PM45 grip is only .31" shorter than the CW45 (4.8" vs. 4.49") most the size difference is in the length (6.32" vs. 5.67") which is still only .65".

I owned 17Ls twice, in the late 1980s/mid 1990s...sold the first after disgust for $300 , bought another for another $900 when I thought perhaps it was just "that" one. Sold it later in disgust for $300 also
I got the 17Ls thinking they should be more accurate (because of longer barrel and longer sight radius) than the 17s I owned in the 1980s which all shot high.
Reason with Glock 17L vs Glock 26 accuracy is I hate Glock grip angle... shoots high for me, it isn't a 1911, it isn't a Beretta 92/Taurus 92, it isn't "normal"
The longer 17L barrel aggravates it such that I shoot even higher, slight error on a space flight launch aggravated by distance.
Come to think of it though, as kids, even before my eyes were needing glasses, my older brother had a rifle and I had a pistol and was always more accurate with my shorter sight radius, and still am more accurate with Pistols than Rifles too, so perhaps it's just me.

I Hate Glocks, the grip angle sucks, the cheap factory sights guarantee a miss/poor score
I Love Glocks, they are so reliable, they are Indestructible, owned Glocks since 1989 or earlier, so I carry Glocks
The adjustment I make when I put new sights on, (Advantage Tactical Sights) using shims on the front sight.
I use Tuck this 2 holster at 3:00, right next to the side belt loop in pants, where I add stickyback Velcro to the holster's clip to prevent movement/migration, and CompTac kydex reinforced belt with Velcro.

Honestly I carried the 17+3 mag for years in the gun, lately I carry a Glock 19 (15+3-[Peirce grips PG39] = 18 rounds+1 chambered) mag in it and a Glock 17+3-[Peirce grips PG39] mag (for a spare 20 rounds)in the spare mag pouch on the holster. The long backup mag in the Holster's mag holder helps support the tilt/cant angle of the holster by resting upon my stiff belt .

Since 2007 or 2008, I wear Guayabera shirts with Kleenexes making a bump and hanging out in the bottom pocket, near my IWB holster; no one stares at bumps in my shirt for long. I also keep candy and chapstick there, the Kleenexes are just to make it less appealing to examine closely. Bumpy shirts are not illegal and no one seems to care. Everyone looks at me if my slide/barrel go clank/clunk on a metal chair or wooden church pew though, so I went short slides/barrels ... I have an XD45 and thinking of looking at compact 45s for the reason that I "clanked" at a church supper on the metal chair...

[JeepGuy79]

I know what you mean about the glock love/hate relationship. The factory sights suck. The night sights are ok, but I really like the XS style. I have never kept factory sights on a glock. I have never had a malfunction caused by a glock either. I have shot a lot of gkocks too. Only one I heard of having problems is the 36 which is why I got a 30sf instead of it. I read a lot of guys had trouble with the 36 (which seems to be worked out now). I may look at getting one down the road.

If glock would make a single stack 9mm the size of a PM9 with nice rounded corners I would buy one right away. But I doubt this will ever go down.

Does your pants not pull down on the gun side? You have a lot of weight in that on spot! you have a G26 with 19 rounds in it plus another mag with 20 rounds in it all on one side of your pants?!?! That is almost 3lbs of weight between the gun, ammo, mags, and holster all in one spot! You must have one heck of a belt to keep your pants up! I am going to check out those comp tac belts,sounds like they work very well.

[RPB]

I know what you mean about the glock love/hate relationship. The factory sights suck. The night sights are ok, but I really like the XS style. I have never kept factory sights on a glock. I have never had a malfunction caused by a glock either. I have shot a lot of gkocks too. Only one I heard of having problems is the 36 which is why I got a 30sf instead of it. I read a lot of guys had trouble with the 36 (which seems to be worked out now). I may look at getting one down the road.

If glock would make a single stack 9mm the size of a PM9 with nice rounded corners I would buy one right away. But I doubt this will ever go down.

Does your pants not pull down on the gun side? You have a lot of weight in that on spot! you have a G26 with 19 rounds in it plus another mag with 20 rounds in it all on one side of your pants?!?! That is almost 3lbs of weight between the gun, ammo, mags, and holster all in one spot! You must have one heck of a belt to keep your pants up! I am going to check out those comp tac belts,sounds like they work very well.

Well, since I rarely show my hole card, but you commented on weight, I'll admit ...
IN ADDITION to the Glock and spare mag ...
I wear Wranglers cargo shorts, from Walmart. So, I also in front pocket have a Keltec P11 with the 12 round mag for an additional 13 rounds while the Glock gets recharged if needed. And if I go fishing or to church I'll poke an additional PF9 or PT709 in the cargo pocket, for snakes, or "other right front pocket" for sharing with other CHLs/Deacons if needed. (I wear long pants to church, but same belt)
So, the Glock and mag aren't all

Yes, I have two gun belts, both CompTac contoured, double layered, kydex reinforced, Velcro backed, belts.
My pants/shorts stay up just fine

The "other right front pocket"
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens ... 20204.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JeepGuy79]

LOL! Wow, thanks for sharing that. Makes me feel lame for complaining about my G30 pulling down my pants. That is a lot of gear. I am not even going to try to add up how much all that weighs! I did a rough add up on the other and am pretty sure it is pretty close to accurate... adding a couple more guns in the mix I can't calculate.

You sir are a walking war machine.

[CC Italian]

Jeepguy79- I carry a Glock 20 with a factory 6inch barrel and a 5 round extension for a total of 21rounds of 10mm and a spare mag of 15 rounds all the time. A good belt, holster and the right cut shirt goes along way! As for the long barrel short grip the Springfield compacts seem nice!

[barstoolguru]

is it possible you will destroy the gun by warping the grip (mag will not fall out when released, we see a lot of that when someone does stimpling) and the value will drop. And to anyone that thinks that an inch of barrel length is going to make a difference in accuracy needs to do some more reading. Do what you want; I say get a gun that fits instead of making the gun fit you.

[CC Italian]

I say get a gun that fits instead of making the gun fit you.

This sounds about right to me. Also, the longer sight radius might help at longer distances if everything works together. Meaning you have good sights and you are good with the gun. It has been said before on this forum many times. At close range distances less then 20ft where most shootings happen the difference between a 3in barrel and 4in barrel is negligible when firing 2-3 shots quickly. So maybe just maybe you go from a 3inch group to a 5in group! I have seen guys shoot 2inch groups at 15 yards with a snub nose! I could never do that! Practice makes perfect!

Edit: I also had a similar experience like RPB. Within 15 yards I can shoot a better grouping with my Glock 27 then with my brothers Glock 17. I thought this was a fluke but my brother produced the same results. Several have said it is the dual recoil spring or maybe just the way the gun balances better but either way I can shoot the baby glocks with greater accuracy with the gen 3 models at closer distances.