More Kahr dilemma... mine anyway

[jmorris]

Well, one thing this thread has done is make me take a close look at my Kahr CW40 and I'll be if the barrel isn't preening. Off to the website.

[03Lightningrocks]

Not to pile on, but the new P380 I just got for my son had to go back to KAHR. Failure to feed. It could not get through six rounds without a problem. The bullets appeared to be snagging on the slide release as they tried to feed. They didn't offer to pay shipping, but when my son asked they immediately gave him their Fed Ex number so he did not have to pay. I sure hope he does not have to send his back multiple times. I am kind of bummed about it. I was seriously thinking about getting one for myself, but now I am not so sure. I hope yours comes back right this time. You have been more than patient with them.

[mr.72]

My Kahr is back with a new barrel and a new slide as well this time.

If it doesn't rain all weekend I'll be going out Saturday to break it in again. We'll see if they fixed it right.

One thing I have noticed is how wet with lube this thing is every time they send it back to me. Their tech sheet always says "lubed and test fired". They are not fooling around about the "lubed" part.

[Mike1951]

A new gun doesn't always solve the problem. They replaced my P45 with a new one on the third return. Mine was the stainless slide. They replaced it with one of the black diamond like finishes and installed night sites as a bonus for my trouble.

But the new one didn't work either.

Then there was the ordeal with the PM9. It went back multiple times before the recall. First, it usually takes Kahr a few years to even admit they have a problem.

OTOH, my two steel K-40's have never malfunctioned.

[mr.72]

well, that's not very encouraging, Mr. 1951.

I am hopeful that this is going to work :)

[Mike1951]

My attitude is not typical. I like Kahr's, even knowing when I buy one that it may not be right for several years, But I don't rely on them for carry. They're just extra firearms that I buy.

The status on the P45 is on hold. December will be three years since they sent the new P45. After finding it still malfunctioned, I irritated Dottie when I told her I was perfectly willing to put it into the safe for a few years until they learned how to fix it.

Since Dottie isn't there anymore, who would I talk to?

[Keith B]

well, that's not very encouraging, Mr. 1951.

I am hopeful that this is going to work :)

Many of the early Kahrs had reports of issues, where the later models seemed to be better. My PM9 has been flawless. So, if you buy one of the first ones out when they come up with a new design, be prepared for more potential problems until they get the bugs worked out.

It is not unlike buying a new car right after they come out with a new model or completely change the model design. I bought a brand new Buick Regal back in 1988. The car was a 'factory shipped' model and the dealership could not even order any yet. They had this one vehicle and were to receive one Gran Sport model the next day. The car had literally had been on the showroom all of 30 minutes when I started dealing and bought it. Never again will I do this on a new model. I had a myriad of small issues that needed to be fixed within the first 6 months of ownership. They didn't have any parts in stock, so would have to find the problem, order the part and then I would have to bring the car back to have the part replaced. Real pain in the neck. Once they had the issues lined out, the car was great, bit that initial 6-9 months was a headache. Luckily, the dealership was 2 blocks from my office, so I could drop the car off and walk to the office.

[mr.72]

Since Dottie isn't there anymore, who would I talk to?

I don't know. I have communicated with three different people at Kahr but typically a guy named Ian Burr has been the most responsive.

They answer the phone readily these days and reply to emails in hours. Worth a try to get them to fix it again, IMHO. It appears to me that the vast majority of Kahr polymer pistols function flawlessly, but a fraction of them are lemons and may never work correctly no matter how many times they are "repaired". That's just my observation. I am hoping I am wrong about that, at least in the case of my gun (which only has the original frame now).

One thing I noticed, my new slide has better sights on it. My original lacked the "bar" painted on the rear sight. The new one has the "bar" to go under the "dot". Nice :)

[The Annoyed Man]

The idea of a small, single stack (7+1), light, 9mm carry gun has some appeal to me. After reading through this thread, I doubt I'll ever buy a Kahr. The Walther PPS begins to look like the better alternative. True, American made would be preferable, but if the posts I've read here are indicative of the price, it's not worth it.

OTH, the idea of a small, single stack (7+1), light .45 carry gun also has great appeal to me. Oh, wait... I've already GOT one! A Kimber Ultra! It's American made too! And it runs flawlessly.



Am I a bad boy?

[mr.72]

Went to the range today. We had a blast (no pun intended). Anyway, we had a total of three 9mm pistols, a 1911 and my LCP, along with a Sig Mosquito, my .22LR Marlin and three Mosin-Nagant rifles fresh out of the packing material. So we had to work pretty hard to get a lot of rounds down range from my Kahr.

It fired 77 rounds of Winchester White Box (the troublesome light-strike round) without any failure or hint of trouble of any kind. Shot smoothly, consistently and accurately. This is how a pistol is supposed to work.

It was surprisingly popular.

Oh, and I scored 500 rounds of WWB 9mm at the local Academy on Friday. So I'll probably head back out once the rain clears and finish "re-breaking-in" my Kahr. So far, so good. That's the first time it's shot that many rounds in a row of WWB without a single hint of trouble.

[jmorris]

Oh, I love the CW40 in and off itself. It's just the preening. It's never failed to fire although I've only got about 300 rounds through it. I admit that I don't put a lot of rounds down it when I go to the range. It's just that with five 14 round magazines for the Sigma and two six round magazines for the Kahr I do a lot less reloading for the Sigma.

Until I start firing the Colt Navy and the Remington Old Army. *That's* a lot of reloading.

[mr.72]

Quick update:

Went to the range last weekend and put another 63 rounds through the newly-fixed Kahr. So that's 140 total without a single failure of any kind. The gun finally feels solid like it is supposed to. Planning to go out next weekend and put another 100 or so rounds through it.

[CompVest]

Way to hang in there.

[mrvmax]

I hate to see all the problems with the Kahr's, my MK40 has given me no problems except one FTF. I love the gun since it fits into a front pocket and I can carry it with any outfit I wear.

[ELB]

My Kahr P-9 also gave me problems at first. It would catch the ejecting brass in the ejection port. Not in the classic stove pipe position, but parallel to the chamber. Did this with most kinds of ammo. Sent it back, they replaced some things, springs and whatnot, polished the chamber and ramp. Worked much better, but still does not like higher velocity ammo (I chrono'd a bunch of different types to figure this out). Should have sent it back again I guess, but I just buy ammo it likes.

I have to say, for problems with Kahrs, I have read many more accounts of problems with the P series, the polymers, than the K (steel frame) series. I actually can't remember reading any about the K's. There seems to be something about the polymer version. I really like the design, it is a great little pistol for a singlestack, but if I bought another Kahr it would definitely be a steel frame version.