KingWulfgar
09-09-2014, 08:34 PM
I think I must be too new to post raw pictures, but I've set up a Flickr album with the few pics I took so you can see them. It's here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisrwheeler/sets/72157647436537445/
First off, this is my first experience with a Kahr. I fell in love with the trigger pull in a local gun shop and when Palmetto State Armory put the CM9 on sale for $299, I couldn't pass it up. Wait--what's that you say? This post is about the CW380? Oh yeah, the next day, I saw the 380 for sale for even less and decided if I couldn't pocket carry the CM9, I could certainly do it with the 380. So, I got both. ;)
So, on to that 380...The fit and finish was fine for the price point and the gun felt better in my hand than my friend's LCP. I have no 380s, so I ordered some remanufactured target ammo from PrecisionONe and (after I got lucky by emailing their customer service) also snagged some of the coveted 90gr XTP loads. The only thing the big box of target ammo had listed was FMJ, but when they arrived, they have a flattened round nose. I've heard the Kahrs aren't terribly fond of anything with a flat nose, but figured I'd try them anyway.
In total, I fired about 100 rounds (17 mags worth) of the FMJ target ammo. I only have the one magazine that came with it, so it was all with that one mag. Had a few issues, but considering these little guns have a known break-in period and I'm not necessarily using the most ideal ammo for them, I'm not worried at this point.
Round 16 - FTE
Round 38 - Failed to return to battery
Round 42 - Failed to return to battery
Round 43 - Stovepipe
At this point, most of the issues were that the first round in the magazine wouldn't go fully into battery. They were still feeding, the slide just wasn't closing. I never once slingshotted it--always used the slide stop lever. This happened 4 times total throughout the next 50 rounds.
Round 49 - FTE
Round 78 - Stovepipe
Not terrible for the break-in period, IMO. I could always just tap the back of the slide to get it to fully seat and it would be fine after that. I will also add that I never once had the slide lock back on a loaded magazine or fail to lock back on an empty one. That's pretty impressive in such a tiny pistol at this price point.
I then loaded up 3 magazines (18 rounds) worth of the premium XTP loads. 100% of those fed, went into battery, and extracted fine. I am 100% confident in carrying this pistol loaded with those rounds for self defense.
Accuracy was actually pretty good for such a small pistol (see the targets at my Flickr link). When I really concentrated on controlling the trigger, I could put them in the center of the target--even got a few bullseyes at 15 yards. When I was firing quick double-taps, they were still mostly within the 8 inch target. I feel like the CW380 is easier for me to control and handles better than the LCP, but I don't own an LCP--merely have fired a couple magazines out of a friend's.
I will clean her and then feed her another 100 rounds to fully break her in, but if she doesn't develop any more problems and I can smooth out some of the fail to go into battery issues, I'm pretty sure she's a keeper. I will definitely try to find some round nosed FMJ to finish off the 200 round break-in. I'd also like to get a couple more magazines.
I've been pocket carrying her every day since I got her with no complaints. Cargo shorts, nice jeans--both feel pretty comfortable and the weight is negligible. I'm using a Desantis Nemesis sized for the LCP (it was a big snug at first, but Amazon reviews complained about the sloppiness of the P380-sized holster and suggested this one). I'd like to try a pocket kydex holster too--I think it would be thinner overall. In summary, though, I'm really happy with the CW380.
On a side note, I got the CM9 out after this and fired about 75 rounds through it (including 12 rounds of 124gr HST). Every round was completely flawless in that gun. Spectacular. Need to work on my accuracy, though. I'm not sure if it was the heavier recoil, but I don't feel I was as accurate with it. Pretty sure this is a "me" problem, though, not a gun problem. :)
First off, this is my first experience with a Kahr. I fell in love with the trigger pull in a local gun shop and when Palmetto State Armory put the CM9 on sale for $299, I couldn't pass it up. Wait--what's that you say? This post is about the CW380? Oh yeah, the next day, I saw the 380 for sale for even less and decided if I couldn't pocket carry the CM9, I could certainly do it with the 380. So, I got both. ;)
So, on to that 380...The fit and finish was fine for the price point and the gun felt better in my hand than my friend's LCP. I have no 380s, so I ordered some remanufactured target ammo from PrecisionONe and (after I got lucky by emailing their customer service) also snagged some of the coveted 90gr XTP loads. The only thing the big box of target ammo had listed was FMJ, but when they arrived, they have a flattened round nose. I've heard the Kahrs aren't terribly fond of anything with a flat nose, but figured I'd try them anyway.
In total, I fired about 100 rounds (17 mags worth) of the FMJ target ammo. I only have the one magazine that came with it, so it was all with that one mag. Had a few issues, but considering these little guns have a known break-in period and I'm not necessarily using the most ideal ammo for them, I'm not worried at this point.
Round 16 - FTE
Round 38 - Failed to return to battery
Round 42 - Failed to return to battery
Round 43 - Stovepipe
At this point, most of the issues were that the first round in the magazine wouldn't go fully into battery. They were still feeding, the slide just wasn't closing. I never once slingshotted it--always used the slide stop lever. This happened 4 times total throughout the next 50 rounds.
Round 49 - FTE
Round 78 - Stovepipe
Not terrible for the break-in period, IMO. I could always just tap the back of the slide to get it to fully seat and it would be fine after that. I will also add that I never once had the slide lock back on a loaded magazine or fail to lock back on an empty one. That's pretty impressive in such a tiny pistol at this price point.
I then loaded up 3 magazines (18 rounds) worth of the premium XTP loads. 100% of those fed, went into battery, and extracted fine. I am 100% confident in carrying this pistol loaded with those rounds for self defense.
Accuracy was actually pretty good for such a small pistol (see the targets at my Flickr link). When I really concentrated on controlling the trigger, I could put them in the center of the target--even got a few bullseyes at 15 yards. When I was firing quick double-taps, they were still mostly within the 8 inch target. I feel like the CW380 is easier for me to control and handles better than the LCP, but I don't own an LCP--merely have fired a couple magazines out of a friend's.
I will clean her and then feed her another 100 rounds to fully break her in, but if she doesn't develop any more problems and I can smooth out some of the fail to go into battery issues, I'm pretty sure she's a keeper. I will definitely try to find some round nosed FMJ to finish off the 200 round break-in. I'd also like to get a couple more magazines.
I've been pocket carrying her every day since I got her with no complaints. Cargo shorts, nice jeans--both feel pretty comfortable and the weight is negligible. I'm using a Desantis Nemesis sized for the LCP (it was a big snug at first, but Amazon reviews complained about the sloppiness of the P380-sized holster and suggested this one). I'd like to try a pocket kydex holster too--I think it would be thinner overall. In summary, though, I'm really happy with the CW380.
On a side note, I got the CM9 out after this and fired about 75 rounds through it (including 12 rounds of 124gr HST). Every round was completely flawless in that gun. Spectacular. Need to work on my accuracy, though. I'm not sure if it was the heavier recoil, but I don't feel I was as accurate with it. Pretty sure this is a "me" problem, though, not a gun problem. :)