Kahr CW9 with a melt job

[gun0wner]

Bought my wife a CW9 she carried it for a few years but all of a sudden started complaining about the weight and stopped carrying. I carried it a little while and decided to do a melt job on it as it seemed to hang up on everything/anything you dropped it into (holster, pocket, purse) due to all the angular lines, 90 degree edges on the chamber and especially the front edge of the slide release. I am thinking of selling it. My question is what is a fair price for a melted CW9? Is it more/less less valuable due to the melt job or is that irrelevant to the value? As you can see it looks brand new except for the soft edges. See ... https://goo.gl/photos/teMgy4zSGp2UHFdt9

[RRP]

Although alterations and modifications may enhance the value of a firearm to the person making the changes, it often reduces the resale value. That said, your melt job is exceptionally well done. I don't expect resale will be diminished at all. It probably won't enhance it either.

Very nice workmanship.

[tom.p]

TBH I wouldn't pay more for a gun that's been modified in such a way. I would prefer it stock, and if I were to want a Kahr with smooth rounded edges I could probably find a used P9 for not much more. Not sure if anyone else would be willing to pay more, but I'd say it's worth less that a stock CW9.
That being said, it looks like you did a great job on the melt and it's probably a nice carry weapon now. Why would you want to get rid of it?!
I don't know what you could sell it for, but considering I can find a new CW9 on sale for a little over $300, it's probably worth more for you to hang on to it.

[leftysixty]

Job well done on the melt! Many folks probably would not notice the melt, unless they were Kahr fans.

Resale? If your lucky maybe 1/2 the price of new! I'd keep it, just because!!

[CJB]

Doesn't look like you addressed the ejection port quite enough, but I like the slide stop

[berettabone]

Looks like a nice job all around...............you won't be able to replace it for what you get for it.

[Armybrat]

What everybody else has said.

I really do like it. May do that to my CW45 too.

[Gun Doctor]

Well, I guess it's like making a custom car. You put in X amount of dollars, and Y amount of time, and you figure that X+Y= what someone will pay for the car. If you find a buyer who likes what you have done, is into the same thing, and has the money to lay out, you win. If not, you don't. In the case of your pistol, I would say that the average price for a used CW9 is the price you'll get for it. IF the right buyer came along, maybe a few pennies more. I know that if were in the market today, I would make you an offer a bit over the average resale value. I've worked on weapons for over 20 years, and I can tell you that whoever did the work on your pistol is a true artist. Beautiful work, and not one bit overdone.

[muggsy]

Bought my wife a CW9 she carried it for a few years but all of a sudden started complaining about the weight and stopped carrying. I carried it a little while and decided to do a melt job on it as it seemed to hang up on everything/anything you dropped it into (holster, pocket, purse) due to all the angular lines, 90 degree edges on the chamber and especially the front edge of the slide release. I am thinking of selling it. My question is what is a fair price for a melted CW9? Is it more/less less valuable due to the melt job or is that irrelevant to the value? As you can see it looks brand new except for the soft edges. See ... https://goo.gl/photos/teMgy4zSGp2UHFdt9

My wife used to complain about the weight of her gun. I told her if she lost ten pounds that she could probably carry two guns. It only took a few days for the swelling around my eyes to go down and then I saw things more clearly. :)

[hardluk1]

How much weight did you remove , 1/4oz ?

How is the pistol getting hung up on everything when its in a holsters . Its is in a holster , right . Maybe a smooth holster is needed .

[RRP]

My wife used to complain about the weight of her gun. I told her if she lost ten pounds that she could probably carry two guns. It only took a few days for the swelling around my eyes to go down and then I saw things more clearly. :)

That's better than the "January Humor" thread!

[gun0wner]

Thanks for the comments guys. I really appreciate it. I did the work myself. As for the ejection port -- I did just enough to make it stop catching things. I thought long and hard about softening the port more, but was afraid any more might effect function. Many might argue softer port edges should not alter ejection or trajectory, but I didn't want to find out the hard way either.

I didn't weigh it before/after so I can't tell you how much the weight was reduced. I can say it didn't have an effect on cycling (another concern at the start). I wondered if I might just be building a $400 Kahr shaped paperweight. That didn't happen, so the operation was a success.

You all have echoed what I have been feeling -- I should just keep it as: 1) I will never get the $ I want unless someone just has to have it, and 2) it was my first melt job and has a sentimental value for that reason. Besides, I could do much worse for a 9 mm carry weapon. Thanks again for all your input.

[hardluk1]

How was your pistol catching on things ? Please explain as I never had the happen . The blending on the nose and getting the soft finish back on looks nice

[Scarywoody]

I like the melt job you did. I really like the slide stop. I do similar on mine just to make it mine.