Kahr quality and reliability

[southx]

New to the forum and don't own a Kahr yet but have questions.
I realize this is the place to ring out problems and I understand breakin when a product is built to very close tolerances but there seems to be an awful lot of problems and returns to Kahr. These guns are expensive and meant for self defense.
Are they (Kahrs in general) worth the price and can I stake my life on one? I've heard a lot of bad mouthing the cheap KT's but mine has had no FTF FTE it has only gone bang since round one?
Need Input.

[mr surveyor]

southx

I too have owned several KT weapons over the last 10 years, and still have at least 1..... all were very reliable and were capable of performing their intended use with the exception of the very early second gen P3AT that took three trips back to the mother ship to get right. I figure I had the same luck with that one that a few people report to have with their P380 of PM9. All mechanical devices can, and or will sooner or later have a failure. As for the comparison.... the Kahr line, in my opinion, is built from better materials, much better attention to finish and fit, and higher quality in general. When you say that the Kahrs are much more expensive than the KT's.... that may be true for most of the Kahr line, but the CW isn't much more than a hundred bucks more than the PF9. Given the availability of night sights for the CW series, and none for the KT's, that gives the edge to the CW. The number one difference, in my opinion, is the trigger system. The Kahr wins hands down on the trigger.

As for after the sale attention..... I have only sent a slide back to Kahr for instaling the night sights, so have no experience with CS. On the other hand, I have to say the Kel-Tec customer service would be hard to beat. Like I said, I had to send my P3At back three times before it finally had all the final upgrades of the new models that were (and are) totally reliable. I have called KT for replacement parts like recoil springs, extractors, ejectors, as well as a rear sight that I broke, and always found them in my mail box within 3 business days.... free of charge. And, that's supposed to be what you expect from their lifetime warranty.

Last summer during the middle of the ammo shortage/price gouging, I traded my P3AT and small wad of cash for the CW9, in part because I didn't want to pay the extortion fees for .380 ammo, partly because I just wanted a new gun and had to do a trade to get one(the obamanomics was beginning to set in), and lastly because I needed to replace the empty 9mm slot in my collection (my PF9 was traded for a new airweight for "field use" two years ago). I do miss the P3AT as it was finally 100% reliable, and much easier to conceal carry in small spaces than the CW9, but I have absolutely no regrets about the CW9. We still have my wife's P32, and with the new offering from Corbon for a hot 60gr .32 acp round, I may just buy another P32 for a boot gun. Given availability of funds, I'd rather have the Kahr P380 or PM9, but the uncertainty of all the new legislation and tax burden coming to those of us in small businesses, I may not even be able to pay the sales tax on another new gun.

Even though I am somewhat of a KelTec fan....I'm NOT a "fanboy". I like guns, period. In my opinion they all have their place, from the most expensive finnicky 1911's, down to the low end Saturday Night Specials. Somewhere in between are the perfect CC guns for most of us.


surv

[copterdrvr]

Excellent post Mr. Surveyor and spot on.

I have a P11, P9F and P3AT as well as a Kahr CW9, PM9 and a just purchased P380 which hasn't made it home yet.

All of these guns have been 100% reliable. I did the same "fluff and buff" to all of them. It was certainly easier to do the Kahrs as they are obviously finished better but the final result was the same-100% reliability.

To me the big difference between the two brands is that the Kahrs are built to shoot and the Keltecs are built to be carried alot and not shot so much-in my opinion.

[jocko]

New to the forum and don't own a Kahr yet but have questions.
I realize this is the place to ring out problems and I understand breakin when a product is built to very close tolerances but there seems to be an awful lot of problems and returns to Kahr. These guns are expensive and meant for self defense.
Are they (Kahrs in general) worth the price and can I stake my life on one? I've heard a lot of bad mouthing the cheap KT's but mine has had no FTF FTE it has only gone bang since round one?
Need Input.

I buy that "awful lot of problem" stuff. You are always gonna read of issues with a gun on a gun forum. Your gonna read more of kahrs here than any other gun for this is a kahr forum. 99% of all gun owner never even heard of gun forums, let alone participate in them. you are reading the tip of the ice berg owners on these gun forums I am on the Ruger lcp forum, and they are no different than the kahr forum. Guns give issues, some are definitely gun issues, some also are shooter issues. Takes time to sort each one out. Kahrs quality is excellent, but as we have seen to, they sometimes let some real **** get shipped out the door. That is why they also have excellent customer service. They really seem to want to do the right thing. These are not cheap priced guns. they should be right. For that matter cheap ass guns should also be right. If you pay $300 for a gun and expect less than what you would in a $800 gun, then you should not have bought the cheap gun. THEY MUST ALL BE RELIABLE.

If your looking for a ccw gun, then kahr is the way to go. If u have any nit picking issues, 90% of those can be solved by the members of this forum, some unfortunately have to go back to get right. That is also what warrantys are for to.

I would not own 3 of them if I could not stake my life on them and I think most all here will agree..

[O'Dell]

What Jocko said in spades! I don't come here to solve my problems, because with three Kahrs and over 1800 combined rounds, I haven't had any at all. I can say the same about three SIG's and three S&W's. I would certainly call all three "quality" pistols. I own and have owned many hand guns in 40+ years, and these are the only brands that I can honestly say, they have been flawless. That's why you will always find a Kahr, SIG, or S&W on my hip or in my pocket.

[kahrseye]

Southx, welcome to the forum. I will speak only of my own experiences.... I've not had good luck with KT's. I found them to be very carryable but not accurate or fun to shoot. Tried the PF9, P3At, and the better half had a P32.

Then I bought a Kahr. Started with the PM9, then purchased a PM45, and now the better half has a P380. All have been flawless, accurate and a joy to shoot. I even pocket carry my PM45 (Boom Boom) sometimes. On any forum I believe you will see more negative than positive only because its a forum and members are looking for help if they have an issue. I believe you are hearing a minority of owners that are voicing problems.

[southx]

Thanks for the Input. I have just about every flavor out there over the last 40+ years and done trigger jobs and other upgrades to most. Luckily I haven't had any problem Guns. I've fondled several Kahrs over the last couple of months and like what I've seen just wanted to hear it.
Thanks again and you'll know when I get my hjands on mine.

[Jeremiah/Az]

I agree with other posters that you will see more negative posts on forums. I have 2 Kahrs & they have been flawless.