CW9 - what has been your experience?

[wcmaas]

Picking up my first Kahr on Thursday. It's a new CW9. After watching way too many YouTube videos and reading way too many reviews, I have some questions (or things I am obsessing about):

1. Are the polymer rails in the middle of the frame really a weak point? I realize they will wear but has anyone had the rails fail and tie up the gun?
2. I am partial to 147gr ammo and not a proponent of +P. What is the collective experience of what weight bullet is the sweet spot? Is there any ammo the gun just can't run?
3. Can anyone figure out why Kahr only warranties the Value Series for 5 years while the Premium Series counterpart (P9) is the same gun with different slide milling, different sights, different slide lock/release and different barrel gets the forever warranty? Seriously, the only real heavy stress part seems to be the slide lock/release. Strangely enough I have broken forged parts (from Wilson Combat no less) but all my MIM stuff is still cooking along.
4. Anybody done a torture test with a polymer Kahr? GLOCK seems to like to do this.

5. Just remembered another question. I have heard stories of "the over-pressure side plates blowing off all over the place!" Mind you nobody has seen this but they know a guy who knows a guy blah blah blah... I believe it can happen - the side plate is a great idea - it is rare. Is this reasonably accurate - that it is rare?

Thanks for your patience with this NOOB!

[leftysixty]

The Kahr poly pistols NO NOT HAVE POLY SLIDE RAILS, the actual front rails are steel and are molded into the frame in the area where the RSA resides. They look like pieces of sheet metal that are stuck into the polymer and the slide has narrow notches that ride on those front rails.

Hope that I am making sense, me thinks that I am too tired to be posting! Someone will be along to clarify, do not worry Kahr pistols are good to go!

[wcmaas]

The Kahr poly pistols NO NOT HAVE POLY SLIDE RAILS, the actual front rails are steel and are molded into the frame in the area where the RSA resides. They look like pieces of sheet metal that are stuck into the polymer and the slide has narrow notches that ride on those front rails.

Hope that I am making sense, me thinks that I am too tired to be posting! Someone will be along to clarify, do not worry Kahr pistols are good to go!

That makes sense! I have seen those pieces of sheet metal! Thanks!

[b4uqzme]

Picking up my first Kahr on Thursday. It's a new CW9. After watching way too many YouTube videos and reading way too many reviews, I have some questions (or things I am obsessing about):

1. Are the polymer rails in the middle of the frame really a weak point? I realize they will wear but has anyone had the rails fail and tie up the gun?
2. I am partial to 147gr ammo and not a proponent of +P. What is the collective experience of what weight bullet is the sweet spot? Is there any ammo the gun just can't run?
3. Can anyone figure out why Kahr only warranties the Value Series for 5 years while the Premium Series counterpart (P9) is the same gun with different slide milling, different sights, different slide lock/release and different barrel gets the forever warranty? Seriously, the only real heavy stress part seems to be the slide lock/release. Strangely enough I have broken forged parts (from Wilson Combat no less) but all my MIM stuff is still cooking along.
4. Anybody done a torture test with a polymer Kahr? GLOCK seems to like to do this.

5. Just remembered another question. I have heard stories of "the over-pressure side plates blowing off all over the place!" Mind you nobody has seen this but they know a guy who knows a guy blah blah blah... I believe it can happen - the side plate is a great idea - it is rare. Is this reasonably accurate - that it is rare?

Thanks for your patience with this NOOB!

1 - lefty is correct. The slide rides on the metal frame rails in front and two metal tabs at the back
2 - I've owned a PM9 and a MK9. No issue with any weight ammo. Shoot what works best for you with confidence.
3 - I don't know this for sure but it makes sense that a longer warranty might be part of what you pay extra for in the premium series.
4 - That would be Jocko = over 32000 rounds fired in a PM9. He hasn't been around for a while and most of us miss him. Great member. Lousy typist.
5 - That would be a safety feature in the case of an over pressurized round. A couple of members have had it happen. It's as rare as bad ammo.

Hope that helps noob. Enjoy your new gun.

[wcmaas]

1 - lefty is correct. The slide rides on the metal frame rails in front and two metal tabs at the back
2 - I've owned a PM9 and a MK9. No issue with any weight ammo. Shoot what works best for you with confidence.
3 - I don't know this for sure but it makes sense that a longer warranty might be part of what you pay extra for in the premium series.
4 - That would be Jocko = over 32000 rounds fired in a PM9. He hasn't been around for a while and most of us miss him. Great member. Lousy typist.
5 - That would be a safety feature in the case of an over pressurized round. A couple of members have had it happen. It's as rare as bad ammo.

Hope that helps noob. Enjoy your new gun.

Outstanding! Exactly the kind of information that I was looking for. Thank you good sir!

[kahrbrian]

Truth is Kahr has polymer AND steel rails like many other polymer pistols.

[wcmaas]

truth is kahr has polymer and steel rails like many other polymer pistols.

struth! 😀😎

[yqtszhj]

I had a CW9 (and foolishly traded it), a CM9, and a CT9, and my experience has been over several thousand rounds total that you’ll have NO problem so I wouldn’t worry. The 9mm is the flagship product. Clean and oil it up and shoot whatever you like and enjoy it.

have fun

[wcmaas]

I had a CW9 (and foolishly traded it), a CM9, and a CT9, and my experience has been over several thousand rounds total that you’ll have NO problem so I wouldn’t worry. The 9mm is the flagship product. Clean and oil it up and shoot whatever you like and enjoy it.

have fun

Thank you for some great advice. I do tend to overthink stuff.

[icemncmth]

I picked up a used CW9 and love it. I shoot around 4 days a week and put hundreds of rounds through my guns. I have put a lot mixed ammo into my CW9 mag and it ran flawless. When I first purchased the pistol I took it home and really cleaned it. I also frog lubbed it all over and let it sit for a long time. Then cleaned it again. Lubed it up and started shooting it. I've shot steel, aluminum and brass through it and I haven't had a single issue. It is very accurate and in going to end up buying several more Kahr pistols in various calibers because of my first. All guns have issues and all guns are ammo picky. My CZ-P07 will gobble up anything but really becomes impressive with heavier bullets. My CW I'm still working out what loads it loves. Heck most of the fun of getting a new gun is figuring her out. Just like a lover.

[Armybrat]

Nice to hear!
How about a pic of your new lover?

[JohnR]

Nice to hear!
How about a pic of your new lover?
And one of the gun, too. :cool:

I had a CW9, sold it, and keep thinking about getting another one.

[Gebe]

As stated in another thread, I've been wanting a Kahr for years. Finally went for a CW9. Upon receipt I field stripped it like I always do with new pistols. It was the dirtiest pistol inside I've ever seen! Pieces and flashings of plastic everywhere.

After around 3 hours of removing all the grit, I took it to the range. It ran perfect through several magazines. Loaded it up with one last magazine and after the last shot, I noticed the front sight was gone! It had blown right off.

Contacted Kahr and they sent a new one right out. The front sight is held on by 2 plastic posts that fit through holes in the slide and the posts are heated and mushroomed on. This time, I epoxied them on along with the heating and mushrooming and no problem through many rounds.

All these aside, I just love this pistol! So light and thin. The double action trigger pull is long but silky smooth. Takes a little getting used to but is easily mastered.

I've since added a stainless guide rod to replace the plastic stock one and is probably not necessary but I just trust the stainless over the plastic.

This thing has never hiccuped even once and feeds and fires everything I run through it. Even with the initial issues, this is a gun I am proud to own and so glad I bought it.

[Armybrat]

Glad to hear it's working well for you.

That's the second front sight I've read about flying off a Kahr.

[Tjironhorse]

As stated in another thread, I've been wanting a Kahr for years. Finally went for a CW9. Upon receipt I field stripped it like I always do with new pistols. It was the dirtiest pistol inside I've ever seen! Pieces and flashings of plastic everywhere.

After around 3 hours of removing all the grit, I took it to the range. It ran perfect through several magazines. Loaded it up with one last magazine and after the last shot, I noticed the front sight was gone! It had blown right off.

Contacted Kahr and they sent a new one right out. The front sight is held on by 2 plastic posts that fit through holes in the slide and the posts are heated and mushroomed on. This time, I epoxied them on along with the heating and mushrooming and no problem through many rounds.

All these aside, I just love this pistol! So light and thin. The double action trigger pull is long but silky smooth. Takes a little getting used to but is easily mastered.

I've since added a stainless guide rod to replace the plastic stock one and is probably not necessary but I just trust the stainless over the plastic.

This thing has never hiccuped even once and feeds and fires everything I run through it. Even with the initial issues, this is a gun I am proud to own and so glad I bought it.

Just fired my new CW9 yesterday. 200 flawless rounds through 4 different magazines, along with different bullet weights.
I. Curious. My gun has a steel guide rod, not a plastic one. Not a stainless one, but def not plastic. Did Kahr use plastic on older models, assuming yours is an older gun?

[dustnchips]

The striker spring guide rod is plastic. No doubt that was what he was talking about, not the recoil guide rod

[Tjironhorse]

The striker spring guide rod is plastic. No doubt that was what he was talking about, not the recoil guide rod

Now that makes more sense. Thanks. The plastic striker spring guide rod is kind of cheap, but I suppose it works well enough.

[Gebe]

Just fired my new CW9 yesterday. 200 flawless rounds through 4 different magazines, along with different bullet weights.
I. Curious. My gun has a steel guide rod, not a plastic one. Not a stainless one, but def not plastic. Did Kahr use plastic on older models, assuming yours is an older gun?

So sorry for the misinformation. I should have said "steel guide rod" not plastic! Like you Tjironhorse, other than my thorough cleaning of my brand new CW9, (shouldn't happen in a new gun!), and the front sight blowing off, it ran like a champ! Upon field stripping it after many rounds, I noticed the stock steel guide rod had some scars on it. Whether this was a detriment or not and would maybe effect further shooting, I didn't care for it.

I did some research here and found out that Lakeline made a nice hardened stainless steel guide rod. I went for one, installed it and put some more rounds down range and field stripped the gun again, and there were no more scars.

Not saying the original steel guide rod won't be good enough and last a lot of rounds but the LL SS guide rod is so smooth and so hard, I'm glad I bought it!

[cardguy]

Absolutely flawless. Very accurate too.

[Pukindog12]

I had two CW9s and both were excellent. Very reliable, accurate, and great to carry. The one I carried the most developed a nasty habit of ejecting the mag while holstered. Instead of trying to fix it I sold it (with full disclosure) to buy a PPS M2 (another great pistol which shares time as an EDC with the other CW9.). Along the way I purchased a CM9 as I always wanted one. It's record is as good as the CW9. For me Kahr makes excellent pistols and I do not ever see me being without the two I have.

[linksrds]

I have a 10 year old CW9. I cannot begin to count how man rounds have been fired. I am a NRA instructor and use it in my training sessions. The pistol has never had an issue. I also use it as my EDC among other Kahrpistols I own. I trust it totally.