Who has a CW40?

[O'Dell]

I was in my LGS today looking at a LNITB Compact SW99 40 today. They wanted $449 which isn't too bad considering the condition, but I noticed nearby was a like new CW40 for $329. I have quite a bit of 40 cal ammo, and only the HK and M&P that shoots it. I remember my CW 9 and CW 45 worked well so I'm considering the Kahr. It's small enough to carry several different ways. I'd be interested in any input from someone who owns one. [no PM40's please - they don't have a used one of those:)]

[TheTman]

I really like my CW40, pretty convenient for CC. It shoots well. I shot it right after shooting my CW45 and it seemed to have less recoil and muzzle flip, it's definately packing more punch than a 9mm. I had some trouble at first with it, it was my first poly framed gun and I didn't understand the concept of limp-wristing. Shot revolvers mostly before this, and my 1911, and limp-wristing doesn't affect those. The range officer and other shooters clued me in on what was happening, and once I corrected my grip, it's been flawless. I carry mine in a De Santis Sof-Tuck with a great deal of cant so the handle rides up against my kidney, and the bulge in my pants is covered by a shirt tail. It doesn't print unless I bend over at the waist, then the handle tends to stick out and print badly. IMO it's a great weapon with enough power to stop a bad guy quickly. True the hole it leaves isn't quite a big as a .45, but it has plenty of FPE to get the job done. That's a great price, as long as it wasn't someone else's problem child, even it it was, sometimes a different shooter will have better results.
http://graphics.pccomps.com/Desantis3.JPG

[TucsonMTB]

No complaints!

[toolman]

have one its my every day carry

[linksrds]

Look at it this way, for $329, if you want too, you can always sell it for what you got into it.

[jocko]

that is really one hell of a price for a kahr, actually kinda hard to believe even..

[slowpoke]

My CW40 is my constant carry gun. Has never failed in any way. I bought it new, did the 10 point lube and went through about 350 rds before cleaning. Better trigger than most guns of it's type. If it were lost or stolen, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another..

[O'Dell]

that is really one hell of a price for a kahr, actually kinda hard to believe even..

It is used, but very little from the looks of it. They sell new ones for $399 every day, but I have seen $389. Bud's has new ones for $377, I think.

[redjak]

I agree with Jocko, $329 for LNIB is a great price. Here in New Mexico I have seen $419 to $429 tags at my LGS for a new CW9/CW40. And then add sales tax. To get prices like $399 OTD for a new Kahr, I have to buy from an internet store.

[johnatw]

I have owned my CW40 for over 2 years and am totaly pleased with it. I will say that after firing some 350 rounds a day at a self defence school my hands were really tired, I was glad to put the gun down. All in all after break in it has been reliable for nearly 5000 rounds

[jocko]

thats alot of 40 cal out of any gun in one day,let alone a polymer kahr. hats off to you and your hands.

[HadEmAll]

My CW40 has been perfect. New recoil springs available from Kahr or Wolff.

[Goldstar225]

I had a CW40. It was accurate, carried well, fit my hand great, had moderate recoil and had a fantastic trigger. It was not reliable even after two trips back to Kahr and 500 rounds fired. It went down the road with regret because I really liked it otherwise. In fact I liked it enough that I bought a K40 to try again. I'm keeping the K40.

Many others have had CW40's that worked fine. If I were in your shoes, I would buy that CW40 and give it a try. At that price you really aren't likely to take a loss if it doesn't work out. If it does work for you, you'll have a powerful, easy to carry gun.

[O'Dell]

OK Gang, I passed on the SW99 and bought the CW40 for $330 plus $30 for an extra mag. The previous owner left the original sales ticket in the box. He paid $430 for the gun new on 4/13/10, so It's a bit over a year old. I haven't stripped it yet, but it is in very good shape with only a couple holster marks that I can polish out. It does not appear to have been fired much. I guess my question now is, since there a nine positive comments on the thread, where do I send the bill if it doesn't run? :D

BTW, the reason I was at the store today was that I finally got to shoot my 1 1/2 month old Springfield Loaded Lightweight 1911. I put 150 rounds of WWB and 25 rounds of Federal Hydro-shock down range without a hiccup. As with most 1911's, it was also quite accurate and shot to POA.

[TucsonMTB]

Well, if it is a JA... series serial number (current series), and you have a problem, call Kahr and remind them that you are VIP and want it handled! :D

Even if it is older, you should get respect. Tell them your new PM9 inspired you to buy it so they owe you. ;)

[Bawanna]

Note- no pressure guidance or influence from bawanna on this one so when / if it fails (it won't) don't put me on the billing list. I'm innocent.

[O'Dell]

Well, if it is a JA... series serial number (current series), and you have a problem, call Kahr and remind them that you are VIP and want it handled! :D

Even if it is older, you should get respect. Tell them your new PM9 inspired you to buy it so they owe you. ;)

The SN is FD44xx, but I have no idea what that means. There used to be a list of SN's and years, but I don't know where it is.

[O'Dell]

Note- no pressure guidance or influence from bawanna on this one so when / if it fails (it won't) don't put me on the billing list. I'm innocent.

Yes Bawanna, I realize that you are completely out of the loop. :)

[Bawanna]

Yes Bawanna, I realize that you are completely out of the loop. :)

If the grip don't fit you must acquit.

By the way I'm glad the Springfield Lightweight works so well.

[O'Dell]

Never mind Tucson, I found it. FD26xx was Jan 2009, so depending how many there were, it was probably born 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2009.

[O'Dell]

OK, everybody's off the hook, even you Bawanna. I took the CW40 [snappy lil devil] to the range today and shot 50 rounds of WWB and 50 of Federal HP. Except for a rather enthusiastic ejection action not one problem. The cases were hitting the wall next to me and beating me about the head and shoulders with some force - one even went down my tee, ouch. Well, there was one other problem. The lady in the lane next to me would occasionally hit my target. They were about 6 feet apart.

Obviously, I need to get more practice with these little Kahrs. I'm still not shooting as well as I would like, but it's my fault, not the pistol's. The target shown represents 6 mags, 36 rounds, of HP at seven yards.

While I have you, I'll relate something that happened yesterday. I was alone at the range when two older guys came in and set up right next to me. The first thing I noticed was that they ran the target down range and it promptly fell off the rails. They hadn't mastered the spring clip. They went back into the store and got another target. I wasn't paying much attention, but I did hear a great deal of animated discussion coming across the partition. Finally one stuck his head around and ask if I knew anything about Glocks. I told him "only as much as I have to". He said that they kept pulling the trigger but nothing happened. I ejected the mag and found that they had only managed to get six rounds in the mag, ALL BACKWARDS. I reloaded the mag for them, and then they ran the target about fifty feet downrange. I suggested that they might want to bring it back a little since they weren't used to the gun, but they said no. I moved as far as I could get away and continued to break in my SA 1911. BTW, these targets are 24x18. Mine are divided into 5 small targets but theirs was one LARGE target. When I left about 1/2 hour later, they had fired about 50 rounds, but still hadn't hit the paper. When I went back into the store, I told Tara that someone might want to go in and check on them.

[Bawanna]

Thats scarey. All loaded backwards. Truely scarey. They walk among us.

From the looks of your target I'd say your right, you need alot more practice to get used to that gun. I mean one nasty big ratty hole near the bullseye. Is this something you want to live with.

Now myself I'd frame that target and hang it in my man cave.

[jocko]

OK, everybody's off the hook, even you Bawanna. I took the CW40 [snappy lil devil] to the range today and shot 50 rounds of WWB and 50 of Federal HP. Except for a rather enthusiastic ejection action not one problem. The cases were hitting the wall next to me and beating me about the head and shoulders with some force - one even went down my tee, ouch. Well, there was one other problem. The lady in the lane next to me would occasionally hit my target. They were about 6 feet apart.

Obviously, I need to get more practice with these little Kahrs. I'm still not shooting as well as I would like, but it's my fault, not the pistol's. The target shown represents 6 mags, 36 rounds, of HP at seven yards.

While I have you, I'll relate something that happened yesterday. I was alone at the range when two older guys came in and set up right next to me. The first thing I noticed was that they ran the target down range and it promptly fell off the rails. They hadn't mastered the spring clip. They went back into the store and got another target. I wasn't paying much attention, but I did hear a great deal of animated discussion coming across the partition. Finally one stuck his head around and ask if I knew anything about Glocks. I told him "only as much as I have to". He said that they kept pulling the trigger but nothing happened. I ejected the mag and found that they had only managed to get six rounds in the mag, ALL BACKWARDS. I reloaded the mag for them, and then they ran the target about fifty feet downrange. I suggested that they might want to bring it back a little since they weren't used to the gun, but they said no. I moved as far as I could get away and continued to break in my SA 1911. BTW, these targets are 24x18. Mine are divided into 5 small targets but their one one LARGE target. When I left about 1/2 hour later, they had fired about 50 rounds, but still hadn't hit the paper. When I went back into the store, I told Tara that someone might want to go in and check on them.

real scary. I know it happens but never quite seen it like that. by the way O'dell your group patternmakes me"sick". Sell that POS if that is all lthe better it can do:7:

[Bawanna]

I helped my son's bosses wife buy a HK I believe it was. A 9mm. She liked it, picked it out herself. Showed her the workings and shot a couple times with her. Showed her how to clean it, the full meal deal. They live in another state and my son went to visit them for a weekend. They were shooting and she brought it out to shoot some. She had told him to thank me again on account of she felt much safer at home.

When they went to shoot it it wouldn't shoot and she had done the same thing. All the bullets were backwards in the magazine. I guess I suck at firearms instruction huh?

[jocko]

evidently she missed your first class!!!

[O'Dell]

Thats scarey. All loaded backwards. Truely scarey. They walk among us.

From the looks of your target I'd say your right, you need alot more practice to get used to that gun. I mean one nasty big ratty hole near the bullseye. Is this something you want to live with.

Now myself I'd frame that target and hang it in my man cave.

Yeah, but what about the flyers in the '8' ring?

My story reminds me of something I did a month or two ago. I was replacing stolen guns and had just bought a very nice used HK USP 40. I had put 150 flawless rounds through it and loaded the three mags for the last shots of the day. I aimed, pulled the trigger, and 'click'. uh oh! I reached up and cocked the pistol and pulled the trigger - 'click'. This is an HK - they're not suppose to fail, ever. Then I glanced down at the counter and saw three loaded mags.

[Bawanna]

I guess that To heck and back reliability only works if you stick them little magazine thingy's in the handle huh? Who knew?

[O'Dell]

I cleaned and lubed the CW40 today. In the period of time when I didn't have a Kahr I had forgotten one of my favorite things about them. First off, I love to shoot but I hate to clean guns. It's the kind of dirty, messy job that I avoid whenever possible. However when I open up a dirty gun my OCD kicks in and I have to get every single speck of dirt out. Lubing isn't so bad, but cleaning is the pits. Second, I won't let a gun that's been fired go w/o cleaning, whether it's one round or 300. So I generally spend about an hour doing something I hate. The Kahrs are different. They are so easy to strip and clean, that I can do it in 15 minutes. Thank you Kahr Arms.

[TucsonMTB]

I cleaned and lubed the CW40 today. . . .
Yeah, well John Moses Browning did not design his pistol with a hole in the slide specifically intended to make cleaning the striker channel with an aerosol solvent easy. Real men don't need easy . . . .

Just kidding, O'Dell!!! I could not agree with your more. :D

By the way, M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner in the sprayer bottle even makes cleaning JMB's contraption quick and easy. The larger 32 ounce sprayer bottle is recommend.
http://www.copquest.com/64-5020.jpg

[Bawanna]

I use alot of that M Pro 7. Good stuff. Don't have to wear gloves. Doesn't tick off SWMBO with toxic fumes. I still use good ole #9 some for the pleasant aroma on bores etc although the M Pro works fine there too usually.

Incidently for anyone who may not know Hoppe's Elite is precisely the same stuff. Made in the same place. M Pro allowed Hoppe's to market it since they were already established. So both work equally well.

[TucsonMTB]

Good point, Bawanna! I forgot to mention that it is SWMBO approved. :D

[TheTman]

Glad your gun is working well and that you got it for a good price. Man I wish my targets looked like that, you did some damn fine shooting.

[O'Dell]

Glad your gun is working well and that you got it for a good price. Man I wish my targets looked like that, you did some damn fine shooting.

Thanks, but two or three rounds got away from me. The good news is that if I had been aiming at the 'center of mass' or the bridge of the nose, all should have worked.

[jlottmc]

I had a captain (ironically he was prior STAFF enlisted from the chair force) load all 15 rounds for the Beretta backwards, then tried to chamber a round. That was a story made right there let me tell you. I get my butt ripped by my CO, and then he turns around tells me I did good. Talk about mixed signals. I go into details latter if you want but it'll have to be latter, I need to restart firefox (ads are a pita) and want to get through all the posts I haven't read yet before I do.