skool me on Khar

[throttletony]

hi all -
I'm looking at Khar for a new/different potential ccw. I'll stick to 9mm for this.
Can anyone briefly sum up the differences between their product lines?
seems like they have a small, medium, and now (kind of new??) full size line - some or all in both steel and polymer frames?
Any quick clarification would be helpful.
thanks all.
the Khar would potentially be competing against a Walther PPS, M&P Shield, and maybe a Beretta Nano to be a new IWB carry piece. Notice I'm looking for thinness (I'm already a glock guy, but am exploring the "thinner" side of the handgun spectrum)

 

[Sniper 79]

From what I gathered the P series is a little more refined and has more machining procedures which makes it more expensive. The CW series is a little blocky like a Glock and can be brought in at a lower price point due to less machining. I own a CW 45 and it has been flawless. I may buy another for my wife. It has ate up anything I have loaded mainly my own hard cast reloads. Even semi wadcutters. Great guns that I would recomend.

 

[ru44mag]

It depends on how much you want to spend. If you look hard enough you can get a CM9 for under $450. That would compare in size to firearms you listed, maybe a little smaller. I really have been impressed with mine. I did a lot of research before choosing the Kahr and considered the pistols you listed as well, but chose the Kahr. The PM9 is the same pistol with more machining, a really fancy cut barrel, some new rifling that is suposed to be great. A little better sights and an extra mag. The CW9 is the CM9 only about half an inch longer barrel and grip. They have another with metal frame that is even better. But each step takes the $$$ higher. For CCW the CM9 fits the bill in my book. If you go to Kahr's web sight you can see them all. Weight, dimensions, retail price. The CM9 is $517 retail. I just paid $440 for mine and that was after shipping and paperwork.

 

[mettle]

I've owned a cw9 for 4 years
Magazine release rusted
Kahr replaced it
That's only problem I have had with mine
Every range trip: runs several boxes of 9 in various drills and draw practice without a hitch

Few hundred rounds through it. Ran it in a pistol class

Only real draw back, 7+1
I carry it in a raven

 

[PX4me]

Welcome to class.

It's Kahr.

School's out.

 

[shooter521]

Can anyone briefly sum up the differences between their product lines?

K series - steel frame "full size"
MK series - steel frame subcompact
T series - steel frame "tactical" (large size)
P series - polymer frame "full size"
PM series - polymer frame subcompact
TP series - polymer frame "tactical" (large size)
CW series - economy polymer frame "full size"
CM series - economy polymer frame subcompact

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Shooter 521 beat me to it.


For 9's

Smallest size (pocketable for most folks) = CM9 (polymer-least $) , PM9 (higher $ poly), MK9 (steel ) Obviously steel is heavier than poly

Add to the barrel and grip size - CW9 in poly

Add more to the barrel and grip size P9 - poly K9 - steel

There are other variations on the theme - "Covert" models that have the PM9 size grip combined with the longer barrel length, etc.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

K series - steel frame "full size"
MK series - steel frame subcompact
T series - steel frame "tactical" (large size)
P series - polymer frame "full size"
PM series - polymer frame subcompact
TP series - polymer frame "tactical" (large size)
CW series - economy polymer frame "full size"
CM series - economy polymer frame subcompact

Shooter for the win.

Some of these are more easily available than others. The P, PM, CW, and CM pistols are the ones you're most likely to see in the wild, so to speak.

The steel framed Kahrs command a pretty penny, both new and used.

I've shot a MK-9, a P-45, and a CW-40. The MK-9 was a real honey pie. My formerly owned CW-40 wasn't too terribly pleasant to shoot. Downright brutal with defensive loads. Carried that gun "every day" for a few years until it broke and had to go back to the factory...twice.

My buddy bought a used P-45 that turned out to be somewhat of a "lemon". It had feeding issues with more than one brand ammo/bullet profile. The slide stop lever wouldn't "insert" all the way into the frame (noticeable gap between the lever and the frame - larger than on my CW-40), and it would drop the slide when a mag was rammed home.

In hindsight, I wish now that I'd have purchased a CW-9 instead of a -40. I'd probably still have it.

And I hope one day that I'll "inherit" the MK-9 from my wife's aunt.

 

[pudly]

Shooter covered the basics of the Kahr lineup very well. Just a little additional information about the Kahr company. Kahr itself has been very successful and has purchased other companies to broaden their lineup. They also now own and manufacture the following brands:

• Magnum Research- Makers of the Desert Eagle handguns (generally very large handguns, unlike the main Kahr brand).
• Auto-Ordnance- Makers of two main products: The Auto-Ordnance 1911 (very questionable quality historically, but far better since Kahr bought them) and Thompson- Best known for the Thompson submachine gun. You can buy a semi-auto version of the same firearm and even buy a violin case to keep it in.

 

[FERLACH]

I have owned a PM40 for about 10 years. 100% reliable over at least 500/600 rounds of differant ammo. Never sorry I bought it.

 

[AlwaysVigilant]

hi all -
I'm looking at Khar for a new/different potential ccw. I'll stick to 9mm for this.
Can anyone briefly sum up the differences between their product lines?
seems like they have a small, medium, and now (kind of new??) full size line - some or all in both steel and polymer frames?
Any quick clarification would be helpful.
thanks all.
the Khar would potentially be competing against a Walther PPS, M&P Shield, and maybe a Beretta Nano to be a new IWB carry piece. Notice I'm looking for thinness (I'm already a glock guy, but am exploring the "thinner" side of the handgun spectrum)

You have the differences in Kahr's line covered in the rest of the answers, but I noticed you were undecided vs other makers. You have a pretty big spread in overall sizes listed. Is it for pocket carry, ankle, waist? This is a big consideration when covering the size range you have listed and how you dress, assuming you will be CCing vs OCing.

If you never intend to pocket carry, I vote Shield. Its the best compromise between price, size, slimness, weight, and trigger quality. If you want to pocket carry, forget the Shield and the PPS as the size limits the pockets it will fit.