Excellent review (as usual). I like the fact that your reviews have all the useful information -- size and weight (without having to get out scales and/or calipers to "prove" the measurements), the gun's features (safety, trigger/trigger pull, sight picture, etc.), some shooting scenes to show recoil and accuracy, AND... take down. Lots of other folks reviews don't show that important piece. And the fact that you do all that in videos of 10 to 15 minutes is very nice. Thanks!
I really like mine very compact and light weight .45 very comfortable to carry concealed and if you want more capacity it uses 1911 mags as well the one issue I have with it is the trigger reset
The takedown pin was hard to get out because you don't bring it out of the slide lock notch, your supposed to bring it thru that half moon notch. That is what the alighnment marks on the frame and slide are for
sootch00 After 150 rounds, clean and lube after Every shooting I actually measured a 4.5 trigger pull. Very single action for A DOA and the accuracy is great. Deadly gun
Great review. These DO have a set of steel rails on the front of the frame as well as the rear, the slide rides on steel, NOT polymer. I wish people would quit saying they have no steel rails or only have them front or only rear, they have steel BOTH front and REAR and hold up to THOUSANDS of rounds. Don't attempt to remove the slide stop using the slide stop notch, use the little cut out made specifically for the purpose and it will come out much easier.
I just got a CM45 and it is a joy to shoot. Mine does shoot low as well, but all I do it just dot the I a little higher. Those sights are right up my alley, way better than the glock sights and easier to be more accurate than my XS big dots due to the notches on the rear that keep your front post in line.
Your in-depth video on the Kahr CW45 is one reason I bought one for concealed carry. I like the idea of no thumb safety to worry about and the longer trigger pull gives me those few seconds to decide if I want to fire. One thing that I didn't like was the nodules on the bottom of the grip, they were uncomfortable and dug into my beef. I filed down the last couple of grip bumps but still wasn't satisfied so I bought a Pachmayer rubber slip-on grip with finger grooves. Now, it feels like a whole new gun. Good job on your videos.
I also purchased a Blackhawk Serpa Concealment Holster - Right Hand - Matte Finish for Glock Models 19/23/32/36 . The Kahrr Arms CW45 fits this holster perfectly and locks into place . It fits just like it was made for the Kahrr CW45 .
I have cw45 and have about 400 rounds thru it. gun functions flawlessly. Best bang for the buck. 1911 officer mags work great in it. Just all around awesome gun.
@@gisellesbikeseat I haven't owned the Kahr CW45 in at least 6 or 7 years now. I traded it in, and the Ruger SR1911 mags with it. All I can tel you is they worked well when I owned them.
Eric from Moss Pawn sold me mine and yes I have the same problem. It shoots low. But carrying it concealed hardly feels like its there. Great 45 for carrying concealed.
Hey Sootch, I'm a BIG fan of your videos. FYI, Dawson Precision makes fiber optic sights for Kahr value series pistols that replaces the pinned front sight & dove tail rear sights. I have done business with Dawson many times, quality products, fast shipping HIGHLY recommend. Could make for a good review.
I have a CM 9 for carry. I have had no issues at all with mine after hundreds of rounds. Factory and reloads, no problems. I did polish the feed ramp when I first picked it up. No feeding issues at all. Nice and smooth.
You forgot to mention the metal rails in the front of the frame, and you took it down wrong. There is a notch on the frame and slide that your supposed to line up. Lining those up will perfectly line your slide release up with the little half moon cutout on the slide. Should come apart a little easier.
I purchased a cw 45 and a cw 9 and my Wife carries the 9mm but she shoots both. These are the lightest pistols I've ever owned and so comfortable to conceal carry had them for just about seven years and not one Jam and We've ran dirt cheap ammo up to high dollar and shoots it all the same. Love these Pistols.
You can disassemble it by pulling slide back about half an inch to the first half circle notch. You will see the hash mark on the slide and frame will line up. I grab my cw9 on the top of the slide at the rear and with my thumb in the upper grip where the beaver tail is and pull the slide back about half an inch with 1 hand and then pop the slide release out
I just picked up a Kahr CM45 today and its awesome! I have a couple Glocks and S&W pistols and the Kahr feels the most solid - it doesn't feel "cheap" in any sense of the word at all. Plus, it has metal sights, trigger, magazine, and mag catch. The polymer is nice too it is heavy and doesn't feel like cheap plastic. I also have a small frame Glock holster and it fits perfectly. I felt the trigger on the CW9 and it was pretty long - the trigger on the CM45 is much better, it is super smooth and not nearly as long as the 9. It genuinely feels like a 4lb smooth trigger with no wall at all.
hay sootch- not sure if kahr changed it or your friend did but mine came with a plastic mag release that was total junk.every shot would drop the mag. I contacted kahr and they new of the issue but wouldn't cover it under warranty.so if your looking to buy one make sure it has a metal safety or figure in another 25 bucks to the price.
That makes sense. Kahr recommends a 200 round break-in in their manuals, though My PM9 has never once malfunctioned, no matter what I fed t with, even during the "break-in." I couldn't be more impressed with Kahr's products.
I've got an NC CCW Permit. The CW series of Kahr pistols are about the same general size as the S&W Shield. For a IWB or OWB carry pistol this size is about the perfect fit.
this was my first pistol. bought it over 10 years ago, still have it, still shoots like brand new, still looks like brand new. carried it for over 10 years never had an issue with malfunctions.
I have been considering the CW9 for a few months and I appreciate review and information on Kahr's CW line of pistols. I am wondering if you are pulling the slide to the rear farther than necessary for take down. There appears to be a small rounded notch for the take down pin to be removed rather than using the slide stop notch. You would only need to pull the slide to the rear 1/4" for take down. Does it really matter? Probably not, just an observation. Thank you for the GREAT videos.
STOP IT NOW ! Stop showing me all these good pistols . I want one so bad but just spent my money on an FNX-45 and a CZ P-09 cause of you. LOL Thank man great videos.
Another great review.. love kahrs, I have a cm9.. the slide actually has some small metal rails on the very front of the receiver that it rides on.. I noticed em in ur video and went got mine and looked and sure enough about a inch long on the very front of the slide theres grooves. Another unique design from kahr.. keep up the good work..
I had a CW40 that I loved. I bought a Kahr extended mag that never worked then I started having feed problem if the weapon was the least bit dirty. I often had feed problem after as few as 100 rounds. A clean weapon never failed. The size and weight were perfect for concealed carry.
I really like your videos, but I note that there are steel rails front and rear. People often miss seeing the front rails because they are in the dust cover. It just does not look like the front rails you are used to seeing and the metal front rails are actually larger than what most polymer guns have.
I have fired this Kahr before and finally bought one today. I usually carry a full size .45 in Sig or a 1911, but a friend of mine turned me on to this gun and I absolutely love it. Accurate, manageable recoil, great for CCW and the power of the .45! Whats not to like?
I have 4 Kahrs, including the CW45. I have fired about 300 rounds through the gun without a single problem. For a 45 ACP in a small frame, it is easy to shoot. When the situation dictates, this is my conceal carry gun of choice.
hey Sootch, i just did a review on my channel for the Kahr CW9, its actually .90 inches wide, and we too have had no failures with over 1000 rounds through it. thats with reloads and all. what really stands out for me with the Kahr series of guns is the excellet fit and finish....keep up the great reviews
I have wanted a P380 for a long time. It would be what I carry when I can't carry a gun. The price has been the problem, but I am very excited about the CW380. Everything you need, nothing you don't
Sootch it appears your bring the slide to the slide stop Cathay when breaking down and re assembling. I dot own this gun but I think you only suppossed to bring the slide to the half moon soon on the slide. Am I a mistaken? Great bid either way!
On the takedown, I noticed you pull the slide back farther. On my P45 there is one small notch in the slide 1 1/2" from the front and one small notch on the frame 1 3/4" from the front of the frame. Push the slide back 3/8" and these two are lined up. Then the slide release lever can be pushed out with the finger.
Sootch00...all 230 grain 45 bullets shoot low!! BTW, the Kahr design is similar to the Glock's in that they both partially compress the striker spring. They complete the spring compression by pulling the trigger which then releases the sear. I had to reduce the spring tension on my CW45's extractor so that it grabbed the brass's rim. (I took about 0.02" off the extractor rod.) Once I got that resolved, the CW45 became a reliable shooter. Lastly, the CW45 is easily converted to 7+1 by using a Kimber #1000173 magazine. Caution: If the lip on the Kimber rubs against the extractor, it will prevent the slide going into battery. I had to lightly sand (200 grit paper) that lip just enough to prevent contact of the lip and the low-lying extractor. The traditional 1911 extractor sits high on the slide where it sits low on the Kahr's slide. All things considered, the CW45 is one sweet gun.
Excllent video Sootch. Just one thing. those are not the actual rails, the actual rails are metal. The rear rails are at the extreme rear of the pistol and the forward rails are down in the dustcover channel.
It is not necessary to pull the slide back that far for disassembly. There are lines on the front of the slide/frame that you line up and they in turn line you up with the take down notch. The pin, though, is still just as hard to remove. Just FYI.
Great video. Can't wait to see your comparison video (Kahr vs. glock). I have the PM9 and P380 as my carry guns and have had no issues with them. I think they are great guns for women who conceal carries.
If you look at the front of the gun, the barrel rides low in the slide, I own one and mine shoots slightly low an a few gun buddies of mine think it's the way the barrel sets in the slide is why it shoots low, any input on that? Great video, thanks!
the slide in the front does nothing except maybe to strengthen the frame.The reason I too was worried about the slide riding on polymer rails.While reloading I assembled the rail (less the bbl) onto the frame to a point where I could see into the frame,and nothing was touching the front lower rails.My question is how long will the frame hold up.
wow! not only did i get this pistol brand new, but for $285! and to top that, the price was split into 4 monthly payments.... the gun gods have been good
+robert moody My Dad got this for a good deal, too! I don't know exactly how much, but he told me he's really happy with the performance for the price.
+Draunamou..... sweet! its always nice to hear a good gun story, i love all guns and hate when people are caliber racist, i own a 380 up to a 308 AR10 and everything in between.... i don't discriminate lol...happy shooting!
robert moody You too! I've only shot it once, and since I was used to .22 calibers, I literally disliked the suspense so pulled the trigger as fast as I could lol. My dad has some cool guns, like some American civil war muskets and cool stuff.
I had one but it would not function with many types of ammunition. I sent it back to Kahr but it still was very finicky about the type of ammo. It would only take the very best ammo or it would stovepipe or fail to go into batterie. I traded it back in for a CM9.
I love Kahr pistols. I have the cw9, cw45, and the K9. The Cw45 is a great small cow pistol at a great price. Mine shoots right on target at point of aim. I've never had any reliability issues and it carries great in a crossbreed holster
In my M&P Shield search that is one of the pistols that I was allowed to hold. It feels good in the hand, but I was not crazy about the trigger and it was a little difficult to rack the slide for me. So, I am still waiting to find my Shield. Thank you for the review. It makes me want to give it a second look.
Scott Brown keep your xds, iv got both and the xds I trust more. Iv had problems with the kahr. The xds also breaks down faster and no pulling a pin out.
Thanx Rick ! I actually ended up switching to the XD .45 MOD 2 ! Love it...a little harder to conceal because of being 1/4" thicker ! But the payload and shootability make it well worth it !
Depend on several factors. Personally haven't seen it done. Most 1911 mags work def not all. Other then grandpa's WW2 1911, I don't own any personally. Def a different beast then what most are used to, great guns , but def not for beginners. Too different imo. And I also hate grip safety's. I do have a 911, a compact 1911 that I love. Still all metal, still only holds seven or eight and no grip safety
I had a CW45, the slide stop spring gave me problems, the polymer rails were getting chewed up, the guide rod was chewing up the slide, the chamber was too tight, and fail to eject problems. it was a train wreck. It constantly gave me a 10 % failure to eject even with high quality ammo. traded it for a Glock 36 and no more problems.
also one of the things i noticed when breaking the gun down is if you line up the two little notches at the front inch of the barrell on the slide and the frame it will lock in while you disingage the brake down pin.....just saying it makes it much easier to field strip, and you dont need any tools
I love my CW45, such a smooth trigger! But, here's the kicker... Throw yours in the freezer for an hour and see if it functions. Mine does not. I'm assuming the polymer contracts enough so that the cam that limits that beautiful trigger pull shrinks so that it will not allow enough travel to fire. Mine will absolutely not fire when very cold. I'm in Minnesota. If I leave it in my car outside in January, it's useless. I'm thinking I have to Dremel out some of the polymer where the cam touches or I have to grind down the cam to allow longer travel. In either case, I'm afraid it's going to mess up what I love about the gun. That beautiful trigger! Try this with yours, please. 9mm too. Is it just mine?
Bud's guns is selling these online for $337.00. I'm really interested in this gun if the mags are cheap enough. I understand that one of the Kahr's will take 1911 Mags! I love that.
i just bought the kahr cw40 and when i would shoot it the mag would pop out every 2 or 3 rounds. I let my friend shoot it to make sure it wasn't me and it did the something to him. Any ideas what to do?
Usual informative and enjoyable video. Have you done/posted a head to head comparison of the CW45 vs CW9 re: recoil impulse? I have several 9mm Kahrs but find myself gravitating towards/wondering about adding a .45. Thanks
they are decent guns, my buddy got one when they first came out...had issues went back to Kahr, the magazine needed a new mag release spring, guess he said they had some issues with them when they first came out. He then got the cm9 in 9mm great gun shoots low though(it did it with various ammo and shooters). It is a good option made in USA but I think I will still stick with the glock YMMV. Good video again!!!
Looking at the Kahr website and at Bud's Guns I notice they have a bigger pistol that looks like the same thing only larger, but I'm not sure. It's the CT45 and it holds one more round and has a 4" barrel instead of the smaller CW version. I'm wondering if they have the same internals and are the same gun except for size? Anyone?
scootch im on sick leave and resting at home this week and just re-watching this episode I just noticed o behind you thumb you it looks like shooting the gun rub you skin i did it to me after running 100 rounds at the range. think there's a way to stop the rubbing the skin like that?
Wow iPhone hacked that. I was meaning to say, I think you are bring the slide to far back(to the slide arch notch) when you are breaking the gun down. I believe you are supposed to only bring it back to the half moon. I could be completely wrong, just thought if I'm right you may want to edit that in. Although your way seems to work fine.
justinncherish not how Kahr tells you to chamber the round. Read the manual. It clearly states to drop the slide lock lever to chamber a round.Do not slingshot the slide, thats why its jamming.
