Cw40?

[Poppatello]

I got a CW40 about 6 months ago from a dealer to replace a gun they ordered incorrectly. I have not had a chance to fire it yet but hope to do so this weekend. I ordered a holster and plan to EDC it as a CCW. I currently carry either my .32 Seecamp or my P320 .9 The 9 is kind of big since it’s a double stack and I print easily. When I open carry or don’t care if I print I carry any one of my other .40’s. My concern is I checked out this forum and I only seen like 2 CW40 post in like five pages. Does anyone carry one and if not why? Is this pistol junk? I haven’t seen a bad review on them other than the Sportsman’s forum.

[Bawanna]

It's definitely NOT junk! Lately we don't hear much about 40 for some reason. They are out there, I have a K40. I don't generally carry it but it's warm and available if needed.

[BirdsThaWord]

I do not carry a CW40, but do carry a CW9. If the CW40 was available at the same price, at the same time INSTEAD of the 9 I would have bought the 40 because as the Colonel said, they are definitely not junk.
I did carry a cm40 for a few years. It was my first Kahr. In it’s tiny configuration it was a handful. I can not say anything in comparison to the cw9 vs cw40 for carry, but recoil/muzzle rise (and effect on follow up shots) would be about the only difference one could discuss between the two. I think that one difference would be the reason why you see so many cw9’s vs cw40’s.
I think a lot of people follow what gets reported about law enforcement and their decisions to carry/allow certain calibers. When a lot of them reported going from 40 to 9 I think a lot of the civilian population followed.

[Poppatello]

Ok cool. I was starting to worry there. I love how it looks and feels in my hand. Mine is all black/blue which another thing I really like about it because many are two tone. I like to be different it also just as safe. I have lots of 40 rounds and my first pistol was a Taurus 24/7. Love how it carries and shoots but it’s no CC pistol. So been trying to find the perfect CC EDC pistol. I had a LC9s and it was snappy. So I got a S&W 9 shield and hated how it was in my hand. The grip was so narrow that the gun would turn to the left as I pulled the trigger unless I really held on with both hands. So just stayed with the 40 and purchased more since I had a stock pile of ammo. But I still wanted something smaller. The Seecamp is ammo sensitive with only about 5 brands it works best with. Hard to find in today’s ammo hoarding world. So I digger out the Kahr was looking to trade for a .380 but stated looking and that’s hard to get too. So deciding on trying out the CW40 and hoping it works out since I have the ammo.

[O'Dell]

I had a CW40 several years ago, and it was my most accurate Kahr until I bought my MK40. I let a friend talk me into selling it, and have regretted it ever since.

[Poppatello]

Thanks O’Dell.

[Ken L]

I have a CW40. It's my constant companion. Get the right holster that works for you and you won't notice it's there. I've gone thru several holsters, and have settled on a Vedder IWB. The CW40 is very accurate for a "combat" gun, surprisingly so. Mine was a little picky with Fiocchi ammo, but I found that the case rim on those are too thick and hang up getting under the extractor. I have filed and polished it and now it's flawless.

I went with 40 originally because I had a 40 Glock and didn't want to get into a situation where I needed a bunch of different ammo. Well, that lasted until I got a 1911 in 45. Then a 10mm. Then finally a 9mm. So much for commonality of ammo.

[Scott321]

I have a CW40 and a T40. I wanted the CW40 for my CCW, but ended up using a PM45 and CW45 (not at the same time). Although I've heard others here have had different experiences, my CW40 did not feed well, and the accuracy/precision was pretty bad. I sent it back to Kahr, and they seemed to fix the reliability (for the most part), but the accuracy for my particular gun isn't even close to the K9, CM9, PM45, CW45, TP45, and T40 that I own. I was going to try an aftermarket barrel, but found that i liked the added thickness of the 45 models anyway (while shooting).

When ammo becomes available in my area, I will revisit my CW40, but for now it's on the "needs work" and "needs more range time" shelf of my safe. It also has a significant kick, even with WWB JHP. I don't know if it is normal or if mine has other issues. As a comparison, I sometimes carry and shoot a 2 3/4" 357 magnum with Barnes Tac XPD and Hornady Crit Defense that is comfortable to shoot while the CW40 stings with WWB, and even with target FMJ offerings. Even my PM45 with Rem 185 +P GS's is significantly more comfortable to shoot for me than my CW40 with any of the 40 ammo I have tried.

Although I like my T40 and don't have any of the issues I'm having with my CW40, I generally find my CW45 is more comfortable to carry, and just as comfortable to shoot.

[LucaJones]

Has anyone encountered accuracy, reliability, and recoil issues similar to those described with the CW40, especially in comparison to other Kahr models like the CW45, PM45, and T40?
How do different ammunition types impact these concerns?

[Aficionado]

I have been carrying and shooting a CW40 for a few years now. The recoil is snappy, that's for sure. But that makes me realize that the bad guy will be in a lot more pain.
Then I bought a Kahr TP40 four inch barrel. That is cool because it reduced the recoil somewhat, while increasing muzzle velocity and decreasing muzzle flash. It looks pretty cool also.