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Looking to buy a Kahr 380cw good/bad

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August 23, 2019, 12:46 PM
Fla. Jim
Looking to buy a Kahr 380cw good/bad
Title spells it out. Looking for replacement for my NAA 22mag pocket gun as it's hammer spur destroys my lounging shorts. I hear a 200 rd minimum break in for trustworthiness which seems a bit extreme. I shot one and carried it a bit and find it's the closes to what I'm packing and a bit more umpph + being able to slap in another mag would not be a bat thing. Opinions only on this one please. I have tried most of the other similar sized mouse guns .
August 23, 2019, 12:57 PM
H&K-Guy
Justin Moon makes a very good mouser! It's very hard to beat in terms of size and weight.

The only thing I wish they had was a double stack MK380. That would rock.

H&K-Guy
August 23, 2019, 01:29 PM
94hokie
Mine disappears in a front pocket. It's the gun I carry when I can't carry a gun so to speak.
August 23, 2019, 01:38 PM
ARMT Guy
I have a Kahr P380 and even during the 'break-in period', mine fed and functioned flawlessly.




"Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying who shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here am I, send me."




August 23, 2019, 01:40 PM
az4783054
As long as you follow the recommended break in procedure (for example, use of slide stop to chamber), you should have no issues. You can abandon that practice once it's broken in.
August 23, 2019, 01:46 PM
brianfede
I carry the P380 via either an alabama pocket holster or a PJ IWB holster. The Kahr's are crazy accurate for such a small pistol and practicing IMHO makes you a better shooter. I went with the Kahr for a few reasons aside from the size and weight. I like the smooth trigger and feel the long pull is great alternative to a frame mounted safety. Gun disappears in your pocket and in your waistband. It's my go to in the summer when I am wearing shorts and when I know I am going to be more actively running around. I did the 200 break-in. Mine has run great from the start and feed a variety of ammo. Been using Liberty Civil Defense lately, light rounds with alot of speed.
August 23, 2019, 02:11 PM
GeoJelly
Nothing against Mr Moon - I don’t care for the CW380. The grip is too small given the very stiff recoil spring. This made it difficult for me to cycle the slide. But, that same spring (pistol bought slightly used) didn’t have enough uumph to reliably close the slide every time - even on an empty chamber. I have an S9 and really like it - but I have found the CW380 to be a POS. I gave up on Kahr micros and carry my P238 almost every day. It’s heavier but disappears in 5.11 cargo short front pockets. Ditto for the Springfield 911 .380 although I carry it much less frequently. I also had lots of light strikes. Now, I have to admit I’m pretty slow: I have owned two of them and will never touch another. I value my life too much to trust it to a pistol that the frame looks like it was molded in Kabul. Take one apart and look at the ‘craftsmanship’ of the frame before you buy one.
August 23, 2019, 02:48 PM
GT-40DOC
I know some folks that really like their Kahr guns. I have tried three(3) times to be one of them......but just can't!! The gun just "doesn't fit me", and it doesn't feel right in my hand. I shoot patterns with one.....not groups. YMMV
August 23, 2019, 09:14 PM
Fla. Jim
I appreciate the info good and bad. Thanks!
August 24, 2019, 07:03 AM
esdunbar
I don’t like guns the size of the 380CW. If I want a pocket gun, I want smaller and prefer the Seecamp 380. If I want a 380 I can shoot and would feel decent about using in a fight, I want slaughter bigger and prefer the Glock 42. So for me, the 380CW is in no mans land (same with River LCP and similar guns)
August 24, 2019, 01:12 PM
trickedtrix
I love mine, had it for years and carry daily in the front pocket. Mine was ammo picky, so be prepared to try a few makes of ammo to find what it likes. Very accurate, excellent trigger pull. Cleans up easy. Doesn't take much lube. I haven't found anything better to replace it


*Handguns are fine, Shotguns are final
August 24, 2019, 01:46 PM
Xer0
Pros:
-One of smallest thinnest 380's
-Good sights
-Good smooth Double Action Trigger
-Very Light weight
-Can be very accurate, albeit getting it to show the accuracy is the hard part since it's a teeny pistol

Cons:
-lengthy Break in requirements
-Still picky about ammo
-STIFF recoil springs

Notes:
-The extractor hooks are too tight and sharp, which seems why these pistols are more picky on ammo. The extractors simply don't like thicker brass base thicknesses. Mine absolutely wont work with Aguila 380 as it has thicker brass base lips and will jam every time as the cartridge lip starts to slide under the extractor. Thinner brass base ammo doesn't shows this problem on mine. No I didn't try a whole lot of different brands though. But of the very few brands I did use to break in the pistol, I had problems with the thicker base lipped brass.
-Reliable as long as I stick with my proven ammo, which is not a big deal as of all my calibers, 380 is the only one I don't try a lot of different stuff in. Just not worth the cost, time, and energy. This pistol has one purpose, to sit in comfortably a pocket where bigger pistols aren't an option. I am comfortable with only using very particular ammo in this pistol since I rarely shoot it. As long my carry ammo is reliable and tests well for the Internet Gel junky performance, it's good enough. FYI: I settled on Inceptor ARX 380. According to the Gel Junkies, the XTP hollow point in 380 is a top performer, but the one brand I could find it locally with the particular bullet, Aguila, wouldn't work reliably in my CW380 (would never completely feed as it jammed going under the extractor). I settled on the ARX because it was available at the local store for a good price, fed through pistol perfectly every shot, and according to the Gel Junkies, performs very well too in terminal performance.
-Magguts make a very nice replacement magazine spring that ups it to 7 rounds in stock mag without size increase, or difficulty loading, and at least in my cw380, works perfect.
August 24, 2019, 03:13 PM
Wolfpacker
I have two .380 pistols. However, neither get any action now. I don’t think that I will go below 9mm for concealed carry again.

I never have sold a gun. I always had a reason for the original purchase. Perhaps ammo availability would possibly be a justification to keep another caliber.
August 24, 2019, 03:29 PM
Oscar Zulu
I have a couple. Got one to work more or less reliably. They are very tight little guns. Tiny and accurate. I put talon stick on grips on them, really helps the shootabilty...... Oh, and put the Magguts springs and followers in all my mags. Really helped with the reliability!
OZ
August 25, 2019, 07:35 AM
shovelhead
Bad experience with Kahr customer service in the past, I'll pass on them.


-------------------------------------——————
————————--Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even, usually, surpassing knowledge(E.J.Potter, A.K.A. The Michigan Madman)
August 26, 2019, 08:40 AM
SCfromNY
I have had a Kahr PM9 for years without any issues. The small difference between the .380 and the 9mm makes the 9mm a winner in my book every time.

Unfortunately for the Kahr the new hot redhead, Sig P365 has replaced old reliable. Same size, twice the firepower, and a Sig. Fortunately all the Kahr holsters, pocket and belt work for the Sig. Not sure why I have 4 holsters for a gun I carried so seldom.


__________________Making Good People Helpless . . . Will Not Make Bad People Harmless!___________________
August 26, 2019, 10:22 AM
Fla. Jim
quote:
Originally posted by SCfromNY:
I have had a Kahr PM9 for years without any issues. The small difference between the .380 and the 9mm makes the 9mm a winner in my book every time.

Unfortunately for the Kahr the new hot redhead, Sig P365 has replaced old reliable. Same size, twice the firepower, and a Sig. Fortunately all the Kahr holsters, pocket and belt work for the Sig. Not sure why I have 4 holsters for a gun I carried so seldom.


This one? To big/heavy for my shorts. It's for a lounging, quick run to the store type pistol. That I want to disappear in my shorts pocket.
Sig Sauer P365 Kahr CW380
Length 5.80" 4.96"
Height 4.30" 3.90"
Width 1.00" 0.75"
Weight 17.80 oz 10.20 oz
Barrel Length 3.10" 2.58"
August 26, 2019, 01:31 PM
PASig
I switched from a Kel-Tec P-32 to a Kahr CW380 a few months ago and really like it.

I put 150 rounds of PPU and Aguila FMJ through it with no issues once I figured out I can't grip it two handed, thumbs out like a larger gun. Once I switched back to one-handed like I did with the P-32, it went bang, bang, bang, bang each time.

Two things I've noted:

1. These things are TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT little things. The slide almost feels like you can't rack it the first couple of times.

2. You MUST load and charge a round by locking the slide back and using slide release to send slide forward. They do not advocate or recommend "slingshotting" these guns. I'm finding that it's causing bullet setback with my carry ammo, but then again I unload each time I put it in my pistol safe as I have 2 young kids at home and don't want to have a loaded pistol in the house even in a safe right now.

I've got mine in a DeSantis Nemesis. Carry ammo is Hornady Critical Defense.

Two thumbs up from me!


August 28, 2019, 07:23 PM
RH45
After doing a LOT of research, I bought a CW380, and it ran 100% with all self defense ammo I put through it, but, as has been said, the hook, on the extractor is sharp, and there was not enough clearance between the extractor, and breech face for Fiocchi ammo. I contacted Kahr, and they sent me a call tag. The pistol was back within a week, and will now run anything.
August 29, 2019, 09:32 AM
PASig
quote:
Originally posted by RH45:
After doing a LOT of research, I bought a CW380, and it ran 100% with all self defense ammo I put through it, but, as has been said, the hook, on the extractor is sharp, and there was not enough clearance between the extractor, and breech face for Fiocchi ammo. I contacted Kahr, and they sent me a call tag. The pistol was back within a week, and will now run anything.


I had 100% success with Prvi Partizan/PPU and Aguila FMJ and Hornady Critical Defense JHP