Tallball
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2014
- Messages
- 7,813
I've carried a small 380 occasionally for the past ten years or so. The first one was a Kel-Tec P3AT. I replaced that with an LCPII. I think I'm going to be replacing the Ruger with this Kahr.
I'll carry a micro 380 when I literally can't carry anything else (light clothing), or when keeping one in my breast pocket is my easiest and quickest draw. I can shoot softball-sized groups with one NP at seven yards, and that meets my personal requirements for SD.
The P3AT had little nubs for sights and a terrible trigger. The LCPII has better sights and trigger, but the recoil is kinda snappy. I'd heard that the Kahr 380's are a little smaller and a little less snappy, and I have a few other Kahrs I like a lot, so...
I got this used CW380 for $288 OTD. It came with one 6-round magazine. The insides look pretty good. I'd guess it was carried some, but not shot very much. Someone put grip tape on it, which doesn't bother me.
People either like Kahrs or don't (weird, huh). They're small, light, single-stack CC pistols in 380, 9mm, 40, or 45acp. They're striker-fired DAO with no manual safety. If you like shooting DA revolvers, you'll probably like shooting Kahrs. The triggers feel like a DA revolver trigger.
I shot 50 rounds of cheap range ammo through the Kahr CW380 today.
Not so great things - The recoil springs are tight. Racking it is harder than most pistols. The two uncaptive and tight recoil springs make it annoying to reassemble. The end of the inner spring kept wanting to go where I didn't want it. I had two malfunctions shooting it: a failure to feed due to racking the slide incompletely, and a failure to feed due to me accidentally clicking on the mag release button. Both were purely operator error.
Things I like: It went bang every time I operated it correctly. The sights are fine, big enough to use. I like Kahr triggers, and this one is very nice. I can control it just fine with only two fingers on the grip. I bought a pinky extension and a spare mag, but I won't need the pinky extension. It fits my XXL hands a bit better than the LCPII. The recoil is a little less snappy, possibly because the bore axis is a bit lower. It shot well for me. Softball-sized groups were NP from seven yards standing, and I did a little better than that with two mags sitting down from ten yards.
I'll shoot the CW380 and the Kahr back-to-back next time, and if I like the Kahr better, I'll probably start carrying it instead (after 200 or so trouble-free rounds). It's a little smaller than the Ruger, and I already know I like the trigger a little better.
I'm a revolver guy, so Kahrs are a good fit for me. The 45acp version was easily my favorite small 45 I'd shot, and I eventually realized that the PM9 was my favorite CC 9mm out of many. Now I've added the 380. I still prefer to carry a revolver, but the Kahrs are an acceptable substitute when they fit my clothing and/or activity better.
Anyone else out there like Kahrs? Do you carry one?
Feel free to also chime in on micro 380's. They have their detractors and... tractors? Some feel they're adequate for SD, and some feel they're adequate for hurting your hand and missing the target.
Oh, and there's the ammo thing. I shoot FMJ through my 380's. Some folks prefer hollow points.
I'll carry a micro 380 when I literally can't carry anything else (light clothing), or when keeping one in my breast pocket is my easiest and quickest draw. I can shoot softball-sized groups with one NP at seven yards, and that meets my personal requirements for SD.
The P3AT had little nubs for sights and a terrible trigger. The LCPII has better sights and trigger, but the recoil is kinda snappy. I'd heard that the Kahr 380's are a little smaller and a little less snappy, and I have a few other Kahrs I like a lot, so...
I got this used CW380 for $288 OTD. It came with one 6-round magazine. The insides look pretty good. I'd guess it was carried some, but not shot very much. Someone put grip tape on it, which doesn't bother me.
People either like Kahrs or don't (weird, huh). They're small, light, single-stack CC pistols in 380, 9mm, 40, or 45acp. They're striker-fired DAO with no manual safety. If you like shooting DA revolvers, you'll probably like shooting Kahrs. The triggers feel like a DA revolver trigger.
I shot 50 rounds of cheap range ammo through the Kahr CW380 today.
Not so great things - The recoil springs are tight. Racking it is harder than most pistols. The two uncaptive and tight recoil springs make it annoying to reassemble. The end of the inner spring kept wanting to go where I didn't want it. I had two malfunctions shooting it: a failure to feed due to racking the slide incompletely, and a failure to feed due to me accidentally clicking on the mag release button. Both were purely operator error.
Things I like: It went bang every time I operated it correctly. The sights are fine, big enough to use. I like Kahr triggers, and this one is very nice. I can control it just fine with only two fingers on the grip. I bought a pinky extension and a spare mag, but I won't need the pinky extension. It fits my XXL hands a bit better than the LCPII. The recoil is a little less snappy, possibly because the bore axis is a bit lower. It shot well for me. Softball-sized groups were NP from seven yards standing, and I did a little better than that with two mags sitting down from ten yards.
I'll shoot the CW380 and the Kahr back-to-back next time, and if I like the Kahr better, I'll probably start carrying it instead (after 200 or so trouble-free rounds). It's a little smaller than the Ruger, and I already know I like the trigger a little better.
I'm a revolver guy, so Kahrs are a good fit for me. The 45acp version was easily my favorite small 45 I'd shot, and I eventually realized that the PM9 was my favorite CC 9mm out of many. Now I've added the 380. I still prefer to carry a revolver, but the Kahrs are an acceptable substitute when they fit my clothing and/or activity better.
Anyone else out there like Kahrs? Do you carry one?
Feel free to also chime in on micro 380's. They have their detractors and... tractors? Some feel they're adequate for SD, and some feel they're adequate for hurting your hand and missing the target.
Oh, and there's the ammo thing. I shoot FMJ through my 380's. Some folks prefer hollow points.
