Thoughts about the Kahr CW380?

[powwowell]

Anyone have an opinion about the Kahr CW380? I want one, but I understand Kahr has an unfriendly, user warranty. Is that true?

 

[SDGlock23]

I'm not sure if their warranty is bad, probably around 1 year but that's not uncommon anymore. I have a CW380 (and a CM40, both pocket guns for me) and both have been wonderful, and both very accurate as well. For the features you get and the price, the CW380 can't be beat really.

 

[wally]

I'm not sure if their warranty is bad, probably around 1 year but that's not uncommon anymore

Why would anyone buy a gun from a company who's actual policy is other than "if something breaks that shouldn't we'll fix it for free, if its a wear item we'll fix it at a reasonable price or free if it didn't meet our expected service life". Its even nicer if they'll sell these wear item parts on-line and/or through Midway, Brownell's etc. S&W has been there for me. Kahr hasn't.

I was hot to get a CW380 until the front frame rail on my CW9 broke after only about 6000 rounds in 2.5 years, add in not answering Emails and I suggest buying something else.

I've dumped Kahr for S&W Shield and never looked back.

 

[snooperman]

I am with Wally , skip the Kahr, their customer service sucks and there are other pistols that are made just as well with life-time warranty.

 

[Jlr2267]

My CW380 was a dog. Customer service was worse than a dog...it was almost nonexistent. Took me many weeks to get warranty service and when I did they didn't fix the issue (and I had to pay shipping)!

My overall experience w/Kahr was bad...very bad...so bad I will never purchase another.

 

[CNobbe]

I've had good luck so far with my CW380, one malfunction within the first 200 rounds. Nothing since. I don't shoot it much, it's mainly a summer light apparel carry piece for me as is my 8 year old PM9 which I intend to replace with a new one soon, but am a bit hesitant reading all the bad press on Kahr customer service lately.

I've read a lot of good customer reviews on the CM9, the PM9 has been around forever, and the CM is basically the same for a lot less money.

 

[omgtkk]

My cw380 has been flawless over about 800 round. It feeds hollow points, flat point and ball with complete reliability. That being said, I would still have a hard time recommending it to someone due to the numerous reports of problems with this model. It seems too hit and miss with the CW. I have a 15 year old K9 that is my favorite concealed carry gun. The CW was the perfect size for pocket carry so I grabbed one. I was very lucky with mine, but I wouldn't want to depend on luck with a gun purchase.

 

[JimC]

I bought my PM9 in 2011 NIB.
I experienced problems with the mags on day one. My PM9 had additional "slight issues" for awhile, too long and boring to list here again. It went back to Kahr twice for repair or modification...on their dime each time.
My point I guess is that Kahr CS back then was excellent except for the AH with the Brit accent. IMO, he was useless.
Jay at Kahr was the best at CS but unfortunately they re-assigned him within the company. I think he sent out too many replacement parts at N/C.
Recently I've read near horror stories about Kahr CS to the point that I would not buy another Kahr pistol.
I still have my PM9 and it runs great (2258 rds.) but I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't.

 

[JERRY]

Kahr seems to be the Charter Arms of the semi-auto world. you get a good or a bad one, 50/50 chance. however I hear the C.A. has far superior customer service.

 

[Cloud]

I have a p380 and the cm9 like them both . But when I was looking for another 380 to keep in my truck I went with the gen 2 ruger lcp. I know some pocket guns can be a little temperamental so I figured if the gun did have issues I would rather deal with Rutgers CS .

 

[DT Guy]

I've had ~5 Kahr firearms, and currently have two: a CW45 and CW380. The 45 needed a trip 'home' to run right, but they took care of it in the time they promised and on their dime, and it runs great since. Probably one of my favorite CCW's.

The 380 doesn't like Herter's ammo, but was 100% with everything else from day 1. Shoots like a much larger gun, and carries like a much smaller gun; best 'tiny' CCW I've found.

Keep in mind that Kahr is shipping A LOT of guns these days; just like other really big makers, more guns = more reports of problems. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another, and likely will.

Larry

 

[WRGADog]

I owned a P380 for awhile - great size, weight, and easy to conceal. BUT, the gun simply would not feed reliably regardless of ammunition type. I traded the gun because I had no confidence that it would work reliably if needed.

 

[JimC]

Keep in mind that Kahr is shipping A LOT of guns these days; just like other really big makers, more guns = more reports of problems.

IMO, that's why they are having the problems that they are.
Quality control has gone way down. Their reluctance to properly address the feed ramp issue is a big mistake on their part.
They would rather have the customer send their new pistol back than re-design the feed ramps and sell pistols with the proper length feed ramps.
It used to be on their dime but from what I'm reading, Kahr is refusing to pay the return shipping on something that should have not been done right in the first place.
Getting a Kahr pistol that works is at best a 50/50 proposition.
When I had to send my PM9 back for the feed ramp modification, Jay initially refused to pay return shipping quoting that "shipping was not covered under their warranty."
He later changed his mind and made a "one time exception" to the rule.

 

[Jlr2267]

IMO, that's why they are having the problems that they are.
Quality control has gone way down. Their reluctance to properly address the feed ramp issue is a big mistake on their part.
They would rather have the customer send their new pistol back than re-design the feed ramps and sell pistols with the proper length feed ramps.
It used to be on their dime but from what I'm reading, Kahr is refusing to pay the return shipping on something that should have not been done right in the first place.
Getting a Kahr pistol that works is at best a 50/50 proposition.
When I had to send my PM9 back for the feed ramp modification, Jay initially refused to pay return shipping quoting that "shipping was not covered under their warranty."
He later changed his mind and made a "one time exception" to the rule.

Technically, he is correct that their warranty does not cover shipping. That alone should be a red flag to a potential new customer.

 

[silicosys4]

Buying a Kahr polymer pistol these days is a great way to spend a lot of money on a project.
I had three, and all were lemons. Kahr customer service sucks.

 

[JimC]

Technically, he is correct that their warranty does not cover shipping. That alone should be a red flag to a potential new customer.

You are correct however, the first time my PM9 had to go back, Kahr picked up the return shipping without me even asking them.

I think, they paid for so many pistols to go back that they one day said enough is enough, we can't keep paying for pistols to come back that didn't work when they very well should have in the first place.

As much as I like my PM9, I would never even consider another Kahr pistol.

 

[snooperman]

I have a S&W 3rd gen 3913 and it is close to 20 years old. They do not make them anymore. But, when I called them about a part that needed to be replaced, the right side decocker, they promptly mailed me a new one. NO CHARGE. I also have a 20 year old S&W 622 pistol that needed repair, they sent me a shipping label and charged me nothing for the repair and shipping both ways. Same with Ruger. Great American companies. Also Taurus does this. STAY AWAY FROM KAHR, THEY SUCK.

 

[shlike]

I've had ~5 Kahr firearms, and currently have two: a CW45 and CW380. The 45 needed a trip 'home' to run right, but they took care of it in the time they promised and on their dime, and it runs great since. Probably one of my favorite CCW's.

The 380 doesn't like Herter's ammo, but was 100% with everything else from day 1. Shoots like a much larger gun, and carries like a much smaller gun; best 'tiny' CCW I've found.

Keep in mind that Kahr is shipping A LOT of guns these days; just like other really big makers, more guns = more reports of problems. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another, and likely will.

Larry

This is similar to my own experience. I own 3 Kahrs; a CW380, CW9, and CW45. All run flawlessly, and did out of the box. The CW380 had a few Failure to go fully into battery in the first hundred rounds, but since then it has run perfectly, and eats any ammo I feed it- FMJ, JHP, all brands (I do not run reloads in this gun). I am convinced that a large percentage of the complaints about the CW380 we see on these forums are due to shooter error, not the gun's fault. Things like limp-wristing and thumb touching the slide stop lever causing the slide to lock back while firing, for example are magnified in a very small package with tight tolerances. The CW380 is not a gun for a novice, inexperienced shooter, or someone with weak hands. It requires a firm grip and attention to details. It also has a very stiff recoil spring, making the slide difficult to rack.

As a very experienced shooter and someone who has a great deal of experience with Kahr's, my opinion is that they are very well-made, high quality, accurate, reliable guns with one of the smoothest trigger pills you will ever find (like a custom-tuned high end DA revolver).

Like any brand, there are defects and problems that some owners will experience. That's what the warranty is for. Those are what we read about on the forums. We don't read about the thousands of happy, satisfied owners.

This is my own opinion, based on my own experience.

 

[dsk]

I've had a P380 for about a year and a half. It works fine until it starts getting dirty, then the FTE's begin. Also the springs don't last, either the recoil or the magazine springs. I didn't waste time with Kahr, I did a fluff n' buff of the internals (TONS of gunk inside the striker channel and burrs everywhere else) and it has improved significantly. But yes, for the price of these guns and the over-engineered design they should work better than they do.

 

[orionengnr]

My CW380 is actually the first Kahr I have owned that is problematic...and to be honest, I am feeding it lead handloads (my first .380 handloads, BTW) so I don't know whether it is the ammo or the pistol.

My prior three Kahrs have been very good, two of them perfect. I still own and carry a PM9 and P45....mostly the PM9.

If I were to answer one of the many "only keep one" threads on this board, my PM9 would figure highly. It is small, light, easy to carry, and utterly reliable...and has been so for the last nine years.

It was my EDC for the first three years of my CHL, at which point I moved to the P45, and then to a 1911. I am no longer a young pup, and my back now has three surgeries in the last seven years. Carrying a 1911 may no longer be in the cards for me. The PM9 is back in my pocket, and I trust it as completely today as I did when I started carrying it. FWIW, I also own S&W j-frames. etc...and still prefer to carry the PM9.

Getting a Kahr pistol that works is at best a 50/50 proposition.

I think your conclusion is seriously flawed, lacking any basis in reality, and perhaps bordering on hater-phobia.
My PM9 has an awful lot of rounds through it, from factory 115 gr ammo, to +p+ carry ammo. It is not crazy about lead handloads, but neither is my CW380 (as previously stated).

 

[popeye]

Kahr is now the owner of Magnum Research and Auto Ordinance. If they've merged service depts. by any degree it might explain the complaints I've seen on gun boards about lack of, bad, or lengthy service issues. Until recently I owned a CW380 AND A CM9. Both ran well but I carried them in a pocket holster in my back pocket' and they were rarely tested at the range. It seemed like if I didn't clean them prior to a range visit I'd have problems. I'm not big on a carry gun that needs a lot of maintenance. I've gone back to J frame Smith and Colt DS for pocket carry. The Kahrs were sold.

 

[d'zaster]

i purchased my p380 in early january. FTF, FTE problems right out of the box with a variety of ammo. With a few FTFs, I noticed that base of a few rounds were getting stuck against the firing pin which was sticking out. Contacted Kahr service and they prompted me to send it back. After 6 weeks I called a couple times about the status to which I was told "we're working on it". Without notification, it showed up. The note indicated the spring was replaced. I went to the range and it was no differnt. I reached out to the THR community and got advice about breaking it in wet. So I gave that a try. Definitely better after 600 rounds of Remington HP, Aquila, Hornady critical defense, two different hand loads (which seen to function most reliably), I would expect it to run perfect after all this. Rarely feeds a full clip without problems. FTF, FTE, and now the slide locks open frequently when mag still loaded. I have a lot of guns and experience and will have to say that this has been the absolute worst gun purchase I have ever made. Seems so perfect for pocket carry but what a piece of expensive crap.