Kahr Newbie Question

GeoJelly

New member
Greetings everyone - I have been shooting for quite a few years but just picked up my first Kahr early this week. I won't be able to shoot it until this coming weekend. So far, I like it - I am impressed at the quality of the machine-work inside the slide. I had heard that the Kahr's don't pre-cock (poor term) the striker, but I shined a light up the magwell and sure enough the striker is pre-tensioned as much as a Glock as far as I can tell.

But, I have to ask a newbie question: has anyone ever experienced, or heard of, a slam-fire with a Kahr? The recoil spring tension is SO heavy that it just makes me nervous. It's too heavy for me to carry it with an empty chamber the way I do with my Glock 42.

Understand that I may be chastised for carrying a Glock with an empty chamber - fortunately I live in a low-threat environment and don't go out at night!! :) Info will be greatly appreciated - I won't move it over to carry mode until after I have at least 50-rounds through it...
 
Kahr themselves recommend not racking it to chamber a round but thats only due to the slide possibly not fully seating. I do it just to see if it will malfunction and it hasn't yet. I am struggling a bit to understand what you are asking? I have a CM9 that I carry daily, I will just cut to the chase, load magazine, release slide, keep your finger off of trigger just like every other firearm and your good to go. I am not trying to be a jerk or flippant and things come across poorly over forums sometimes but always carry chambered, if you need it you will most likely need it quickly, no time to deal with safety's let alone racking a slide.
 
I have not heard that Kahrs have a slamfire issue (during chambering a round or on it's own when the gun is not being handled).
I have a Kahr K9 - bought used - no issues.
I have not really check if the striker is partially cocked.
Keep in mind kahrs like glocks have a firing pin safety.
=======
I carry with a loaded chamber but you carry to as much as you are comfortable with.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the input Gents - I'm a worry-wart so the question popped up in my feeble mind. Getting ready to go out for a walk now and carrying ... of all things ... my Beretta .25. Better than nothing and I like the fact that it has an external hammer. I bought it used and it came with two 5-rd packs of Glaser Safety slugs. Prolly at least 20 years old but I don't expect to encounter any baddies on the walk in the neighborhood...
 
I never expect to run into issues......just like I never expect to get into a car accident, but I wear my seat belt. Carrying a gun without one in the pipe is like putting your seat belt on, but not totally clicking it fastened. Just my two cents.
 
Nothing in life has gaurantees thats for sure...well, death and taxes right:). I will say, you can carry that Kahr and Glock chambered and as long as you do your part....finger out of trigger guard, proper holster etc...and you will have nothing to worry about. I understand you have been shooting a while but have you taken any kind of formal training? I am assuming you have since you are carrying. If not, I certainly recommend it.
Hope you enjoy the Kahr, I really like mine.
 
The Kahr striker visible protrudes a bit as you cycle the slide to the rear and that can be a little disconcerting until you see that the striker is fully retracted later in the cycle. A slam fire isn't possible because of the internal safety, which blocks the striker until the trigger is fully pulled. Carry with or without a chambered round... safe either way. The manual will ask you to load the pistol from an open slide using the slide release, not racking the slide as most pistols normally function. I tell people that if you insist on racking a Kahr then retract it aggressively and let it go to spring forward. Do not ride a Kahr slide.
 
Thanks to each and all for the words of assurance. I know it sounded like a dumb-a* question but I am a complete newb to Kahrs. And, point well taken on getting some training. I just saw an article about this last week. I would have thought that training would be a negative, since the accuser's lawyer could argue that you were training to be a "killer". Article said just the opposite - that formal training could be construed as a positive - showing that you were concerned about having to possibly use force and took training to help with making sound decisions quickly. It's on my list of to-do's - but I still have to get a Smith 66 snubbie first!!
 
As others have said, there is an active firing pin block so a slamfire is a virtual impossibility. That has been covered, so....

Training is a good thing. For example, you could start with a concealed carry class in your state. While you do get to shoot, the training usually also focuses on the legality of using deadly force in your state, along with applicable gun laws. Training is more than just becoming a better gunfighter. Its also about the responsible use and bearing of arms.

Also... Be hesitant to base your decisions off of legal advice that doesn't come from an attorney or a subject matter expert such as massad ayoob.
 
Does your Beretta have a round in chamber ? if so then so should you other pistols

As for your free ammo for the 25 Go shoot it up on some water jugs. Glasser safety in 25 auto is useless. Test one go shot a large watermelon . A shallow wound.. Get some Ball ammo . I have 3 Beretta 25 autos But would prefer my Kahr CW9 any day over those.

If you in your mind can't bring your self to carry a semi auto pistol with round in chamber . Then get a revolver But leave 1st round in cyl rotation empty Just in case the hammer gets cocked. :D .
 
Truth be told - I have a low-risk lifestyle and don't really need to pack any kind of handgun around let alone a Beretta .25. That's a pretty good deal and I am not complaining! I feel completely safe with the Beretta .25 carried with hammer down. There is a chance that I could be jumped by multiple assailants and having to try to rack the slide on the Kahr or Glock would cause me to be toast. Unfortunately, I would probably lose that fight whether I had a handgun with me or not.

I have conducted a vulnerability assessment and accept that risk. But, there is a greater chance, to continue that assessment, of having the Kahr drop out of my pocket in a store and somehow discharge injuring me or worse someone else in the store. I agree, now, that a discharge upon striking the floor is very unlikely but it is possible. I think most everyone would agree that an accidental discharge is near impossible with an empty chamber - except with certain Tauruses ... ;)

OK, enough of my drivel – I received two new magazines in the mail Friday and will take the Kahr out next week and put at least a box through it. Thanks to the constructive ... ;) ... comments I feel a lot more confident in my decision to buy it. Thanks again!!
 
...has anyone ever experienced, or heard of, a slam-fire with a Kahr?
For a Kahr to slamfire, at least two problems would have to exist in the gun. The firing pin safety would have to be malfunctioning and the striker engagement with the "sear" would have to fail.

I've never heard of it happening. That's not to say it's totally impossible, just very improbable.
... carrying a Glock with an empty chamber...
I highly recommend against carrying a semi-auto with an empty chamber unless it is not equipped with the typical passive safeties common to modern firearms.

Chambering a round manually is fairly error prone and isn't something you want to have to do under stress. And second, you may be very busy using one of your hands to defend yourself while you draw your gun or you may already have one hand/arm injured by the time you have the opportunity to use your gun to end an attack.
...Kahr drop out of my pocket in a store and somehow discharge injuring me or worse someone else in the store.
First of all, in my opinion, you shouldn't be carrying a semi-auto without a manual safety in your pocket. It should be in a holster of some sort that covers the trigger and prevents the trigger from being manipulated until the gun is drawn. Second, independent of that, you need to come up with a way to carry your gun that doesn't come with a significant chance of having it fall to the ground in public.

Finally, a gun like the Kahr, with modern passive safeties is quite drop safe. It's not totally impossible for it to discharge from a fall, but it would take more than one internal part failure to allow such a thing to happen. It's not something you should concern yourself with.
I won't move it over to carry mode until after I have at least 50-rounds through it...
I'd be inclined to shoot it a little more than that. Kahr actually recommends a 200 round break-in.
 
JohnKSa - Thank-you, and others, for your helpful and thoughtful input. Now, I really am starting to feel like a dummy! But, I knew there was a lot of experience, wisdom and civility here on TFL and thus my post. Off-topic, but I especially appreciate the civility since I have seen (not directed towards me) a lack of it on two other forums. I will carry it in a Galco inside pocket holster and it's a very good albeit slightly tight fit.

I hate to keep bumping this post - but your comment about a trigger safety prompted me to take and (hopefully) post a photo. I have a couple of safety blocks for my Glocks but didn't find one for a Kahr on-line. So, please feel free to laugh, I carved up a pink (of all colors!) eraser and improvised. It's narrow enough to fit in the Galco holster but wide enough to be popped out very easily upon drawing. And, last but not least, I'm witnessing my seventh decade so, you are right, successfully chambering a round in the Kahr under stress is unlikely!

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that this CW is a dealer's sales sample so it was pretty reasonable. That said, the one magazine it shipped with is a blem and doesn't easily seat. I bought two more mags off of that flea site and both of them are perfect.
 

Attachments

  • Kahr_CW380R.jpg
    Kahr_CW380R.jpg
    218.3 KB · Views: 26
Last edited:
Don't feel like a dummy, that's not the case. You have/had concerns, nothing stupid about that. As far as the block, you don't need anything like that when you have a proper holster.
 
Correct on lose the eraser. In this litigious society we live in today, the chance of the gun firing without the trigger being pulled in almost nil. If you had a gun from the mid last century or earlier then your concerns would be valid.

The holster is to hold the gun in place and to cover the trigger so it does not get pulled accidentally (by you or probing fingers or by something else in your pocket like keys, a lighter, etc.) You should not have anything else in the same pocket your gun is in for these reasons.

So, carry it with a round in the chamber, in a good holster that covers the trigger and feel confident that it will not go off, even if you drop it, unless the trigger is pulled. The lawyers have made your gun safer than ever. Carry it proudly and with confidence.
 
Last edited:
I would also recommend carrying with a round in the chamber, especially with something as small as a Kahr. IMO pocket carry already adds another hurdle to deploying your firearm, and having to chamber a round would waste valuable time. Smaller guns have less surface area to grasp and more resistance when trying to rack the slide as well.

The trigger pull is smooth, but much longer than the other striker fired pistols out there. This would ease my concern over something like a Glock if your comfort level wasn't there before. For me I started with Kahrs, and then made the transition to Glock. I still think Kahr is a solid brand, but had to get something my wife liked shooting as well.
 
The Kahr Arms is the modern automatic pistol version of a double action revolver.
In fact I tell people to shoot it like a revolver as far as manipulating the trigger goes.

Unlike "short action" trigger guns like the Glock and S&W M&P, the Kahr is as safe as a 20th century American made quality double action revolver like a Colt or S&W due to the longer, heavier trigger pull.

About the only conceivable way to get the gun to fire is to pull the trigger.
Since the Kahr has a long, revolver-like trigger pull about the only way to pull the trigger is to do so deliberately.
No amount of dropping or fumbling can do that any more than a Colt or S&W double action revolver can "just go off".

When Justin Moon was designing the Kahr Arms pistol the average American cop was still carrying a S&W "K" or "L" frame revolver.
Moon had the unique idea of designing a micro-automatic the size of the typical .380 auto of the day, that would use a full-power 9mm cartridge, but would be as safe and familiar to use for a cop as his service revolver.
The idea was, it would have a trigger that felt like a good S&W revolver trigger, and would be as safe to carry as a revolver without any external, manual safety.

Due to the long, heavier trigger and the locked striker/firing pin, the Kahr is as save as a good revolver, and few people today worry about carrying a DA revolver with all the chambers loaded.
 
Unlike "short action" trigger guns like the Glock and S&W M&P, the Kahr is as safe as a 20th century American made quality double action revolver like a Colt or S&W due to the longer, heavier trigger pull.
A stock Glock trigger pull is nominally 5.5-6.5lbs with most of the factory Glocks I've measured coming in between 6 and 6.5lbs. I don't have a lot of experience with Kahr pistols, but the CW9 I have has a trigger pull of 5.8lbs.

Trigger travel is longer on the CW9, but not much longer. Measured at the middle of the trigger bow, the pull length is 1.1cm (0.43") for the Kahr vs. 0.8cm (0.31") for a Glock 19.

In other words, the Kahr trigger pull weight is about the same--maybe lighter --and trigger travel is only about 3 millimeters (0.12") longer.

For what it's worth, I don't disagree with the basic premise of your post (i.e. "...the Kahr is as safe as a good revolver...) but I think that the facts indicate that the Kahr is more similar to other "DAO" type semi-auto pistols than it is different from them.
 
GeoJelly:

I highly recommend against using that trigger block you made that's pictured in post #13. That block adds an extra step needed to make the gun work, and that step requires putting your finger inside the trigger guard before you're ready to fire. Blocks like that one or the Saf-T-Block are a very bad idea because they make the gun harder to use and less safe.

Your Kahr will not fire without pulling the trigger. So get yourself a good holster that protects the trigger, learn to keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you're ready to fire, and carry with a round in the chamber.
 
Thank you all very much again for all of the great information in this post. You may think I am being disingenuous, but I really am going to copy this in to a Word document tomorrow and print it to keep. There is so much great information, wisdom and words of assurance here.

I feel pretty chumpy for asking the question - but I was just unnerved by locking the slide to the rear and seeing the firing pin sticking out of the breech face. I don't have a Glock handy to check, but I think the Glocks do the same thing when you lock the slide open after snapping it down on an empty chamber.

Now I feel like I really missed something by waiting all of these years to buy a Kahr!! I have lurked on this forum for many, many years because I really don't have much information (experience) that I can add to the vast majority of posts given the knowledge, experience and wisdom of so many members here. And, I refuse to needlessly increase my post count by making foolish comments. Thanks again!!
 
Back
Top