My Kahr CW 40 is dropping the magazine after 2-3 shots. I got to looking into it and it looks like its not just me. And actually I'm kinda pissed that Kahr has allowed this to happen. The pistol met all my wants. I actually was damn happy with it's accuracy and I'd put several hundred rounds through it and deceide to sell it to fund a pack(StoneGlacier) but after shooting last weekend, I can't sell it. I can't sell a pistol to a man whom might be getting it to protect his family. Or maybe gifting it to his daughter or his son or his wife so they can protect themselves.

Looking into this even more I see Kahr still sell's these pistols that can easily drop magazines after a couple shots. Getting pissed just thinking about it. Intruder enters your home while your out of town working.. [bleep] enters your wife's room. She awakens and grabs her pistol. Fires 2 shots and then the gun doesn't fire. She misses.... I couldn't even imagine what could happen next next.

From what I've seen Kahr is trying to help customers with this issue. I'll find out tomorrow when I tell the tech/difficulties rep the serial number on the pistol I own.

I have a big problem with a pistol company that knows this is a problem and continues to produce firearms with this kind of problem.

Just a blowing off some steam and letting folks know that before they buy a Kahr and gift it to a wife or daughter that they make damn sure they put 200-500 rounds or even more through it to be able to sleep at night knowing the protection they just gave a loved one is reliable.

Wow. This is news to me and I agree if it is a known design issue Kahr should make it right. My CW9 has never bobbled.

From what I've read on other sites the Kahr magazines, etc., have been an issue for some time. Many report no issues at all, but enough do that I would not trust the product. Too bad, as the ergos are quite nice.

My Kahr CW-9 has been flawless. Is it just an issue with the .40s? I haven't heard of any issues with the CW-45. Seems a bit odd. I suppose the .40 is a bit snappy. Any chance your inadvertently making contact with the release during recoil? I'd really check that out before blasting the gun (pardon the pun). It would be pretty easy to do.

Kahrs have pretty much been a hit or miss proposition since they came on the scene. While I find that unacceptable from a product line with such a high msrp, I've owned two; one initially had multiple issues and other has been flawless.

In all fairness to Kahr, they took care of the problems on their shipping dime - multiple times. One fix even involved replacing the frame.

Unlike some other major brands, Kahr doesn't do a good job of communicating upgrades and modifications when they find it necessary to modify the product line. One of my issues had been already rectified with a magazine redesign/upgrade, but I could not find that Kahr had communicated that with end-users in any venue.

If you have a "problem child" I'm reasonably convinced Kahr will work with you in resolving problems, but it requires an exercise in patience and the associated inconvenience.

My Kahr P9 has never failed in anyway , just change out the mag release spring on your pistol, you sure you aren't hitting the mag release when firing the weapon with your thumb .

I've had an issue with dropping the mag from my K40, but it was my fault and was caused by the way I was gripping the gun. FWIW

Two P9's, a PM9, and a P380. Nary a bobble. A few malfunctions during the 200rd break in. The 380 wouldn't digest cheap Tula.

I have always been a little reserved when it came to Kahrs, have looked at them more than one and just couldnt bring myself to do it....They are way overpriced IMHO and for that price, they should dang well work flawlessly

Amazing. My K40 has never dropped a mag in about 10 years of use. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another, in fact I probably will soon.

Did they say why it's dropping the magazine?

On my two 9mm's you have to definitely seat it properly, if you shove it in with your palm it feels like it's seated but you have to give it an extra push to make sure. But that shows up immediately as it fails to feed the first round or, if it does feed, the magazine drops down at the first shot.

Is it something with the magazine catch itself?


On the prices, I'd agree that the P models are pretty spendy but the C models - CW and CM, are a great value for the money. All you lose is a dovetailed front sight, some meaningless engraving on the slide and you get an MIM slide release instead of a milled one. Plus you get conventional rifling instead of polygonal which is a plus for the C models IMO.

I had the same problem with my CW40. � I replaced the mag catch and spring � problem solved. Noticeably larger engagement surface on replacement mag catch.

Have a CW45 and a CW9 � neither have this problem.

FWIW,

Paul

For some time now, I've had 2 CW40's and a CW9. All 3 have been flawless through several hundred rounds.

Jim thanks for that info

I wonder if this is due to your grip?... I say this because my wife couldn't get more than about 3 shots and the mag would drop on a CW9, she was inadvertantly pressing the mag release; whereas I have never had a problem with magazines dropping (from the CW9, CM9 or the CW45). I believe it's her thumb shape and/or grip. 'the real hawkeye' I believe has mentioned having the same problem with Kahr's.

Jerry

My Kahr CW 40 has never missed a beat, and I have at least 1000 rounds through it. My CW9, CM9, and CW 45 function flawlessly, and all are extremely accurate, much more so than some other brands of sub compacts.

I have seen issues with left handed shooters that have fat stubby fingers accidentally hit the mag release on a Ruger 380 that caused it to drop the magazine. For left handed shooters, their fingers and perhaps part of their hand rests on the mag release, and it is a bummer when it does drop the magazine.

I have two good ones and one bad one that I traded off at a huge loss.

This was my issue with my Kahr occasionally dropping the mag under recoil. It's why I no longer carry it. Kahr should have made the grip frame such that the thumb cannot inadvertently compress the mag release, such as a small raised ridge behind it as part of the frame mold.

In about five thousand rounds of fire, mine has only "dropped a mag" (due to inadvertent contact with my thumb under recoil) three or four time, but that was enough for me not to carry it regularly anymore.

If you are releasing the mag with your grip on the button, I would think that is more the fault of your grip than a design flaw of the gun.

Hmmm. I have $350 OTD for mine and it does work flawlessly.

Ok guys, just changed up my grip ALOT and it did not drop the magazine but now the next round won't chamber all the way. I have to push forward the slide to fire the next shot. And now when I pull back the slide it won't stay open. It's ever so slowly becoming the worst firearm I've ever owned.


Didn't get a break from work to talk to kahr tech support. I'll be sending the entire pistol to them.

I'll sell it for $300 shipped to anyone in this thread aware of the issues I'm speaking of.

Pissed I have to even change my grip to begin with.

Doesn't matter. I've never had a revolver cylinder fly open under recoil. There's no excuse for a mag dropping out under recoil, regardless of cause.

PS I have lots of auto pistols, and the problem was exclusive to the Kahr.

I generally agree. Sometimes, though, it is not anybody�s fault. The person�s hand and the particular gun�s ergonomics just may not play well together.

As for Kahrs, there is a local shop here that will not sell new Kahrs or take them as trades due to the volume of complaints about them.

Ive had 5-6 different people whom own semi auto pistols all shot my kahr. The mag drops on them too. Upon further inspection tonite while shooting my Kahr today while firing it was tryin to push the slide stop out.. I don't like this pile of [bleep] Kahr at all.

The fragility of the slide stop spring and the fact that the slide stop spring screw screws directly into polymer instead of a metal bushing are the main reasons why I would never own another Kahr with a polymer frame.

This will be the last one I own.

It happens. It wasn't meant to be. The pistol's reputation is built on far more positive owners, than disappointed ones. I doubt your review will adversely influence too many prospective buyers. Sorry it didn't work out for you. Still, one has to believe that the .40 S&W cartridge has been the bane of more firearms and shooters in many different platforms. It was possibly one of the more ill-conceived rounds, created to solve a problem that didn't really exist.

Dan

Yes Kahr had some issues with the CW'S dropping mags I had a CW 45 with the same issue, kahr sent me new spring and mag release it fixed the issue, but that pistol had more issues is was not a problem child it was a total bastard!! it's long gone . I than got a cw 40 it work fine with loads it liked , but for me the accuracy was now where close to my glock 27 or 30 for that matter, for me it was the trigger . My big hands and the triggers on the kahr's do not get a long

Sounds like it's just another reason to test any handgun that one might carry for serious purposes.

I had a 1990 Ford F-150 and about two weeks after I bought it someone was telling me what a POS they were and how this and that and everything else would quit working and fall off and in what order. 13 years later everything still worked just like new.

On the other side, most folks live entire lifetimes with Remington M700's whose handles don't fall off, I've had two of them fall off.

My Kahrs (have had four total, still have two) have all worked from the get go with zero issues and have been among the most accurate centerfire semi-autos I've owned, equaled or beaten in that area only by match grade 1911's. But obviously that's not true for everyone.

I have become convinced that its all in the odds. From Hi-point you probable get a 20% chance of a gun that will fire reliably, from Colt, Smith, Glock, Sig probably 80% chance of buying a good gun. With Kahr its 66%, I have two good ones and one went down the road.

Actually, High Points have an excellent reputation for reliability.

We are a two Kahr family:

P45 will chamber a round, but the round must want to chamber. That tight chamber and weak recoil spring only accommodate slim and slippery ammo.

P380 will handle super hot loads, but does not always extract them, but instead takes a notch out of the rim.

Meanwhile my 6 Kel-tecs are ultra reliable, they don't look as nice nor shoot as straight as the Kahrs.

That's what I'm thinkin' the OP's issue really is..

I've had 5 Kahrs, still have four.. NONE have had an 'early mag drop' issue.. However, to be fair, I'm left-handed... Maybe righties have most of the problems..

If it wasn't a .40 I'd be sorely tempted to buy it.. I just never cared for that round.

And, FWIW, keep in mind the CW series is their 'price point' models - w/o spare mag and with a couple less features than their regular lines.. Offered only to compete with a few others in price..

I just gripped my P-9 and the mag button rests squarely between my trigger finger and the next one - so it doesn't get touched when firing etc.. If I switch to RH though, my thumb comes close. Now, if I had slightly longer/bigger hands I can see where a person gripping the gun could, in fact, trip the magazine release inadvertently.. I can't help but think a slightly stronger spring on the mag release button would help to cure most of those issues.


FWIW, one can research ANY pistol-maker and find complaints to a large degree..

My PM9 has been flawless in 5 years of use, FWIW

Mine's been flawless for more than twice that long. The problem with mine is that my hand occasionally contacts the mag release under recoil sufficiently to engage it.

I bought one of the first PM9s available when they first came out. I could never get it to run well, and although I loved it for the size, I could never trust it, even after several trips back. I sold it.

A couple of years later I hoped and thought they may have those issues corrected, so I bought another one. I love the idea of the PM9.

Well...same exact problems with that one. Even after their break in period of a few hundred rounds, I was still getting jams and, like you said, the mag would drop - but usually because I bumped the mag release (horrible spot).

I gave up on the PM9 after that.

Well, today I finally had a chance to talk with tech/repair employee/rep.. He asked for the serial number and I gave it to him. He told me when I bought it and where. HE then asked what the problem was.

I told him the magazine drops when firing and that the slide stop was being forced out and causing it to not fully chamber another round.

Via e-mail I received a Fed-ex shipping order allowing me to ship the pistol to them without going through an ffl.

I'm seriously thinking that when I receive either another CW40 or my repaired one of not even shooting it and selling it for $300 to anyone on this thread that knows what's been happening.

I can't [bleep] sell this to anyone that doesn't know.

I still cannot believe Kahr hasn't resolved this bullshitt. WAY to many reports of this kind on the web. WAY TO MANY!

Out of curiosity, how many other semiautomatic pistols have you owned. And did you have to change your grip with anyother brand to prevent mag drops?

I have a CM9 that has been perfect and CW9 that never gave me any trouble. I suspect you will find 10 people who have never had an issue for every 1 that has. Just like every other manufacturer.

As to the quoted text above.......I would love to see what gun you bought for 330.00 that surpassed the Kahr in terms of quality. One thing ive leanred over the years, it doesnt matter how much you spend, price is not a sign of relaibility. Ive seen Nighthawks stovipipe, Wilsons FTE,Ive also seen a Rock Island go almost 1k rounds in a single session with a single failure.....I beleive the Rock Islands are 1/6 of the price.

I bought a Kahr CW9 for the slender profile that made it easier to carry on my small frame. It was accurate and never had a problem except I never could adjust to the long trigger pull.

My absolute favorite gun to shoot was the Glock 36 for it's accuracy and the way it felt in my hand.

I ended up with a Kel-tec PF9. It's very lightweight, easy to carry, and fun to shoot. Mark and I are headed to the gun club today.

I have had two Kahrs and both worked perfectly.

I looked into a Kahr at one time and after fondling one in a LGS the trigger, for me, also was way way too long. I was very concerned about maintaining a great sight picture throughout the time period of the trigger pull. Seemed like it took 10 seconds to execute.

Much happy, as the above poster, with the Glocks.

My Kahr CW9 has seen almost 1500 RDS with no issues of any kind. Yes the initial trigger pull is quite long by design for safety but the reset between rounds on mine is much shorter. I practice with all of my guns to never let the trigger all the way up between rounds.

Some guys let the trigger all the way out which seems a waste to me.Just enough let up to reset the trigger then fire the next round.

Bro I've owned Hi Points that were of better quality than the pile of [bleep] Kahr I'm getting ready to send back to them.

Shag, I am sorry to hear of your problems. I remembered that on my first CW9, that the mag would drop on occasion. I contacted Kahr, they sent me spare parts, never an issue again. I have never had any issues on any of the other Kahrs that I own, and I have shot the heck out of them.

I like the upgraded triggers on Glocks, but I don't own pants large enough to carry them tucked in my pants in a holster. It never ceases to amaze me how accurate the Kahrs are. The CW45 is unbelievable and it takes a good 1911 to beat it.

Are you shooting +P ammo in your CW40?

Shag, including semi-autos that I still own I'd put the number at around 10-11.

The reason that I'm not really bothered by having to watch how I my grip Kahr is that I'm a small statured guy and handgun gripping is always an issue for me. I have fairly short fingers and usually grip a handgun with my thumbs crossed, locking my 2 hands together to make up for the lack of finger length. It's the crossing of my thumbs that caused an issue with hitting the mag release on the K40.

I don't blame you for being frustrated and it sounds like Kahr has some issues with the placement or spring power on their mag release.

Could not be happier with my Kahrs...two CW9s and two P380s. I had a third CW9 but a friend shot it and liked it and asked me to find him one so I sold that one to him...and he carries every day now having retired his Glock 27. Several of my students have bought Kahrs after shooting mine.

A friend and fellow instructor who loves SIGs could not keep the magazines from falling out of his 229. The solution was a left hand mag release...problem solved.

The .40 is going to be a problem forever as it was placed into a vehicle that was not designed to handle it...that being 9mm firearms. Look what happened when Browning tried to adapt it to the High Power...beat the gun to death until they put a heavier slide on. Springs often can't make up for actual weight...

Solution to the OPs problem...sell the CW40 and buy a CW9...

Bob

My CW 40 would partially release mag if I did watch my hold. Put the slip on grip that helps me position my hand. Made a huge difference. Had initial issues that extractor needed work would not eject a loaded round? Good smith in Anchorage fixed it for free. I think he shortened extractor? Very nice accurate and now reliable handgun. Not in love with the .40 though prefer a .45 ACP.