I traded a used Kel-Tec P-11 and $50.00 for a very lightly used CM-9, case, and holster/mag pouch.

I know the CW-9 is on the low end of the Khar line but I figured I'd get a lot more use out of it and I like it a lot more as far as feel goes over the Ruger, KT, and S&W offerings, plus it's stainless.

How does the CW-9 stack-up against their competitors when bang-bang time comes? Any issues I should be aware of? Simple upgrades?

Looks like you have the CW9, the economy version of the P9 (7 rd magazine). The CM9 is the economy version of the PM9 (6rd magazine). Still a nice gun, though. My wife had one for a few years, and did quite well with it.
The only issues I have had with my PM9 are magazines carried in a mag pouch can sometimes lose rounds due to the angle of the follower in relation to the feed lips. As long as I keep up with magazine springs, it's not an issue, though. We didn't see the same issues with her CW9, but she didn't carry it very often.
As far as upgrades, all I did to my PM9 was send it to Kahr to have a set of night sights installed.Other than that, the best upgrade was plenty of 9mm ammo.



Compared to other single-stack 9mm pistols that I am familiar with (M&P Shield, xDS, Walther PPS), the CW9 has a longer trigger stroke, but the pull is not heavy; it's been likened to a tuned revolver trigger. Not difficult to shoot, just different. The reset is almost all the way out.



The only disadvantage I can see is the lack of aftermarket support compared to the Shield (I am not sure about the other single-stack 9's) - holsters are available, but sight options are not as extensive as the Shield. For example, my current favorite sights are the Ameriglo CAP and Pro iDot sights. Not available on Kahr pistols. That may not be an issue for you, though.

Kahrs seem to a love them or hate them kind of gun. I personally love them and have owned seven of them (still own two) and have never had any issues or even really any malfunctions. Other people have not been so lucky. There's also the trigger, which I love but others hate. Think of them as a double-action only semi-automatic revolver. No issues other than you may want to detail strip the slide and make sure all the storage/shipping oil is cleaned out. They come absolutely swimming in it. Upgrades are few and far inbetween. You can always get a machined slide stop for the P9 if the thought of MIM makes you queasy. Maybe a front night sight from Dawson Precision. Other than that I'd get a spare mag or two and keep on top of recoil spring replacement.

I love my PM9! It's strapped to my ankle as I type. I'd get the non-MIM slide stop for your CM9/C9 whichever, especially if your life may ever depend upon using it as a defensive weapon.

I shot it yesterday and have no complaints. It really liked 124gr Canadian surplus ball for some reason. No more "snappy" than other nines of the same size and much less so than the Ruger and KT offerings I've owned or shot. Nice trigger.

I loaded two mags with four different flavors of ball/HP ammo and it ate it all with no problems. I'm happy with it.

I was lucky as my LGS had a extra 7-round mag laying around and the owner just gave it to me because he lost the packaging.

The only WTF moment came when I decided to order a different base plate for my extra mag from Kahr. The base was cheap enough at $8.00 but they wanted near $13.00 for USPS shipping.  

I traded for a CW9 a couple Decembers ago that was supposed to be like new.Well it was like new since it wouldn't feed from the magazine.
So I took off the slide and inserted the slide stop into the frame. The slide stop was hitting the bullet in the magazine,so I cleared material off until it cleared.
trouble free since then.
Now I have a CW9,a CM9 and a CT40.

Here's a few things I've done to mine:

I dehorned the slide with a file and  and sandpaper. Every sharp edge, except the serrations, got a radius.
I then bead blasted it after taping off the sights, to get an even finish.

I shortened the take down pin so it was flush with the slide.

I removed the big hump at the front of the slide stop and made it so it wouldn't catch when reholstering. (Bead blasted this as well)

I used a razor blade to scrape the plastic sides of the dust cover so it was even with the slide instead of hanging over.

Sanded off the plastic finger hump on the magazine base plate and flattened the bottom.

I shortened the mag release after accidentally dropping the mag a few times. I then relieved the frame so it could be pressed deep enough when I wanted.

Pix please!

I did both of those to mine, and I installed a 5 lb striker spring from wolf to lighten up the trigger. Wonderful pistol to shoot.

My CW9 has run flawlessly for the 700 or so rounds I've put through it with 1 exception: it won't ignite the primers on tula ammo unless I re-chamber it and pull the trigger again. This is the only russian ammo I've ever tried and I would bet serious money that it's just bc of hard primers. I've had zero issues with every other ammo type I've put in it. Old nasty ammo doesn't bother it. Running it dirty and dry like people like to treat glocks doesn't phase it either. As for mods, I have night sites and that's it. One thing I've noticed since I've been trying to trade it off is that no one wants Kahrs. I don't know why. Mine's been great and I'm only getting rid of it because the trigger is just too different from my glock and it's a mindfuck whenever I switch guns due to weather or what I'm wearing that day.