Can anyone tell me what the letter prefixes on Kahr pistol variants mean like CW, CT, P and K?  Is there any of them I should stay away from?

Take a few minutes and look on the Kahr website. It's all spelled out there.

I have been a Kahr shooter for many years and the only real problem I have ever had with one of mine was a 45 ACP mag that split at the top left rear at the fold. Kahr replaced it with two new mags at ZERO cost.

Briefly:
"C" models = poly frames
"P" models = polygonal BARRELS and metal frames
"K" models = .............aw hell don't remember

Look it up. Kahrs are imho very solid guns at a decent price that were designed from the very beginning as concealed carry guns. Yes the trigger does take a little getting used since it is styled after a single action revolver. In fact, I liken them to a "magazine fed revolver" since they do not have any safeties (aside from what is between yer ears) and of course are faster to reload.

I have had quite a number of friends try mine out and they ended up buying themselves one. Give'm a try.

Kahrs have an excellent DOA trigger, yes a bit heavy but its as smooth as any trigger I've ever pulled.  Great concealed guns, and the diamond black coating is amazing.... my 11+ year old PM9 looks new after being dragged all over the US for all those years.

A couple corrections to above post.  
CW/CM/CT is their budget line of pistols.  Comes with a single magazine and has a standard rifled barrel.  Good budget gun.

P/PM polymer frame and polygonal rifled barrel.  Comes with two mags.

K/MK are the steel framed guns with polygonal rifling.

Size wise CM/PM/MK are subcompact

K/P/CW are their compact guns

The T guns are their full size guns

I like them and own several of them

Thank you all for the responses.

Some of my favorite guns I own are DAO, so I doubt that will be as issue for me.

I am looking around now at prices and will likely order one in the future.

“MK/K/T” is their all stainless pistols
“P/PM/TP” is premium polymer pistols
“CM/CW/CT” is their cheap polymer pistols
“S” is is their railed pistols

Anything with an M is micro sized
Anything with a T is full sized
Everything else is midsized

All are single stack, carry very slim, and have very smooth DA triggers. It’s important to note that like a DA revolver the trigger needs let nearly all the way out to reset. The mechanism is dirt simple and very reliable. Their “full” size pistols are actually closer in silhouette to a Glock 19x except obviously single stack. The mid size Kahr silohouettes are a bit like a single stack g26 slide on a G19 frame and then and the micros are pretty much the smallest things out there except the Bond Arms or R9... feels notably smaller than the G43.

In terms of quality & features, it goes K>P>C/S series. The P and C frames are pretty much identical. The stainless frames are cast then machined and are slimmer than the polymer frames and have full length slide rails... the polymer frames (like most poly frames) only have metal inserts at the fore and aft of the frame rails. Due to frame geometry, the metal-frame Kahrs actually use a wider diameter spring that feels a lot smoother and more linear. Both the K and P use polygonal hammer forged Walther-Lothar barrels, billet slide stop and mag release, dovetail front sight and feature nicer dehorning. The C and S series used cast slide stops and mag release and a button rifled barrel. I do believe ALL the slides are milled from billet. Pretty sure the pistols are made in USA too.

Thanks, that explains a lot. I will likely go with one of the "P" series guns.

I am thinking about ordering a .40 just because I already have so many guns in 9mm.

I am not looking for something to carry - I have that more than covered - but could end up using it that way eventually.

The main reason I want one is because it's a brand I currently do not own.

The kahrs in .40 are very snappy.  I have a P40 covert ( p length barrel and PM grip.  It was bought as a Christmas present many years ago, so even though I have only shot  few mags through it, I won't sell it.

However I hate shooting it.  I have arthritis in my wrists and they ache for days after a range trip.  If you are recoil sensitive, stay with the 9mm.  They are much better in the subcompact.

I don't seem to have a problem with recoil, but I will keep that in mind. Thanks.

If you want to go 40, I Highly recommend the MK40 or K40. The metal soaks up recoil nicely.

MK and K Kahr guns are very cheap on Armslist. Not much more than the C or Pnpistols despite being a lot nicer.

Well I may have made a mistake, but I ordered a P40. We'll see how it does in a couple of weeks. Thanks to all who responded.

Pay attention to the owner's manual when it addresses the 200 round break in and loading by using the slide stop.

Many people ignore the slide stop caution and when the gun fails to load properly when "sling shotted" they blame the gun for being crappy.

Also note that at least the 9mm Kahr magazines tend to shed rounds unless you carry them in a good mag carrier.

The Kahr's seem to "like" a grease on the slide and frame rails, outside of the barrel, and the rotary sear and striker interface.

I tell people to use the Kahr like a double action revolver.  If you know how to properly shoot a DA revolver you'll feel right at home with the Kahr trigger.
If you're not used to a DA revolver you'll need to practice to learn the trigger.

Thanks ! I will try to follow all of your advise. That's the reason I continue to come here.

Also note that the Kahr's can be a bear to disassemble and reassemble until they get shot a bit.
You're dealing with a small gun that has a strong recoil spring and it can be hard to hold the slide in just the right position.
And it HAS to be in JUST the right position.

Kahr sells a plastic disassembly plug that holds the slide in just the right spot for easier dis and re assembly.
Note too the plastic models have a slightly different reassembly method for replacing the slide stop.

Read the manual carefully about this because people damage the polymer gun slide stop spring trying to assemble it incorrectly, or they get the stop in the gun but not in the barrel slot properly then can't get it apart.

Watch the magazine followers.
At least on the 9mm versions the front of the follower is thin, unsupported plastic and they can break off under recoil.
The problem is, on some guns the lower-rear of the barrel feed ramp can hit the front of the follower on the last shot and snap the front of the follower off.
If your's does, contact Kahr and they'll send you a shipping label so you can send it back.
What they do is grind off a bit of the lower feed ramp so it can't hit the follower.

My daughters P9 did this to two of her three mags.  They sent her free followers, but I haven't heard if shes shot the gun since.
I would have modified the barrel for her, but it's still under warranty and I don't want to void that.

I am carrying a Kahr CW9 right now.  I bought it and took it to the range.  I fucking hated the trigger.  Set it down and picked up my Smith 642.  Fired 20 rounds through the Smith and picked up the Kahr again. The light went on in my head and I stroked it through just like a DAO revolver.

Fire a DAO revolver first and then fire the Kahr. Same basic trigger.

I've owned a PM40 and currently rock a PM9, definitely prefer the get the 9mm.  The PM series are tiny guns, and the 40 is quite a bit slower for follow up shots.  It also can jam if you purposefully limp wrist it (at least I was able to), and the PM9 holds more ammo.  The P40 should be better as its got a longer grip than the PM series

I've maybe shot 600rds through my PM9 in the last 10 years, and while capable its not the greatest range toy.

Yup, the Kahr triggers are a long, smooth, and heavy DAO trigger.  Just gotta get some range time, as I don't even think about it anymore.  I've even been known to shoot steel plates at 55 yards or so with my PM9 on occasion, quite accurate and capable pistols.

Due to some work I am having done on my house it will be at least two weeks before I will have a chance to get to the range and try this out, but I can say I do like the trigger and could see picking up another one in 9mm or .380 if I run across a good deal.

Thanks everyone for your input!

Attached File

Just in case anyone is interested, I did get to the range Saturday and try out this gun. I had a couple of failures to go into battery in the first magazine by that cleared up pretty quickly and it functioned fine for the rest of the morning.

The recoil in .40 is noticeably harsher than an average 9mm but holding a little tighter it was not a problem.

And it was surprisingly easy to be accurate despite the DAO trigger.

I really like this gun and I will grab one in .380, 9mm or .45 if I run across a good deal.

Yeah you can't limp wrist the .40 Kahrs (I had a PM40, it was peppy )

Kahr triggers are soooooo smooth, I think that helps.  Plus you got a P or K series so it should have a more accurate barrel (IMO).  I've banged plates at 54 yards with my PM9.... pretty respectable for a tiny pistol