Kahr CM40

Introducing the Kahr CM40: a compact, and affordable, new pistol chambered in .40 S&W.  According to Kahr, the CM40 is an extension of the CM-series of pistols that was introduced in 2011.

The Kahr CM40 has a 3″ barrel and weighs less than 18 ounces with the magazine.  The pistols are thin:  only 0.94″ wide.

The magazines have flush fitting floorplates, and hold five rounds for a total capacity of six.  I would expect that Kahr will introduce an extended magazine that will hold six rounds (for a total of seven) later in the year, but that is pure speculation on my part.

The sights use the dot/bar configuration and are large enough for real use.

MSRP is $517, which means “street” prices should be in the mid-$400’s.  Like the CM9, the CM40 draws features from the company’s more expensive lines, but uses some cost-cutting measures to draw down the MSRP.

Among the cost savings measures employed by Kahr:

– ships with one magazine instead of two
– uses a MIM slide stop instead of a machined slide stop
– rifling is conventional instead of polygonal
– markings are simple engravings instead of roll marks

We’ll see this gun at the 2012 SHOT Show, and I’ll bring more photos and impressions of the gun from there.  I’ve shot the CM9 pistol, a 9mm version of the gun, and found that I really liked it.  In fact, because I liked it so much, I bought it.  It shoots very well – no reliability issues, a super smooth trigger and darn accurate for a pistol as small as it is.  Recoil, even with higher pressure ammo, is very mild.  I imagine recoil in the .40 S&W caliber version will be a wee bit more stout.  Only by getting the gun on the range and running it with self-defense ammo will we know how well it runs and what kind of recoil we will be looking at.

2012 SHOT Show Update

The Kahr CM40 is a very compact pistol designed for concealed carry.  The .40 S&W handgun was introduced just a few months ago, and the 2012 SHOT Show was the first chance I had to put hands on one.

It felt good in the hand, though an extended magazine would be nice so my pinky didn’t fall off the bottom.  We hope to have a CM40 soon to test on the range.