| Kahr P Series | |
|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Justin Moon |
| Manufacturer | Kahr Arms |
| Produced | 2006 |
| Variants | See article |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | See article |
|
|
|
| Caliber |
|
| Action | short recoil locked breech |
| Feed system | 6 and 7 round magazine |
| Sights |
|
The Kahr P series is a product line of double action only (DAO) hammerless, striker-fired, short recoil operated, semi-automatic pistols manufactured by Kahr Arms in Worcester, Massachusetts.[1] The target market for the P line is the civilian concealed carry firearms market, as well as being intended as backup weapons for Law Enforcement officers.[2]
Contents |
When the first Kahr pistols appeared on the market in 1994 they were constructed entirely of carbon steel.[2] Early Kahr models such as the K9 were praised as well-made and solidly constructed,[3] but criticized for their excessive weight which is a disadvantage in a weapon intended for concealed carry. Kahr attempted to address these concerns by introducing a line of polymer framed models.
As noted above, P series pistols are manufactured with stainless steel slides which ride on steel inserts within the polymer frames, preventing the wear which would otherwise be inherent with metal slide to plastic frame contact. Available ammunition chamberings include 9x19mm Parabellum (P), .40 Smith & Wesson (P40), and .45 ACP (P45); magazine capacities vary between 6 and 7 rounds depending on model and caliber. P series pistols are noted for being very no-nonsense and utilitarian in appearance, with black plastic grips and a brushed stainless or blackened Tungsten TLC stainless slides. Produced by applying a thin but tough protective coating, the TLC patina was labeled "Black Diamond" in early production, and is valued for its lack of attention-catching light reflection in dim surroundings. TLC coatings also serve to protect the slide from oxidization, nicks and scrapes. P pistols are known for having very smooth and consistent DAO trigger pulls of approximately six pounds, and large and easy to see sights in various configurations including night sights. Simplified controls exemplified by the lack of a manual safety lever are also positive attributes and contribute to a desirable package for concealment use.[3] The P series is noted for having a fully enclosed trigger transfer bar and the engineering design work necessary to fit it inside the cramped space of the receiver resulted in several beneficial lockwork changes. One such change was that the cartridge feed ramp had to be offset, which in turn allowed the overall receiver design to be thinner,[2] it also permitted the slide to be more squat with a low bore axis, resulting is less muzzle rise and flip. The PM barrel configuration boasts polygonal rifling, which in theory will wear longer and gather less fouling. Overall, an important innate advantage of the Kahr pistol design is that it is identical in function and trigger action across virtually all Kahr models, meaning that once a user becomes familiar with the handling characteristics and ‘feel’ of one model, the learning curve for mastery of other Kahr firearms is much shorter.
.380 ACP caliber. Weight 9.97 ounces, length: 4.9 inches (120 mm), width: 0.75 inches (19 mm), height: 3.9 inches (99 mm), 2.5-inch (64 mm) barrel, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two 6 round flush fit magazines.[4]
9x19mm. Weight 15 ounces, length: 5.8 inches (150 mm), width: 0.90 inches (23 mm), height: 5.4 inches (140 mm), 3.6-inch (91 mm) barrel with 1:10 right hand twist, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two 7 round flush fit magazines.[5]
.40 S&W caliber. Weight 16.9 ounces, length: 6.1 inches (150 mm), width: 0.94 inches (24 mm), height: 4.55 inches (116 mm), 3.6-inch (91 mm) barrel with 1:16 right hand twist, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two 6 round flush fit magazines.[6]
.45 ACP caliber. Weight 15 ounces, length: 6.07 inches (154 mm), width: 1.01-inch (26 mm), height: 4.8 inches (120 mm), 3.64-inch (92 mm) barrel with 1:16.38 right hand twist, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two 6 round flush fit magazines.[7]
Kahr also offers the CW series of pistols which are essentially budget versions of the P series. The CW series is available in 9x19mm, .40 S&W caliber, and .45 ACP caliber, but is not available in .380 ACP caliber.
The major differences between the CW series and the P series are: The CW series uses barrels with conventional rifling, rather than the polygonal rifling employed by the P series. The CW series has a pinned-in front sight, rather than the drift-adjustable dovetail front sight on the P series. Pistols in the CW series are very slightly larger than their counterparts in the P series. The CW series have fewer machined contours, and some of the parts are cast rather than machined. [8]