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Click pictures for a larger version.
The Kahr CM40 holds six shots of 40 S&W
ammunition.
CM40 comes with hard case, instructions, trigger lock, and one magazine.
Grip is integral with frame, and well-textured for a secure hold.
Magazine release (top), slide lock (bottom).
The CM40 is equipped with an excellent set of sights.
Magazine.
Striker lock prevents firing unless the trigger is pulled.
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Ever since Kahr introduced their CM9
pocket pistol about a year ago, people have been asking for
an equivalent pistol chambered for the 40 S&W cartridge.
Kahr already produces the almost identical PM40, but like the
comparison between the PM9 and the
CM9, the CM40 is a lower-priced version of the dandy little
PM40. The PM/CM pistols are Kahr’s smallest pistols that are
chambered for the 9mm Luger and 40 S&W cartridges. All Kahr
pistols are relatively thin, fit the hand well, and are easy to
shoot. Last time I checked, Kahr produces more 40 caliber pistol
variations than anyone else, with 27 different versions listed.
Kahr has three basic sizes of pistols, none of which could be
considered “large”. They are all thin and proportioned well,
both to the cartridge and to the human hand. Kahr pistols are
available with polymer, carbon steel, or stainless steel frames.
Their lightest are built with a polymer frame, reinforced with
steel where necessary. The new CM40 has a stainless slide and a
polymer frame.
When the CM9 was introduced, it was and is a
more affordable version of their PM9. The differences between
the two pistols are mostly cosmetic, and using a different
rifling design. Either rifling design will spin the bullet, and
although the CM9 ships with one fewer magazine than does the
PM9, the much lower price makes the CM a bargain, compared to
the more expensive PM9.
The same thinking was applied to the new
CM40. The slide markings are different, the rifling is
different, and it ships with one magazine instead of the two
magazines that are supplied with the PM40. However, the CM40, as
of the date of this writing, has a manufacturer’s suggested
retail price (MSRP) of only $517 US while the PM40 has an MSRP
of $786 US. To save you the trouble of searching for your
calculator, that is a savings of $269. That is enough savings to
buy six more magazines and a box of 40 S&W ammo. Even
better, as most of us are not going to carry six spare magazines
for our pocket pistol, buy one extra Kahr magazine and a Crimson
Trace Laserguard. I am a big believer in a quality
laser sight for a defensive pistol, and the smaller the gun,
the more it needs the laser for accurate shooting. These small
guns are built for defense, and a good laser, which comes on
instantly as the weapon is drawn, helps the shooter to get an
accurate shot onto the target quicker, in low light conditions.
The Kahr CM40 is about as small and light as
it gets for a dependable 40 S&W semi-automatic pistol. It is
sized perfectly to ride comfortably in a pants pocket.
Specifications are listed in the chart below. Weight is listed
in ounces. Trigger pull is listed in pounds of resistance, as
measured on a Lyman digital trigger pull scale. Linear
measurements are listed in inches. Weight includes the empty
magazine. Height includes magazine base and sights.
| Chambering |
40 S&W |
| Weight with Empty Magazine |
17.8 oz. |
| Trigger Pull |
4.6 lbs. |
| Barrel Length |
3.07" |
| Barrel Diameter |
0.548" |
| Rifling |
1 in 16", RH |
| Overall Height |
4.25" |
| Overall Length |
5.62" |
| Slide Thickness |
0.94" |
| Grip Thickness |
0.945" |
| Trigger Reach |
2.45" |
| Magazine Capacity |
5 Rounds (6 &
7-Round Available) |
| Magazines Supplied |
1 |
Velocity testing was done at
an elevation of 541 feet above sea level. Range temperatures
hovered around the fifty-five degree Fahrenheit mark. Velocities
are listed in feet-per-second. Bullet weights are listed in
grains. JHP is a jacketed hollowpoint bullet. DPX is a
homogenous copper hollow cavity bullet. PB is Cor-Bon
Pow’RBall, a specialty hollowpoint bullet with a nylon
ball inserted into the hollow nose. FMJ is a full metal jacket
bullet. Velocities were recorded at a distance of ten feet from
the muzzle, and are the average of several shots for each load
tested.
| Ammunition |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
| Cor-Bon DPX |
140 |
1129 |
| Cor-Bon JHP |
135 |
1188 |
| Cor-Bon PB |
135 |
1232 |
| Double Tap JHP |
135 |
1192 |
| Double Tap Barnes |
125 |
1275 |
| Buffalo Bore JHP |
155 |
1187 |
| Buffalo Bore JHP |
180 |
1009 |
| Buffalo Bore FMJ |
180 |
1002 |
| Black Hills JHP |
180 |
909 |
| Stryker JHP |
180 |
870 |
The Kahr CM40 shot very well. As expected,
reliability was one hundred percent. The little Kahr fed, fired,
and ejected every cartridge perfectly. Recoil was snappy with
the Buffalo Bore, Cor-Bon, and Double Tap ammo, but
controllable. A small pistol like this, firing the 40 S&W,
is going to have some recoil, as expected. However, the little
Kahr is not painful to shoot, and it packs a lot of power into a
very small package. Like all Kahr pistols, the CM40 is expertly
crafted. Quality of material and manufacture is readily
apparent. The Kahr design allows for a thinner design than most,
yet the pistol fits the hand well. The CM40 is a very
affordable, small, lightweight, powerful, and reliable pocket
pistol, and I highly recommend it.
Check out the extensive line of Kahr firearms
and accessories online at www.kahr.com.
For the location of a Kahr dealer near you,
click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com
To order a Kahr pistol online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.
To order quality 40 S&W ammunition, go to
www.buffalobore.com,
www.luckygunner.com,
www.theamericanmarksman.com,
and www.doubletapammo.com.
Jeff Quinn
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Click pictures for a larger version.
CM40 compared to Ruger's LCP 380.
Disassembly requires no tools.
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