Click pictures for a larger version.


Slide Lock.





Grip is well-textured, and provides a secure hold.




The sights are rugged, made of steel, and are
dovetailed into the slide.


All the TP45 needs to make it a superb carry gun is a
Crimson Trace Laserguard.






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Kahr Arms makes some of the best compact
semi-automatic pistols on the market. They have a good
reputation for building high-quality, reliable,
smooth-functioning pistols that are lightweight, slim, and easy
to use. Many men and women choose to carry a compact Kahr pistol
in a pocket or on the belt, as they find the Kahr pistols to be
a great choice for concealed carry, when small size and great
reliability are important.
While Kahr pocket pistols (such as the CW380,
P380, CM9,
and CM40) get a lot of attention,
and their slightly-larger P series pistols (such as the PM9,
PM45, and CM45)
are also very popular, their larger pistols do not get much
press. The TP45, while still slim, smooth, and reliable, is a
single-stack 45 ACP that is more comparable in size and capacity
to a Commander-sized 1911.
Compared to a lightweight
Commander, the Kahr has a slimmer grip, a shorter reach to
the trigger, a lighter weight, and a much shorter overall
length, while having a barrel that is still four inches in
length; only one-quarter inch shorter than a Commander-sized
1911. For these reasons, many shooters find the TP45 easier to
carry, and easier to shoot. Like other Kahr pistols, the TP45
has no external safety. It is easy to operate, and easy to shoot
well. The trigger pull is butter-smooth, and on this test gun,
weighed in at four and three-quarters pounds resistance, but
felt even lighter, due to the wide, comfortable stainless steel
trigger. The external frame on the TP45 is made of black reinforced
polymer, with most other parts made of a satin-finished
stainless steel. The magazine catch is a matte black steel, as
are the sights. While I love the feel of a lightweight Commander
1911, my hand is large. For many with medium or small hands, the
TP45 is a much better fit. The trigger reach is shorter, and the
grip circumference is much smaller on the TP45.
Critical
specifications for the TP45 are listed in the chart below.
Weights are listed in ounces. Linear dimensions are listed in
inches. Trigger pull is listed in pounds of resistance, as
measured with my Lyman digital trigger pull scale. Height
includes sights and magazine floor plate. Maximum width is
measured across the top of the frame, and includes the slide
lock.
Chambering |
45 ACP |
Weight
with empty magazine |
23.2 oz. |
Trigger
Pull |
4 lbs., 12 oz. |
Barrel
Length |
4.03" |
Barrel
Diameter |
0.578" |
Overall
Height |
5.78" |
Overall
Length |
6.78" |
Grip Width |
0.98" |
Slide Width |
1.00" |
Maximum Width |
1.10" |
Trigger Reach |
2.46" |
Magazine Capacity |
7 |
Magazines Supplied |
2 |
Sights |
White Dot, Rear Windage
Adjustable |
Accessory Rail |
No |
I
tested for velocity with my chronograph set at twelve feet from
the muzzle, and an air temperature of sixty-eight degrees
Fahrenheit, with a sunny sky, a slight breeze, and seventy-eight
percent humidity. Velocity readings were taken at an elevation
of approximately 541 feet above sea level.
Velocities are listed in the chart below, and are listed
in feet-per-second (fps). FMJ is a full metal jacket bullet. JHP
is a jacketed hollowpoint. Tac-XP and DPX are homogenous copper
hollowpoint bullets. Glaser is a specialty pre-fragmented bullet
inside a copper alloy jacket. PB is Pow’RBall.
LRSP is Buffalo Bore Low Recoil Standard Pressure ammunition.
LWSC is a cast lead semi-wadcutter bullet. Velocities are listed
in feet-per-second (fps). Bullet weights are listed in grains.
Ammunition |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
Buffalo
Bore JHP +P |
230 |
956 |
Buffalo
Bore FMJ +P |
230 |
963 |
Buffalo
Bore Tac-XP +P |
185 |
1143 |
Buffalo
Bore HC +P |
255 |
944 |
Buffalo
Bore JHP +P |
185 |
1112 |
Buffalo
Bore LRSP FMJ |
185 |
837 |
Buffalo
Bore LRSP Tac-XP |
160 |
927 |
Cor-Bon
JHP +P |
200 |
1049 |
Cor-Bon
JHP +P |
230 |
902 |
Cor-Bon
DPX +P |
185 |
1044 |
Cor-Bon
PB +P |
165 |
1182 |
Stryker
FMJ |
230 |
784 |
Atomic
JHP +P |
230 |
958 |
Atomic
JHP +P |
185 |
1004 |
Remington
FMJ |
230 |
764 |
Remington
JHP |
230 |
798 |
NPA
Frangible |
140 |
1130 |
Handload
LWSC |
200 |
979 |
WCC
1911 Ball FMJ |
230 |
744 |
Reliability with every type of ammunition
tested was one hundred percent. There were no failures to feed,
fire, or eject. With some types of ammunition, the empty cases
ejected towards the shooter, but with most types, the ejection
was well to the right. The excellent trigger feel made accurate
shooting easy. I fired the TP45 at steel and paper targets at
distances from seven to one hundred yards, with satisfying
results. For
accuracy testing on paper at twenty-five yards, I rested the
TP45 hand-held on a Target
Shooting, Inc. Pistol Rest. Accuracy varied from good to
superb, depending upon the ammunition used, but every load
tested was plenty accurate for social work, with a couple of
loads from Buffalo Bore and Remington providing match-grade
accuracy. The grip
of the TP45 is well-textured for a positive hold, which is ideal
for a fighting handgun, but during an all-day shooting session,
it can be a bit abrasive with heavy Plus P ammunition. While on
that subject, for a very effective 45 ACP load with light
recoil, I have come to really love the Buffalo Bore Low Recoil
Standard Pressure 160 grain Tac-XP. This load has very light
recoil, but the 160 grain Barnes XP bullet expands fully in
ballistic gelatin, while penetrating almost twelve inches.
In my opinion, the only thing lacking on this
TP45 is the ability to make it more
useful in low light, which can easily be corrected with the
addition of a set of good tritium night sights, or a Crimson
Trace Laserguard laser. Even better would be to add both.
Packing eight rounds of 45 ACP power, the Kahr TP45 is
lightweight, reliable, accurate, built right, and built in the
USA. I highly recommend it.
Check out this and other 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 the Kahr TP45 online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.
To order a Crimson Trace laser online, go to www.crimsontrace.com.
To
order quality 45 ACP ammunition, go to www.buffalobore.com,
www.midsouthshooters.com,
www.doubletapammo.com,
and www.luckygunner.com.
Jeff Quinn
 
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Click pictures for a larger version.


TP45 comes with hard case, two seven-round
magazines, lock, and instructions.



TP45 (left) compared to Ruger
SR1911CMD Commander-sized 1911 (right).


Buffalo Bore 160-grain TAC-XP low-recoil load
performed perfectly when fired into ballistic gelatin.



Accuracy results, fired at 25 yards using a Target
Shooting, Inc. Pistol Rest: Stryker 230-grain JHP,
2.375" (top); Buffalo Bore 160-grain LRSP TAC-XP,
1.5" (center); Remington UHD 230-grain JHP, 0.875"
(bottom).









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