I bought a new Kahr PM45 yesterday. (No waiting period with a Concealed Handgun License in Texas).
Kahr recommends shooting 200 rounds through it before trusting it for defensive carry, so off the the range I went.
I had 200 rounds of FMJ and some defensive carry ammo with me. (Ouch! At today’s inflated ammo prices that’s almost $100 just to break in the gun.)
I remember a time when I was competing heavily and using a progressive loader, that my cost per thousand (200gr SWC) was just $65. Ah, the good old days!

I already have three other Kahr pistols – First was the P9, then the PM9 and more recently, the P45. All have been totally reliable with ball or hollow points.
The only modification is that I put Agrips (by Brooks Tactical on each. ( I wish I’d had time to put Agrip on the new PM45 before putting 200 rounds through it with the pronounced checkering on the front strap and back strap.)
Despite the good history with Kahr pistols, you never know until you actually shoot a new pistol how reliable it will be. Fortunately, I got a good one again. 200 rounds with no malfunctions.
The recoil spring is very strong on this compact pistol, so if you’re an occasional “limp-wrister,” butch up and hold on. You can’t let the gun move backwards or the slide will not have anything to work against, and it will short-cycle. This will cause failures to eject and/or failures to feed.
Toward the end of my range session I ran some hollow points through it, including my carry ammo, Corbon DPX 185 grain all copper hollow points. Again, no failures of any kind.
.45 ACP in this gun doesn’t sting and the gun is completely controllable, There’s no reason to fight the recoil, just grip properly and the gun will come back on target quickly.
(See this recent blog post on recoil control).
The PM45 will be for pocket carry, backing up a 4″ Lightweight Springfield Champion that’s my primary carry gun. I’m in Texas so I carry everyday, everywhere I go (except the post office).
I carry my 1911 in a Tucker Cover Up IWB or a leather-lined kydex Silent Thunder IWB.
Like all our IWB’s they’re made so that I can tuck my shirt over the gun and holster, and I can conceal it without hanging my shirt out or wearing a jacket.
