While this is sound logic, it also requires extensive training on the part of the operator to guarantee a timely response to the situation surrounding the malfunction. In plain language, learn to keep the gun working even when it is fed bad ammunition.

(Left) The rear sight is mounted to the slide via a significant dovetail. It is a single triangle-shaped rear blade with a wide U-notch and white rectangular block directly under the U-notch. (Right) The top of the slide is well rounded on its top outside edges, and the front sight is secured to the slide via a dovetail. It consists of a single black blade with a white dot in the rear center of the blade.

The easiest way to achieve this is the infamous "screw your buddy" drill. Whenever you and a friend or duty partner are practicing together, exchange empty magazines together with a quantity of loaded rounds, as well as several spent cases. Each of you should load the other's magazine randomly with live rounds interspersed with empty cases. The drill is to reengage whatever target both of you are shooting and then see how quickly you react when the gun goes click instead of bang. The spent cases should chamber without the operator noticing their presence until the gun fails to fire. Even if they don't, the resulting malfunction is always a good educational tool for clearing malfunctions under stress. Once an operator gets the malfunction-clearance drills and the recharging of the chamber down to instinctive reaction, he is ready to use this pistol--or any other, for that matter, that offers no restrike capability in its operating design.

The Kahr P45 is obviously designed to be carried close because it lacks the usual sharp edges found all too often on other handguns. The stainless steel slide is well rounded on its top outside edges, and the front and rear corners of the slide are beveled as well. The front sight is secured to the slide via a substantial dovetail and consists of a black blade with a single white dot in the center. The rear sight is also mounted via a significant dovetail. It has a single triangle-shaped rear blade with a wide U-notch and a white rectangular block directly under the U-notch. Kahr also offers as an option tritium-powered front and rear sights for those wanting an advantage in aiming under low-light conditions.

The polymer frame carries the serial number on a metal tag molded into the polymer just in front of the triggerguard. The triggerguard, while ample in size, is not intended for use with a gloved hand. The smooth trigger face together with the P45's double-action pull weight of just more than eight pounds make this an easy pistol to shoot well. In fact, if there is one word to describe the P45, it would have to be "comfortable."

But I want to emphasize that it is the carrying I am classifying as such. Shooting the P45 is not extremely painful or burdensome, but there is a small problem with the trigger finger being struck by the inside of the triggerguard as the gun moves during recoil. It is sharp enough to be distracting and does lessen the overall enjoyment found with shooting this lightweight wonder. It should not be put into the same category as some rare-earth lightweight-alloy revolvers fired with .357 Magnum ammo, but the trigger-finger slap is noticeable. It is not a pistol I would recommend for a week of training that would consume a high round count on the square range of instruction. The gun would survive, but it's questionable if the shooter's trigger finger would in good order.

(Left) Due to the size of the ejection port, the extractor must function perfectly in order to extract and eject a loaded round during a clearance drill because the port is shorter than the loaded round. The functioning was flawless during the author's testing. (Right) The feed ramp on the P45 is positioned slightly off center to the gun's left. The polymer frame is molded in such a way as to fill the space to the right of the feed ramp, as well as protect the trigger drawbar just beneath it.

As for concealment, the Kahr P45 is an easy pistol to carry inside a front pocket of most any cargo-style casual slacks, but it is a little too large for the tight fit found on the front pockets of western-cut jeans. No attempt was made to find an ankle holster of suitable length to carry the P45, but it did work well with a universal pocket holster inside the front pocket of the author's trousers.

The Kahr P45 comes with two six-round magazines, a trigger lock and a hard black-plastic carrying case. It has a suggested manufacturer's retail price of $760, but it is also available with tritium-powered sights, front and rear, and when equipped with these sights, the Kahr P45 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $870.