Kahr CW-9

     Notes: The “CW” in CW-9 stands for “Concealed Weapon,” and that describes the CW-9 – a compact 9mm pistol.  In real life, it is considerably cheaper than comparable pistols, but not cheap in quality.  Despite the small size, the CW-9 is capable of handling even +P loads; it can, in fact, digest just about any sort of 9mm Parabellum ammunition.  The CW-9 sort of combines Glock and SiG features, with a square slide a la Glock, though in stainless steel, and a black polymer frame and grip plates which look similar to the SiG P-229.  Inside, however, the CW-9 is all Kahr.  There are no external manual safeties of any sort, though there is a slide catch (which is smaller than standard slide catches in order to maintain a snagless profile).  The CW-9 can use all standard Kahr 9mm magazines.  The extractor is external, something which increases reliability, and the ejection port is quite large.  The sights are fixed, low-profile, and polymer, with a white dot on the front sight.  Unlike most other Kahrs, the weapon does not have rounded contours, though the angled machined cuts achieve the same low-snag purpose while reducing cost.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This pistol does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kahr K-9 Series

     Notes: Kahr started out as a company producing strong, lightweight automatic pistols for personal defense and backup.  The K-9 was their first, introduced in 1994, followed quickly by the K-40 and later the P-380.  The K-9 series looks sort of like a like a cross between compact SiG and a Glock designs, and are made of tough yet lightweight ordnance-quality stainless steel.  The grips are of wrap-around polymer, and most of the Kahr series in general can use a large variety of aftermarket grips.  Operation is a modified double-action Browning-type, with a modified locking and trigger action.  The trigger action uses an automatic firing pin safety, which is unlocked by a patented cam system that ensures that the a full trigger pull is required for the first double-action shot, yet also gives the K-9 series a remarkably smooth and even trigger pull.  Sights are fixed combat sights, with the rear sight having two high-contrast dots and the front sight using a front vertical bar marking for quick sight acquisition.  (Tritium inlays are optional.) The barrel of the base K-9 is 3.5 inches long, and the K-9 series do not use manual safeties.  Finishes for the P-9’s frame and slide include matte stainless and black (called “Black Diamond” by Kahr).  Another version of the base K-9, the K-9 Elite 98, is identical except for the high-polish finish with laser-etched logos.

     Other variants of the K-9 include the MK-9 (introduced in 1998, and sometimes called the “Mk-9 Micro”), with a modified short-stroke trigger action and a smaller grip and shorter 3.1-inch barrel.  (An MK-9 Elite 98 version also exists, similar to the K-9 Elite 98 above.)  The P-9 is also virtually identical in design to the K-9, but uses a black polymer frame with a textured grip and stainless steel slide.  The P-9 Covert is a P-9 with a shorter grip.  The PM-9 is a shorter-barreled version of the P-9 Covert, with a 3-inch barrel.  The Mk-9, P-9 Covert, and PM-9 can also use the 7-round K-9 magazines, though that magazine will protrude below the grip; a grip extension is made to improve the grip when using the longer magazine.

     The K-40 is essentially the same as the P-9 series, suitably modified the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge.    Variants include K-40 Elite 98, MK-40/Mk-40 Elite 98, P-40, and P-40 Covert models.  The P-380 comes only in one model; this has a polymer frame, stainless steel slide, and a 2.5-inch barrel.

Kahr T-9/T-40/P-40

     Notes: This is Kahr’s first full-sized pistol; Kahr was previously known as a company that produced compact and pocket pistols.  The T-9 is a medium-sized weapon that fires 9mm Parabellum ammunition.  The T-9’s claim to fame is its trigger: it is one of the smoothest you will find on a “normal” semiautomatic pistol.  Like all Kahrs, the T-9 is also known for its reliability and toughness.  The P-40 and P-9 are basically a T-40 and T-9 in with a polymer frame.  The P-40 Covert is a compact model of the P-40, made smaller by shortening the grip; the P-9 Covert is the same idea in 9mm Parabellum.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons do not exist.

Kahr P-45

     Notes: Like most Kahr pistols, the P-45 is a compact and lightweight pistol, introduced in the last quarter of 2005.  It uses a textured black polymer frame, a match-grade polygonal barrel, and a matte-stainless steel slide which makes a nice contrast to the black frame. (The slide rides on special steel inserts in the frame.)  The trigger is double-action-only.  The trigger pull is a little heavy, but has a short length of travel.  Standard magazines are made from stainless steel, and if bought from the factory, it is also shipped with trigger lock.  The standard sights are fixed low profile white bar-dot combat type sights, but the P-45 may also be had with tritium-inlay sights as well; the sights are dovetailed as well. 

     The TP-45 is a more recent version of the P-45.  For the most part it is identical to the P-45, but it uses 7-round magazines, the rear sight is adjustable for windage to a limited degree, and the barrel is a little longer at 4.04 inches. The PM-45 is the opposite; it is the smallest member of the P-45 series, with a barrel of only 3.14 inches, and a shorter grip holding a smaller magazine.  It’s definitely a handful.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The TP-45 and PM-45 are not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kel-Tec P-3AT

     Notes: This is another of Kel-Tec’s pocket pistols, this time in .380 ACP.  It is basically a larger version of the P-32.  It was designed specifically for the needs of police for use as a backup gun or by undercover officers; it thus fires a cartridge powerful enough to make most people take notice when hit, but small enough to wear under clothing or a pants leg or even put in a pocket.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Kel-Tec P-11

     Notes: This pocket pistol was advertised by Kel-Tec as the smallest and lightest 9mm Parabellum ever made.  It is surprisingly accurate for its size, but still primarily a self-defense or backup weapon.  It was designed using CAD programs on a computer, and built on computer-controlled machines.  The slide of the pistol is steel, but the grip, magazine well, and trigger guard is polymer, and the frame is made from aircraft-grade aluminum.  An interesting fact about the P-11 is that it can also take 9mm Parabellum magazines designed for Smith & Wesson’s line of 9mm Parabellum Third Generation Pistols; these magazines with capacities of 15 rounds or less will usually fit into a P-11 with none of the magazine protruding (though not in all cases).

     An updated version, the PF-9, uses design features from both the P-11 and P-3AT.  It was introduced to the market in mid-2008.  Construction is much the same as the P-11, with almost every part except the slide being light alloy or polymer.  The hammer is completely shrouded, and the sights are very low-profile.  Action is DAO, with an automatic hammer block safety to further increase safety; a manual safety is also provided.  A very short length of MIL-STD-1913 rail is molded into the dust cover.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kel-Tec P-32

     Notes: Like the P-11, this weapon was advertised by Kel-Tec as the smallest and lightest, this time for a .32 ACP pistol.  It was often acquired by small people, particularly females, for self-defense, as it fits easily in a purse.  It was designed and built in the same manner as the P-11. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Kel-Tec P-40

     Notes: This small .40 Smith & Wesson-firing pistol was introduced in 2001.  It is a variant of the P-11, with a synthetic frame to save weight and the standard Kel-Tec double-action-only trigger.  The firing mechanism is enclosed in an aluminum alloy housing.  The slide is steel.  The sights have tritium inserts for night use.  It is a very small pistol, and, since it fires a powerful cartridge, can be expected to have a lot of recoil and muzzle blast. 

Kel-Tec PLR-16

     Notes: The PLR-16 is a 5.56mm NATO-firing pistol heavily based on the SUB-2000 and SU-16 series. The receiver, pistol grip, and trigger housing are of glass fiber reinforced polymer, with the barrel and operating parts made from high-quality steel.  Operation is by gas piston, while breech locking is the same as that of the AR-15. Atop the receiver is a MIL-STD-1913 rail, along with an adjustable rear sight; the front sight is an AR-15-type post, though inside smaller ears that sit flush with the gas block.  The 9.2-inch barrel is threaded to accept accessories, but has no flash suppressor or muzzle brake as bought from the company.  The finish is entirely in blue.

     The PLR-22 is largely the same as the PLR-16, but chambered for .22 Long Rifle ammunition.  The PLR-22, however, is not simply a conversion kit; internal parts are purpose-modified for the new caliber, including the sights and some molded-in features of the receiver.  The barrel length is 10.1 inches.  The standard magazines are proprietary; the magazine well is the same size as the PLR-16, and the magazines are smoked clear polymer and the same size as a 30-round AR-15 magazine.  They contain a central column for the .22 Long Rifle rounds.  The PLR-22 can also accept magazines designed for the Atchisson AR-16-to-.22 conversion.

Kimball

     Notes: The Kimball is an exceedingly-rare pistol for a reason – only 238 of the basic model were built, at a very low rate of production from 1955-58.  More of an experiment-gone-commercial than anything else, the object was to build a pistol capable of firing the .30 Carbine round.  Even more rare are the variants: two other calibers (a few in .22 Hornet, and 2 examples of a version firing .357 Magnum).  The barrel, being only 5 inches long, was not long enough to burn all the propellant of the .30 Carbine round before it left the barrel; this causes a lot of unburnt propellant and carbon to be left behind in the barrel, and the muzzle flash was large.  The .30 Carbine round was also too powerful for the design, and many frame lugs broke, causing the slide to fly off backwards when firing. 

     Between 1955 and 1956, small amounts of variants called the Aircrew Model were built, in an attempt to sell the design to the US Military.  There were never any such sales.  The Aircrew Model (also known as the Combat Model), with its 3.5-inch barrel, had even a bigger problem with unburnt propellant and carbon buildup.

Kimber Aegis Series

     Notes: Though the Aegis II is internally quite similar to the Ultra RCP II, it is considered part of a different series than the Ultra RCP II.  The Aegis II is designed for use by police as backup weapons or for self-defense of small carry weapons.  As with virtually all Kimbers, the Aegis II is a variant of the 1911 series.

     The base member of the Aegis series is the Ultra Aegis II, a very compact version of the 1911 in 9mm Parabellum.  The barrel is match-grade and coned, and uses no barrel bushing.  The Ultra Aegis II uses an aluminum frame finished in satin silver, while the slide has a semi-gloss black finish.  There is a bobbed hammer which does not project from the weapon unless it is cocked, and the manual safety and magazine release do not project as far as the average 1911 clone.  In fact, most of the Aegis II is dehorned as much as possible.  The beavertail is rather long, and the grip safety has a projecting bump to ensure positive engagement of the grip safety, but even the extended beavertail and bump on the grip safety are rounded as much as possible.  The frontstrap uses 30 lpi checkering which extends almost to the top of the frontstrap, and the bottom of the grip has a tab to help improve the shooter’s grip.  The rearstrap also is checkered, though not as finely as the frontstrap.  The sights, while quite low and dehorned, and are of the three red-dot variety; the rear sights are a tactical wedge with tritium inlays, while the front is a low blade with another tritium inlay.  Both are dovetailed, enabling rough adjustments as well as allowing replacements.  Grip panels are of smooth rosewood.

     The Pro Aegis II is essentially a Commander-size version of the Ultra Aegis II, with a 4-inch barrel and a slightly longer grip.  It is otherwise identical to the Ultra Aegis II.  The Custom Aegis II is a full-sized version, almost identical in construction to the Ultra Aegis II except for having a barrel bushing.

Kimber CDP Series

     Notes: The CDP (Custom Defense Package) series is designed specifically for personal protection and self-defense.  The CDP series is made in the Kimber Custom Shop, and combine the best concealed carry features of Kimber pistols into one weapon.  They have 7075-T7 aluminum frames, with stainless steel slides that are given a satin finish that does not reflect light; this helps cut down glare and haze when aiming. Frames are matte black.  All edges are given the “Carry Bevel” treatment, rounded and blended by hand to dehorn the CDP series as much as possible (though the CDP series does not use the later melt treatment).  Barrels, trigger groups, and chambers are match-grade, with enlarged and flared to reduce stoppages.  The magazine wells are beveled and the magazine releases extended.  The ambidextrous manual safety is likewise extended.  The grip safety is relatively flat.  Sights are fixed low-profile sights, of the three-dot type and with luminous green dots.  Fine checkering is found on the frontstrap and backstrap, along with checkered rosewood grip plates and checkering under the trigger guard.

     The Ultra CDP II is equipped with a 3-inch barrel, and comes in .45 ACP and 9mm Parabellum versions.  The Compact CDP II uses a 4-inch barrel, but is otherwise the same as the Ultra CDP II.  The Pro CDP II has a somewhat longer grip and is just a little heavier.  The Custom CDP II uses a 5-inch barrel with a match-grade bushing, and has cocking serrations at the front of the slide as well as at the rear.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The CDP series does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kimber Compact II Series

     Notes:  The Compact II Series consists of commander-length versions of the Custom II Series.  The Compact II series, however, use match-quality bull barrels for added accuracy and barrel strength, with no bushings.  The Pro Carry versions can be had with both 7057-T7 aluminum frames of stainless steel frames.  Depending upon the model, a Compact II Series pistol may have a full-sized or shortened frame.

     The Pro Carry II is typically finished in matte black with black checkered grip plates.  It has an extended thumb safety, a high-ride beavertail/grip safety, and a single recoil spring.  3-dot fixed low-profile sights are standard, with luminous dots being an option.  The Pro Carry II uses an aluminum frame, but a Stainless Pro Carry II version is available, with a stainless steel frame.  A Stainless Pro Carry II (LG) is also available; this version is the same as the standard Stainless Pro Carry II, but the grip plates are gray and incorporate a Crimson Trace laser sight.  The Pro Carry HD II is considerably heavier than the standard Pro Carry II and has one different chambering.  Both are finished in matte stainless steel.

     The Pro TLEs are virtually identical to the pistols above, but also have fixed Meprolight Tritium night combat sights instead of the standard 3-dot sights of the other pistols.  The TLE/RL II also has a beveled magazine well and extended magazine release and a slide lock, as well as a MIL-STD-1913 rail machined into the dust cover.  A stainless version of the TLE/RL II also exists, and is identical to the basic TLE/RL II for game purposes.  The Pro II (LG) has gray grip plates containing a Crimson Trace LaserGrip, but is otherwise like the standard Pro TLE.

     The Compact Stainless II is perhaps the “deluxe” version, with a matte stainless steel finish, extended grip safety, extended manual safety and magazine release, and a beveled magazine well.  The frame is shortened, but still carries the same capacity magazine.  The trigger module is match-grade and can be adjusted by a knowledgeable owner. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kimber Covert Series

     Notes: The Covert series is a product of Kimber’s Custom Shop, and is designed for lightweight carry and snagless drawing in a hurry.  To this end, almost all edges are “melt-treated;” the edges are not just rounded off, beveled flat, or machined into a curved shape – the metal is literally melted into a rounded shape that provides superior blending of the edges so that they will not snag on clothing or a holster.  Covert series pistols otherwise have frames machined from solid billets of 7075-T7 aluminum and steel slides, fine checkering on the frontstrap and backstrap as well as the grip plates, and dovetailed Tactical Wedge fixed sights of the three-dot type; the dots are luminous green.  The slides are matte black; the frames are desert tan KimPro II finish, with the grip plates having a digital camouflage pattern.  All have LaserGrips at the top of the left grip plate, with the recessed switch on the grip just below the trigger guard with a separate pressure switch to actuate the laser.  The barrel, chamber, and trigger group are all match-grade, magazine wells are beveled, and ejection ports enlarged and flared.  The grip safety has a bump on it to help make sure that it is engaged.  In many ways, the Covert series is similar to the Crimson Carry series, but the Covert series is more dehorned and even more suited to concealed carry, and has even more demanding specifications than the Crimson Carry series.

     The Ultra Covert II has a 3-inch barrel, and uses an abbreviated-length grip with a small finger stop at the bottom front of the grip. The Pro Covert II is the same, but has a 4-inch barrel and a lanyard ring at the heel of the grip. The Custom Covert II uses a 5-inch barrel with a match-grade bushing, but is otherwise like the Pro Covert II.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Covert series does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kimber Crimson Carry Series

     Notes: The Crimson Carry series get their name from the integral LaserGrips that are at the top of the grip plates, along side the right side of the frame.  Like most Kimber pistols, the Crimson Carry series use match-quality barrels and triggers.  They are new for 2008.  The Crimson Carry series are designed to be flatter than the typical pistol of the same size, and are almost totally dehorned.  They have aluminum frames and triggers and loop-type hammers.  The controls include a low-profile slide stop.  The Crimson Carry series uses a two-tone finish, with the frame being satin-finished aluminum and the slide being matte black steel.  Grips are of checkered rosewood.

     The Ultra Crimson Carry II has an extended manual safety and a high-ride beavertail with an extended grip safety.  The 3-inch barrel has a bull profile, contributing to both balance and accuracy.  Iron sights are fixed low-profile sights.  The barrel is ramped to aid in reliable feed, and the ejection port is enlarged to aid in reliable case ejection.  The magazine well is beveled to help make reloads faster.  The Pro Crimson Carry II is similar, but is equipped with a 4-inch barrel and a slightly-longer grip with a small finger stop at the bottom of the front of the grip. (There seems to be a bit of contradictory information on Kimber’s site about the magazine capacity of the Pro Crimson Carry II and Custom Crimson Carry II; the first page for the Crimson Carry series says eight rounds, while the pages for the specific members of the series say seven rounds.  I decided to put both.) 

     The Custom Crimson Carry II has a full-sized frame, but Kimber says it “is a full-sized pistol that carries like a compact.”  The Custom Crimson Carry II uses a match-grade frame, bushing, and chamber as well as the match-grade barrel and trigger; the barrel, however, is not a bull barrel, though it is a full 5 inches in length.  In addition to the manual safety, the magazine release is also slightly extended, as is the slide release.  The frame is finished in KimPro II matte black, and the slide has front cocking serrations as well as the standard rear serrations.  The grip has a small finger rest at the bottom of the front of the grip.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Crimson Carry series does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kimber Custom II Series

     Notes: The Custom II series was touted as a “custom M1911 at a stock price.”  It is a modification of the standard Colt M-1911A1, with a skeletonized trigger, elongated hammer, rubber handgrips, improved sights, and an enlarged ejection port.  In addition, all sharp edges have been rounded for an easier draw.  Other alterations include a passive firing pin safety, a chamber loaded indicator, a finish that aids in lubrication (the KimPro II finish), and a match-grade barrel, bushing, and trigger group.  Sights vary, but are all dovetailed into the slide and removable.  All are full-sized pistols.

     The Custom II uses a steel frame and slide with a matte black finish.  The slide has cocking serrations on the front and rear.  The barrel bushing itself is stainless steel.  Standard grip plates are of checkered black plastic, but variations include a version with luminous sight inserts and a version with dark brown walnut grip plates.  Barrel length is 5 inches.  A stainless steel version, the Stainless II, is also available. The Custom Target II is similar in construction to the Custom II, but the sights are adjustable and of the 3-dot type, and the 5-inch barrel is of a higher quality than the rest of the Custom II series.  Again, a stainless version, the Stainless Target II, is also available.

     The Custom TLE II (Tactical Law Enforcement) is used by at least 20 SWAT/SRT teams in the US.  It is quite similar to the Custom II, but the standard sights are Meprolight Tritium 3-dot night sights, and they are fixed.  Finish is matte black, with matte black plastic checkered grip plates. The chamber loaded indicator can be checked by feel as well as sight.  Barrel length is 5 inches.  The Custom TLE II (LG) is essentially identical, but the grip plates are gray Crimson Trace Lasergrips instead of the standard matte black plain grips.  The TLE/RL II is also essentially identical to TLE II, but has a MIL-STD-1913 rail machined into the dust cover, and the frontstrap is checkered as well as the grip plates.  The sights are Meprolight Tritium 3-dot night sights, and the barrel length is 5 inches.  Stainless steel versions of two of these pistols (the Stainless TLE II, Stainless TLE/RL II) are also available.

     The Kimber Warrior is a civilian/police version of the US Marines’ ICQB (Interim Close Quarters Battle) pistol, designed for its MEU(SOC) units for their use until the final decision on what pistol to use is finalized.  It is a full-sized, heavy-caliber pistol using an internal extractor rather than the external extractor which has become near-standard on Kimber pistols of late.  The barrel is match-grade, with a full-length recoil spring guide and military-type recoil spring plug.  The pistol uses Novak-type low-profile sights made by Kimber under license.  The Warrior has an ambidextrous safety catch/slide catch; narrower than is standard for a 1911-type pistol, it allows the Warrior to sit more comfortably in the hand.  He beavertail is upswept, cradling the Commander-type loop hammer when the hammer is cocked.  The backstrap is finely checkered and has a loop for a lanyard.  The magazine well is beveled to ease magazine insertion.  There are some differences between the ICQB and the Warrior: The ICQB uses a Dawson Precision Rail under the barrel for the attachment of accessories, while the Warrior uses a TLE/RL rail; The ICQB has a manganese phosphate finish, while the Warrior uses Kimber’s KimPro finish (a phenolic resin cured with molybdenum, said to be self-lubricating); the ICQB uses Simonich Gunner Grips in Coyote Brown, while the Warrior uses tan G10 ridged rubber grips; the Marines chose Wilson 47D magazines, while the Warrior is sold with standard 1911-type magazines (it can, however, use both).  A Desert Warrior is also available, with a Dark Earth finish; the Royal II is also similar, but has a polished deep blue finish.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These pistols are not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.