Founded in 1995
New York, Pennsylvania
- 1995 founded by Justin Moon in Blauvelt, New York
– son of Sun Myung Moon
(founder of the Unification Church) - 1999 Kahr Arms bought Auto-Ordnance Company
- June 2010, Kahr bought Magnum Research
- July 1, 2013 left New York state because of New York’s
– Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (NY SAFE Act)
– purchased 620 acres in Pike County, Pennsylvania - January 2015, the Kahr Arms company changed to the Kahr Firearms Group
- August 11, 2015 grand opening of 40,000-square-foot headquarters
Kahr Arms
About Kahr Arms
Kahr Arms is an American handgun maker known for compact, slim, single-stack pistols built for concealed carry. Justin Moon founded the company in 1995 in Blauvelt, New York, building on a pistol design he started in college. Kahr pistols use a double-action-only striker system and come in .380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP, with steel or polymer frames. Their small size made them popular as backup guns; in 2003 the New York Daily News reported that New York City police officers carried the K9 in that role.
The company grew through acquisitions. It bought Auto-Ordnance, maker of Thompson-style firearms, in 1999, and Magnum Research, maker of the Desert Eagle, in June 2010. Kahr is also part of the story of businesses leaving states over gun laws. On July 1, 2013 it announced it would leave New York because of the NY SAFE Act, and it bought 620 acres in Pike County, Pennsylvania. The parent company was renamed Kahr Firearms Group in January 2015 and opened a 40,000-square-foot headquarters in Blooming Grove Township, Pennsylvania on August 11, 2015. As of 2026 it continues to make pistols under the Kahr, Auto-Ordnance and Magnum Research brands.
Key Facts
- 1995: founded by Justin Moon in Blauvelt, New York
- 1999: acquires Auto-Ordnance Company
- June 2010: acquires Magnum Research, maker of the Desert Eagle
- July 1, 2013: announces it will leave New York over the NY SAFE Act
- January 2015: renamed Kahr Firearms Group at SHOT Show
- August 11, 2015: opens its Pennsylvania headquarters in Pike County
Sources
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