Kahr PM9 Unbelievable!

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

Only problem is that I am walking around with an $800 pistol in my pocket, and no lunch money.

[Rangemeister]

I have owned just about every type of Kahr out there. Large ones, medium ones, and yes, the small in the 9 and 40 editions. I have had a couple that had peening problems, one had the trigger assembly fall out while shooting. But mostly good experience with these guns. I currently carry as primary, the Black PM40. It has been flawless. The Tac models and the original PM models were having problems, but reading the GlockTalk Kahr reviews put me back into the PM version as they carry easy and have minimum recoil for a gun their size. I had a PM9 and liked it. These are nice guns.

[Guest Bretticus]

I LOVE my PM9. I got it a couple of months ago, and after feeling spooked that I was carrying a weapon that I hadn't yet broken in, I took it to the range to break it in. 300 plus rounds and a sore thumb the next day, I can say that this is an absolute dream.

-Not one jam, from the first shot.

-Accurate and precise, out of the box, even at 20 plus yards.

-Much less recoil than one would expect.

-Small enough to carry in dress pants or any jeans pocket (and readily access)

-Very little prints visible through clothing

-Lightweight

-It's amazing how thin this gun is, you have to feel it and wear it to believe it!

-I don't think about it/feel it when I move around, after it has been in my pocket after a minute or so. It's like wearing a watch. It does not rub the leg the wrong way, properly holstered (or without a holster, actually)

-Nice stock grip with textured feel for less slip

-VERY ergonomic factory executive holster available that cleverly conceals it with a flap to make it look like a wallet or cel phone in the front pocket.

-Easy to strip down and clean

-Fun to shoot

-More knockdown power than a .380 in just as small a package.

-I feel safe with this reliable weapon, and I can be protected 100 percent of the time, which is the point of carrying a handgun.

Now that's the good, or actually great points of this weapon. Here are the not-so-good

-Hammerless

-No safety mechanism of any kind

-Extension mag doesn't feel "natural" (not that I am actually complaining of this, because the size is a huge plus with the stock magazine).

-6+1 (I'd complain on any gun that it wasn't "enough")

-Chambering the first round is not as smooth as one would think, but it gets the job done

-Factory sights on the model I got aren't as good as night sights (correctable, but at a cost)

-Cost is steep, but then again, they have the market cornered in a 9mm pocket carry weapon.

The weapons I have chosen in the past (as points of reference for my credibility) are Glock 23 (love it), Taurus PT-101 (bad on size/weight/realistic carrying), Sig P-238 (WASTE of time. Don't get it. Unreliable. A lemon. I want my money back, but topic of another time), and Smith and Wesson Airlight .38 (Gets the job done, but I'm not a revolver man. It's for my wife).

Final analysis:

Folks, this is a real find. It is worth the wait if your dealer must order it. If you get a deal on the night sights model, get it. Don't waste your money on the really expensive version with the chamber indicator, because if you are a creature of habit, you know whether one is in the chamber or not (and you won't assume anything if you are safety conscious) without the expensive mechanism. It is very reliable, and when all of the good vs. bad on each gun are weighed, the Kahr PM9 will come out on top, on almost all categories. I put my full endorsement behind this weapon (for what it is worth).

[Oh Shoot]

...

-Chambering the first round is not as smooth as one would think, but it gets the job done...

Do it from slide lock w/slide release as manual says.

- OS

[ncomarc]

If your looking for a holster for it, Stellar Riggs, like what OhShoot had pictured is what I ordered and it fits in the pocket fine plus it holds the extra magazine. When my wife carries it, I load the 147gr Rangers, she can handle the push verses snap recoil of lower grain SD ammo. Congrats.

[Guest 10mm4me]

I could never justify the costs of any Kahr. Why are they so $$$. They are tiny, polymer guns. They can't possibly be any better than Glock and Glocks are usually at least $200 cheaper

[Shima]

The CW series are comparable to the Glock price range. The other series have match grade barrels, better sights, and polished finishes, ect... or so they claim. I'd like to have a PM9 as a BUG, but can't see spending that kind of money on a gun that I won't carry everyday.

[Oh Shoot]

I could never justify the costs of any Kahr. Why are they so $$$. They are tiny, polymer guns. They can't possibly be any better than Glock and Glocks are usually at least $200 cheaper

Get back to me when Gaston makes a 9mm small as the PM9. With Kahr you're paying for quality miniaturization in the PM series.

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

The CW series are comparable to the Glock price range. The other series have match grade barrels, better sights, and polished finishes, ect... or so they claim. I'd like to have a PM9 as a BUG, but can't see spending that kind of money on a gun that I won't carry everyday.

Don't forget the reduced size.

Whole primary reason for the PM series.

Doesn't seem like all that much between the CW and PM, till you try each one in pocket.

- OS

[Magiccarpetrides]

The PM is definitely smaller than the CW, though the CW is still very small and light. The main reason I carry a Kahr is reliability and an amazing DAO trigger....shoot one and you will understand.

[Kano]

Glad you like it... Thanks for the info !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. Just came from range to break in my new PM9. 100 rounds of cheap range ammo (Monarch from Academy) without a misfire. VERY accurate at 12 to 25'...no problem staying within 10 ring. At 45' pattern gets bigger but this little baby hits whatever you aim it at. All in a compact, light, easy to conceal 9MM package. I got the night sight model. Love it. Put a hogue JR grip on it (fits great) and the feel and balance are superb. Put several rounds of personal defense through it and it still has very little kick.

[tarheelbball]

I got mine on friday and took it out saturday and put 200 rounds without any failures. Great little gun. I was looking for a iwb holster but I think the first one will be a pocket holster.

[Oh Shoot]

I got mine on friday and took it out saturday and put 200 rounds without any failures. Great little gun. I was looking for a iwb holster but I think the first one will be a pocket holster.

Again, I recommend David Bullard's Dual Carry for the IWB part.

- OS

[DavidD]

Again, I recommend David Bullard's Dual Carry for the IWB part.

- OS

OK, Bullard definitely owes you a freebie by now.

[Guest 10mm4me]

May be me, but size has about zero factor in whether I carry a certain gun or not. The smallest I would ever go is G26 size. I have no prob carrying a full size weapon all day, every day. If I ever have to use it I want to make sure it gets the job done, and no matter what, you have to agree that the smaller autos get, the less reliable they get. I may try a Kahr one day if I find a good one for under $400, but till then, like I said, just can't justify it on a pocket gun.

[Oh Shoot]

OK, Bullard definitely owes you a freebie by now.

He's changed design on the Dual Carry now, has additional band of leather across top. Hell, he might sue me!

- OS

[Guest 1eyedwillie]

Per OhShoot above, losing rounds from the spare mag can be a problem. I have a MK9, but the problem is the same.

I found that when seating the rounds in the mag, it helped if I pushed the round all the way back into the mag until I felt a very slight click just as the round reached its far rear travel. Then it didn't have the tendency to migrate out on its own.

Also, I advise finding a snug-fitting magazine carrier to put the spare in. I can see where the rounds would get dislodged just carrying loose in a pocket. I carry two spares in one of the wallet carriers from Center-of-Mass and have had no problems losing rounds out of the spare mags. Link is here: Holster Shirts

Hope this wasn't too far OT.

[tarheelbball]

1eyedwillie do you think the wallet carrier is tight enough that it will not fall out if turned upside down. I'm looking for something my wife can use in her purse that will not fall out. thanks

Edited February 24, 2010 by tarheelbball

[Guest 1eyedwillie]

Tarheel:

Its possible if your wife will be sure to keep the purse upright. The carrier is made for pocket carry though. You might could attach some velcro to the back of the carrier and then to some area of the purse for easy access and make it work.

For those who may want to try for pocket carry, the wallet carrier is rather stiff at first, but after wearing (sitting on it, etc.) for a while, it conforms better. Like any carry method, its better to dry-fire practice with it and the weapon for a while to gradually speed up access for a reload. Like anything else, speed gets better with practice.

I have not had any problems with mags falling out using the pocket carry method.

[Guest C3Defense]

I own the MK9, and absolutely love it. I took my carry course with the PM9 and had one of the tightest groups on the course. And thats darn impressive. Keep in mind, all of the P series Kahrs have match grade barrels (lothar I believe). I know they are on top of the food chain price wise, but you sure get what you pay for. Super Super fantastic guns.

I personally like their 380 better than the little Sig. And the Sig is nice.

[Guest 1eyedwillie]

Hey Tarheel:

Sorry, I must have been asleep when I read your post:blush:

Yes, the mags will fall out if you turn the carrier upside down. Since I'm too old to stand on my head I haven't had them fall out of my back pocket though. I think it would only work for purse carry if the purse were never turned upside down.

Possibly a carrier with a snap flap like a small multitool carrier would work better in a purse, but it wouldn't be too quick to access if needed. Sorry for the confusion.

[Guest Bretticus]

Do it from slide lock w/slide release as manual says.

- OS

I do end up doing this. The slide release isn't a problem. It is a bit stiff when manually pulling the slide back to chamber the first round. It's not a problem, really, because I always carry with one in the chamber.