Kahr PM9 impressions
Oleg loaned me a Kahr PM9 to test out. I liked it. A nice little sized 9mm that I could pocket carry. I only got the opportunity to run 2 magazines through it. And it performed well with A zone hits at 10(ish) yards. The trigger was a little longer than I’m accustomed to but it was smooth and reset was good. If I were to pocket carry, I’d consider one.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:39 am
I have a CM9 and love it. pocket carry it in Khakis for work. its surprisingly accurate for such a small gun. The long smooth trigger take a bit of getting used to but once you do its a great gun.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Yeah the trigger pull is crazy long, and the reset is just beyond full-extension. Its the furthest thing from a Glock trigger you can find, in a gun that shares a lot of design details with Glock.
Of course my PM45 is replacing my S&W642 revolver, so the transition is easy.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:38 am
I’m waiting on the Lint version. If it’s larger than Lint, it’s too large.
March 29th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
I find that Kahr triggers resemble revolver triggers with a fairly long, smooth pull and a somewhat mushy reset. All in all they seem to be fairly solid performers.
March 29th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Just picked mine up last week. Decided my Keltec P380 wasn’t enough gun in a pocket pistol. I’ve run about 120 rounds through it with no hiccups. I have a P9 so the trigger wasn’t a surprise. Got my Remora holster today, so I’m good for pocket or IWB.
March 29th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Got my wife the CM9 last weekend and she LOVES it.
To tell the truth, I like it too. And it’s WAY easier to conceal than the Mossberg 500 she got me.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:50 pm
I place Kahrs right beside Stars. I like them. But, …..
March 30th, 2012 at 8:09 am
I bought the mk9 last month. Its very manageable for its size.
April 1st, 2012 at 2:32 am
Like my PM9 but have only put about 300 rounds through it. I’m not a huge person and I can carry this with shorts or in a cargo pants pocket. I can second the Remorra as a good holster for basic carry and fast setup. My small wife (4′ 10″ and maybe 100 pounds) can tuck it IWB and hide it well. She’s getting a thigh holster and this might be the heavy-end of what she can comfortably carry there. We’ll see. She always has the P238.
The PM9 shoots accurate. It is well machined – almost too well machined, actually. It screams CNC manufactured to 1/1000th inch tolerances and nothing rattles. It is tight. Downsides for me are a tight slide and the long trigger, but I accept the fact this is a defensive gun. We don’t need a fast trigger, just one that makes it go boom any time it is engaged at close range. And so far the gun has been a champ at going boom. With only 300 rounds it hasn’t had an issue at all.
We kept the gun at our house in Florida where we don’t shoot much, but just brought it home this last week. We’re going to put a lot more rounds through it starting today.
The biggest downside for me is the heavy-as-hell slide pull. Seriously, I hadn’t considered for a moment how bad that would be for an elderly or disabled person to operate (I am under 40). But I gave it to my mother – who is disabled and shopping for a carry gun – and she winced. It wasn’t happening for her. She loved the fit otherwise.
I hadn’t considered such issues before. Then a few weeks back I woke up with massive pain in my right arm, back shoulder and neck. MRI shows nerve damage from an old injury. The Kahr slide was no friend. I am better now that nerve is less pissed off (still need surgery), so the slide is less trouble. But every time I engage it, I now think about it.
The difference in force required between PM9 and the Sig P238 is night and day. You really need to use the slide release button to get into battery on the Kahr (says Kahr) so you better have hands able to force that button fast and smooth. I’d suggest the P238 for anyone older or who might have a hard time engaging a tight slide and slide release. Arthritis and the PM9 would not go well together.
The wife is going to spend more time with the PM9 over the next few weeks. If she still likes it, she is actually interested in the MA-Compliant version with the external safety and LCI. It just makes her feel better to feel the loaded chamber and to have the safety. It’s personal preference for her. The upside to that version of gun is that it will apparently come with a newly improved trigger with lower pull and better reset. Those that have tried it liked it but Kahr will only put the new trigger on the guns with safeties, or so they say.
Overall great gun. Reliable and accurate. I’d suggest that those who might have a hard time with slides spend more than one minute at the gun shop pulling that slide. It does not get easier after break-in. It’s amazing how a little nerve damage can change your whole perspective on things.
Enjoy this gun.