PM9 or P380

[gunron]

Hello all,

My wife and I cannot decide whether to pick up a PM9 or P380 for pocket carry. Currently I have an LCP and a 637 J Frame that I pocket carry. The J frame is hard to carry in the summer with certain gym shorts.

Now my wife is wanting to carry something while she is bicycling. The LCP will work for her but it is a little harder for her to shoot.

My thoughts are on the P380 is that it is almost as small as the LCP and from what I've read it is easier to shoot - the wife may like this better to carry.

The PM9 is a little bigger and a 9mm which I have a lot of rounds. Is it any easier to pocket than a J frame?

The best prices within an hour of my location are:

P380 - $519
PM9 - $599

I've looked at the CM9 and I prefer the PM.

Thanks for any help!

[Thunder71]

My experience between the PM9 and J-Frame and pocket carry is that the PM9 is smaller than my 642, however there's not a noticeable difference between the two in the pocket.

For my PM9 I prefer ankle carry or a SmartCarry if I'm not wearing it on my belt.

[Bawanna]

No question at all in my mind. Go with the PM9. Make sure your wife can manipulate the slide and she likes the feel of it.

There are lots of holster options to choose from. You got lots of 9mm to practice and bond with. It's a win win situation.

[TucsonMTB]

I have to agree with the others who have recommended the PM9 over the J-Frame.

A friend loaned us his very nice Smith & Wesson 638 .38 Special +P revolver for a week. My wife shot it both with his low recoil reloads and some commercial ammo. I liked it a lot. She shot it well, but found one of our PM40s more to her liking. Yes, she can rack the slide, which as Bawanna pointed out is the biggest possible barrier.

Given the much greater likelihood of you having an issue free PM9 (compared to the more delicate and trouble prone P380) that's an easy choice to make.

Disclaimer: My advice is always worth at least as much as you paid for it. ;)

[340pd]

PM9 over the P380 if not just for the lower cost ammo alone. More available low cost ammo = more practice time at the range.

[Garland]

I have a PM9, P380, and S&W 638 and I like and carry them all. Some of my pockets work with one gun/hoster combo better than others. If I only could choose one gun it would be the PM9, but I would need to adjust my wardrobe to accommodate.

[O'Dell]

PM9 definitely! It doesn't make a bigger hole, just a longer one.

[jocko]

Hello all,

My wife and I cannot decide whether to pick up a PM9 or P380 for pocket carry. Currently I have an LCP and a 637 J Frame that I pocket carry. The J frame is hard to carry in the summer with certain gym shorts.

Now my wife is wanting to carry something while she is bicycling. The LCP will work for her but it is a little harder for her to shoot.

My thoughts are on the P380 is that it is almost as small as the LCP and from what I've read it is easier to shoot - the wife may like this better to carry.

The PM9 is a little bigger and a 9mm which I have a lot of rounds. Is it any easier to pocket than a J frame?

The best prices within an hour of my location are:

P380 - $519
PM9 - $599

I've looked at the CM9 and I prefer the PM.

Thanks for any help!

the full capabilities of ur wife, my bet is that she cananot make the p380 WORK BY ANY KIND OF HAND RACKING, iseriously doubt if she can hand rack the PM9 either. The lcp has a 9# recoil spring so maybe she can make it work, not sure of that eiher. She certainly can hand rack the lcp alot easier than both of those kahrs. Try her at some gun shop before spending and maybe wasting money.

I still fall back on saying : "buy her a J frame airweight revolver". they can make it work, they can clear it, they can load and unload it with ease. :banplease: size and weight mean nothing IF SHE CAN'T HANDLE IT.

I just feel there is no way she can hand rack the P380 kahr, let alone clear a jam!! THEN WHAT,, rUN LIKE HELL HUH!!!!

[jeepster09]

:59:I love J FRAMES...:cheer2: Takes the difficulty out of carrying a gun for the novice [&pro]. Virtually never a mis-fire/jam and you always know it's loaded at a glance. Get her a hammerless j-frame have the action smoothed and get it Magnaported she will love you for it.;)

[TominCA]

I have a PM9 and a P380 and an S&W 442 - All three are good carry guns - The PM9 and the 442 feel just about the same in the pocket - The PM9 is flatter and in my opinion easier to conceal than the revolver because of that. It really doesn't "bulge out your pocket" like the revolver cylinder does.

The P380 is in a different class - although only a few ounces lighter and only a little thinner and a little smaller it seems to cross some sort of size threshold and just slips into your front or rear pocket or IWB holster and the little thing is absolutely gone! You really do forget it is there.

I like the power of the 9 and 38/357 - but in reality you also need something easy to carry. For an active LEO you need to go into situations and stay there. These can be nasty and the extra power is very necessary. For a retired LEO or a CCW your need is most likely to be able to get away - which I think the 380 does well.

[JFootin]

Good advice, Tom. The P380 is a nice little package. I'm waiting until we see an abundance of trouble free range reports, and then I'm waiting for the CW380!

[rogerthedodger]

I vote for the PM9. I have the PM9 and P380. The P380 is a great concealed gun, but can be problematic. My PM9 is flawless. I like to carry my LCP, but it takes a lot of practice to get good with it. P380 and PM9 shoot like a dream.

[gunron]

Thanks for all the replies. One gun she does like is the Sig P238. I like it too however I am a leftie and not too sure on pocket carry.

Are there a lot of problems with the P380?

[Jeff00042]

Yes. There have been lots of reported problems with the P380. I really liked the accuracy and shootability of mine but gave up because of poor reliability after 1400 rounds and two trips back to Kahr. If they ever get it right, I may buy another. In contrast, I trust my PM9 and my LCP. Neither has ever jammed. For pocket carry, I find the LCP much more comfortable than the PM9 or my 642.

[Bill K]

Welcome to KahrTalk!

My PM9 has replace about 80%, maybe more, of my P3AT .380 carry. Just from what I've read here at KTOG I'd caution anyone about getting the P380 without first researching its relative reliability compared to the PM9.

[rogerthedodger]

Well,Jeff00042, you got lucky with your LCP. I had to send mine back to Ruger, it jammed on my carry ammo. It is flawless now. I think, for the ladies who can not handle racking the slide, and do not like the kick of revolvers like 38/357,:mad: there is now the Ruger LCR-22. It shoots 22 long rifle bullets.:D Retail is $525 so street price is less. 8 rounds, weighs 14.9 oz.

[jocko]

my first lcp had to go back but since has been reliable, just not a fun gun to shoot. I shoot circles around it with my P380 but I just do not have yet total confidence in my P380. I would really tend to tell any person thinking about buying his wife a P380 to NOT DO IT. the thing with the sig 238 is it is single action, so is she gonna carry it cocked and locked????probably not, in a purse or not it definitely should be in aholster. If not cocked and locked do u feel totally confident that if need be she can **** the hammer back in a panic situation. I just doubt it. We men tne dto know guns, most women and I say most not all don't =know jack sh-t about guns and they think allthey nee dto do is pull the trigger, which we know is not true, let alone to have it fumbling around in ones purse. I think most women see these smallguns and think o'boy that is just what I need, but they have no clue as to how tomake it work, and these small guns are just not alot fo get ahold of, and I wold be 98% of allw omen who incur a jam, are just dead ass screwed from that point on.. I think even smith made or still makes a lightweight 22 revolver that is around 8 shot that even weights under 14ounces, buiy her a revolver..:banplease:

[dirksterg30]

If your wife has an issue racking the slide on a PM9, it could be a matter of technique: http://corneredcat.com/Rack_the_Slide/

I'd definitely go with the PM9 over the P380 - more effective caliber and ammo is cheaper (which means more training per $).

[gunron]

Finally 7 months later, I picked up a new CM9. Yes, I originally thought on a PM9 but the price difference changed my thoughts. Here is a pic of the gun:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data/500/medium/417282_10151355339849502_1156507049_n.jpg (http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/269054/cat/500)

It shoots very nice. I was only able to put 100 rounds of this old stuff thru it.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data/500/medium/ammo1.jpg (http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/269468/cat/500)

Not one problem. I only did a cleaning of the gun before shooting it. Here is my second mag of six rounds at approx. 10 yards:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data/500/medium/cm9.jpg (http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/269439/cat/500)

I really like this gun. My wife really liked shooting it also. Thanks to all for the helpful information!