Newbie with concerns/questions

[paisa777]

Hi all, so I'm new to this site considering I just found it today. I'm new to guns and CCW but just recently purchased my first gun, a Glock 19. A friend of mine loves his P9 and suggested I get one for CC. Naturally, I took to the web to look for reviews....

after reading, I started to develop concerns over the reliability. Read too many people having problems with Kahrs and it was starting to scare me away. It got even worse when I read that many problems came from the PM series, which is the one I want. Do Kahrs really have that many issues?

As for my questions, I'm still undecided as to which gun I want. If anything, I want the PM just because of the small size and can carry it anywhere. But now I'm stuck deciding between the 9mm or the 40mm. I keep hearing some say the .40 has too much of a recoil, while others say it's not that bad. Then people talk about the cost of having a .40.

Please guys, help me decide. If anything, I wanted to just say hi and get you guys talking! :)

[500KV]

Hope you're not considering getting rid of the G19.
It would be a large step backwards, IMO.
You've got one of the best handguns out there.

Having said that, I personally like the .40 cal round.
The PM40 wont be a target gun but will be a great CCW piece.

You will get any number of "personal preference" recommendations, all of which will probably be valid.
I'm sure you'll like any of the Kahrs..Great little guns.

Good luck with your choice.:)

[PETE14]

I have both a Glock 23 and a Kahr MK9 and because of the cost of the ammo I shoot the MK9 alot more. The Glock kicks alot more than the Kahr and both loaded they weigh close to the same.

I keep the Glock in the house for home protection (14 of .40 cal vs. 7 of 9mm in the Kahr) and I plan on using the Kahr for CCW. Kahr's are incredibly accurate for such small guns.

I might be wrong but I have started to get the opinion that the bullet size doesn't matter as much as the location of the shot in otherwords I would rather hit someone attacking me with two or three 9mm's instead of one .40cal and I feel like I can accomplish this better with more shooting practice.

[getsome]

Hello piasa777, We welcome you to Kahrtalk....There are many good folks here and willing to answer any questions you may have....To try and answer your questions about what you may have read....All guns are machines and like all machines sometimes things go wrong....BUT, don't believe all the negative the stuff you read as most people here have zero issues or problems with their Kahrs....Kahr pistols are some of the best engineered and manufactured pistols on the market....IF you have a problem with a Kahr just send it back and they will make it right...Kahr customer service is second to none but most likely a new Kahr will shoot just fine right out of the box...In the Kahr owners manual it says there is a minimum 200 round break in period and thats important...The more rounds you put through a Kahr the better they shoot!!!! I would never carry any pistol for CCW until I'm sure it will shoot 100% of the time with the carry ammo I intend to use....Now about the 9mm/.40 cal thing....I bought a CW40 and love it....never has had a single issue....If I had it to do over again I would have gone for a PM9 but at the time I didnt know they made them but that being said, I like the CW platform and can still carry it concealed without a problem....I had my CW40 Mag-na-Ported due to the .40 cal recoil and now it shoots much better....I think a PM40 would be even more difficult to shoot due to the smaller size.... .40 cal has more recoil than either 9mm or .45 for some reason....If I were you I would look at the PM9 for CCW as it has everything going for it, small size, powerful round and can be pocket carried with ease....I hope others will chime in with their opinions....Again glad to have you aboard.....

[PETE14]

One other factor in looking at the Kahrs. In my area (KC) when I go to gun shows I see some .40 calibers but I hardly ever see a 9mm and I had to purchase mine on the internet in PA.

[jocko]

buy the PM9 over the 40 cal kahrs. They are known for alot of recoil, Amm is more expensive and harder to find, both good calibers. I just feelt he pM9 is far more enjoyable to shoot all around...

the PM9 is kahrs biggest seller by far..

If I owned a G19 (which I do also and love it) I would pass on the P9, size wise both are not pocketable, both are excellent guns. If your looking for pocket carry the PM9 is the way to go. Don't believe everything you read either on these gun forums...

[jkalantzis]

Welcome, I had the same questions and concerns before purchasing my pm9. My first pistol was a G17 that I bought about 5 months ago and it is a wonderful piece. However nothing makes me as happy as my PM9. I have had no issues at all right out of the box. I went through the first 200 rounds without any problems. Give it a try, you can always buy more guns.

[Dietrich]

As you browse around this forum,you`ll see that almost everyone has zero issues with the PM9. I personally have over 1500 rounds through mine without a single hiccup.Practically all others here have the same results.Zero problems.As with any product that is mass produced you will run into a problem every now and then.Rest assured that this is a relatively rare thing and as stated before,Kahr`s service department is first rate. I really think you`ll be pleased if you decide to get one. :cheer2:

[Raoul]

buy the PM9 over the 40 cal kahrs. They are known for alot of recoil, Amm is more expensive and harder to find, both good calibers. I just feelt he pM9 is far more enjoyable to shoot all around...

the PM9 is kahrs biggest seller by far..

I'd have to say my PM40 is fairly civilised. As for ammo, I more often see .40 than any other caliber when I hit up the Wally world. As for reliability, mine has been flawless. Remember, folks with problems typically seek out forums for answers. And everybody makes a bad gun.
As for your G19, thats a nice weapon. I have one also. It just doesn't have the soul that a Kahr does.

[recoilguy]

First let me welcome youto the site and to handgun ownership. Owning and shooting handguns is very fun and fullfilling. The Glock you bought is a very nice weaapon. The Kahr you are considering is a first rate excellent chooice for CCW. Any Kahr is a greta conceal carry choice. My Kahr has been flawless and accurate beyond my ability it seems.

I would recomend a Kahr to anyone who asks ever about a CCW. I do everytime. For a home defense gun or just a target shooter I have other choices but still like the Kahr at the range. It is very fun to send some down the lane with.

I think a Kahr will make you very happy.

RCG

[jocko]

First let me welcome youto the site and to handgun ownership. Owning and shooting handguns is very fun and fullfilling. The Glock you bought is a very nice weaapon. The Kahr you are considering is a first rate excellent chooice for CCW. Any Kahr is a greta conceal carry choice. My Kahr has been flawless and accurate beyond my ability it seems.

I would recomend a Kahr to anyone who asks ever about a CCW. I do everytime. For a home defense gun or just a target shooter I have other choices but still like the Kahr at the range. It is very fun to send some down the lane with.

I think a Kahr will make you very happy.

RCG

you stated that as good as any poster could have possably done, Nice job.I own a G19, love it to death. When I want to hit beer cans at 25 yards,i go for my G19 when I want to protect my life 24/7 I go to my PM9. There is a differene you know...:cheer2:

[paisa777]

wow, thanks for the support guys. Being new to the whole gun scene, I obviously want to make the right choices. Throw in the fact Kahrs are kinda pricey, and I definitely don't want to be buying one I'm not happy with.

[1911]

Hey paisa777,

Welcome to the site! I am normally a steel gun guy but have shot both the PM9 and PM40. Although both guns are first rate, I think the PM9 is the way to go. It is all about recoil for me. I can get a more effective and quicker second shot off with the PM9. That being said, The guy who owns the PM40 I shot will never get rid of it.

Lastly, Kahr reliability is great. Their service department is second to none.

[hsart]

Hi all, so I'm new to this site considering I just found it today. I'm new to guns and CCW but just recently purchased my first gun, a Glock 19. A friend of mine loves his P9 and suggested I get one for CC. Naturally, I took to the web to look for reviews....

after reading, I started to develop concerns over the reliability. Read too many people having problems with Kahrs and it was starting to scare me away. It got even worse when I read that many problems came from the PM series, which is the one I want. Do Kahrs really have that many issues?

As for my questions, I'm still undecided as to which gun I want. If anything, I want the PM just because of the small size and can carry it anywhere. But now I'm stuck deciding between the 9mm or the 40mm. I keep hearing some say the .40 has too much of a recoil, while others say it's not that bad. Then people talk about the cost of having a .40.

Please guys, help me decide. If anything, I wanted to just say hi and get you guys talking! :)
I have as my primary weapons a Glock 19 and a PM45. I use th Glock for home defense - one is always within reach of my bed loaded with a 15 round mag and a light Streamlight attached. I figure that 15 rounds will give me the comfort that I can take multiple targets on. I would not want to start searching for another mag after waking from a sleep and an intruder inside. The Glock was my first weapon and I have trained with it and am comfortable at all distances. The PM45 is a much different animal and it is currently my carry weapon. It could as easily be a PM9 (which will be my next purchase). The advantage of the PM9 is that it's recoil is less than the PM45 and thus sight acquisition will be faster in a stress situation. From what I have heard and read the PM9 is totally reliable in a small package.

[.45mac.40]

:popcorn:

More than not... My CW40 goes with me, EVERYWHERE.... I ride a Wing, most of the time !
Yes, my Kahr has FTE (twice) .... but, not being rude to a hand/reloader, friend of mine, I shot up 100 rounds of his, solid 165 g. bullets. (His pistol is a P40)
Fresh factory ammo, ALWAYS, work...100 %.
For CHL (CCW) carry ... I'm loaded up with tha' Gold Dot 185g.

Mac :80: :33:

[peterj]

Welcome!

I had the same concern as you before I bought my PM9. My primary carry was a G27 and now it's the Kahr. Mine has been absolutely flawless right out of the box with everything I have fed it with about 300 rounds so far. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about my Glock; it has had a couple of FTF's.

I too considered a PM40 but thought the recoil on my 27 was plenty enough and chose the 9.

I think you will be very happy with a PM9, it shoots like a dream, awesome trigger and probably the best CCW on the market.

[paisa777]

Thanks guys. It's good to be on a forum where I can read some good and positive news on a gun that I am considering. You guys have done an excellent job of convincing me to get the PM9. Now, just need approval from the wifey. :)

[unclenunzie]

Thanks guys. It's good to be on a forum where I can read some good and positive news on a gun that I am considering. You guys have done an excellent job of convincing me to get the PM9. Now, just need approval from the wifey. :)

I know you have decided, and congrats on your excellent decision and clearly superior judgment :p

I have almost 1000 through my PM9 and they all were 100%, including the first 200 out of the box. Naturally you will find positive viewpoints about Kahr on this site, and in the tech area reports of problems some people have had. But this is true for any brand of gun, except maybe H&K ;)

Bottom line is, if I were still a little nervous, I'd look for one of the dealers that offers gun replacement guarantee such as those via davidson's.

I love my kahr PM9, the design is outstanding, SIMPLE thus reliable. Very few moving parts compared to others. It lives in my pocket, IWB/OWB, or my night table as required. I recommend you you get one with the night sights installed NIB, it would save money and time.

good luck,

unclenunzie

[jeep45238]

The sqweeky wheels get the grease, and those that are unhappy about a product are much more vocal than those that are happy with them. They are also generally unwilling to find if it is the gun, the ammunition, or them, that are causing the issues.

Case in point - a friend of mine bought a PM9 several years ago, and took it to the range. Had to aim about 3 feet above the target to hit it at 7 yards, less when using the extended mag. Blamed the gun, never called Kahr about the issue, never talked to a gunsmith, never took any training course. She now refuses to even look at a Kahr, due to one experiance that was likely HER causing the drastic change in accuracy. She whined about my purchase of a CW40 and a T40, saying how bad the guns were - the CW40 I ran close to as well as my 3.5" 1911 (slower due to the trigger), and my T40 slightly slower than my 5" 1911. She likes to blame the world for her problems instead of stepping up and fixing them.

Both polymer and steel guns were 100% for me.

I'm now going to start shooting the T40 in IDPA competitions in addition to my 1911. Both have a 100% flawless rate of performance.



One thing to note : Kahr pistols are one of THE hardest guns to learn how to shoot well. Seek professional one on one help (preferably from mulitple trainers to learn different techniques).


http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20T40/1017092021-00.jpg
T40, 15 yard rapid fire, COM
1911, 15 yard rapid fire, stomach

[Mako]

I am fairly new as well. These guys are great when you need help or advice. I drive my wife nuts buying guns. I have Glocks G23, G27, S&W 38 & 357 and a NA Arms 22 mag but my Kahr P380 and P9 are my favorites. They both gave me some issues up front but after break in are very easy to conceal, accurate and clean.

[fngrobert]

What kinds of issues, Mako?

[zena]

Just have to put a "ditto" in here for love of the gun. My PM9 has been flawless, goes everywhere with me and is very,very accurate. Hope wifey gives you the thumbs up.:)

[wyntrout]

Well, I'll try to stick to the topic here. I was carrying a .22 TPH and feeling like that would only stop one person if I emptied it center of mass. the P380 was announced and seemed the perfect thing for carry down here in Florida with shorts and tees the norm... and polos for dress-up. I ordered a P380 with night sights and then found that model was expected to ship in Fall of 2009. Well, Fall came and went... 2009 went by... and finally, shipping for that model was announced the first week in January this year. I went to a gun show looking for a PM45, Black finish with night sights. I didn't see one of those, but I saw one PM9, silver with night sights for about $780 or so, + tax. Then I happened on a black PM9 with night sights... like new for $600. I wound up getting that for $588 with tax and the instant check call! I just couldn't pass that deal up and I love the gun. I have a K9, but this is my baby! I chose this gun because I've heard so much about it and ammo is widely available and cheap or surplus range fodder, as well.
Today I finally ordered my PM9's big brother, the PM45, DLC with night sights that I've been wanting, but my main carry will be the PM9. If and when I get the P380, it will get summer duty for lightly-dressed carry... which is pretty often.
I feel so much better with the 9mm and the +P loads I'm carrying now in my beautiful PM9.:):cheer2:
Wynn:D

[shelbyg1998]

I own a kahr covert 9.I own it it for 5 yrs now shot about 1800 hundred rounds thru it never a promblem. looking to buy the new 380. trust kahr with my life. great gun for cc. good luck- vito

[jocko]

Well, I'll try to stick to the topic here. I was carrying a .22 TPH and feeling like that would only stop one person if I emptied it center of mass. the P380 was announced and seemed the perfect thing for carry down here in Florida with shorts and tees the norm... and polos for dress-up. I ordered a P380 with night sights and then found that model was expected to ship in Fall of 2009. Well, Fall came and went... 2009 went by... and finally, shipping for that model was announced the first week in January this year. I went to a gun show looking for a PM45, Black finish with night sights. I didn't see one of those, but I saw one PM9, silver with night sights for about $780 or so, + tax. Then I happened on a black PM9 with night sights... like new for $600. I wound up getting that for $588 with tax and the instant check call! I just couldn't pass that deal up and I love the gun. I have a K9, but this is my baby! I chose this gun because I've heard so much about it and ammo is widely available and cheap or surplus range fodder, as well.
Today I finally ordered my PM9's big brother, the PM45, DLC with night sights that I've been wanting, but my main carry will be the PM9. If and when I get the P380, it will get summer duty for lightly-dressed carry... which is pretty often.
I feel so much better with the 9mm and the +P loads I'm carrying now in my beautiful PM9.:):cheer2:
Wynn:D


a wise decision and a nice buy also, very fair price IMO.

[In-Yo-Grill]

That's a really good price on a PM9 with the black slide and night sights. Our next gun show is one week away and I'll be looking hard for my next Kahr.

[paisa777]

Today I finally ordered my PM9's big brother, the PM45, DLC with night sights that I've been wanting, but my main carry will be the PM9.
I feel so much better with the 9mm and the +P loads I'm carrying now in my beautiful PM9.:):cheer2:
Wynn:D

I've seen this a couple of times and don't know what it is. What's the DLC stand for?