beretta nano vs kahr cm9

[Gtfan]

I own a kahr cm9 and am considering buying a nano do any of y'all have any experience with the nano and how does it compare to the cm9?

[Alfonse]

A gentleman, Russel I believe, wrote extensively about his nano, the cm9, the ruger lc9, etc.

Found it: http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=11010&highlight=nano

He may have switched to a Shield after that:

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=13234&highlight=shield

[Gtfan]

Thanks for the link Alfonse!

[Russ]

I own a kahr cm9 and am considering buying a nano do any of y'all have any experience with the nano and how does it compare to the cm9?

gTFAN:

I owned a CM9 for 4 months and shot 600 rounds through the gun.

I than purchased a Nano November 2011 and shot 1,334 rounds through the gun and had 11 FTE. I traded in April 2012 for a Shield.

I pocket the Shield for 10 hours a day in a Desanti model "E1" and could not be happier.

I have shot an assortment of 115 grain cheap ammo and it eats it all up with zero failures and is dead on accurate and the trigger is the best of the M&P line.

I changed out the full size three dot sights (excellent) for XS Big Dot Night Sights and I can still blast the black of the 50 ft rated target at 7 yards and do it in quick fashion

My experience with the Nano was a mixed bag. I shot 124 grain (130 rounds) with zero failures but every brand of 115 grain would FTE at a rate of 1 - 2% of the time even after a trip back to Beretta. (Federal Champion, WWB, S&B)

Many on the Beretta forum felt the extractor design was the problem.

I would recommend you search the archieves of the Beretta forum beginning in November 2011 and you decide if you want to make the investment.

In defense of the Nano it is a very well built gun and I would still most likely own the Kahr had the front night sight Kahr installed twice had not snapped off after a box a shells.


Good Luck,

Russ

P.S.

If you are considering pocket conceal the Nano loaded 23oz (7 rounds) Shield 24.1 oz (8 rounds) and I believe the CM9 loaded is between 19 & 20 oz.

The extra few oz can be felt in the pocket and I do tighten my belt a notch. I also found the Shield stock rear sight would catch on some of my picket openings. The night sight design alleviated that concern.

[Gtfan]

I pocket carry my cm9 in a desantis superfly I can comfortably carry in dress pants or relaxed fitting jeans.The only thing I don't like about the cm9 is the way it breaks down to clean.I considered the shield because I have a full size m&p but it is a good bit larger than the cm9 and I did not think it would be comfortable to pocket carry.The nano is about the same size as the cm9 so I figured I would check into it.Can you tell a big difference between the shield and the nano while pocket carrying?

[jocko]

the breaking down part sure would not be a breaker for me. Kahrs are simple to break down, u just hav enot done it enough, also, not somethingu do every day either. They put witnessmarks on the gun for you to line up. That little springhy will not get bent if u put it back right either. Nothing against a nano or smith . If ur gonna pocket carry u gonna find the cm9 very hard to beat especially safety wise. Just sayin.

[Russ]

I pocket carry my cm9 in a desantis superfly I can comfortably carry in dress pants or relaxed fitting jeans.The only thing I don't like about the cm9 is the way it breaks down to clean.I considered the shield because I have a full size m&p but it is a good bit larger than the cm9 and I did not think it would be comfortable to pocket carry.The nano is about the same size as the cm9 so I figured I would check into it.Can you tell a big difference between the shield and the nano while pocket carrying?

Gtfan:

I pocket carried the Nano from November until April.

The weight (23 oz) loaded I noticed right off over the CM9 especially if I was active. When I moved from the Nano to the Shield pocket packing I did not notice any difference and no one in the office knows I am packing.

I bike to work and the Shield goes into a fanny pack while on the bike and into the pocket when I get to work. I do walk around a lot during the day in a professional office and I have gotten use to the Shield, but if I have to run the 24.1 oz loaded Shield in 9 mm (8 rounds) will beat the crap out of my leg.

Yes, the Nano is 1/2 inch shorter than the Shield and not as tall (Shield holds one more round) but the weight and thickness is about the same as the Shield and as I mentioned I changed out stock high profile three dot sights for XS Big Dot Night sights which has a low profile rear sight angled forward eliminating pocket snag in 36x32 Dockers. I can with no problem draw, sweep the thumb safety and dry fire in 1.5 seconds.

If you own an M&P full size do not judge the trigger as the same because the Shield trigger is completly redesigned and improved in fact S&W plans to incorporate the new Shield trigger into the entire M&P family.

Personally, owning and packing both the Nano and Shield if I was to do it all over again I would buy the Shield even if the Nano would have been 100% failure free.

There is a reason the Shield is selling on Gunbroker for much more than suggested retail and waiting lists everywhere are long for the gun.


Russ

P.S. I have included pictures on this forum of a range report in the past. I can with the flush magazine get 1/2 the thickness of my pinkie finger on the grip which I really have come to enjoy !

[Gtfan]

Russ, thanks for the insight on pocket carrying the shield next to my walther ppq my full size m&p is my favorite 9mm so if I can find a gun shop with a shield I will see how it feels in my pocket holster.I am not selling my cm9 just looking to add another firearm to the stable.

[Russ]

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=13234&highlight=shield

Click on link for pictures of the XS Big Dot Night Sights on my Shield.

Russ

[340pd]

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=13234&highlight=shield

Click on link for pictures of the XS Big Dot Night Sights on my Shield.

Russ
I am trying to work up the courage to try those on my shield. We all have the "bullseye gun" mentality in our heads when we go to the range. Oddly enough, my Sig 226 has the same lollipop version and I have no trouble with it. I just can't get used to total cover up of what I am aiming at. I currently shoot at white paper with a 1" square of florescent sticker at 30'.

[Kiehtan]

I had Kahr put XS Big Dots on my PM-9 and couldn't be happier. I then put some on my Beretta Vertec which I use for home defense and IDPA. Great sights!

[muggsy]

IMHO the Nano is second only to the CM9 as a striker fired 9mm pocket pistol. The CM9 is lighter and center line of the bore is lower for less muzzle flip. Both are very well made guns.

[jocko]

I had Kahr put XS Big Dots on my PM-9 and couldn't be happier. I then put some on my Beretta Vertec which I use for home defense and IDPA. Great sights!

happy with the PM9 before u put the big dots on and now maybe just HAPPIER now that u have the big dots on. Just sayin:der:

[Russ]

I am trying to work up the courage to try those on my shield. We all have the "bullseye gun" mentality in our heads when we go to the range. Oddly enough, my Sig 226 has the same lollipop version and I have no trouble with it. I just can't get used to total cover up of what I am aiming at. I currently shoot at white paper with a 1" square of florescent sticker at 30'.

340pd:

You already know the downside to the lollipop sight (Big Dot)

I will be very honest I miss the tight groups and 25 yard shots the full size three dot stock sights produced with my Shield, but in the end I had to make a decision, is the Shield a range gun or a defense gun?

Keep the stock sights if your Shield is a range gun. The lollipop sights will never match your current sights for accuracy in fact I struggle to keep the shots in the black at 7 yards.

If your Shield is a defense gun the Big front sight and the low profile shallow v shape rear sight will only add to your front sight or point shooting skills and from what I have read if you can master point or front sight shooting you will be at a greater advantage over the person lining up front and rear sights.

I have read the precise excercise of alighnment of front to rear sights is pointless in a real life or death gun fight because most including cops just start pulling the trigger before taking aim. (That may explain why cops miss 90% of their close range gun fight shots)

Russ

[muggsy]

If you guys really want to challenge yourselves, when the gun clears your holster just rotate, point and shoot from the hip. See if you can put two into a 10" paper plate that's chest high at a distance of 3'.

[CJB]

I own a kahr cm9 and am considering buying a nano do any of y'all have any experience with the nano and how does it compare to the cm9?


May I humbly suggest, getting a nice CM45 or PM45 instead?

Reason being - you'll have more options on carry.

You'll have the same feel, operation, and trigger.

Same sights. Same grip, Same manual of arms.

Its "in the family" and a natural alternative...

whereas, the Nano is not in the gene pool of the CM9 at all.

[Harleyrider]

IMHO the Nano is second only to the CM9 as a striker fired 9mm pocket pistol. The CM9 is lighter and center line of the bore is lower for less muzzle flip. Both are very well made guns.
And the CM9 has a much slimmer, more compact profile, making it easier to carry (especially in a pocket holster) and easier to draw. As far as I can see, the only advantage of the Nano is that field stripping for cleaning is much simpler and easier.