my gripe on the k9...

[kahrsport]

well, i have to say this gun is great... the only thing that bugs me is the fact that the grip handle with rubber or wood grips on the gun's width is greater than 1" where as the slide is less than 1"...

everytime is pick up the k9 i always compare the width of the k9 handle to my cw9 and my cm9 grip handle... the polymer grips are thinner than the slide making the polymers much more practical for the ccw purpose...

anyone out there got a solution for this that i don't know about?

[jocko]

ur the first to ever complain about that. It is what it is. More than likely the wood grips " might" be able to be sanded thinner which woud require shorter grip screws etc. I have the rubber grips and I have never noticed what ur referring to and looking at it now, I just don't see an issue here.

solution: probalby 99% don't even notice or worry about what ur referring to..

[Bawanna]

Someone here is suppose to be sending me a set to do an ultra slim fast job on. I figure they can be thinned considerably.

Even leaving the screws standard length a lot of wood can come off, not sure how much material is under the screw head, might not be able to reduce them much.

I have found that even with screws semi exposed they don't seem to bother with the grip.

[kahrsport]

^^^
it's not an issue functionally per se as the k9 grip fits and feels more comfortable but i am thinkin maybe if it were as thin as the slide that would make it easier to conceal outside a holster as in mexi carry or whatever... at the same time i wish the polymer grip were same width as the slide cuz that cm9 and cw9 certainly would feel more comfortable with more grip surface area... just sayin

[Bawanna]

^^^
it's not an issue functionally per se as the k9 grip fits and feels more comfortable but i am thinkin maybe if it were as thin as the slide that would make it easier to conceal outside a holster as in mexi carry or whatever... at the same time i wish the polymer grip were same width as the slide cuz that cm9 and cw9 certainly would feel more comfortable with more grip surface area... just sayin

A qwik grip or hogue or innertube would add some bulk to the CM or CW. Also feels better in the hand toning down the rough texture of the grip.

[kahrsport]

^^^
when i shoot for leisure i wear custom made gloves that make the polymer feel not uncomfortable so i guess it's really just a personal thing... but if anyone has the k9 thinning experience please post pics or comments, thanx

[JFootin]

Isn't the grips being wider than the slide a very common feature of most steel frame guns such as the 1911s, CZs, HKs, Sigs, S&Ws, FNs...need I go on? The traditional thought was to make the grips fill the hand. The K9, being Kahr's original pistol, was designed that traditional way.

[JohnR]

The grip generally doesn't get covered by a holster, and sticks out the top of your belt line, so you might feel the tiny difference in width, maybe not.

I never noticed it.

[ruchik]

Someone here is suppose to be sending me a set to do an ultra slim fast job on. I figure they can be thinned considerably.

Even leaving the screws standard length a lot of wood can come off, not sure how much material is under the screw head, might not be able to reduce them much.

I have found that even with screws semi exposed they don't seem to bother with the grip.

That would be me! I just have to get around to ordering the grips first:p

[tv_racin_fan]

Actually that is one reason I prefer the K9 over the CW9. I added a Handall Jr to our CW9 to add thickness to the grip as much as to cut down on the roughness since I had already taken a soft sanding block to the CW to cut down the roughness.

[Bawanna]

That would be me! I just have to get around to ordering the grips first:p

Roger that. At least I remembered some one was sending if not who. 50% memory, guess I can live with that.

[jocko]

50% memory, then would that make u a half wit???/ Just sayin.

[downtownv]

:)I love the rounded ness of my wooden grips

[JFootin]

:)I love the rounded ness of my wooden grips

That is a beautiful gun! :D

What is the meaning of "2013-FOREVER" ?

[kahrsport]

yup, sure is a beautiful gun indeed... and oh so round too... lol

just ordered hogue grip for my cm9...

[saltydog452]

The K-9 handling agility and balance rivals, maybe exceeds, the BHP. There may be a 'friendler' grip panel profile out there somewhere.

alty

[kahrsport]

well i just added an mk9 to my collection and i have to say i love the nylon grips, very thin profile, wish they offered the nylon grips for k9, then i would love my k9 even more...

[7shot]

^^^
it's not an issue functionally per se as the k9 grip fits and feels more comfortable but i am thinkin maybe if it were as thin as the slide that would make it easier to conceal outside a holster as in mexi carry or whatever... at the same time i wish the polymer grip were same width as the slide cuz that cm9 and cw9 certainly would feel more comfortable with more grip surface area... just sayin

it might make a tad difference in conceal but to me not enough to want anything different. i think it would be just to hard to grip onto then.

[OlympicFox]

While I've certainly noticed the same thing, I'm not going to try to compare the thinness of the K9 with wood or rubber grips with the polymer guns. Those guns are apples and oranges, even if the mechanics are the same inside.

OTOH, it's difficult to ignore the fact that my K9 grips are 1.28" wide while my 1911 grips are 1.09" wide. Hey - a 1/5" inch is a lot for a gun that brags about how thin it is.

Is the difference noticeable? Absolutely. My 1911 is much more comfortable in my backside than my K9. All I need to do is spend some quality time sitting for a few days and switch guns.

The 1911 grips are simply panels so they don't need any strength to wrap around the frame, so thinning the K9 grips will make them weaker. The trick will be to avoid making them fragile.

As for comfort? I find my Commander size 1911 with thin grips to be somewhat more comfortable to shoot than my K9, so making the K9 grips thinner shouldn't affect shooting comfort significantly, but it should improve carrying comfort.

I haven't had a chance to do it yet, but I'm putting one of my wood grips on a diet and we'll see how it works.


well, i have to say this gun is great... the only thing that bugs me is the fact that the grip handle with rubber or wood grips on the gun's width is greater than 1" where as the slide is less than 1"...

everytime is pick up the k9 i always compare the width of the k9 handle to my cw9 and my cm9 grip handle... the polymer grips are thinner than the slide making the polymers much more practical for the ccw purpose...

anyone out there got a solution for this that i don't know about?

[kahrsport]

those aftermarket grips look great... remember someone had done carbonfiber too...

not bashing kahr anymore but i would jump for some nylone grips on my mk9 anyday and put some on the k9 if they were available... simply because they would be cheap as the nylon for my mk9 are only $15...

true about the 1911 grip being thick too... my 2 browning hipowers are thin and thick at the grips but that's fine cuz they're full size pistols...

too many gun projects to warrant a $100 grips for k9 right now but maybe later...

[Geobob]

JohnR's comment on the slide thinner but in a holster makes sense to me. Add the holster width on and the grip width is probably less than that. I have a K9 coming with wood grips (and the original poly ones) - will be curious to check this out.

-----------------------------------
Geologist Bob
US Navy P-3 Pilot, Army Guard Huey & Blackhawk Pilot (ret.)

[OlympicFox]

I followed this link and spent a considerable amount of time discussing what I wanted with Paul of Designer Grips. In the end, I ordered a set of standard grips in carbon fiber. As you can see from the first photo, they are quite attractive. Unfortunately, even though it's quite apparant that Paul spends considerable time making the, there are several flaws that really shouldn't be there.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4327.jpg

The carbon fiber Designer Grips are quite attractive on the K9.

The downside is the flaws in fit and finish. First the finish - notice the print-thru on the left panel.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4328.jpg


The right panel doesn't completely cover the frame hole

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4329.jpg


This photo shows the poor fit on both sides where the grip panels are not flat on the frame. Also note the excessively rounded corner where the panels join at the top of the backstrap

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4330.jpg


Since the topic was how thick the OEM grips were, here is a photo to show the Designer Grips compared to my Dan Wesson Guardian 1911. Even though the Designer Grips are thinner than the OEM grips, the 1911 is still thinner yet. The micrometer indicates the Designer Grips are about 0.012" thicker. Yes, that's not much, but then John Moses Browning designed the 1911 around the fat 45 ACP while the Kahr was designed around the svelte 9mm Luger.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4332.jpg




You might want to look at Designer Grips. See post here http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15579

I'm happy with the set I bought. Thinner than the Hogue wood grips.

[OlympicFox]

So much depends on where you wear the holster, as well as what type of holster. For example, if you wear an OWB holster, then slide width is immaterial regarding comfort, and virtually immaterial regarding concealment. Of course, the 3 o'clock position is probably the worst for concealment.

OTOH, if you wear an IWB holster, then gun thickness (frame & slide) matters because that is what's between you and your belt. Slide thickness alone doesn't matter as much. Wearing an IWB holster at the 3 o'clock position is quite uncomfortable, however, because the gun is riding on the hip bone. :madgrin: I prefer wearing mine well behind the hip in the vicinity of 4 to 4:30. Then the frame and barrel are resting comfortably on the top of the butt - the largest soft part of the human body. And the grip is against the backside in the vicinity of the kidney. In that case, the thinness of the grip is directly related to comfort. My 1911 grip is quite flat with rounded edges and THIN - very comfortable. The same is even more true for polymer single-stack guns such as the Kahr PM9/40, M&P Shield or XDs. OTOH, the "thin" K9 is actually quite thick and chunky at the grip and not nearly as comfortable because it tries to make a big dent in my backside.

Bottom line. Here's a list of my most comfortable CCW rigs - most comfortable first:


Sub-compact polymer single-stacks in a quality reinforced leather IWB holster worn well behind the hip, approx 4-4:30.
Sub-compact single-stack polymer in a pancake holster at 3:30.
Compact metal single-stack (Kahr K9 or S&W 3913) or compact polymer double-stack (Glock 27 or M&P 9C) in an extreme cant pancake holster at 4:30.

FYI, my 7+1-round single-stack K9 with CT grips is actually thicker than the double-stack grips on my 19+1-round Springfield XDm 5.25. Only our Sig's are fatter.




JohnR's comment on the slide thinner but in a holster makes sense to me. Add the holster width on and the grip width is probably less than that. I have a K9 coming with wood grips (and the original poly ones) - will be curious to check this out.

-----------------------------------
Geologist Bob
US Navy P-3 Pilot, Army Guard Huey & Blackhawk Pilot (ret.)

[LesPauloholic]

Crimson Trace says that their grips don't fit on K9's with specific serial number prefixes. Specifically that they do not fit guns having serial numbers beginning with: 401, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH, AJ, AL, AM (made in approximately 1994-1996) and GA (Kahr Pistols made in 1997) I was wondering if maybe yours is one of the K9s with one of those prefixes, or maybe Paul used a grip from one of these older guns for his mold....

LesPauloholic



I followed this link and spent a considerable amount of time discussing what I wanted with Paul of Designer Grips. In the end, I ordered a set of standard grips in carbon fiber. As you can see from the first photo, they are quite attractive. Unfortunately, even though it's quite apparant that Paul spends considerable time making the, there are several flaws that really shouldn't be there.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4327.jpg

The carbon fiber Designer Grips are quite attractive on the K9.

The downside is the flaws in fit and finish. First the finish - notice the print-thru on the left panel.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4328.jpg


The right panel doesn't completely cover the frame hole

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4329.jpg


This photo shows the poor fit on both sides where the grip panels are not flat on the frame. Also note the excessively rounded corner where the panels join at the top of the backstrap

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4330.jpg


Since the topic was how thick the OEM grips were, here is a photo to show the Designer Grips compared to my Dan Wesson Guardian 1911. Even though the Designer Grips are thinner than the OEM grips, the 1911 is still thinner yet. The micrometer indicates the Designer Grips are about 0.012" thicker. Yes, that's not much, but then John Moses Browning designed the 1911 around the fat 45 ACP while the Kahr was designed around the svelte 9mm Luger.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4332.jpg

[OlympicFox]

Unfortunately, I'm afraid that the vintage of my K9 vs. the one that Paul used to make the mold isn't the issue. But, just to keep the record straight, mine is BF22XX, probably made in late 2010 or early 2011 as I bought it new in April 2011.

The real issue isn't the vintage of gun used to make the mold, but the quality of handwork involved in making the grip. Let me explain by commenting on each of my photos:

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4327.jpg

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4329.jpg

The overview photo of the left side actually looks pretty good, provided you're not especially critical. But, since we're critiquing the fit of the grips, I'll get a little critical.

What I notice is that the front edge of the grip is not parallel to the frame, and the gaps between the grips and the corresponding part of the frame varies. For example, the grips are extremely close to the top of the frame at the slide, yet there is considerable space at the top rear of the grip. In truth, this is a common fault with many grips, however the DesignerGrips are among the worst I've seen. So much so that the inards of the gun are exposed by the right grip panel.

Unfortunately, it gets considerably worse when we look at the other photos of the DesignerGrips. The photo below shows two faults. The grip won't lay flat against the frame on either side. And the manual trimming done at the top of the backstrap is sloppy.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/DesignerGrip_IMG_4330.jpg


There is also the photo of the left grip panel showing the spot that apparently wasn't thoroughly wetted out with resin.

Below are photos of my K9 with other grips showing how much better they fit.

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/Kahr_K9_5410_800.jpg

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/Kahr_K9_CT_IMG_4365.jpg

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/Kahr_K9_CT_IMG_4366.jpg

http://www.serenitysys.com/shooting/guns/Kahr_K9/Kahr_K9_CT_IMG_4367.jpg

IMHO, custom grips should fit as well or better than OEM grips, not worse. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be always true, and the DesignerGrips are but just one example. I just wish that Paul had paid as much attention to the fit of his grips as he did their strength.



Crimson Trace says that their grips don't fit on K9's with specific serial number prefixes. Specifically that they do not fit guns having serial numbers beginning with: 401, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH, AJ, AL, AM (made in approximately 1994-1996) and GA (Kahr Pistols made in 1997) I was wondering if maybe yours is one of the K9s with one of those prefixes, or maybe Paul used a grip from one of these older guns for his mold....

LesPauloholic

[muggsy]

I've found that in a SHTF situation that I don't focus much attention on the grips. Just sayin. :)

[OlympicFox]

Quite true. I've been in SHTF situations, and the grips weren't exactly on the forefront of my mind at the time.

But, for that other 99.99999997% of the time, I -- like most other folks that buy aftermarket grips for their guns -- buy grips based on how they look, fit and function. I've yet to see a pair of ugly grips that worked better than a set of beautiful grips. Looks includes the appearance aspect of fit and fit often affects function. And function includes doing their part to keep crud out of the inside of the gun.

If I didn't have better alternatives, I could wrap the frame with duct tape. It least it would keep the crud out of the gun.

I see no purpose, and certainly no advantage, in buying grips for a gun that look good but only from a distance, don't fit well and have large gaps that allow debris to get inside the gun.

Knowing that, why defend them?


I've found that in a SHTF situation that I don't focus much attention on the grips. Just sayin. :)