Dsollars1800
07-11-2013, 10:05 AM
Thought I would provide a review of my experience with a new CM9. Might be too much, but here it goes...
New CM9 from Cabellas
6 round magazine that it came with, and also purchased the 7 round magazine
desantis nemesis pocket holster
Assorted ammo
My other Semi-auto pistol is the Sig P250 2sum (has both full size and subcompact frames). Purchased for carry purposes, but even the subcompact is a bit large and heavy in waistband or in motorcycle jacket or vest. A great shooter, but needed something smaller.
CM9 much lighter and also fits in front pants pocket, and in locked fairing pocket on Goldwing. I hoped that the CM9 would fill my carry bill and allow the Sig to become a home defender. I also looked at the LC9, Nano, Sig 938, and all of the 380 micros. But decided a wanted to keep 9mm as caliber, and as much as I liked (loved) the p938 I wasn't sure if i liked the SA/manual safety configuration and it was just about $300 more. Heck, you can get a few boxes of ammo for that amount :)
My first impression was that the CM9 spring was way too tight. Could barely pull back slide, and the slide release was a bear to work. 6 round magazine was tight, and wouldn't always drop completely. Also read about the various other "issues" that some have reported, such as failure to feed, broken followers, 7 round magazine problems, polymer rail shavings, etc. Funny how I missed these issues before my purchase! :mad: The more I read I begin to get concerned, and didn't get a chance to shoot the gun for two weeks.
Did the "new Kahr prep" per this forum (thank you), only exception was the sanding touch up of the magazine tops as i didnt have any sandpaper. Checked magazine springs for correct installment, but seemed to be facing the right direction. Cycled magazines full of snap caps through it a few dozen times thinking it might loosen up, but things still seemed too tight.
Finally, vacation! Time to test it out. Loaded up magazines, and ... Bang. It worked. And worked, and worked. Had an assortment of ammo I have been accumulating post Bidenpalooza, so it is all the cheap stuff (if you can call $20 something per box 9mm ammo cheap). PMC, Aquilla, Independence, American Eagle, Blazer. Over the course of a couple days I ran each box of the brass stuff through first, then the aluminum cased Blazer just to see how it did. Most was 115g but box of Aquila was 124g. My thought, well, if it can eat this assortment it can probably eat some good stuff someday. Also ran a mag of Federal HP hydra shok through it just for grins (my supply is limited).
Guess what...no FTF, no FTE in 250 rounds, alternating between the two magazines. Zilch, nada, nothing malfunctioned. Did the recommended slide release load thing, but also slingshotted it a few times. No problem either way. No broken followers, and the sticky 6rd mag drops just fine now. Slide is still somewhat stiff, but either I have gotten stronger (not) or it is just much easier to work.
Ok, how about shooting? Well, I am not a marksman, but 95 percent of all my shots landed on the 8 inch target from 21 to 30 feet. The gun just fits my hand. Sights are different than what i am used to, but fine. Trigger pull is smooth and long--if I slowly squeezed it I could put the bullet exactly where I wanted. Quick fire not so much, but would still find the center of mass of an attacking zombie. Recoil is there, but compared to some other small guns I have shot it is very manageable and I had no pain or rough hands after 250 rounds.
On takedown I discovered no polymer shavings or wear or the like. Internals are dirty, and it did seem like I took a little more effort to get the slide off. I'll give it a scrubbing today.
Next step...test some more of the HP ammo that I will actually carry.
Conclusions... Well made, good looking, relatively inexpensive gun. Right size for my hand, shoots great, fits my size requirements for carry yet still a 9mm. I can't report the problems that a few others have reported. Thing ran great, and it does seem that the recommended 200 round breakin is important as it gets rid of some of the overall tightness and the spring does loosen up. If it was a stock it would get "buy" recommendation.
Hope this helps others thinking about the CM9.
New CM9 from Cabellas
6 round magazine that it came with, and also purchased the 7 round magazine
desantis nemesis pocket holster
Assorted ammo
My other Semi-auto pistol is the Sig P250 2sum (has both full size and subcompact frames). Purchased for carry purposes, but even the subcompact is a bit large and heavy in waistband or in motorcycle jacket or vest. A great shooter, but needed something smaller.
CM9 much lighter and also fits in front pants pocket, and in locked fairing pocket on Goldwing. I hoped that the CM9 would fill my carry bill and allow the Sig to become a home defender. I also looked at the LC9, Nano, Sig 938, and all of the 380 micros. But decided a wanted to keep 9mm as caliber, and as much as I liked (loved) the p938 I wasn't sure if i liked the SA/manual safety configuration and it was just about $300 more. Heck, you can get a few boxes of ammo for that amount :)
My first impression was that the CM9 spring was way too tight. Could barely pull back slide, and the slide release was a bear to work. 6 round magazine was tight, and wouldn't always drop completely. Also read about the various other "issues" that some have reported, such as failure to feed, broken followers, 7 round magazine problems, polymer rail shavings, etc. Funny how I missed these issues before my purchase! :mad: The more I read I begin to get concerned, and didn't get a chance to shoot the gun for two weeks.
Did the "new Kahr prep" per this forum (thank you), only exception was the sanding touch up of the magazine tops as i didnt have any sandpaper. Checked magazine springs for correct installment, but seemed to be facing the right direction. Cycled magazines full of snap caps through it a few dozen times thinking it might loosen up, but things still seemed too tight.
Finally, vacation! Time to test it out. Loaded up magazines, and ... Bang. It worked. And worked, and worked. Had an assortment of ammo I have been accumulating post Bidenpalooza, so it is all the cheap stuff (if you can call $20 something per box 9mm ammo cheap). PMC, Aquilla, Independence, American Eagle, Blazer. Over the course of a couple days I ran each box of the brass stuff through first, then the aluminum cased Blazer just to see how it did. Most was 115g but box of Aquila was 124g. My thought, well, if it can eat this assortment it can probably eat some good stuff someday. Also ran a mag of Federal HP hydra shok through it just for grins (my supply is limited).
Guess what...no FTF, no FTE in 250 rounds, alternating between the two magazines. Zilch, nada, nothing malfunctioned. Did the recommended slide release load thing, but also slingshotted it a few times. No problem either way. No broken followers, and the sticky 6rd mag drops just fine now. Slide is still somewhat stiff, but either I have gotten stronger (not) or it is just much easier to work.
Ok, how about shooting? Well, I am not a marksman, but 95 percent of all my shots landed on the 8 inch target from 21 to 30 feet. The gun just fits my hand. Sights are different than what i am used to, but fine. Trigger pull is smooth and long--if I slowly squeezed it I could put the bullet exactly where I wanted. Quick fire not so much, but would still find the center of mass of an attacking zombie. Recoil is there, but compared to some other small guns I have shot it is very manageable and I had no pain or rough hands after 250 rounds.
On takedown I discovered no polymer shavings or wear or the like. Internals are dirty, and it did seem like I took a little more effort to get the slide off. I'll give it a scrubbing today.
Next step...test some more of the HP ammo that I will actually carry.
Conclusions... Well made, good looking, relatively inexpensive gun. Right size for my hand, shoots great, fits my size requirements for carry yet still a 9mm. I can't report the problems that a few others have reported. Thing ran great, and it does seem that the recommended 200 round breakin is important as it gets rid of some of the overall tightness and the spring does loosen up. If it was a stock it would get "buy" recommendation.
Hope this helps others thinking about the CM9.