PM 9 or CW 9

[brycewise]

Im sure this is a commonly asked and answered question... Im deciding between the pm9 and the cw9 how would you lot rate the two. my criteria is as follows
reliability
concealment
price

Im looking for a pistol to bridge the gap left between my pocket kel tec p 3at and my glock 23. I would be mostly carrying IWB with the possibility of the occasional pocket carry.
Is the slightly smaller pm 9 really worth the extra money in my case?

any advice and comparison photos would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!!

[recoilguy]

I have both guns, I carry the CW9 90% of the time and I carry it in an IWB holster similar to cross breads Super tuck. The PM is a much easier to carry hidden in my pocket. It is a great and reliable gun. It shoots good and shoots forever. It makes holes right where you point it. Both are thin and conceal very easily the CW is a great gun, make holes right were you want them and shoots consistant and always. I had the CW first and bought the PM to have another Kahr. The PM has a few more do dads and is machined a little different and has dovetailed front sights. The CW is a great gun, and for the price you pay for it it is a freakin great gun!!!!

If detail is important.....PM
If price is important.....CW
If pocketablity is important......PM
If Having a grip you can get your hand on with out pinky dangling.....CW
If reliability is important..tossup
If concealability is important......tossup
If more rounds is important .....CW sortta

I would be very comfortable depending my life on either gun and if I had to give one to my wife and keep my favorite it would be a hard choice. The CW is my favorite because of sentiment, I had it first and have carried it for some time so I can't see replacing it as it has never let me down.

good luck you will enjoy either one have fun!!!!

RCG

My opinions on the subject

[Bawanna]

Well said recoil guy and I agree on all counts. One additional very small consideration is if you intend to shoot lead bullets the CW has a traditional rifled barrel versus the Polygonal rifling on the PM. Lead and Poly rifling are generally not recommended. I don't shoot lead in this caliber so it's moot point. They both shoot very accurately so you really can't go wrong either way.
Your choice, lots of folks here to help you along when you make the decision.

[jlottmc]

I would look into the 40 instead of the 9. They do have both in 40. That would allow you to keep much of the Glock ammo, and keep the Glock for winter time/nightstand/range duty. Plus if you get both, then you'll have no regrets exceot maybe not having done it sooner. :D

[Bawanna]

I hate to disagree with folks here specially Jlott, but I'd stick with the 9 in that little package or move up and get a 45 PM or CW which of course would defeat some of the small compact pocket carry options. I love 40's no doubt and I'd keep his Glock 40 but not in a PM or a CW.
Many love them and the ammo compatibility is a wonderful thing but 9 is relatively cheap (based on hearsay, I don't buy any). Stick with the 9.

[jlottmc]

45 is cool too but... ammo inventory is simple that way. You can always do as jocko suggests and port it. In any case get both, and then shoot them, shoot them more, rinse and repeat.

[brycewise]

thanks for the info mates... at this point im leaning slightly toward the cw, as i would probably equip the pm with a pearce pinky grip for belt carry. that sort of defeats the purpose i reckon. i am also considering the Taurus pt 709, but that is a distant third choice. oh and my choice in ammo is speer gpld dot or corbon dpx

[Bawanna]

I took an informal pole here and all member here say go for it. Can't go wrong with the CW or the PM.
The Taurus is in it's rightful distant 3rd place. Nice but not comparable. Momma says if you got nothing nice to say about somebodys gun, don't say nothing at all. So

[frank_drebin]

Buy the CW, make a Covert out of it.

[Tilos]

I'm pretty sure, legally, you could buy them both;)
...I did, CW9 for trigger time and IWB
PM9 for pocket carry

:D
Just sayin'
Tilos

[Bawanna]

Best plan yet. Go with that. Then save up and you can get a T9 or Bud's has a sale going now on TP9's. You'll have your own stable with all the bases covered.

You go Tilos.

[joje]

how much were you planning on spending?

gtdist sells pm9s for $520

G T Distributors Search Results (http://gtdist.com/SearchResults.aspx?&Keyword=PM9)

thats about $100+ more than some sells the cw9 for but you get an extra $30 mag for the pm9.

[mr surveyor]

since I don't pocket carry, and really don't want to pocket carry, the CW9 has fit perfectly into my 9mm niche. I am a caliber junkie. I hate the thought of not having a handgun in my collection incapable of putting to use any of the more popular caliber ammo supplies. When I saw the beginning of the nasty ammo shortage coming 18 months ago I decided that variety was the spice of life. For a while I had handguns in .22, .25, .32, .380, 9mm, .40, 38/357, .45 and maybe another or two. I figured the possibility of a real ammo shortage could cause a person to "take whatever you can get". About mid-way through 09 I decided the .380 was the most expendable handgun I had, and wanted to fill the slim carry 9mm niche, and the CW9 answered all my needs. Due to cost of ammo now, compared to 3-4 years ago, I have reduced my range time considerably... so I only have a little over 800 rounds (all 100% flawless in every way) through the tube. After the first 300-400 rounds I was convinced this was a true keeper and sprang for the Trij night sights. My Kimber Stainless Compact (45) and Sig P239 (40) have actually become safe queens. Although I love those guns dearly, I have become really infatuated with the CW9. I would like to have a PM9 (actually I really was lusting for the MK9 originally), and the size difference is pretty apparant compared to the CW series, the only advantage I would have is more comfortable "boot carry" (remember - I don't like pocket carry). Occassionally I find that clipping a handgun in a thin IWB, single clip style holster into the inside top of my left dress boot (I haven't owned dress shoes in nearly 45 years) the answer to summer time "non-slouchy" casual dress styles. The CW is really a pretty big chunk inside my boot top, whereas the PM would fit as well as the KTP380 that was replaced by the CW9, but that is just a small inconvenience to have a nice slim single stack 8 round handgun (7+1) that fits my short stubby bear paws as well as the single stack Kimber and single stack Sig (both 7+1 also)..... and has been as reliable (if not more so) as any handgun I've ever owned.

So, where am I going with this long winded blather???? Oh.... I remember... it's all a matter of what you consider your personal needs. Myself, ALL of hy handgun purchases are purpose driven. For that matter, ALL of my FIREARMS purchases are purpose driven. I actually do use, or have a true dedicated purpose for every firearm I own, even if a few only see daylight now a couple of times per year. All of my guns are either for some type of defensive application, hunting uses, or a daily work tool (I carry a snubbie every day during snake season loaded for mr. no-shoulders). You may not carry 24/7 like some of us, so your "needs" may be different. Your guns may only see occassional use at the range, or only on your own property, or may be religated to the glove box of your daily ride. You have to evaluate your personal needs and how to dress around your gun if you plan to carry concealed, and your budget. If budget is no concern.... buy 'em all:D

surv:)

p.s. Bawanna, Jocko and Wyn may have the highest post count, but I can hold my own with the useless drivel word count:D

[franco45]

I don't have any experience with the PM but I bought a CW recently and I am very impressed with this little gun.

[Bawanna]

"p.s. Bawanna, Jocko and Wyn may have the highest post count, but I can hold my own with the useless drivel word count "

Mr. Surveyor I didn't see a single useless drivel word in your whole message.
Your exactly on the mark with some good solid stuff to think about and consider. Well thought out.
I'm gonna try real hard to think up something really smart and intelligent to write pretty soon. I'm proud to share the same air with ya.

[wyntrout]

Dang, that boot carry deal must cut down your shorts wearing. I know it gets hot in Texas.
Wynn:D

[deadhead1971]

The PM9 has more options. With the 6 rd mag, the PM9 can be pocket carried in a pocket holster. Or you can use the 7 rd mag, and your pinkie does not dangle. Or you can get an extension for your 6 rd mag and pocket carry and get your pinkie almost on it (see photo). In other words, you can't really cut a larger gun down but you can get extensions to make a smaller gun fit your hand better and still have the option to go small subcompact.

[brycewise]

i have considered going the "covert route" as I live in south Florida, winter and heavy clothing is limited to about two week out of the year. Im not really a big fan of pocket carry either (too slow, hard to get a proper grip, etc...) sometimes its just so damned convenient. I am still leaning more toward the CW. I am going to attend a gun show next month (on the 12th) what would be a fair price for both? Also do they haggle their? I have never bought from a show before?

[wyntrout]

I've seen the CW9 as low as $379.99 at gun shows here... the 14th of this month in Jacksonville. I haven't seen plain PM9's. You can check Buds, or GunBroker, or others online and look for the lowest prices there, but you might find one cheaper at a show or local dealer. I've heard that there's at least one dealer down there with a supply at decent prices. I'm sure someone will add their input here. Good luck.
Wynn:)

[Tilos]

Florida Gun Exchange and other Florida Dealers list Kahrs on the GunsAmerica site

GunsAmerica - Kahr Pistols - Guns For Sale & Gun Auctions B"H (http://www.gunsamerica.com/Search/Category/377/2/Guns/Pistols/Kahr-Pistols.htm)

Just sayin'
Tilos

[O'Dell]

I'd go with the CW. I can pocket carry mine if I not wearing jeans. I shot a rental PM9 at my range, and didn't like the pinky dangle. I can grip my Cw just fine.

[jreXD9]

I have the PM9 and the CW9 and the CW45. Between the 9's, if I could have only one it'd be the PM9. For some reason I'm more accurate with it vs. the CW9......but I still shoot my CW45 better than either of the 9's.
You can pocket carry the PM in just about anything while the CW will be tight in jeans. It can be done, just not as comfortably. If I'm pocket carrying the PM it has the short mag in it. If it's in my OWB holster I have the extended mag in it and the extra mag in my pocket. With the extended mag my pinky does not hang over. The difference in size WILL come into play occasionally, in regards to whether you're going to be able to conceal carry or not. For that reason alone, I'd go with the PM. I traded my pretty little Sig P238 w/Rosewood grips for my PM9 and am quite happy that I did.

[jlottmc]

Dang, that boot carry deal must cut down your shorts wearing. I know it gets hot in Texas.
Wynn:D

Shorts? What are these shorts that you speak of. FYI, not much has changed around here since you left Wynn, men folk that work for a living, 99 times out of 100 wear pants. A bunch of us just don't have the legs for shorts, and they become a thing to wear around the house on a lazy day.

[wyntrout]

Good point. I resemble your last sentence, but I still wear mine all of the time. I guess you saw that picture of me and the wife out in the driveway surrounded by snow in the mountains of Colorado around Christmas... in shorts and a Tee... and clogs. SHE was all bundled up... it was below 30° and windy.
Wynn:D

[mr surveyor]

Shorts? What are these shorts that you speak of. FYI, not much has changed around here since you left Wynn, men folk that work for a living, 99 times out of 100 wear pants. A bunch of us just don't have the legs for shorts, and they become a thing to wear around the house on a lazy day.


it's been almost 40 years since I wore shorts for anything but water skiing, and even then it was either gym shorts (8 miles a day pounding pavement) or cut off blue jeans. I never had "store bought" short britches. Now days, I keep a couple of pairs of ragged cut offs made from cargo pants or jeans that I will wear in doors occassionally. Even without a belt I just clip my IWB holster in and all is well around the homestead. When I was a teen, I was so dark I could have blended in with our current crop of uninvited nation guests. Now, even Casper the friendly ghost has to wear his shades if he sees me wearing shorts in a well lighted area:D

[jlottmc]

Surv, I resemble that remark. I have blinded people when I drop my britches. To say I glow would be a slight understatement. Wynn, I do cold weather pretty well, and would have a picture or two like that if I wore shorts.

[Bawanna]

If money isn't an issue (yeah right) I'd go with the PM. More versatility. Then get the CW, then the PM45, then maybe a Kimber, perhaps an M1.

[Bawanna]

I thought some more, I'd get the CW, then when you got money to burn, get the PM and then the PM45, and maybe a Wilson 1911, or a Dan Wesson Vbob, or a Schofield.......

Probably not much help huh?

[josp]

I have and carry both. The CW has been "coverted" and is used with the 7 round PM extended mag whilst on the belt or shoulder rig. The PM carries the flush 6 rounder on my ankle, primarily as a backup, but will go pocket when in shorts and the terrain does not call for a full load of armament. Love them both.