New Member and a PM9 review

[Replay13]

Hi everyone,

I just got a Kahr PM9 a few days ago. I would like to say first that I love it so far! I'm 62 yrs old and have had a few guns and reloaded since I was a kid.

Ok, first I cleaned and relubed the pistol then off to the range with a few hundered rounds of different cheap ammo. I'm happy to say that the pistol functioned perfectly from the start with all brass cased ammo! Now I have to report that it did have some problems with the aluminum case Blazers, the Blazers funtioned 100% with the 6 round mag, but with the 7 round mag they would jam with the nose down (bullet on the bottom of the feed ramp) sometimes, but only with the 7 round mag. I fired out of one mag then the other all day 250 rounds. More on this problem later.

I found the pistol be way more accurate then I expected, that is always nice! The recoil was a lot milder then I expected also, 250 rounds and I could have shot another 250 rounds with no problems... well my fingers was slightly sore from pushing the rounds (loading) in the magazines. I had the Blazers, Remington UMC, Fedral, and PMC rounds, all 115 gr. Ok, the next day I took the magazines apart and seen where the spring was roated 180 degrees from where it should have been on the 7 round mag... this would put more pressure nose down on the magazine follower and maybe would have caused the problem feeding with the more sticky aluminum Blazer cases? Anyways I don't plan on spending anymore $$$ on the non-reloadable Blazer ammo just to test it and like I said it has been 100 % perfect with all the other brass cased ammo and all my reloads! Also I would like to mention that the point of aim was about as perfect as it can get. I wish my XDM 40 was that close, lol... it likes to shoot slightly left and about 5 inches high at 25 yrs. I shot the PM9 at 10 yards on paper then at some hanging steel plates at the 25 yr mark. Even the cheap ammo and my poor offhand shooting would hold all the rounds under 3 inches at 10 yrds!

I don't know if many people here reload but I'll list some testing here that I have done so far. I looked all around town for some self-defence type ammo and didn't find anything. Then looked for some reloading dies and some gold dots to reload, I have lots of powder and primers. I really hate to spend $100 for ammo just to test its function, the more for ammo to carry. Well I didn't find any speer gold dots to reload either! But I did find some Hornady 115 gr XPT's. I had some Hodgdons longshot powder that looked good on their web page for the 9mm. Starting load was 5 grains and max load was at 6 grains, I loaded few up to 5,5 grains to test then went to a friends house that has a chronograph (its half mine, lol) Anyways I shot some of the Remington UMC 115 gn and some of the PMC 115 gr for reference. Both was running about the same at 1030 fps. The long shot at 5.5 grs was running about the same 1033 for 10 shots. Today I bumped the load up to 5.8 grs and shot a few of them for a adverage of 1097. This is not a +P loading, max at 6 grs was listed at 32,300 psi on Hodgdon web page. I'm sure it would have been a 100 fps faster out of a 4 inch barrel but I am happy with it out of this short of a barrel, over penetration don't gain anything.
Anyone chronograph any standered ammo and compare it to +P ammo? I would be interested in the results.

Bottom line, this is a very good small pistol and I am very happy with it!
James (Replay13)
ok, now I can go read some of the forum here! lol

[Dietrich]

Hello my friend and welcome to the forum.You have purchased a fine firearm in the PM9.It is likely the most discussed and loved model on KahrTalk.I too reload for 9mm using Universal Clays powder at an average of 1075 fps with Montana Gold 115 gr.JHP. I`ve never done a chronograph test on standard vs. +P but that would be an interesting experiment.Some of the members here may already have the answer or at least a link to a website that does.:)

[rkirk]

Welcome, and a great range report! You have the other Kahr I want. Shoot safe!

-- Richard

[garyb]

Welcome. Glad to hear you had good luck with your new Kahr. Check out the CTL.

[Replay13]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. Dietrich, how do you like the Montana Gold 115 gr. JHP bullets, and have you done any expansion test with them? The price at about $100 a thousand sounds pretty good. I have shot a lot of the plated Berry bullets for practice in my .40 they shoot good but would only use them for practice. Also do you use the Montana Gold bullets for carry?
Thanks James (Replay13)

[Dietrich]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. Dietrich, how do you like the Montana Gold 115 gr. JHP bullets, and have you done any expansion test with them? The price at about $100 a thousand sounds pretty good. I have shot a lot of the plated Berry bullets for practice in my .40 they shoot good but would only use them for practice. Also do you use the Montana Gold bullets for carry?
Thanks James (Replay13)
The answer is no to both questions.It might be interesting to do some expansion tests just to see what transpires.I`ll let you know how it goes when I get to the range.For carry purposes,I either carry Speer Gold Dot or Remington Golden Saber both in 124 grain +P.I have read that if you carry self defense hand loads it may be damaging in a court of law if,God forbid,you ever had to shoot someone.An anti-gun D.A. might try to make the point that you purposefully loaded the round "hot" to inflict more injury, thereby raising the question of pre-meditation on your part.The jury may then view you as less a victim and more of an aggressor just looking for an excuse to shoot somebody. As you well know,some DA`s have political aspirations and don`t care if they destroy a few people`s lives on their way up.When I bought the jhp bullets from Montana Gold instead of fmj,it was because the price was only a couple of dollars more.They have performed as well as I could have asked them to.I like Montana Gold bullets and the same goes for Precision Delta bullets.The two companies make very good products at reasonable prices.

[Tilos]

Replay13:
Welcome, especially to another reloader.
I don't load defense ammo and found some Remington 115HP at Walleyworld to shoot out of the PM9 to function test HPs.
I have a CW9 range gun for more trigger time and can shoot lead through it.

I don't ever shoot re-loads through my Kahrs:rolleyes:.
But if I did, I would probably use W231 or HP38 for jacketed and unique for lead.
With another gun, not a Kahr:o, I had to use a faster powder (bullseye) to lower the point of impact for fixed sights at 7-10 yards.
just sayin'
Tilos

[recoilguy]

Welcome, It is great to get a new pistol that you are happy with Congrats!!!

reloading is a way to stay in the sport when you are not shooting. Enjoy the gun the reloading and this site.

RCG

[Replay13]

Replay13:
I don't ever shoot re-loads through my Kahrs:rolleyes:.
But if I did, I would probably use W231 or HP38 for jacketed and unique for lead.
Tilos

LOL.. for a guy that doesn't reload you know a lot about it! That is a good powder, acually it was so good that Hodgons put the same powder under two labels!
It will be a while before the loading books catch up with the reloaders. For a full power load longshot is one of the best also.
*update* Range report, another trip to the range and box of Remington and a box of the 115 gr XTP reloads... the pistol is still running 100%, this is a really nice pistol!
Interesting thing I saw out there... a guy was shooting a 9mm and his wife was shooting a .380. Yep, by mistake he loaded a clip full of the .380's in his 9mm. I think he got 3 shots off before he realized his mistake. They was firing ok, but not enough power to eject. Anyways he went back to shooting 9mm in it again and it was fine.
James (Replay13)

[kramm]

Welcome to the forum. Congrats. on your pm9. Nice range report also.

[Tilos]

Replay13:

I always like to read range reports.
Oh, I reload a lot, just not for my Kahrs;).
Shooting reloads voids the warrentee:eek:.

So, how did the point of impact/point of aim match up with your reloads?
At what distance were you shooting?

There is a new Reloading (or is it Loading?) forum here, at the botttom of the list, check it out.

just sayin'
Tilos

[Replay13]

Hello again Tilos and thanks to everyone for the welcome,

Its not just Kahr, all the guns I have bought lately says the warranty will be voided if you shoot reloads in them. This was a good year I got 3 new pistols! Well actually the P238 Kimber the wife claims. Most factroy ammo I've shot seems pretty safe... but I bought a box of WWB at walmart for my .40 (wanted the brass) and I wound up pulling the bullets instead of shooting them. I found that the bullets was too loose in the case and setback from chambering and recoil can be serious in a high pressure round. Anyways I don't buy anymore WWB, but the price was cheaper then I could have bought the brass for and I always liked Winchester Brass. Anyways I know what goes into my reloads!

The Kahr was right on with the reloads also, the center of the group might have been slightly lower with the hotter of the two reloads, and the Hornady bullets are always some of the most accurate that I've seen. All my paper testing has been done at 10 yards. I have shot on a dirt bank at the end of the pistol range at 25 yards and you can see your hits and the point of aim is about as good as it gets at 25 yrds also. Some guy was shooting at a golf ball at about 12 yrds or so and I got it on the 4th shot with the Kahr. They really fly when you get a hit on them. That one went over the 25 yd bank! lol.

Thanks for the heads up and I'll check out the Reloading/Loading forum. Strange that we should have one here... I guess that is why we go by aliases here! lol
J**** (Replay13)

[rkirk]

I have over 900 rounds through my CW9 and only 150 are factory! The rest are reload, they work quite well.

-- Richard

[Tilos]

Golf balls, my favorite target, they take a lot of hits and with FMJ, the hole heals up to a black smudge.
They fly up the berm when hit, then roll back down.
just sayin'
Tilos