CM9 good choice for replacing .38 snub?

[RAINS]

Nearly bought a used ss mk9 a few years ago but came home with a new S&W 638 .38 snub instead. Have never been able to shoot that thing well. My trigger finger always gets pitched at the end of the stroke when firing it DA. It's also a little thick. Anyway it has to go.
I live in a free state so I carry 99% of the time. Currently I use a Glock 27 most of the time and a G21 in a shoulder setup in the winter or when going into a bad area. I need a good smaller gun.
I'm looking at maybe getting a CM9 in a month or two. Any thoughts? I don't expect to shoot it huge amounts and also don't expect it to be a tach-driver. Just want a little pistol for those times when I can't pack my G27. That 27 is one thick pistol!
One more thing is it worth it to step up to a PM9 over the CM9?? I really don't care about looks but I do care about how well it shoots!

Thanks for any input!

[jocko]

buy the3 cm9. never look back will shoot exactly the same, quality the same i both..

[OldLincoln]

Agree with Jocko. The CM9 is first choice in 9mm carry guns. CM9 design with apparent improved manufacturing quality and a great price. Park it in a Silent Thunder IWB and it disappears.

[JFootin]

They are the same gun. The ONLY reasons to go for the PM9 instead of the CM9 are if you cannot live without a Lothar Walther match grade barrel with polygonal rifling, you have to have it all black and/or with factory installed night sights, or you cannot live with the pinned plastic front sight on the CM9 (which can be replaced with a Tritium or fiber optic front sight). Decide if you need any of those 4 things. But there is ZERO difference in overall quality in these guns.

[Bill K]

Welcome to KahrTalk!

I have the PM9 but being as frugal as I am if I were buying today I'd most likely go for the CM9. Can't imagine that the average shooter noticing or finding one model shooting better than the other.

[slowpoke]

I'd go for the CM9. Dam good gun and you can pocket carry it in the right pants.

[jocko]

They are the same gun. The ONLY reasons to go for the PM9 instead of the CM9 are if you cannot live without a Lothar Walther match grade barrel with polygonal rifling, you have to have it all black and/or with factory installed night sights, or you cannot live with the pinned plastic front sight on the CM9 (which can be replaced with a Tritium or fiber optic front sight). Decide if you need any of those 4 things. But there is ZERO difference in overall quality in these guns.

those things BELLS AND WHISTLES, basic two guns are the same, shooter will never feel or see any difference in groups trigger system. Had it been available my thread would be saying 32,000 rounds out of my CM9, no doubt in my mind..:third:

[RAINS]

Ok cool. Will start saving. 32k rounds out of a pm9?!!! And people say Kahr's don't last! Then again MOST people DID vote for, well umm you know. I need to get that J-frame sold!

R

[GCT00427]

I actually traded a S&W 642 no lock and a little boot for the CM9 and I could not be more pleased. The CM conceals much better in a pocket than the 642. The little J Frames are great guns though.

Regards,

Chuck

[yqtszhj]

CM9 and don't look back. I love mine.

[wyntrout]

The CM9 or PM9 will be a great improvement if you can shoot it enough to get comfortable and accurate enough with it. 6+1 with decent defense ammo and cheap FMJ for the range make it a great choice.
I use Speer 124-grain Gold Dots Short Barrel version, for 3" barrels, in my PM9. The bullets are bonded and have a great record with some major police departments and a lot of Kahrtalk members.

Wynn:)

[Bear549]

As a fairly new CM-9 owner, I can say that you will not be disappointed in the CM-9 as your main carry gun. I am all about the Glocks, but the CM-9 is just so much nicer to carry and you do not feel under gunned. You have to step down to a .380 in order to get a firearm that is easier to carry and there has not been a situation to where I cannot carry the CM-p.

[RAINS]

yeah J-frames are great little guns. Hope I can trade mine for a CM9!

[Brad737]

My Self Defense Theorem:

7 rounds of 9mm > 5 rounds of .38

[Longitude Zero]

CM9 all the way.

[Rubb]

CM9, I have the PM because the CM wasn’t around yet.

[Brad737]

In all seriousness, I have several small guns in the CCW wardrobe. I have a S&W 642 which I do carry from time to time. But I prefer semiautos. I have a PM9 and a CM9. The PM obviously costs a little more to produce. But they shoot almost exactly the same. The triggers feel identical, which I find pretty impressive. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my PM9. But honestly, I wouldnt recommend it over the CM. The CM is almost $250 cheaper. That's a LOT of practice ammo. Or, you can get a Crimson Trace and a CM9 for the price of the PM9. Like I said, I love the PM9. But the CM9 offers a whole lot more value.

[jocko]

ur right on all counts brad. triggers are identical, accuracy in each is far better than any shooter can get out of it. weight the same, looks damn near the same, price BIG BIG DIFFERENCE.. Now kahr is even giving to new buyers a extra magazine free and not one of those butt ugly 7 round extended magaziners either..

[heeler]

I bought my PM9 in January of this year and the CM9 was just a talked about maybe rumor.
I bought the PM9 with night sights and to be frank I would gladly do it again without hesitation even if the CM9 was available at the time I bought it.
The better finish,non MIM slide stop pin,and factory installed and sighted night sights are enough for me and at the end of the day if worse comes to worse,a much better resale value.
Everybody has a different financial plateau they peak at when it comes to laying down hard earned cash.
This is something I well understand as once upon a time I lived on eggs,potatoes,pasta,and the deer I killed to eat and get by on for life sustenance.
Those hard days are fortunately behind me now.
Good luck.
Still I love my PM9 and will probably never part with it.
It's that damn good!!

[jocko]

every sight on a kahr is factory sighted in, but not what u think. kahr test fires every gun for groups. they really don't move the sights one way or the other. I would suspect theser kahr sight installers have done it enough to do it in their sleep and no sight adjustments need be made. The PM9 receives no special sight treatment than the cm9 or cw kahr. One can't go wrong buying a PM9, it is what it is, kahrs finest gun but internals of the cm and cw are the same as the pm or P series kahrs. I love my PM9 but had the cm9 been availaible I would have bought it, for it is what it is one hell of a great gun, a super shootrer and has been less problmatic out of the box to my knowledge than any polymer kahr made. Kahr has learned something over the years and applied it to the cm9. both the kahr barrels bge they polygonal rifled or standard rifled will shoot better thgan any kahr shooter can do with it. Actually many would rather have the standard rifle barrel over the polygonal barrel. That is a barrel debate that IMO can be argued a long time with no firm proof of which is better, certainly no more accurate , one over the other. I am pretty sure that snice the cm9has come to the dealer shelves, that we are reading more of cm9 buyers today than PM9 buyers. Not sure it is only due to a big saving in cost but IMO one who has studied and read up on both knows now that both guns are basically the same in top quality and reliability, so why not save the 200+ bucks. Kahrs are not show guns but higth quality tools that will save u live if needed..

[allglock]

Well after buying a Seecamp LWS 380, and shooting it, and having failures to feed and split cases, I will continue to carry my S&W 342 J- frame. My PM9 has always run good, but for some reason , I always go back to the J-Frame, for pocket carry.
If Kahr EVER gets my PM40 right, I will carry that, as it has never had a failure, and is the best size to power ratio handgun built today.
If Larry Seecamp could get it right with the LWS 380, I would retract the previous statement.

[MikeG]

I wanted a 340pd for years, but was finally convinced that a small 9mm equaled or bettered a 2" .38 +p or even .357 mag for effectiveness. After I saw the pm9 in black with trijicon night sights I knew I'd regret a cm9 more than I ever would spending the extra $300. I tend to keep guns for a long long time though. Still have the mkI .22 I shot my first rabbit with 32 years ago :p Among others... But yes even if I had a j frame I'd carry a cm/pm9 instead. Very nice package with an awesome trigger

[Chowser]

woo hoo. CM9 vote here. I told my sergeant to order me one back in March. He called me yesterday and said one of his wholesale sources finally got two in so he ordered them both. So I am hoping it gets here on Monday.

[Brad737]

Nobody has EVER said a 9mm is more effective than a .357 Magnum. The .357 is still the most effective handgun round. 97% one-shot stopping percentage.



I wanted a 340pd for years, but was finally convinced that a small 9mm equaled or bettered a 2" .38 +p or even .357 mag for effectiveness.

[les strat]

I agree on the .357 being more effective than 9mm with shot placement being equal. Newer 9mm+p SD rounds have proven to exceed the .40 ACP in many studies however.
As far as the CM9, mine has been great since break-in. I have a ST and a Trijicon front night sight, and I am very proud of the little fella. I would not get rid of my 642 though. Having a wheel gun or four around is never a bad thing. To be honest, my 642 hides better in my pocket than the CM9. I just can't hit with it for anything more than 15 ft, which is enough for SD purposes.

And for the post earlier saying the PM9 had a better finish... Not true. Same satin SS finish on both (unless your PM is black).

[stiletto]

I have the CW9, CM9, LCP and several Glocks in 45 and 40 caliber. Love them all. While I will add new guns to my collection, and sell off ones that I don't care for, I will never be without my trusty and 100% reliable J-frame 642. Cause when even the most trusty semi-auto pocket rocket decides to misbehave once in a while, pop a spring or break a mag catch, perhaps needing a trip back to the mothership, I know I can unquestionably fall back on the "five for sure" reliability of a Smith and Wesson revolver to "carry on".

[MikeG]

Nobody has EVER said a 9mm is more effective than a .357 Magnum. The .357 is still the most effective handgun round. 97% one-shot stopping percentage.

I said "equaled or bettered" and I'll stand by my statement that +p or +p+ 124 grain 9mm will make as big and as deep a hole as will most 125 gr. .357 mags fired out of a 2 inch or less barrel that also is suitable for self defense (read: controllable follow-ups). Yes it's a whole new ballgame if you pull out a 4 inch service revolver but we're talking about snubs and the cm 9 does compete.

[Bawanna]

Mike, our skin is much thicker than that, at least most of us. I can't see anyone being offended by your statement.
We're open to personal opinions around here and are firm believers in to each his own.

[MikeG]

Sorry, bawanna I was editing as you replied:o but the short answer to the OP is still "yes"

[.45fan]

Ok cool. Will start saving. 32k rounds out of a pm9?!!! And people say Kahr's don't last! Then again MOST people DID vote for, well umm you know. I need to get that J-frame sold!

R

What dash number is the 638?
If it is a 638-2 I might be interested.

[ltxi]

..........After I saw the pm9 in black with trijicon night sights I knew I'd regret a cm9 more than I ever would spending the extra $300......

I completely understand that. I was thinking the same thing as I read through this thread. Fortunately, or not, I was spared that decision when I bought my PM9...black/ns...three years ago.