$350: Kahr K9 vs. Sig 239 Help me choose...

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GunNut

GunNut

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I've found both a Kahr K9 Elite 98 and a Sig 239, both in 9mm for $350-ish.

Which of these should I consider buying?

I've currently got a Para LDA Companion .45ACP and a Glock 27. I am looking for something to be a part-time carry gun and a part-time range gun. Will probably in time get rid of the .40S&W for 9mm and .45ACP.

The Kahr is in like new condtition w/2 magazines and factory case w/standard sights. $375 for sure, but maybe $350.

The Sig 239 has some minor scratches, but appears to have been shot very little. Comes with factory box, one magazine and standard sights. $350 for sure, maybe $325 if I work on them.

I like the feel of both guns, have always wanted to own a Sig 228/229, the 239 incorporates a few of the things that I like on the 228/229. I really like the Sig decocker function.

Which gun would you consider to be the best for my intended uses?

I know that Kahr mags are $35, how much are Sig 239 mags?

Help me I've got money burning a hole in my pocket.
 
Have you had a chance to dry fire the guns? Is there a trigger you like better between the two? Does one fit you better? If it were me, I'd go w/ the Kahr.
 
if it were my choice i would pick the P239. my main reason, as goofy as it may be, is you can pull the trigger again on a hard primer with a P239, but you have to rack the slide to be able to fire again with the Kahr. i like double actions better than DAO's too. but hey, thats just me.

Bobby
 
Already been said, get both. If they are in decent condition you will not have a hard time selling the runner up for profit. I wish I could find deals like that.
 
Stop! You have found a smoking deal. Two guns for less than the price of one. Do as Zundfolge advised and buy both … immediately.

~G. Fink
 
Yeah, I may have to find a way to buy both.

Only problem being the Para LDA C7.45 Companion i got yesterday.

Just got back from shooting it. 105 rounds of my 230gr LRN reloads, with 5 piece of crap $7 magazines. To my suprise not one FTF/FTE or anything.

I see the handwriting on the wall, bye bye Glock 27 hello Para Companion.


Steve
 
I've never shot a Kahr, so I have no opinions regarding them.

I love my P239 to death though. Last gunshow I went to had .40 cal magazines going for about $35/ea, about the same as what the local gunstore around here wants. It's fairly prone to limp-wristing, had lots of times when I first bought it where the slide wouldn't go all the way back into battery, I'm gonna say the vast majority of that problem was me and my lousy grip, I was also shooting 180 gr. reloads through it as well. With anything better than Winchester White Box and a firm grip, I haven't been able to make the damn thing choke again yet.

I like the double action trigger pull...SA isn't too bad either, the only thing I'm not a fan of is the long reset, but I've acclimated to that. It's frightenly accurate too, shoots to point of aim without too much effort...I think it's easier to shoot accurately than my Glock 19, for me at least.

Field strip and clean-up is a snap, takedown is easier than any other autoloader I've handled. Like I said, I've never handled a Kahr, but I don't think you could go wrong with either.
 
I'm another shooter who can't offer a comparison to the Kahr, I've never had an opportunity to fire one (yet!).

I've owned a SIG P239 in .40 for about three months now...ditto all the good remarks from other posters...this handgun is reliable and very, very accurate. Take-down and re-assembly are a snap, too. This is my first SIG and my first .40 and I'm very, very pleased on both counts. I've been carrying mine primarily in a Kramer Confidant holster shirt and it's been working GREAT! :)

At $350-ish for the 9mm version...I'd say go for it and quickly!
 
I was in your same boat once. I had narrowed down my choice for a CCW to the Kahr and the 239 also. The price is good on both so if you can buy both, maybe you can work a deal.

I went back and forth on both these guns and I can understand why you can't decide. They are both top notch and either one will be a joy to own and shoot. The Kahr fit my hand much better so I went with it but if I got the SIG, I would have been just as happy I suspect.

Here are the good and bad points that I came up with. These points are only relevent when comparing these two guns and they are only my personal opinion. Your results may vary.

Kahr

Good points:
Better ergonamics. Sits lower in the hand. Points a little more naturally. Has the same pull from shot to shot. Mild recoil due to low bore axis, helps in fast shooting.

Bad points:
Mine was not reliable with all ammo (no CCI Blazer). Very tight tolerences. Mags are expensive. Not as accurate as I have heard (maybe I got one that wasn't a tack driver). Heavy for it's size. No second strike capability.

SIG 239
Good points: Second strike. Decocker. Can be fired single action for accuracy. No safety. Its a SIG! I have heard that they are really accurate.

Bad points:
Sits WAY too high in the hand. Trigger is different from shot to shot. Heavy.

Since you have an Para LDA, the Kahr will feel natural to you. If you want to shoot targets, the SIG will probably be more accurate since you can shoot it in SA mode. If the SIG doesn't feel too bad in your hand, I think it is a fine gun. There is such a difference between the Kahr and the SIG in terms of ergonomics that I find it hard to believe that you didn't notice it. The Kahr is more "evolved" and more thought has been put into its design. The SIG is just an old design in a smaller package.

Hope that helps, in the end, you have to decide for yourself. At that price, it is a win, win situation if you ask me.:D
 
I have owned the P9 and several 239's.The Sig is more accurate than about anything I have owned,shooting single action at the range.I can also say that almost everyone who shoots it is amazed how accurate it is.(Read sights and trigger and pointability have wide acceptance.) The high bore axis,is however a matter of preference. I would carry the Kahr,and take the Sig to the range.The Kahr also feels dimensionally smaller,although the weight differences are not that significant.In the end ,I have one comment-buy a Hi Power!
tracer
 
Jeez, a K9 Elite for $350? :what: I paid $610 for mine.
Anyway that's what I'd recommend, it's thinner, lighter (ok just a little), more comfortable, and simpler to operate than a 239.

But as others have mentioned, at those prices buy both and sell whatever you don't like for a profit.
 
Everyone that said buy both is dead on! I tried out both Kahr and Sig before I made a decision, both were nice, I chose the Sig 239 (9mm).
In my area these were both in the $600 + range, new of course, but I'd mortgage the farm to have both at those prices!
They are both nice pistols, I only picked the Sig for the extra bit of class (snob appeal:rolleyes: ) it had over the Kahr.
 
Anyway that's what I'd recommend, it's thinner, lighter (ok just a little), more comfortable, and simpler to operate than a 239.
Click to expand...

I don't have a bias either way but aside from the Kahr being more confortable, I think most other things are a wash. The SIG is pretty easy to operate, trigger, hammer, decocker, doesn't get all that much simpler. I think weight, size width is pretty equal also. In the end, it is really just a flip of the coin and whatever fits your hand better. There is not much difference in quality so you can't lose. Buy both, you won't be sorry and you can do a side by side test of both guns and report back to us on which is better.
 
Whew! This is a quagmire your in. I own a K9 & 239, both are excellent guns. The K9 is slightly smaller and thinner, so it has a slight advantage for CCW but the 239 is also easy to conceal. I have to go with some of the others and say try to work a deal for them both, at around $325 each, it is one sweet deal!
 
It probably is a g000000000d idea to buy both,price sounds really great. As to what a few have said I am not sure why they are down on the sig ergonomics. It may be a difference in hand size,etc, since I am by no means a expert on guns, I would not dispute what they say. the Sig does fit my hand like a glove ( I have maybe just a little smaller than average size hands). So the ergonomics thing may be related to hand size.. Both guns are a great choice for ccw,so if you can cut a deal for both,do it. You could probably sell either gun for a profit later once you decided which you like better. good shooting
 
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