Anything better for me than a Kahr K9?

[tek610]

I've been researching my next carry piece for what feels like months now, and I think I've arrived at a decision. But before I make my move, I figured I'd consult my favorite forum and tap into all the wonderful gun wisdom found here on THR.

I recently purchased a Walther PPS (after tons of research and shooting) for my wife to carry, and we both love it. But I want a different pistol, to keep our collection diverse.

I've arrived at the Kahr K9 because it seems to be as close to the perfect carry weapon (for me) that I can find. No pistol is absolutely perfect, and I think I'm fully aware of the downsides of the K9, but- well, we'll see after I get some more advice.

I want metal. Steel preferably, but I would consider alloy. I like the idea of a soft-shooter for more range fun, and quicker second-shot acquisition. I have a great gun belt, so the added weight compared to a similarly sized polymer won't bother me.

9mm. I currently carry a Glock 21, and .45 ammo is expensive. With the wife's PPS, we can buy 9mm in bulk and shoot more.

Slim, single-stack. My G21 can feel like a cinderblock on my waist sometimes. Summer carry is difficult at best.

DAO. Since I'm used to the Glock, I don't want to learn a new trigger style. I like shooting all types, but for carry and defense, I want simple and consistent.

No external safety. Again, simple and consistent. Just like the Glock and the PPS.

Small, but not TOO small. I like to get all three non-trigger fingers on the grip.

Now, I'm aware of some drawbacks:

Some don't like the trigger, but I understand it's smooth. Long, but smooth. I've shot a CW9, but I don't really remember exactly how it felt. I think I could get used to it. I own and frequently shoot a S&W revolver. Similar to the Kahr trigger, but even heavier.

I've heard that the mags tend to shed their contents when carried loose, but I don't intend to carry a spare mag, at least not for the forseeable future. That could change, though. If I did, I wouldn't carry it loose in a pocket.

The price- yes it's a costly compared to other options, but if it's as well built as folks claim, I'm willing to pay the premium for a well-crafted machine. If I go ahead with it, I'd want the elite version.

Is there anything I'm missing? It seems to fit the bill more than anything else I've seen available.

I'm not a wealthy man, so I tend to look at purchases like this as an investment, and I like to have all of my bases covered before I make a 700-800 dollar mistake.

Heck, I'll research a pair of socks before I go shopping. It drives my wife nuts!

Thanks friends. Again, I LOVE this forum. There is none better IMO.

tek610

 

[ponchsox]

K9 is a fine choice. You pretty much summed it up well. The only other negative I can think of is it can be heavy for some as a carry piece. If you look around there are great deals on used NYPD trade ins.

 

[MagicD]

Had one which I added Elite trigger and Big Dot nite sights...eventually sold it for weight and trigger issues.replaced with pre 70 Colt LWC... JMHO

 

[ZGunner]

I know it doesn't meet some of your criteria but have you looked at the M&P Shield? I've been trying to find one since I heard about it. I love my M&P 9c so much but I'd like to have a slim version.

I believe there is a very good review of it by a member of this site, complete with video.

 

[tek610]

I should add: I'm looking to buy brand new. For this purchase, not interested in the risks of a used weapon.

Zgunner- I initially considered the Shield, which by all accounts seems to be a fine gun. But where I live (and online) it seems I'm more likely to find Jimmy Hoffa than a Shield for sale. If I ever get a chance to buy one, I probably will. If I don't like it, reselling it would be a piece of cake..

 

[JERRY]

The K9 is about all that you could ask for especially given your criteria.

the all steel Kahrs leave nothing to want except for weight for those whom want to pocket carry.

 

[tek610]

Twinny-

I didn't realize that, thanks for the info. I've owned and frequently shot my Glock for more than a decade with zero failures.

I've never owned a steel pistol before. I like the idea of the heft a steel gun would provide.

It's something I will take into consideration. Thanks.

 

[mic_poo]

I've just recently been looking at the P9. I like the lighter package of the poly frame, with the longer (than the PM) grip.

I've loved all my kahrs.

 

[CZ57]

Check out some online dealers like Bud's. You should be able to find a Shield. It's the best pistol in this size class. Better even than the PPS and I have experience with both.

 

[speedway]

The k9 is a good gun.

I paid about 400 otd for my old one.

Heavy and solid piece.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The K9 is a very nice gun with the only downside for some being the extra weight.

The K9 is Kahr's flagship model and has had any issues addressed long ago. I carry a CW9 because I was looking for something to replace my S&W M642 (alloy frame) and have been pretty happy as the CW9 is more accurate and has a trigger closer to a K-frame (I did have my Kahr cleaned up a bit).

I have a couple of friends who choose the K9 over the P or CW because they found it battered their hand less during training classes or long practice sessions. My only regret in choosing the CW over the P (based on price) is that I like it so much that I wish I had the more stylish engraving and contouring on the slide.

It shares time with my Springfield EMP as the gun which I most often carry

 

[kokapelli]

I purchased a K9 when they first came out and it has been flawless over all these years, but I would not buy one now simply because of it's limited ammo capacity.

 

[340PD]

You said you like revolver triggers. That said, you should love a well broken in Kahr. My PM9 is like shooting a S&W revolver with the best trigger job in the world. Mine is long, but smooth as silk. Shooting my Kahr and transitioning to my 340PD is easy for me.

 

[k_dawg]

CM9 here.

While it is the polymer frame and the 'less fancy' slide/barrel, the trigger is perhaps the closest semi-auto to a good DOA revolver.

Since it is not a range gun, and is now my minimum/concealed carry, I wanted the weight savings over the metal frames.

 

[verdun59]

You should buy it. The grip fits naturally into your hand , at least mine did. It shoots well and the trigger gets better. In a rare fit of stupidity I sold mine to buy a Glock (which is long gone) and it's the only gun I wish I had not sold. It is a little heavy but you seem to be aware of that, so hey you're good to go. It's a good choice.

 

[Jim PHL]

Another choice that fits your criteria would be a Smith & Wesson 3953. This is the DAO version of their extremely popular 3913, which has a TDA trigger system. The only point of criteria that would be hard to meet would be finding one new in the box as they've not been made for a few years. (Spare parts are plentiful and reasonably priced so no issues there.) I would think you could easily find one in the $325-$375 range, possibly even lower for a "shooter", maybe as high as $400 if you did find one NIB. I have owned more than one of these and would personally not go that high unless it was in pristine condition and only then if I was interested in it as a collectible. I once bought 2 that were pretty much identical, only a couple hundred serial numbers apart, and paid less than $650 out the door for the pair. (One mag each, no boxes.)

The first gun I bought when I got my carry permit years ago was a Kahr K40. I thought it was the perfect combination of size, weight, capacity and ease of use. I still feel that way, actually. It 's a great gun; accurate and reliable and fun to shoot due to it's weight relative to its size. (I'm not sure of the term I'm looking for but it has to do with size/weight ratio; i.e.: a 32 oz gun that's __this big vs a 32 oz gun that's __this big.)

Anyway, I moved away from it only because of moving away from the .40 S+W caliber in general and not due to any dis-satisfaction with the gun. I have since then considered a K9 occasionally but really like the "3rd Generation" S+W's and have stuck mainly with them. You'll find the Smith to be close in height, length and width to the Kahr but lighter due to the aluminum frame vs. the Kahr's steel. Pro's and con's for both choices there.

I am not saying either is better or worse than the other. I think you'd be very happy with either or both. Just that if you are looking for options that fit your criteria you might want to check one out before making your final decision. Good luck in your search.

 

[c1ogden]

But I want a different pistol, to keep our collection diverse.

I can understand that but there's a lot to be said for commonality. I have duplicates of almost all of my carry guns and I always take both when I travel. If one goes down I have another that I can just drop into the same holster and use the same mags for. A few years ago I had one of my Kahr K9s go down with a broken firing pin during a qualification shoot. I was able to finish the shoot with my other K9 and the second one became my carry gun until I got the parts to repair the first one. Redundancy is good!

 

[tek610]

Thanks friends!

Still researching (until I have the money to drop- hopefully within the next month).

I figure if I have enough to buy the pricey Kahr, I'll have enough to buy most alternatives if I change my mind.

The Smith 3953 is intriguing. How is the trigger on those?

If I could find one to shoot, or if I found one to buy that I could inspect before risking my money on a used gun, it might be a viable alternative. Folks that own 'em really seem to love 'em (same with the DA/SA 3913).

Decisions, decisions.

I love all the advice, guys. I'll keep y'all posted when I make my move.

Until then, keep it coming- I dig all the opinions...

TEK

 

[Girodin]

DAO. Since I'm used to the Glock, I don't want to learn a new trigger style.

The K9 is a good guns and should serve you well. However, the trigger pull is not anything like that of a glock. It is a longer pull and a much longer reset.

 

[tek610]

The K9 is a good guns and should serve you well. However, the trigger pull is not anything like that of a glock. It is a longer pull and a much longer reset.

That's true- I understand that. I guess my point was, I like the consistent trigger pull, and would prefer it over DA/SA..

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Rembrandt]

Another alternative would be the Boberg.....I love mine!

http://www.bobergarms.com/

 

[Girodin]

For my money I would (and did) buy a kahr before the Boberg. While the Boberg is inovative and there is a degree of exclusivity in owning one, the only thing it offers that a CM9, or MK9 if you want steel, doesn't is a very slight dimensional difference and perhaps 50 feet per second. It is a largely unproven design that had early reports of reliability issues and has very limited support. One can also buy a Kahr today.

 

[usp9]

Another Model that gives you everything the K9 offers is the T9. One advantage the T9 has over the K9 is that it comes with the "elite" trigger as standard. It also has a longer barrel/sightline and a extra round in the longer grip. The only disadvantages are the larger size to conceal and lack of any alternative grip panels.

The K9 is a great size, available with three grips styles, has a Crimson Trace laser available and many types of sights. Holsters are easier to find.

Having said that, and know the heft anf weight is a factor, I'd suggest that the TP9 is another great model from Kahr. I enjoy shooting it more than either my K9 or T9. If I were to carry a Kahr it would probably be a P9 or my favorite TP9.

No bad choice in any of them. It's a matter of preferences.

 

[tarosean]

Polymer frames last longer, as do slides that impact upon polymer frames. Alloy frames crack pretty early on in their service lifes, and steel ones crack (and cause cracked slides) a lot earlier than polymer slides. The more compact the gun, the worse such impacts and shortened life span is.

You got any proof to those claims or just anecdotal evidence?

 

[Kahr33556]

Have you looked at the nano.I have not looked at it yet just throwing it out there