thinking of trading my j-frame in for a kahr. thoughts?

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The pocket is a hostile environment for anything. Throw in an item that requires gun oil to function properly, and you have a lint collecting device.
Click to expand...

I have pocket carried a P-3AT for years and fire it once a month to rotate ammo and clean it and it has never failed to function. And before the P-3AT it was an NAA guardian or a Barretta both of which always functioned as well.
 
POcket carry with the auto or the revolver requires a little different cleaning routine. Normally I use a very light oil and try to wipe it as dry as I can. Oil or grease will attract dust and lint. Some people recommend a light coat of grease on the frame rails of their autos but I've found the grease attracts and holds lint, dust, and carbon and requires a lot stricter cleaning regimen. If I keep mine dry it seems to help a lot more.

Also, a good holster that fits snugly and doesn't allow a lot of crap to get inside it helps a lot too. I like a good kydex pocket holster. Crap seems to stick to it less and its a lot easier to clean out than leather.
 
Someone asked what I meant when I said the PM40 magazine follower hasn't been resolved.

I was referring to their high failure rate = shattering into 7 pieces for unknown reasons...Call up kahr and pretend you have a PM40. Tell them your followers shattered, you will have a few sent to you no questions asked.

Google the issue. Plenty of problems.
 
Someone asked what I meant when I said the PM40 magazine follower hasn't been resolved.

I was referring to their high failure rate = shattering into 7 pieces for unknown reasons...Call up kahr and pretend you have a PM40. Tell them your followers shattered, you will have a few sent to you no questions asked.

Google the issue. Plenty of problems.
Click to expand...

Here you go

MAG1.jpg
 
Try it first

I bought a KAHR CW9 and eventually sold it. It worked fine, but I found the recoil excessive, even with standard velocity ammo. I think it was the grip width. It was simply too thin for me to shoot comfortably.

Jim
 
This has been an interesting read as I find myself in the EXACT same situation right now as Ian's Dad; I have a 642 for sale in hopes of acquiring a Kahr P9 to use as my 'summer gun' when I want to carry in cargo shorts and a t-shirt. I bought one for my girlfriend to carry as her off duty gun and fell in love with it myself, so I'm on the hunt for one, too.

Interesting points made by everyone, so I thank you for the insight.

What to do, what to do, ooooh what to do ...
 
Don't sell guns that are perfectly good. Buy them. I would keep the revolver for now.
 
"I have a 642 and a 60. I would never sell either one. IMO you should save up your $$$$ and buy the Kahr."
I have to agree with MADDOG. I have a 940 and an orginal Model 40 Centennial. keep em, and save your money and get the PM-9. I got one and love it. You can never have too many!


Kahr PM 9 MM Winchester Ranger SXT 127Gr +P+ JHP's

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http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=476934


Kahr PM 9 MM Second time at the Range

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Took the Kahr PM 9 MM to the range today again to try out some different 9 MM Loads I have at home as well as some reloads.

I chrono'd some Hirtenberger 9mm 100 gr Truncated Soft Ponts, Federal 115Gr JHP's, Federal Premium Hydra-Shock 124 Gr JHP's and some Winchester Ranger SXT 127Gr +P+ JHP's. Below are some photos of the groups at 10 yards and chrono data. The Ranger +P+ felt the hottest and gave a good jolt. You know you were shooting something but it was controllable non the less.


Hirtenberger 9mm 100gr. Truncated Soft Ponts Kahr PM 9 MM 3" Barrel:
1101 fps
1192 1192
1200 1200
1186 1186
1163

Federal 115Gr +P+ JHP's Kahr PM 9 MM 3" Barrel (Federal 9BPLE):
1085 fps
1165 1184
1131 1168
1163
Winchester Ranger SXT 127Gr +P+ JHP's: Kahr PM 9 MM 3" Barrel:
1190 fps
1160 1124
1158 1139
1140

Out of the 2 1/4 " Barrel S&W 940 Federal 115Gr +P+ JHP's ran:
1198 fps
1196
1172
1191
1191
As a control I shot the Winchester Ranger STX 127Gr +P+ JHP's out of a S&W Model 39-2 with a 4" Barrel:
1258 fps
1262 1256
1244 1237
1242


Cast Lead Round Nose with 4.5Grs. Unique ran around 1050 fps and shot pretty well in the Polygonal rifling of the Kahr PM 9 MM.
 
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My PM9 never resolved its problems. So I have snubbies. The PM9 became a G26 and that works for casual belt carry.
 
I carried a stainless steel Interarms Walther PPK in 380 for years never had any problems with it except for aluminum cased Blaser ammo, very accurate, but a very heavy double action trigger pull, sights are too small and a little too heavy for pocket carry. I wished for years that someone would manufacture a pistol in 9mm that was as small and hopefully lighter than the PPK.

I bought a Seecamp in 32 auto, could only use Winchester Silvertips but only had a channel in the top of the slide for sights and I hate guns without sights so I sold it.

I bought a Glock 27 in 40 caliber, and a Glock 36 in 45ACP, both great little guns, light and very reliable and accurate but too big for pocket carry.

I bought a Smith and Wesson 638 Bodyguard in 38 Special and a Ruger SP101 in 38/357 Magnum, both revolvers very accurate and reliable, the Ruger was too big and heavy for pocket carry, the Smith was perfect.

Still I wanted a semi auto for pocket carry so I bought a Kahr PM40 all black with night sights $700+. By the way I own over 20 handguns and in my lifetime have owned or shot probably 50 to 100 and never had any serious problems with any of them. Took the Kahr PM40 to the range, almost every other round failure to return to battery, failure to feed, failure to eject, and after about 500 rounds the magazines started falling apart, plastic followers broke and the back of the metal magazines started tearing out. Sent the gun back to Kahr it comes back, put another 300 or so rounds through it same problems. Sent the gun back to Kahr a second time and it comes back, shoot another 300 or so rounds through it and same problems. Sent the gun back to Kahr for a third time and it comes back shoot 400 or so rounds through it and same problems. That's 1500 rounds of 40 caliber through the gun and it still does not work so much for Kahr's 250 round break in, what a joke. I still have the gun as I could not sell it in good conscience to anyone for self defense, almost totally unreliable. Get on the internet you will find all kinds of similar horror stories along with guys who must have got a good one that are having no problems. By the way Kahr sent me some new magazines, one mag held one round less than the others, so I tore it apart, they had installed two magazine followers one on top of the other.

In my opinion Kahr has such a spotty reputation that I consider them to be junk, I would not recommend them in good conscience to anyone for self defense.
 
Pm9-S&W 642

Ian's Dad:

I have both weapons (PM9-S&W 642) both suitable for CCW carry-both have numerous rounds downrange training/practicing/teaching. Won't get into cartridge "war" but ammo available today make "war" mute between 9mm vs 38 Special etc.

Having said the above, my Kahr PM 9 has 20,000 down the "tube" since purchased new in June 05 (VA59XX). I can practice almost all day long with my PM 9 but I can't achieve the same results practicing with my S&W 642 for more than an hour or so! Literally my 642 (Crimson Trace) hurts the palm of my hand in an hour or so and trigger finger feels numb!

My hands are very small (size 8) and both weapons can be held correctly when practicing. My 642 trigger pull of nearly 13 lbs would tire my right index finger after prolonged practice sessions. A "trip" to American Pistolsmith Guild
Member Alan Tanaka (Gardena, CA) cured my rough trigger pull (9.3 lbs) and no more tired index finger. Prior to his expertise, I had to switch to shooting lefty more times than not because my right index finger felt like stone!!

If I had to make a choice between my Kahr and Smith, well, my Kahr wound up on my CCW permit, my Smith, my nightstand weapon of choice with Crimson Trace grips. Both go bang when the trigger is pulled and have done so from the get go! You couldn't go wrong with either choice! Both are double action and IMHO I wouldn't carry anything that wasn't because it takes a concerted effort to discharge a round double action whereas a stubbed toe, loud bang quite possibly could be responsible for your assets to be "donated" after a miserable long Civil trail or even worse both Civil/Criminal trials!

IMHO - both are easy to conceal (would prefer S&W 642 with 3" barrel), both go bang and the choice is the weapon you feel most comfortable training and carrying.

ken
NRA Life/68
NRA Pistol Instructor/RSO
 
PH/CIB said:
I carried a stainless steel Interarms Walther PPK in 380 for years never had any problems with it except for aluminum cased Blaser ammo, very accurate, but a very heavy double action trigger pull, sights are too small and a little too heavy for pocket carry. I wished for years that someone would manufacture a pistol in 9mm that was as small and hopefully lighter than the PPK.

I bought a Seecamp in 32 auto, could only use Winchester Silvertips but only had a channel in the top of the slide for sights and I hate guns without sights so I sold it.

I bought a Glock 27 in 40 caliber, and a Glock 36 in 45ACP, both great little guns, light and very reliable and accurate but too big for pocket carry.

I bought a Smith and Wesson 638 Bodyguard in 38 Special and a Ruger SP101 in 38/357 Magnum, both revolvers very accurate and reliable, the Ruger was too big and heavy for pocket carry, the Smith was perfect.

Still I wanted a semi auto for pocket carry so I bought a Kahr PM40 all black with night sights $700+. By the way I own over 20 handguns and in my lifetime have owned or shot probably 50 to 100 and never had any serious problems with any of them. Took the Kahr PM40 to the range, almost every other round failure to return to battery, failure to feed, failure to eject, and after about 500 rounds the magazines started falling apart, plastic followers broke and the back of the metal magazines started tearing out. Sent the gun back to Kahr it comes back, put another 300 or so rounds through it same problems. Sent the gun back to Kahr a second time and it comes back, shoot another 300 or so rounds through it and same problems. Sent the gun back to Kahr for a third time and it comes back shoot 400 or so rounds through it and same problems. That's 1500 rounds of 40 caliber through the gun and it still does not work so much for Kahr's 250 round break in, what a joke. I still have the gun as I could not sell it in good conscience to anyone for self defense, almost totally unreliable. Get on the internet you will find all kinds of similar horror stories along with guys who must have got a good one that are having no problems. By the way Kahr sent me some new magazines, one mag held one round less than the others, so I tore it apart, they had installed two magazine followers one on top of the other.

In my opinion Kahr has such a spotty reputation that I consider them to be junk, I would not recommend them in good conscience to anyone for self defense.
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They must ship the good ones to CT. I know a bunch of people who carry Kahr's and have no issues outside of the break in period. If I search for any product on the internet I find horror stories. My car, my tv and had people a lot of people on the internet saying bad things about them.

I am not saying your issues or other peoples issues did not but I would love to see what the actual failure rate is for the guns people bash on these forums.
 
I carry a Kahr PM9 rather than my Colt Detective Special. I've had no issues with the Kahr from day one, but then I never had any issues with my series 2 Detective Special. The Kahr carries easier and fires the 9mm. The Detective Special still makes for a great little dresser gun, or it might get placed in the glove box when traveling. My wife enjoys shooting the .38 as well so it doesn't go unloved at least in my household. I'd go with the Kahr. The PM40 is a bit snappy for such a small package. I haven't fired the PM45, but it would be a handful as well. With the subcompact pistols I prefer a 9mm over the larger round calibers. I also like it better than the new subcompact .380s that are getting to be so popular. The .380 is fun to shoot and has little recoil, but a 9x19 provides the extra punch out of a short barrel that could make a big difference to the schmuck on the receiving end. I don't know that I would get rid of a perfectly good J frame when you could save up the extra dough and have both, but then I seem to keep every pistol and rifle I've ever owned. :D
 
WARRANTY INFORMATION

Glock, Lifetime
Springfield Armory Lifetime
Sig Lifetime
HK Lifetime
Smith & Wesson Lifetime
Kel Tec Lifetime

KAHR FIVE YEARS.
 
There is a live thread http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=502213 where actual Kahr owners are posting about their experiences with the Kahr pistol.

In this thread it seems there are a few anti Kahr people that will look for anything they can find to try to discredit Kahr.

I have serious doubts that most of these anti Kahr posters have ever owned one, but are just biased for one reason or another.

I own two Kahrs and from my personal experience with Kahr pistols would not hesitate to buy another one.
 
I would stack the reliability of MY Kahr K9 against any 5 shot revolver. The only Kahrs to have any kind of problems were the polymer variants. Those issues were well documented and to my knowledge are largely in the past. Not to say that there are not still poly Kahrs that have some issues.

Just because a particular example of a PM9 has failed, doesn't mean they are all bad...:confused:
 
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