Why do I not like Kahrs?

[orangeninja]

I just don't get it. I have a Kahr P9 and so far it has been reliable. The trigger isn't that bad and I dig the sights. But for some reason I keep thinking that I want to trade it for somthing bigger, but I've already got 4 medium to mid size pistols in .40. I have no reason other than it is a little small but hey, its supposed to be. Can someone talk me out of this maddness.

To make matters worse, I picked up a stainless P11 Kel Tec and the trigger was okay. Much better than the old ones I've seen. The capacity is 10+1 as well and it will fit in an ankle holster, my kahr won't without a buldge.

The Kahr is very comfortable to wear, maybe I have not shot it enough to be confident with it. Maybe I need to put a hogue monogrip on it. Maybe I need a beer.

 

[Texas Bob]

Maybe you need to remember "summer is coming", and with it, the Texas heat and sweat. Then you'll be glad the P9 is in an IWB with a t-shirt over it as the sweat just rolls off the polymeyer frame. Shoot it some more.

 

[u084708]

I put an AGrip on my P9 Covert and I really enjoy shooting the Kahr now. It is lightweight, accurate, and has a great trigger. What's not to like?!

 

[wally]

Madness not! Step up to a Kahr PM40! Smaller than the P9 more potent round.

--wally.

 

[Kestrel]

I know what you mean. I bought a K9 Elite and regretted it. I never shot it, so am not speaking from experience, but I just don't like the gun. It feels great, is compact, has good sights, etc., but for some strange reason, I don't want it. (I'm planning to get rid of it.)

I felt it's too large for pocket carry, of course, so if I have to use an IWB holster to carry, I can carry a P7 or Compact 1911 or BHP, nearly as easily. (And I like those better, anyway.)

Guess I'm out of step with the majority...

Steve

 

[orangeninja]

Steve I think I agree with you. I shot another 100 rounds through it today. I simply cannot get excited about this gun. At 33 ft. I can nail a bull's eye, but I have to concentrate. I think I'm gonna sell or trade it.

 

[mini14jac]

Don't sweat it.
I bet we've all been there.
Just like choosing a wife.
Mine is the greatest woman on earth, but she may not be your cup of tea.

I've owned, (and sold/traded) a lot of great guns.
Some that come to mind: Ruger P97, P95, S&W 457, Glock 26.
They were all great guns, just didn't really fit a need/ want that I had.
Do still wish I had the P95 back, though.

Kahr makes great guns.
If this one doesn't light your fire, trade it and move on.
Find the magic!

 

[joell33]

Hey me too!

I bought a p9 covert back in Dec. After 1 month I hated the gun. It did have ftf's and that didn't help. But my hands aren't unusally large I just thought it would make me more excited. It didn't, I had the nites, bought an agrip the whole nine yards just didn't care for the gun. Sold it and bought a new glock 26. Other than pocket carry this is the best all around gun, imho, on the market for ccw. Oh well live and learn

 

[orangeninja]

Mine has never failed to function...but no light bulbs appear above my head when I shoot it.

 

[twoblink]

You need a Steyr S40 my friend.

 

[Majic]

When everyone raved about the Kahrs I went out to see what the fuss was all about. After handling several of the steel and polymer (shudders at the thought) they stayed in the dealer's case. They just don't float my boat.

 

[cratz2]

Well, I admit that I've never rushed up to one of my friends saying, 'Oh my gawd, dude... you gotta check out this gun!' but I've never done that with a Glock or a SIG either but listen to the words you are saying... it's reliable, accurate, has a good trigger and good sights... What else does a Glock, SIG or KelTec offer beyond that?

A custom 1911 by Christiansen or Yost would be nice... maybe in something alternative like 9x23 or 10mm... but a carry gun is a carry gun whether it's from Kahr, Glock, SIG, Beretta or Springfield. If you load it with your carry ammo and pull the trigger 500 times and it goes bang 500 times, that's a very good step. If you can keep all the shots within 6" at 25 yards, that's a very good step as well. And, in Kahr's case, if the gun is trim enough that you can wear it IWB under ANY clothing mode including shorts and a tucked in t shirt and dress slacks and a white dress shirt with no jacket... what the hell else do you want out of a carry gun, guy?

:banghead:

 

[orangeninja]

cratz2....It all comes down to feel. If I concentrate and bend my finger to where just the tip touches the trigger I can NAIL shots. This was meant to be a BUG for on duty. If I ever actually needed it, I'm sure I won't have time to get all the mechanics "just right". I carry a 229 and a 2340 Sigs because they are naturaly pointers. I hardly even have to aim. I would like that in a BUG. So far the Springfield XD Micro and Kel Tec both seem to have that ability. The new Kel Tecs have an okay trigger pull. A lot like a revolver, which is what I used to have. The XD? No noggin safe within 50 feet. I just don't like the 6 o'clock sights. So its a toss up. The weight and size go to kel tec, the accuracy to XD. I'm still debating.

 

[cratz2]

I agree that natural feel and the natural ability to point where you want it are VERY important factors in a carry gun... Even in a backup gun.

But I must ask... at what distances and what rate of fire are you having to concentrate on the mechanics of your finger movement to make hits? I'm not an exceptional shooter at all, but I can draw My P9 Covert from a tuckable holster and get on target at 15 yards in consistantly less than four seconds. Double taps aren't that hard, but when I move up to three of four reasonably rapid shots, the short grip of the Covert becomes a hinderance.

I can certainly shoot my G23 better from concealment and if I ever had a decent holster for my 2340, I could probably shoot it faster than the Kahr but for me, it seems very easy to get on target quickly and get two shots off pretty rapidly and accurately out to 15 yards. And as you mentioned, the excellent sights (for such a small gun) allow very precise shots at longer distances with a bit more concentration and effort.

The only gun I can really compare directly to the Covert is a P11 and there is just no way I can shoot it as accurately or as fast and accurate as the Kahr.

 

[orangeninja]

If I try to shoot rapidly with a Kahr I am all over the paper at 33 ft. I like nice tight groups. 4 seconds seems a little too long. The gun just doesn't "fit" my hand.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Hey Alduro, Steve, and Majic...

Don't feel bad if you don't like Kahrs.
If they don't fit...they just don't fit.
Lots of other choices out there. Find something you like and make a trade! Heck, I'd enjoy reading about what works better for you. I like my PM9. However, I like my Glock 27 too. There also seem to be a lot of positively glowing XD posts these days. Hummm. Come to think of it, an XD9 DOES sound pretty good. Don't those come in a nice green?
No worries. Pick something you like and then post about it.

KR

 

[Mark G.]

It sounds like your mind was made up on the first post. If the gun doesn't "fit" your hand sell it and move on to something else. There is nothing worse than shooting a pistol that does not feel good in your hand. Not every pistol will fit your hand. Kahrs are not for everyone, no pistol is for everyone. The key is finding what is comfortable for you.

 

[Majic]

Oh I don't feel bad. I will look at every handgun on the market to get an idea of what folks are talking about. Buying one is a different subject. I was surprised by the weight of the Kahr. I'm no fan of polymer so I didn't bother to look at that model. Since I saw the Kahr was still at best a belt pistol I will stay with a 4" 1911 with a larger caliber.

 

[Big Bad Wolf]

First let me say that Kahr makes a rugged, reliable gun, no doubt about that. Kahr also is American made and has a terrific customer service department with a lifetime warranty.

However price wise the MSRP in my opinion is laughable for what you receive. Prices on Kahr pistols rival Sig and HK prices and even as much as the Kahr is a great pistol it is no Sig, not even close.

Kahr pistols are also pretty plain as guns go and really there is nothing noteworthy to be said when you hold one. While it is certainly thin for IWB it offers nothing more in lieu of the price. Accuracy is descent, fit and finish is tolerable at best, the trigger pull is pretty good, the stock sights are not bad and capacity in reality pretty anemic for 9mm and .40 pistols of today. I would also say that reputation wise they are on par with S&W autos which is descent but not awe inspiring. Also as for design Kahr's are pretty blocky and there is nothing sleek or sexy about it. Again nothing really leaps from the pistols as saying "buy me, I am the one."


It seems to me that Kahr is turning their PM9 series into their flagship premier offering while supplementing the rest of their line with other Polymer framed guns to compete with the almighty Glock, but my personal feelings is that Kahr is not even on Glocks radar at this time and why should they be? To the average gun owner looking at a compact handgun the Glock 26 has a full capacity of 10 rounds while only being a small fraction of inch wider, is almost as light as the PM9, has the almighty Glock reputation, has tons more aftermarket parts, sights, and holsters available to customize to your liking, and still maintains a price tag of $499 in my area which is about $120 less than the PM9.

My $.02 cents, YMMV.

 

[joegerardi]

Interestingly, I'm on the other side of the fence of most of the people here, but for exactly the same reason...

I recently bought a Kahr K40 Elite 98. It's small, fits my hand perfectly, is very concealable, accurate, no-frills, and not particularly "sexy" for a pistol. Those are the very reasons I love the little thing. The trigger on mine is to die for, and although I've only put about 300 rounds through it, it has worked flawlessly - with various ammo, rotated to see what worked well and not - and I shoot as well with it as I do my P228 out to 10 yards, and that is the reason I have it: as a self-defense pistol.

It's a "Plain Jane" that works, and I'll keep it for that very reason.

..Joe

 

[PostalGlock'n]

It's a matter of personnal choice. I bought a CZ 75 because of all the rave reviews I had read about it. Felt good to hold, but just didn't like shooting it.

Now, I'm really looking for a K9 for my wife. She wont let go of my K40, so if anyone is looking to unload one let me know.

Big Bad Wolf, as far as the difference in a fraction of an inch between the Glock and Kahr, I own 5 different Glocks. I love them. But when I'm wearing thin summer clothes, I feel the Kahr prints a world different.

I do prefer the feel of the steel frame Kahr over the thinner P-series.

My .02 cents.

Seriously, let me know of any Kahr you want to sell. I have a brand new Glock 20-C that I would trade with.

 

[Snowdog]

and even as much as the Kahr is a great pistol it is no Sig, not even close.

And let me disagree with that statement all together.

 

[Waxed Canvas]

IMHO the Kahr is way overpriced, way overpriced. 5 or 6 years ago, I bought one and it was a dog, choked on the first box and had to be send back, extractor, mag release, et al. It was an old K9. Then a few years later they came out with the polymer series and it was the same thing, they put the weapons out before they were ready and let the consumer be the guinea pig. I have been turned off ever since.