My new Kahr CM9 - First Impressions

[Bassat]

Why would you carry a gun you have not shot yet?? Also I would reccomend a good belt if a P365 pulls your pants down.

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You misread me. Not carrying, yet. Both issues addressed in a post above.

 

[Bassat]

No Kahr’s here.
No way that the striker being drawn from completely relaxed to full retraction and the trigger pull be easy to operate accurately. Well, not by most novice shooters anyway. In my opinion.

That being said, when you do get to the range, please post target pictures along with your report.
With the characteristics of a pocket gun, a group shot at 7 yards with support should be pretty small. I’m interested to see yours.
Thanks in advance!

I take some small exception to your statement about operating DAO accurately. First problem is to define accurate. If you are defining accurate as 1" groups a 7yds, I will fail with every handgun I've ever fired. At 7yds, I have always shot for minute of vital organs accuracy. That gives me about an 8" circle to hit heart/lungs/liver. If I can't keep rounds in that size target it is most certainly me, and has absolutely nothing to do with the DAO trigger causing a problem. My 7yd groups with the P365 are about 3". I am happy with that. I do admit that my groups spread out quite a bit when shooting the Keltec P32. The damn thing is 4" long, 0.5" thick and weighs 6oz! It is a last resort gun, and shoots like one.

Secondly, I am not a novice shooter. I've been launching lead for more than 50 years. I grew up on revolvers. IMHO, inability to get hits with a revolver is the shooter's issue, not the gun's issue. DAO is irrelevant. I stand by my comments about the CM9's trigger. It is better than most revolvers'.

I hope to get to the range Wednesday. Look for some photos shortly thereafter.

 

[Skip]

I take some small exception to your statement about operating DAO accurately. First problem is to define accurate. If you are defining accurate as 1" groups a 7yds, I will fail with every handgun I've ever fired. At 7yds, I have always shot for minute of vital organs accuracy. That gives me about an 8" circle to hit heart/lungs/liver. If I can't keep rounds in that size target it is most certainly me, and has absolutely nothing to do with the DAO trigger causing a problem. My 7yd groups with the P365 are about 3". I am happy with that. I do admit that my groups spread out quite a bit when shooting the Keltec P32. The damn thing is 4" long, 0.5" thick and weighs 6oz! It is a last resort gun, and shoots like one.

Secondly, I am not a novice shooter. I've been launching lead for more than 50 years. I grew up on revolvers. IMHO, inability to get hits with a revolver is the shooter's issue, not the gun's issue. DAO is irrelevant. I stand by my comments about the CM9's trigger. It is better than most revolvers'.

I hope to get to the range Wednesday. Look for some photos shortly thereafter.

As you stated to someone else: I think you misread me.
Not an accusation against you, they were general statements. I’ve been flinging lead for nearly 60 years, and, if from a rest, regardless of the action, I couldn’t get an 1"-1 1/2” groups at 7 yards, I’d not carry that gun, period.
As a Marine, accuracy is the priority. It doesn’t matter how wonderful the gun is that someone misses with.
I’d consider myself a failure if I couldn’t do that. I’ve shot DA revolvers in competition and 12 shots in 14 seconds with a reload, at 7 yards all DA shots don’t touch, I’d be a failure.
“Accuracy is KING, adequate penetration is QUEEN and everything else is angles dancing on the head of pins.”

 

[Skip]

It isn’t all DAO pistols either I’m speaking about. Reread that post.

 

[Bassat]

As you stated to someone else: I think you misread me.
Not an accusation against you, they were general statements. I’ve been flinging lead for nearly 60 years, and, if from a rest, regardless of the action, I couldn’t get an 1"-1 1/2” groups at 7 yards, I’d not carry that gun, period.
As a Marine, accuracy is the priority. It doesn’t matter how wonderful the gun is that someone misses with.
I’d consider myself a failure if I couldn’t do that. I’ve shot DA revolvers in competition and 12 shots in 14 seconds with a reload, at 7 yards all DA shots don’t touch, I’d be a failure.
“Accuracy is KING, adequate penetration is QUEEN and everything else is angles dancing on the head of pins.”

I suppose we differ more than a tad on what constitutes accuracy. I look at 1.5" groups at 7yds as fantastic, and would be quite happy with them. I have to believe that 3-4 rounds anywhere in vital organ territory (approx. 8") are just as effective as 3-4 shots confined to the left ventricle (approx. 2"), they may just take a tad longer to produce the desired effect. Even if I put 3-4 rounds in exactly the right spot with my .32ACP Keltec, I know they will not be as effective as 3-4 .45ACP rounds in the same place. Accuracy trumps penetration, I think we'd all agree. Hopefully, we can agree that it is easier to misconstrue each others' comments in a text than were we having the same conversation face-to-face. Apologies for mis-reading your response, and thank you for clarifying.

 

[LtScott14]

Good investment, have owned mine for 6 years. No issues. I use the same 6 rd magazine, and bought the identical models with no finger rest. I use the flat one for pocket carry, with Uncle Mikes cheapie pocket rig. I do carry extra mag in my opposite pocket.

From lockeback, I have done both releases from slingshot to release lever. Mine works either way. I also carry 147 gr 9mm, made by Sig Sauer. Again no issues. Agree about spring and slide takedown and it is a feat of practice.

It does it's part, if I do mine for accuracy. I stay focused at 7 yds, short barrel gun, and pocket carried.

It seems to fit in 1911 holsters, and thumbsnap covers if you want to OWB.
I have a couple EZ Draw Tagua rigs the pull in tight and fit 1911's. Disappears under a tails out shirt or oversize T shirt.
Good luck on your CM9, mine is a keeper.

 

[Bassat]

Good investment, have owned mine for 6 years. No issues. I use the same 6 rd magazine, and bought the identical models with no finger rest. I use the flat one for pocket carry, with Uncle Mikes cheapie pocket rig. I do carry extra mag in my opposite pocket.

From lockeback, I have done both releases from slingshot to release lever. Mine works either way. I also carry 147 gr 9mm, made by Sig Sauer. Again no issues. Agree about spring and slide takedown and it is a feat of practice.

It does it's part, if I do mine for accuracy. I stay focused at 7 yds, short barrel gun, and pocket carried.

It seems to fit in 1911 holsters, and thumbsnap covers if you want to OWB.
I have a couple EZ Draw Tagua rigs the pull in tight and fit 1911's. Disappears under a tails out shirt or oversize T shirt.
Good luck on your CM9, mine is a keeper.

Thanks. I hope to get to the range Wednesday. Working on breaking in the gun and mags. Have racked the slide over 300 times, and have loaded both magazines about 20-25 times each. Oh, did I mention that I am a bit compulsive?

 

[Morgan12]

I’ve been a ccw instructor over in Illinois from the begging. I’ve carried a Kahr CM9 in my pocket ever sense. I know a lot of LEO that carry them around me and a few other CCW instructors. None of us have had any problems and the accuracy for the size is good enough. The trigger if your a revolver guy is just fine. It’s a long even pull as I said revolver guys will have no problem at all. I’ll carry it in my front jeans pocket everyday very happy with it. Other than the sw jframes it’s one of the best easy to hide true pocket pistols I’ve seen. If I’m going somewhere other than just to town I’ll grab my G26 aswell.

 

[Bassat]

I’ve been a ccw instructor over in Illinois from the begging. I’ve carried a Kahr CM9 in my pocket ever sense. I know a lot of LEO that carry them around me and a few other CCW instructors. None of us have had any problems and the accuracy for the size is good enough. The trigger if your a revolver guy is just fine. It’s a long even pull as I said revolver guys will have no problem at all. I’ll carry it in my front jeans pocket everyday very happy with it. Other than the sw jframes it’s one of the best easy to hide true pocket pistols I’ve seen. If I’m going somewhere other than just to town I’ll grab my G26 aswell.

I agree about the J-frames. For a while in the '90s I pocket-carried a Taurus 85CH stoked w/125gr Federal Nyclad. That was a completely reliable piece of hardware. The only autoloaders I really trusted back then were full size .45ACP: Sig 220 & 1911. Not putting either one of those in a pocket!

 

[DadSmith]

I will also clarify my statement about pocket carry: Cargo pants pocket carry.
I made the holsters to fill the base of the pocket so it was always oriented correctly. No guessing on where the butt nor the muzzle of the gun was when needed.

I always wondered how anyone pocket carried anything other than maybe a NAA revolver.
My hands just barely fit into my RK Carpenter pants front pockets which is the main reason i buy them.
The majority of pants front pockets are way to small for my hand to get into. Such as my Sunday dress pants, and most other pants as well.
Now if I was to pocket carry even a NAA revolver, and I gripped it to pull out my hand would be stuck in the pocket.
So the only way for me to pocket carry would be to use two fingers to draw it out then get a better grip once out, that's just not going to happen.
Back pockets are out of the question.

 

[Bassat]

I always wondered how anyone pocket carried anything other than maybe a NAA revolver.
My hands just barely fit into my RK Carpenter pants front pockets which is the main reason i buy them.
The majority of pants front pockets are way to small for my hand to get into. Such as my Sunday dress pants, and most other pants as well.
Now if I was to pocket carry even a NAA revolver, and I gripped it to pull out my hand would be stuck in the pocket.
So the only way for me to pocket carry would be to use two fingers to draw it out then get a better grip once out, that's just not going to happen.
Back pockets are out of the question.

I gotta chalk that one up to body shape and dress style. I have a bit of a gut, and no ass. I work as a registered nurse, so I am used to wearing my pajamas (scrubs) to work. I tend to pick larger, baggy (read that SLOPPY) clothes. I can get a P365 or CM9 out of my pocket with no hangup at all. Moral of the story? Put on weight and buy baggy clothes!

 

[Route 45]

I always wondered how anyone pocket carried anything other than maybe a NAA revolver.

I carry a Shield Plus with the 13 round mag in my front pocket, every day in every pair of pants that I own.

 

[WebSnyper]

I carry a Shield Plus with the 13 round mag in my front pocket, every day in every pair of pants that I own.

If I recall from a previous post, @DadSmith 's hands look something like this:

 

[Route 45]

If I recall from a previous post, @DadSmith 's hands look something like this:

Ah! Inverse Handus Trumpitis.

 

[Bassat]

Just found out that I am working Wednesday. Range day has been moved to Friday. Updates aftwerward.

 

[KokomoDave]

I love my CM9. I have 4 magazines for mine so far. I believe this is gonna be the pistol I take to Florida or a Charter 44Sp 5 banger. As some of you that know me, I have had beau coup spine procedures and cannot always IWB carry my H&K or Dagger due to major discomfort. I just had a set of epidurals last week and not getting any joy.

 

[Skip]

I always wondered how anyone pocket carried anything other than maybe a NAA revolver.
My hands just barely fit into my RK Carpenter pants front pockets which is the main reason i buy them.
The majority of pants front pockets are way to small for my hand to get into. Such as my Sunday dress pants, and most other pants as well.
Now if I was to pocket carry even a NAA revolver, and I gripped it to pull out my hand would be stuck in the pocket.
So the only way for me to pocket carry would be to use two fingers to draw it out then get a better grip once out, that's just not going to happen.
Back pockets are out of the question.

Here are pictures of my hands on several firearms. A 1911 & N frame S&W revolver.

 

[LtScott14]

Only adding to thread, I found cargo shorts to be the best carry in summer. Jeans are cut different, and since I'm older, the bootcut or not skinny fit still allows pocket carry.
It's not a bad idea to own a Ruger LCP, or similar for those tight cut pockets. A pocket holster can't be too tight or gun can't flow from the pocket in stress. My work allows cargos and love the durability. I don't care to be the GQ poster boy, and even own a couple Hawaiian shirts from my Magnum PI days. He carried a 1911 small of back...reversed.

 

[Bassat]

As promised, first range day report - Hot Off the Presses.
It was a totally DISAPPOINTING trip. I took 300 rounds of Remington 115gr FMJ, planning to shoot it all. The spirit was willing, but the gun WOULD NOT cooperate. I did not get one magazine, 6 or 7 round, through this gun without an issue. Most magazines-full had multiple issues. Problem #1 was light primer strike. The first 5 or 6 were re-fed and did go off on the second attempt. Then I saved a few to take to the counter for second opinions. At least two clerks looked at them and agreed, light primer strikes. Problem #2 was failure to reset the trigger. Not by me, by the gun! The first few I guessed may have been my fault, so I began taking my finger completely off the trigger and out of the trigger guard, and laying it on the slide like I was done shooting. Still got failures to reset the trigger. And last, but most certainly not least, was slide-lock with ammo still in the magazine. Again, I thought, maybe it is me. I fired a magazine one handed with low thumb. Nope, not me. I tried again left handed. No way I can be doing it accidentally left handed. Yet, it continued to happen. I grabbed the RSO and explained that this is a brand new gun, that I purchased at RANGE USA, and what was happening. He had experience with the CM9. He fired 3 magazines. He too, experienced all 3 problems: light primer strikes, failure to reset trigger, slide lock with ammo in the magazine. I will be asking Kahr to take a look at this gun.

Oh, no photos of this trip. Let's wait on that until the damn thing works.

 

[Route 45]

As promised, first range day report - Hot Off the Presses.
It was a totally DISAPPOINTING trip. I took 300 rounds of Remington 115gr FMJ, planning to shoot it all. The spirit was willing, but the gun WOULD NOT cooperate. I did not get one magazine, 6 or 7 round, through this gun without an issue. Most magazines-full had multiple issues. Problem #1 was light primer strike. The first 5 or 6 were re-fed and did go off on the second attempt. Then I saved a few to take to the counter for second opinions. At least two clerks looked at them and agreed, light primer strikes. Problem #2 was failure to reset the trigger. Not by me, by the gun! The first few I guessed may have been my fault, so I began taking my finger completely off the trigger and out of the trigger guard, and laying it on the slide like I was done shooting. Still got failures to reset the trigger. And last, but most certainly not least, was slide-lock with ammo still in the magazine. Again, I thought, maybe it is me. I fired a magazine one handed with low thumb. Nope, not me. I tried again left handed. No way I can be doing it accidentally left handed. Yet, it continued to happen. I grabbed the RSO and explained that this is a brand new gun, that I purchased at RANGE USA, and what was happening. He had experience with the CM9. He fired 3 magazines. He too, experienced all 3 problems: light primer strikes, failure to reset trigger, slide lock with ammo in the magazine. I will be asking Kahr to take a look at this gun.

Oh, no photos of this trip. Let's wait on that until the damn thing works.