Kahr Handguns

[Dave]

Your thoughts?

Kahr Arms | Maker of high quality handguns in USA

 

[Pete-FWA]

Went to a shop last week where the owner carried a Kahr. He thinks very highly of them, but said they've not had the commercial success of other makers. His theory was their price point and advertising image didn't match.

It was an interesting discussion, but we cut it short since he had other customers coming in.

 

[Dave]

Any comments on reliability. I don't want to go the keltec route.

 

[Pete-FWA]

THIS guy was very happy with his and said it's his concealed-carry on and off the job.

I know nothing of the guns experience-wise, sorry.

 

[Dave]

Thanks for your comments!

 

[Dave]

I think I'm sold

 

[dblagent]

I own a Kahr MK40 and I really like it, seems to be a tank and it works perfectly for me. I purchased it used, and I replaced the recoil spring and guide rod right off just to be safe before I even shot it. It has not failed for me ever. I had a friend shoot it and the slide once locked back with one round left in the mag, but he had never shot .40, never shot a Kahr, and it was the first mag he shot. He is right handed and I am left, we assumed that he hit the slide stop as it has never happened again. Can't complain about my Kahr so far.

I really like it, but may sell or trade it as I want one even smaller so I'm going to try the new Ruger LCP myself.

 

[miltony]

The PM9 is my EDC. It is light, snappy to shoot, but extremely accurate and I have found mine to be reliable thus far with several thousand rounds through it. I put XS Big Dots on mine for a very quick target acquisition.

 

[BeeRian]

Ive seen a few at the range, and they have all worked fine. The 40 looked a little brutal to shoot though.

 

[sparkyfender]

I have two; a K9 and an MK9, bought them both new n the 1990's.

Well made little guns, never had a bobble or failure with either one. I am fairly accurate when shooting with the K9, the MK9; eh, not as great. The K9 seems to have a better trigger as well. Not sure why............ Luck of the draw? Very nice concealed carry weapons.

These are the all steel models. I have zero experience with the poly framed models, but I have noticed most Kahr "complaints" are aimed squarely at them. There is a lightly used poly .45 at a local dealer, the owner supposedly traded it in because of the unpleasant recoil...... I was tempted to pick it up just on a whim, but decided against it. In the back of my mind I am fearful it may have other "issues."

The retail $$ on Kahr products is a little high. I think that turns some people off.

My two have the matte stainless finish, and they seem very prone to rust, more so than other firearms. That is my only area of discontent.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I own multiple P9s and carry a P9 as a bug.

I've shot many thousands of rounds through my P9s, often from positions of distress (as you should with a bug) and have had no problems.

I'm considering going back to a revolver as a bug, but that's another thread.

 

[INJoker]

Kahr has a really good reputation on multiple boards.

I've only fired one Kahr in my life and liked it, but I'm not sure if I will ever purchase one or not. Personal preference, nothing else.

I found it to be a solid firearm.

 

[Roncho]

I purchased a PM9 a few months back and have had no problems with it. I've put about 1000 rounds through it so far and it has handled everything I've thrown at it, including WWB FMJ, Remington Golden Sabers and Federal HST (my carry ammo).

In the manual for the PM9 there are two very important points which MUST be followed:

1. Break in period is 200 rounds. There is a noticable difference in the gun after about 100. The gun became much smoother.

2. Do NOT slingshot the slide to chamber the first round. You MUST use the slide release.

I put the first 200 rounds through it in one session, and the grip ate up my hand pretty good. I just bought an AGrip for it and put it on yesterday, but haven't tried it out yet.

My Father-in-law has a Keltec .380. The difference in quality between the Kahr (good) and the Keltec (bad) is about the same difference in quality between my Glock G22 and the Kahr. Unfortunately, I paid about the same for the Glock and the Kahr.

There is a Kahr sub-forum on the GlockTalk message board with tons of good information on Kahrs, especially polys here:

Kahr Club - Glock Talk

 

[Fenway]

I understand you are taking this from the Kahr manual. Any idea why?

2. Do NOT slingshot the slide to chamber the first round. You MUST use the slide release.

 

[Roncho]

I understand you are taking this from the Kahr manual. Any idea why?

Slingshotting the PM9 causes occasional FTFs. If you practice letting go of the slide from the very end of the slide travel and you can let go very quickly, you will have less problem with FTFs. Using the slide release gives you 100% reliability. With that in mind, since this is my carry weapon, I always use the slide release. Mechanically, I'm not sure why it happens. I guess it may be similar to limp-wristing. My FTFs while slingshotting have been failure to fire, while others I've heard actually have problems feeding the first round. I guess it all depends on where and how you let go of the slide.

 

[dblagent]

I am left handed, so I do not use the slide release ever it seems. I have used the slingshot method every time I have shot my Kahr MK40 and never had any trouble. I can't reach the slide release easily, and cannot really figure out a way to use it that does not seem unsafe to me. I have never had a failure yet, but mine is a 40 and not a 9 and I have never read the manual to see if mine says this or not.

It is very accurate, really surprised me! my very first mag was only about 1/2 inch high spread by about 2.5-3 inches wide at 10 yards. I was hoping for 6" with the first mag and I think I could have shot smiley faces with it! I would also say that the metal framed version in .40 does not seem too snappy at all to me.

 

[Fenway]

Now I'm confused. What is sling shotting? I thought that would be racking it and letting go.

That is what I do with my Glock. That is not advised on a Khar?

Slingshotting the PM9 causes occasional FTFs.

 

[Roncho]

Slingshotting is the same as racking. I guess slingshotting has a little more meaning for a PM9, since the timing of letting go of the slide, and how you let go of it, is crucial to getting it to work. I always just rack my Glock (with no thought about how I'm doing it) with no problems ever. I have only seen this issue with regard to the PM9, not any of the other pistols in the Kahr line, but I haven't really looked either since I don't own any of the others.

 

[dblagent]

So if the slide is locked back, you are supposed to only use the slide release on the P series Kahrs. Slingshoting would be to pull back on the slide and then let go, releasing the slide that way. Being left handed I use the "slingshot" all the time, with very few exceptions.

I normally see the slingshot recommended for most firearms as it's a slide stop, not release. But Kahr seems to buck the trend in this regard.

 

[Fenway]

Good to know. That gun is not for me. When the SHTF I'm not interested in special racking procedures to get the gun to function more reliably

I guess slingshotting has a little more meaning for a PM9, since the timing of letting go of the slide, and how you let go of it, is crucial to getting it to work.