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Kahr Pistols

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Unitl a few months ago I had not really looked at the Kahr Pistols. I had the chance to shoot an old E-9 and actually liked it. A short time later I had the opportunity to shoot the MK9 and then the MK40. Well to make a long story short I have two new handguns in the aresenal. They are both carried as back up or a quick trip to the shop and rob for smokes or something.

Tritium sights were added and a dab of skate board tape added to the front strap nothing else was tounched.

The triggers are long but very smooth and a nice crisp release for the shot. At about 20 feet one hole ragged groups are very easy. These two pistols are all steel and a bit heavier than the plastic counter parts but that extra weight really helps control the 9mm 124 grain +P and 155 grain golddots in the 40 cal.

Both pistols have functioned great with no failure to feeds or extraction problems.

has anyone else used these little pistols and what is your experience?
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I have a PM9. I followed the manual's break-in procedure and had one FTE in the first ten or so rounds. Fine ever since. I do like it.
I have two. The 'K-9' has factory tritium sights and is my 'bedroom' and practice gun. The other is a 'P-9' with AO Big Dot Tritium sights. The tupperware P-9 gets out much more than its steel brother. Both share the same mags, holster, trigger stroke, presentation drills, etc.

Both are reliable with bargain basement ball, Gold Dot, Cor-Bon, and Glassers.

I make a habit of changing the recoil springs every time I change the oil in my wife's car. Thats about every 90 days. I know it sounds silly, but it makes it easiser for me to remember to change the durn things if I key the memory synapses that way. Kinda like remembering to change the filter on the ac/furnace every time I get a bill from the Texas Utility Company.

Whatever works for you.

salty.
My Pm took a little more ammo then the booklet stated but has been running fine, and mine is in the bbl recall group, had a smith check the feed ramp, and he said all was well,,, just changed out the recoil spring now for the 2nd time
DaveJames,
how many rounds when you changed the spring? My PM9 is not used for range targets, only have the 200 or so rounds thru it for breakin.
og
G
I have a K40 that I have carried for over 5 years. I like it a lot. It's an intelligent design and a whole lot of gun for the size. It balances and conceals well and really isn't all that objectionable to shoot. The field stripping for cleaning is a bit weird, but once you get used to it, it isn't so bad.
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I bought a P9 LNIB about a year ago. While I don't fire it on a regular basis, I have probably put 500 rounds through it myself without any FTFs or FTEs at all (using primarily Winchester bulk white box ammo). It is accurate and very dependable; an ideal concealed carry weapon.
I had an MK9, and I now have a PM9 Covert.

The MK9 was mostly good. I really didn't like the dual recoil spring set-up, as it seemed "weak" in the last bit of forward travel when only one spring was doing most of the work. It never choked with factory ammo, but it stopped short of closing the slide completely with reloaded ammo a few times.
Perhaps I should've not worried about that, but if it can happen with reloaded ammo, it could happen with a slightly "off" factory round.
I'd prefer a little more room for error in a carry gun.

The PM9 Covert I have now has been fine, and I carry it daily. The K9 and Covert models with the original length slide/barrel use a single recoil spring system. It seems to have a consistent "push" through the slide travel.

I really enjoy shooting that gun.
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I have an MK9 Elite 98 that I routinely carry.
The one and only problem I have ever had with it was a broken extractor. A quick e-mail to Kahr for a new replacement part and an even quicker trip to my gunsmith solved the problem!!

Since I bought the gun used, I surmised that abuse by the previous owner was the cause of the breakage. My GS suggested that someone chambered a round by hand, then ran the slide over it.

It has been nearly perfect ever since. I did have a couple of FTE/FTFs with Wallyworld White Box ammo. But I chalk that up to to it rather than the gun. I use Remington GS for carry and have never had a problem with that!!
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I have two Kahrs - a P40 and a PM9 and I like them both very much.

My P40 started out being pretty reliable and I frequently used it for CCW. Strangely, after a while, it developed a problem with premature slide lockback, I lost confidence and refused to carry it any longer. After MANY frustrating attempts to diagnose and fix the problem, I finally put the gun away for several months. To make a long story short, I eventually solved the problem and it runs 100% again.

My PM9 has run 100% ever since I've had it. I have absolute confidence in it and I carry it often in my right front pants pocket w/ a spare magazine in my left.
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I have a K9 in stainless that I like to shoot a lot. It has performed flwlessly, except for when I wrapped my thumb around and disengaged the mag release while shooting, but a very slight adjustment in my grip cured that. Mechanically, it haws been flawless through ~1000 rounds. I also have a Rosen belt slide for when they finally clear CCW in my county!

They are great little guns, IMO.

- Chris
Hey Catbird!

What was the lockback issue with the P40 and how did you solve it?

Lou
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After many frustrating attempts at first trying THIS and then THAT, I finally found a small plastic/polymer burr in the frame's slide lock lever notch. It was holding the lever up just enough to be a problem with stout loads. The recoil would cause the lever to bounce up a hair and lock the slide. I filed it away with a small jeweler's file - no more problem.
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Kahr's are expensive but fun and easy to shoot well and very compact and lightweight to carry. I tote a PM-40 now after using a PM-9 for years. I always gauge check my carry ammo by thumb jamming it into the chamber of the stripped barrel and seeing if it will fall out freely. I have stuck a few rounds of factory fodder over the years in the Kahr's tight chamber and would rather forgo that thrill during a jackpot situation. Because of the tight tolerances Kahrs must be constantly cleaned and maintaned for peak reliability. Timing is critical and I think recoil springs should be changed even more often than called for. Extractors should be examined carefully with a jewelers loupe for excessive wear, burrs and gunk. I wouldn't trust a used Kahr until I changed the recoil spring, extractor and firing pin (including springs) and then put several hundred rounds of my carry ammo through it using new mags only. Trigger return springs have been known to break also from the heat generated by excessive use. They are simple to swap. Because that rascal Murphy always turns up at just the wrong time it is wise to stick a small New York reload in a weak hand pocket. Mine is a Kel Tec P3AT. Last but by far not least a Spyderco or the like and if your a nocturnal animal, a Surefire. Yeah, some of us are Boy Scouts. But then we're still alive to gum' our grits too.
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