Please help ease my mind.

[hammer2213]

I bought a kahr cw9 last night. I like the gun but it has no external safety. Personally I feel it is pointless to carry an unchambered gun. I have a ruger sr9c that I carry but with all the extra safety features I feel extremely safe with it chambered at all times.

So what I'm asking is should I worry at all about carrying the kahr chambered since it has no safety.

Any input would be appreciated!!!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ccw9mm]

A <search> in the Defensive Carry Guns forum for subject=safety brings up several prior discussions, including these two: External Safety preference, and Safety for CCW.

Yes, be aware of the distinction. But train accordingly, so as to avoid unsafe handling in the first place.

Myself, I prefer DA/SA or DAO pistols without a manual thumb safety. Revolvers don't have such "thumb" safeties either. Proper safe handling and operation comes with proper handling procedures AT ALL TIMES, along with a decent holster that correctly covers the trigger area. IMO, it doesn't come from reliance on a safety mechanism on the gun. On DAO pistols such as the Kahr, it's why the trigger pull weight's fairly high. In short, it shouldn't be a problem, so long as you're practicing proper handling and trigger (finger) control.

[GrandZJ]

Why should you be worried if you use a good holster that covers the trigger and be mindful of the safety handling rules? My M&P 9c has only a trigger safety and it always has one chambered.

[yz9890]

i won't own a carry gun with an external safety. or a mag disconnect. or an internal lock.

[pir8fan]

Just be aware of the state of the gun. I have one and it's my primary carry gun. I love it.

[pgrass101]

It will only go bang if you pull the trigger


I carry revolvers which don't have a safety and they have never went off without me pulling the trigger

[iguanadon]

I am no expert, nor a long time veteran of carrying, but the fact that you're concerned means you may not be ready to carry that weapon. Yet.

First thing to keep in mind is that it will not go boom unless the trigger is pulled.

It's imperative that you have a good quality holster that covers the trigger. Then it's a matter of practice. Unload the weapon, ensure it's completely empty, and practice drawing it with extreme focus on where your index finger is... every single time. Muscle memory is what you need to work on and then you will feel more comfortable and confident carrying the weapon. you'll know when you're ready. Also, plenty of range time to get familiar with the trigger pull distance and strength so that again, you're comfortable even when you do put your finger on the trigger.

That's my 2 cents anyway.

[hardluk1]

The kahr has built in safeties. long trigger pull and you have a holster right> Keep your finger off the trigger till your ready to shoot something and all is right . Unlike pir8fan I will not carry a pistol with and external safety to have to manipulate before fireing. Chamber that kahr and learn good shooting habits. You can also buy a handgun or rifle with a saftey , you still can screw up and shoot your self. Keep that nose picker clean of the trigger gaurd till needed.
Heres a guy shooting himself with a 1911. Several safetys on the 1911 and still screwed up Man shoots himself - YouTube

[tet4]

Everyone has got it right. 1. Carry in a good, safe holster that retains the gun and covers the trigger. 2. Pay attention and holster the weapon properly. That means that you need to visually check the holster when you put the gun in. It means you need a holster that doesn't collapse. It means that when you holster, nothing is in front of the muzzle that you don't want shot. (IE, if you carry appendix IWB, you holster standing up with you weak leg back so if you manage to somehow get something caught on the trigger you don't shoot your leg).

A lot of the hype you hear in the media (which has probably conditioned you to worrying about this) is that a lot of people carry in a bad holster, no holster, or get bored and fiddle with it and guess what's going to happen. And, of course since it's so embarrassing, the excuse is 'oh, the gun just went off'. Even police do this.

Okay, so for a realistic story of what can happen, I read this one a while back, can't remember where. Anyway, some guy decided he liked the bersa 380 (which is a da/sa gun). Instead of carrying it hammer down, he decided to carry cocked and locked, even though that style of gun should never be carried that way. He also picked up a knock off version of a smart carry holster at a gun show. (You know, the type that you shove down the front of your pants....) He had a new pair of stiff jeans on and at one point he squatted which bunched up the zipper and managed to catch the trigger through the holster and boom. Apparently at some point the safely got pushed off as well. :) or more likely :(

This is the type of story that gets 30 seconds on the nightly news and it goes something like this: A man was walking down canal street last night when he bent down and his loaded gun went off, wounding him in the leg. He was taken to St. Mary's hospital and is expected to live.

Then the other anchor says something like, "Wow, what was he thinking walking around with a loaded gun? Pretty scary stuff. In other news..."

[GH]

If your holster keeps the trigger covered I wouldn't worry about it. What you have to be careful of is accidentally dropping your gun & you try grabbing it. It happened to a local Police Officer while he was shopping. He had the gun,an M&P 40 unholstered, stuffed in the back of his pants. It fell out when he reached for his wallet. When it fell & he grabbed for it. It discharged into the floor & some shrapnel struck a woman in the leg. Chemistry 101 - when you drop anything in the lab don't grab for it.

My personal carry gun has no safety other than my finger & I carry it with one chambered all the time, in a holster that covers the trigger guard.

[archer51]

The gun won't fire unless you pull the trigger. Keep it holstered when not shooting, and keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire and your good to go.

[oakchas]

Both of my carry guns have external safeties... I do not use the safeties... they are double action (DA)/single action (SA) pistols. The DA pull is safety enough...

Now, if I unholster for some reason... like, to clean the gun, or put it away in the safe... the safety IS engaged before unloading.

My primary reason for putting the safety on when preparing to clean is that both of these weapons require manipulation of the trigger guard to field strip the weapon... and although I unload them first, the strip down for cleaning begins with inserting my finger in the trigger guard.

I don't particularly care for trigger safeties... but they function and do the job... the only caveats are, as others have mentioned, proper handling and a holster that covers the trigger guard.

If the weapon I chose to carry had a trigger safety, I would have no problem having the utmost confidence in its design and function... trigger safeties work and work well... My carry guns are my carry guns because of the ergonomics of the weapons... or their conceal-ability, and has nothing to do with the type of safety they have...

My next carry piece is going to be a S&W Bodyguard .380... it has an external safety, which I will not use because it also has a long trigger pull.

[hammer2213]

Thank you for all the input! Yes I do have a holster that covers the trigger. Like I said I just wanted some info for peace of mind. I'm used to all the safety on the ruger

[Rxdoc]

I carry a Kahr CM9, alternating with a Ruger KLCR, on a daily basis. No problems whatsoever with one in the chamber-gives one that extra shot if needed. When handling my weapon, it gets 100% of my attention the whole time on safety. When the brain works this way, it's another "safety" added to the equation.

[BkCo1]

That Kahr will not go off unless you pull the trigger. I have a CW40. I fell off my motorcycle and the pistol came out of my vest. It hit the ground and did not go off. Kahr replaced the damaged front sight for free. Do as others have said and you will be good to go.