Kahr K9 owners opinions please?

[1911luver]

I'm looking for feedback from any kahr K9 owners here at DC. I'm considering buying one of these(the all stainless steel model) in 9mm and am interested to hear what other kahr owners here think about thair guns,are you happy with your kahr arms gun? thanks for any info guys

[Piglet]

The Kahr K9 is a superb gun. The Kahrs have been around sufficiently long that they are no longer the new kid on the block, and can now be considered a mature design. Not that every one will be perfect, but most are now, and Kahr's customer service is very good according to most reports.

The steel models in particular have had a very good track record, unlike the polymer-framed ones, which had some spotty problems with premature striker release - but only in the early production runs, from what I hear. My experience has only been with the all-steel models, and my samples have been wonderful guns.

The K-series are just about the smallest guns out there that still preserve most of the handling characteristics of larger service models because of their moderate weight and how they still let you (unless you have very big hands) get all your fingers on the grip. And they are thin.

So, to be brief: get the K9.

[pipesmoker]

One of the gunnies here where I work has a K9 he wants to sell.
He graciously(sp?)lent it to me to try. Frankly, I just didn't fit my hand that well. My hand isn't especially large, but the grip seemed to twist in my hand when I fired the gun. It seems the owner has the same problem.
The K9 is quite easy to conceal IWB, but it just isn't right for me.
YMMV

[David in FL]

I've owned and edc'd my K9 for over 13 years now. Absolutely reliable and extremely accurate. The extra weight of the steel frame doesn't affect carry comfort at all and makes it an absolute pleasure to shoot.

IMHO, one of the finest cc pistols available anywhere.

[BigEFan]

I own a K9 but its not a Kahr its a golden retriever and I have never shot it.

I can only tell you that my brother owns a Kahr K9 and thinks the world of it. He really hasn't had any complaints and he says he enjoys shooting it.

[kahrcarrier]

Good gun.

I've owned one for several years.

[APBT]

I own both a K9 and a P9. While the P9 is far and away my preferred of the two, the K9 is, IMO, a very capable and concealable weapon. I know that many have said that it's too heavy and my only response to that is to say that it has a "good weight to it". If you're old school and aren't too into polymer, I say go for it!

APBT

P.s. Its kinda pretty too, dontcha think?

[ripley16]

I had but sold an older K9 because I didn't like the trigger. The gun itself functioned very well and is one of the most concealable 9mms available. With an elite trigger, the K9 makes an excellent CCW. If the K9 had the same trigger my T9 has, I would still own the K9.

[harrydog]

I've had a K9 for quite a few years now and it has been an excellent gun, 100% reliable with everything I've fed it. The grip is extremely comfortable, it's accurate, recoil is minimal and it carries very well with a good belt/holster combination. I use an Alessi belt and Watch Six Dual Talon holster. If you want to carry something more than a pocket pistol, yet still considerably smaller than a full size gun, the K9 is a great option.

[HKP30]

My only experiences with the Kahr have been at defensive pistol classes. In both cases the person next to me was using a 9mm Kahr pistol.

This last Saturday, as long as he used the 6 round magazines, or only loaded 6 rounds into the extended 7 round magazine his gun would run. 7 rounds in the 7 round mag would FTF on the second to last round every time.

The previous class as I remember (over two months ago now) the Kahr next to me had FTF problems right and left. A bath in Mobile-1 helped but it did continue to have problems in the afternoon.

This is not to say Kahr pistols are bad. Obviously the above individuals have had good experiences with them. My experience, although passive, tells me it's not a pistol I'd want to trust my life to.

Like everything else, Your Mileage May Vary.

[roadsiderob]

I have a K9 that I CCW. At about 1k rounds through it, it has yet to malfunction. At first I couldn't hit squat with it but I took a 2 night defensive handgun class with it and we determined that the way I was positioning my finger on the trigger was pulling the gun off target when I fired it. Now that I have resolved that problem, I really enjoy shooting it. I use both 7 and 8 round magazines with it. The only issue with the magazines is that aluminum cased Blazer ammunition tends to pop out of the magazines when they are in the mag pouch. I'll pull a magazine out and find that it has left one round behind. Kind of wierd and never happens with brass cased ammunition. Lastly, I recommend getting the night sights.

[TacticalCompact]

My only experiences with the Kahr have been at defensive pistol classes. In both cases the person next to me was using a 9mm Kahr pistol.

This last Saturday, as long as he used the 6 round magazines, or only loaded 6 rounds into the extended 7 round magazine his gun would run. 7 rounds in the 7 round mag would FTF on the second to last round every time.

The previous class as I remember (over two months ago now) the Kahr next to me had FTF problems right and left. A bath in Mobile-1 helped but it did continue to have problems in the afternoon.

This is not to say Kahr pistols are bad. Obviously the above individuals have had good experiences with them. My experience, although passive, tells me it's not a pistol I'd want to trust my life to.

Like everything else, Your Mileage May Vary.

The only problem with second-hand experience, is that you, as a casual observer, have no idea the circumstances surrounding those failures.

It could just be that the operators of these two Kahrs chose their ammo poorly. It could be that they were not lubricated. It could also be that they were using cheap magazines. I've heard several reports of aftermarket mags not being too friendly in Kahrs.

Just be careful judging a firearm purely through observance of a third party's difficulty. There could be more than meets the eye.

[vmo]

I have a K40 Covert. It is my BUG and if I can't carry my P14, I can usually find a way to carry it. It's a great gun. I tried a polymer 40 before, and ran into controllability issues with SD ammo. The K40 is heavy enough to remain controllable, small enough to be concealable, but unfortunately a little too heavy to be "just right" for pocket carry. I really like the all steel Kahr's and have no issues with any that I have ever shot or carried. I do think that the K9 is a little heavy for that caliber, and that the 40 is a better choice for that platform. Just my opinion.

Vmo

[HKP30]

The only problem with second-hand experience, is that you, as a casual observer, have no idea the circumstances surrounding those failures.

It could just be that the operators of these two Kahrs chose their ammo poorly. It could be that they were not lubricated. It could also be that they were using cheap magazines. I've heard several reports of aftermarket mags not being too friendly in Kahrs.

Just be careful judging a firearm purely through observance of a third party's difficulty. There could be more than meets the eye.

Valid points. Thank you.

[richardoldfield]

All my Kahr K9 pistols (2) plus my K40 (2) pistols have worked perfectly after 200 rounds. I do not use them for CCW as they are too pretty. Regards, Richard