Calling all Kahr shooters

[mel5051]

I have an early edition P9, went back to the factory for safety concerns after about 150 rounds. Came back and was a safe queen until I decided to get my CPL again. 100 rounds later the pin was almost out of the trigger. Back to being a safe queen.
The new P9's I'm sure are 100% reliable, mine was circa 2001.

Mel

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[cbroth]

My PM9 perfect since day one.

[Blackheart6]

I carry a PM40. I've put 6-700 rounds through it, one FTE in the 300's. That's been the only problem. It's a great size, has smooth trigger, and accurate enough for my carry needs. I would recommend one. Hold it tight, use the slide release, follow the instructions installing the slide stop pin.

Regards,
Josh

[ccw9mm]

Lately, however, I have been hearing some bad stuff about Kahr's specifically as it relates to reliability issues. Are these just isolated examples?

Yes, the examples are about individuals. But by "isolated" you're asking if there are only a few of them. Who's to say? We all only read about the published examples. And then, the anonymity of the internet can breed exaggeration. My guess is that it's not any worse than many of the better firearms brands out there, and it seems that the steel-framed Kahrs tend to have fewer examples of such published problems than the polymer ones.

The only real writing about Kahrs I have done is in regards to a PM9 I had. It wasn't that reliable, until after it went back to Kahr for some tuning. After that it was fine, but I sold it due to lack of confidence in the gun. Though, the size/balance format of the PM9 can't be beat, IMO. I'll have another at some point. I currently have a P380 that I'm wringing out, to see how it goes. It's working well so far.

I also have a CW9 that is doing great. Haven't found the perfect ammo for it, yet, the one that's perfectly reliable. Am still searching.

Kahrs need to be clean and well-oiled, in my experience. With the right ammo, many people report them to be utterly reliable.

If you get a good one, you should be fine. Will you get a good one, though? Who's to say. But then that can be said of most any firearm.

[TrackReady]

you wont be disappointed by kahr, I ALMOST let nay sayers on the intraweb get in between me and a kahr... thankfully I decided to use my own brain and try one for myself. My cw9 is 100% and my primary EDC, fired great from the first shot, no "break in" on mine.

[DIXIETWISTER]

I would love to have a Kahr, but only had enough for the PF-9 which is half the price....but i might still get one later on if i get into some money. will not trade the Keltec though love it.

[gottabkiddin]

Yes, the examples are about individuals. But by "isolated" you're asking if there are only a few of them. Who's to say? We all only read about the published examples. And then, the anonymity of the internet can breed exaggeration. My guess is that it's not any worse than many of the better firearms brands out there, and it seems that the steel-framed Kahrs tend to have fewer examples of such published problems than the polymer ones.

The only real writing about Kahrs I have done is in regards to a PM9 I had. It wasn't that reliable, until after it went back to Kahr for some tuning. After that it was fine, but I sold it due to lack of confidence in the gun. Though, the size/balance format of the PM9 can't be beat, IMO. I'll have another at some point. I currently have a P380 that I'm wringing out, to see how it goes. It's working well so far.

I also have a CW9 that is doing great. Haven't found the perfect ammo for it, yet, the one that's perfectly reliable. Am still searching.

Kahrs need to be clean and well-oiled, in my experience. With the right ammo, many people report them to be utterly reliable.

If you get a good one, you should be fine. Will you get a good one, though? Who's to say. But then that can be said of most any firearm.

I agree with this post and might add that the steel framed Kahrs may run better as a result of just that, the additional weight factor. I'm sure some of the failure to feed and eject malfunctions could be attributed to the limp wristing of the lighter P and CW series, not all mind you but surly some anyways.

My CW9 runs solid as a rock with the 124gr +p Gold Dots and shows no worse for use after a minimum of at least a 1000 rounds of practice ammo. Good pistol in my opinion.

[Captain Kahr]

I would love to have a Kahr, but only had enough for the PF-9 which is half the price....but i might still get one later on if i get into some money. will not trade the Keltec though love it.

Wait til you get to shoot a Kahr. I've had them side by side and the trigger on the Kahr wins hands down.

[wormtown]

I know this is a late post but...

I have a PM9 that was very unreliable until some repairs by Kahr. Now it is almost totally reliable. About 98-99%. I get about 1 FTF or FTE per 100 rounds. It's frustrating, because it's tantalizingly close to being good enough for carry, but not quite.

I take issue with folks who talk about "operator error" and the like. If that were the case, why would my failure rate decrease from 25% to 1-2% after repairs? My technique did not change. I also have had no problems with other small semiautos.

In addition the use of the slide-lock to load the first round can be overcome, but I do not think that it should be a suggestion or design from the manufacturer. After all, how do you do a "tap-rack-bang" to clear a malfunction if you're not supposed to "rack?"

[bbecker1983]

Had a P9 phenominal gun, my best friend has a PM9 that he pocket carries, also an amazing gun and really not a major difference in accuracy (within and ad not exceeding 10-12yds) between the two either

I'd like to get another P9 at some point. Had to trade mine towards a better duty gun, with compatible mags as my bug (Glock 23 and 27)

[Captain Kahr]

I know this is a late post but...

I have a PM9 that was very unreliable until some repairs by Kahr. Now it is almost totally reliable. About 98-99%. I get about 1 FTF or FTE per 100 rounds. It's frustrating, because it's tantalizingly close to being good enough for carry, but not quite.

I take issue with folks who talk about "operator error" and the like. If that were the case, why would my failure rate decrease from 25% to 1-2% after repairs? My technique did not change. I also have had no problems with other small semiautos.

In addition the use of the slide-lock to load the first round can be overcome, but I do not think that it should be a suggestion or design from the manufacturer. After all, how do you do a "tap-rack-bang" to clear a malfunction if you're not supposed to "rack?"

Sounds like you either need to get them to make it right or sell to someone who will. I'm up to 5 different Kahr models and I've only had one that was a little sour. That was the P45. It had to go back to Kahr twice. Since getting back the second time I've put 250rnds through it and it's running great. I'll still put an additional 250rnds through it before deciding to put it in my carry line-up.

[10thmtn]

After all, how do you do a "tap-rack-bang" to clear a malfunction if you're not supposed to "rack?"

That's the reason I sold the PM9 that Kahr gave me to replace the one they could not fix. The new one ran fine when actually fired, for the 300 rounds I put through it. But - if I tried a tap-rack with more than 4-5 rounds in the mag, I could almost guarantee a nose-down-into-the-feed-ramp jam (with JHPs).

I really wanted that pistol to work, but it just wasn't to be.

[Beans]

Altho I am a die hard glock fan for CCW and IDPA. I carried a G19, for 20 years and purchased a G17 when they first came into the USA. I recently switched to a G23 in 2007.

I found a used Kahr MK9 in a local gun shop. Everytime I would go in there I would handle (play) with it and then put it back. I went on Christmas vacation and when I got back it was still there. :-(

It now resides in a homemade OWB holster and is becoming my EDC. I have put over 600 rds through it since January 4, 2010. Nary a hiccup.

I think is is an older model, according to the Kahr sight. No dimple on the underside of the slide.

It is slimmer then My G23 which to me makes a difference.

[geohans]

Kahr built their rep on all steel guns. They work.

[Captain Kahr]

My "older" MK9 has been flawless. I think the trigger seems a little different than my P9 and I haven't decided which one I like better.

Altho I am a die hard glock fan for CCW and IDPA. I carried a G19, for 20 years and purchased a G17 when they first came into the USA. I recently switched to a G23 in 2007.

I found a used Kahr MK9 in a local gun shop. Everytime I would go in there I would handle (play) with it and then put it back. I went on Christmas vacation and when I got back it was still there. :-(

It now resides in a homemade OWB holster and is becoming my EDC. I have put over 600 rds through it since January 4, 2010. Nary a hiccup.

I think is is an older model, according to the Kahr sight. No dimple on the underside of the slide.

It is slimmer then My G23 which to me makes a difference.