I have been remiss over the last few months in not posting some photos of handguns.  One of my favorite pocket carry guns is the Kahr PM9.  I took these snaps after I received a box of grain-fed beef from Hearst Ranch of California.  It had a pack of dry ice inside, so I put the gun into the container.  Voilà, dry ice fog.

Kahr Arms builds a high quality line of semi-automatic pistols.  There are many different models from which to choose, but I was looking for an easily carried gun that delivered a punch.  The PM9 definitely filled that dance card.

My main method of concealed carry is in the right front pants pocket.  I have an Uncle Mike’s Inside-the-Pocket Holster (size 3) that fits everything from my J-frame Smith & Wessons to a diminutive Kel-Tec P3AT.  For bringing along that spare magazine, I have a DeSantis Mag Packer, which is a pocket holster for a mag.  It keeps the magazine oriented in the left pocket for a reload and prevents detritus from getting down into the bullet holder.

As an alternative to a revolver, I really warmed up to this Kahr.  It has a wheelgun-like DAO trigger pull, but it holds two more rounds than a five shot Smith.  The PM9 clocks in a 14 oz’s, so it is not so much of a burden in your pants pocket.  9 X 19mm wins over .38 Special +P in the energy transfer department.

I won’t carry an auto-loader unless it has at least 400 rounds through it and the gun is performing without failures to feed, fire, or eject.  My PM9 has well over my minimum for carry and it has actually never had a functioning problem…ever.

Remember that when chambering the first round from the magazine, Kahr recommends using the slide release to drop their pistols into battery.  For some reason, racking the gun manually by pulling the slide back and letting it fly forward can result in the top round not stripping off reliably.

Takedown and reassembly can be a bugger because of a little spring at the slide release lever on the left side of the receiver.  I admit to watching Kahr’s online video of disassembly and reassembly a couple of times to get it right.

Justin Moon, yeah, his dad was THE Moonie, designed the Kahr line of pistols.  Moon holds seven patents for his locking, firing, and extracting systems.  Justin wanted to come up with a unique pistol that had a low bore axis for better control under recoil.  After shooting the same gun in .40 cal., I think Moon’s engineering does take out some snappiness.

When I bought my PM9, it had the stainless slide with dot and bar combat sights.  I don’t mind them because I had a similar set up on a Sig Sauer P226.  But then I saw the matte black PM9 version with tritium night sights.  Oooooh.  When I couldn’t stop thinking of that all black PM9, I ordered a new black slide, slide release, and night sights directly from Kahr.  My gun wasn’t originally black, so you see a stainless trigger on mine.  I think it looks just fine against the stainless barrel, extractor, and magazine.

The Kahr PM9 has been a great purchase for me (even though I blew the bank on the matte black slide).  It has been super reliable, not failing to go bang! at a stroke of the trigger.  Kahr now makes the CM9, which is the sport model of the two.  I shot the Kahr CM40 and CW380 at a trade show and thought they ran every bit as good as my PM9, for a lesser initial outlay.

If I had it to do again, I might opt for the CM9.  Then again, I’d see a black PM9 and start drooling all over again.  Nah, I guess it worked out fine for me.

by Wilson