Kahr CM9

[Lewy]

Last summer, I purchased a Kahr CM9 to use for carry. I wanted a small single-stack 9mm that could be carried comfortably in most situations. The capacity is 6+1 with the included flush magazine. An extended 7 round magazine is also available. After looking around online for holster options, I decided on the High Noon Mr Softy IWB clip-on and have nothing negative to say about it. It holds the pistol secure while not adding much weight or size. It is easy to insert and remove the holster from a good belt. Below are a few of my observations which I hope can aid in your decision if you have been looking to purchase this pistol.

Appearance and Feel
The Kahr basically looks like a smaller stainless Glock 26 knock-off with the squared off slide and polymer frame. The serrations on the slide and other 90 degree angles are very sharp, which shows the cost savings in manufacturing between this and the PM9. In the hand, the short grip will leave your pinky finger dangling, but you quickly get acquainted with the feel, and I never experienced any problems keeping a firm grip when firing. I may put a small piece of Talon grip around the base of the grip if humidity or sweat causes any problems. The safety seems well placed and easy to actuate as does the slide stop lever. The front sight is plastic fixed single dot, and the rear is steel straight bar adjustable for windage only.

Functionality
For me, the Kahr CM9 serves its purpose very well. It is small, easily concealable and very simple to operate. No external safeties and a long, consistent trigger pull make this gun perfect if ever presented with a stressful situation. One thing I am not really a fan of is using the slide stop lever to chamber the first round of a magazine. If you do not "slingshot" the slide with enough force, the first round will become lodged on the feed ramp. I have always trained by not using the slide stop lever when loading the first round, so this adds a new step for me in training. This may not seem like a big deal to many, but if ever presented with a situation in which you need to change magazines, failure to use the slide stop release may prove fatal as you fumble around trying to clear the lodged round.

Compared to Glock 23

Reliability/Operation
I tested the Kahr with with several brands/types of ammo:
Tula 115gr FMJ - 100rds
Remington UMC 115gr - 50rds
Federal Classic 115gr JHP - 50rds
Federal 147gr HST +p - 50rds

Shooting the first magazine with Tula ammo presented a problem. Loaded +1, the second round (first in the magazine) failed to chamber and hung up on the feed ramp. After removing the magazine and ensuring the top round was seated properly in the magazine, I did not experience any further issues. All types of ammo functioned 100%, and the slide locked back each time after firing the last round.
The trigger on this gun is very nice. Slightly long and smooth with a consistent break, it became very easy to hit the 6”swinger plate on my PT Hostage target from 20 feet.

Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a simple 9mm single-stack subcompact carry pistol, the Kahr may fit the bill quite nicely. My only personal gripe is needing to use the slide stop lever when chambering the first round of a magazine. Otherwise, the Kahr has functioned perfect up to this point. I have around 500 rounds through it and only experienced a problem with the first magazine fired as noted above.

[gun_fan111]

I do not have to use the slide release on mine to chamber the first round. It is smooth with FMJ for me when racked. Hollow points feel like they snag a bit but chamber fine.

Quick question - do you pre-stage that long trigger?