How is Kahr P380 and PM9093

[Ruger45LC]

I've had my share of Kahrs, the cw380, several of the smaller 9mm's, .40's and one .45. They're not bad guns but I did have some issues with them, both particular and in general. In the .40's it wasn't uncommon for the mag follower to break under recoil after it loaded the last round. Didn't experience this in 9mm.

However in general, they slide stop/release lever is also used to disassemble the gun and on the smaller models, especially the small 380, I found it very difficult to not engage the slide stop under recoil, it sticks out pretty far. The trigger in general isn't bad, but it has no short reset and to me, that's not great.

If you're after a 380, the best 380 I've ever shot is my Glock 42, miles better than the CW380 and LCP's I've had. It's small enough to pocket but it shoots like a larger gun, so easy. For 9mm I might suggest something like a G26, it's reliable as all get out, or you can look into the G43/43X, which are smaller but will recoil a bit more.

 

[Mosin44az]

I couldn’t get my P380 to run reliably, even after 1000 rounds of “break-in” and a trip back to Kahr. My PM9 and it’s cheaper cousin ( CM9?), and K9 Elite, were better but still had enough malfs to be not trusted for carry.

I won’t recommend Kahr and won’t buy another. The original K9 geometry might be OK, but they pushed the envelope going smaller and they are built tight and not built with reliability foremost in mind, in my opinion.

With the SIG P365 and Glock 43 out there, no reason to even look at Kahr.

 

[Carmady]

I liked the Kahr CM9 so much I started looking at reviews on their .380.

I decided to stick with the LCP for .380. Add in Ruger's excellent customer service, whether you bought the gun new or not, and it's easy (for me).

 

[rc]

I had nothing but problems with my high priced K9 till I changed the cheap guide rod, slide stop and polished the chamber. Runs fine now. Either they work or they don't! I knew someone with a PM45. Piece of garbage wouldn't shoot through a magazine without locking back much like my K9 out of the box. It would automatically drop the slide and load the chamber when you inserted a magazine just like a Browning Auto 5. Kahr has basically a good design but their quality control is mmmmeeehhhh. When they run, they are good guns.

Honest Outlaw has a good video with a cw380. Piece of Junk with some of the same old common Kahr problems. At the end it shows his video out takes with repeated jams in the Kahr just trying to do an introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpVKCQLuuG0

 

[Carl the Floor Walker]

I had nothing but problems with my high priced K9 till I changed the cheap guide rod, slide stop and polished the chamber. Runs fine now. Either they work or they don't! I knew someone with a PM45. Piece of garbage wouldn't shoot through a magazine without locking back much like my K9 out of the box. It would automatically drop the slide and load the chamber when you inserted a magazine just like a Browning Auto 5. Kahr has basically a good design but their quality control is mmmmeeehhhh. When they run, they are good guns.

Honest Outlaw has a good video with a cw380. Piece of Junk with some of the same old common Kahr problems. At the end it shows his video out takes with repeated jams in the Kahr just trying to do an introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpVKCQLuuG0

I laughed at that video. I bet I could take that gun and have it run perfect after a initial break in that I do. The Kahr has tight tolerances and does require this. I have had friends at my club with a new Kahr 380. told them to let me take it home and I bring it back and they run great.
He complains about the trigger and the reset. What baloney, the Kahr is notorious for one of the best DAO triggers on the market. Smooth as Silk. He says, you cannot run the Kahr very fast. NONSENSE. I showed a Kahr above that I did the simple break in and it ran flawlessly with 200 rds of mixed ammo. And many rounds as fast as I could pull the trigger.
This is why I take YOUTUBE video's with a grain of salt. By the way, he also limp wrested the gun on on the one handed shooting and blamed it on the gun.
I have shot many Sigs, both in 380 and 9mm. The Kahr's will run every bit as good as them.
If you do not want a firearm with tight tolerences and do not want to break in in properly then fine. Do not buy one, but do not get on the internet and bash the gun without doing so.
Here is a Fact, the Khar 380 will shoot extremely smooth and one of the most accurate 380's I have ever shot. And easy to shoot well. The 380's do require a break in the 9mm's require very little if any right out of the box. He also said that the gun will choke after 300 rounds if not cleaned. Lol, yep that is true, but I doubt this guy even shot it 300 rounds. And 380's do need to be cleaned after a few hundred rounds. These are not military combat guns. There are other videos out there where the owners shoot them with no problem. Kahr has been manufacturing these 380's for years and a almost cult like following.
And there 9'mm's are a truly great firearm. I have ran mine against many Micro 9mm's and the shooting of them is right on.

Here is a video of a guy that actually has owned one for three years. Seems no problem at all. Echos my years of shooting them as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzbAi9ygbaY&t=1s

 

[Adventurer 2]

I have the budget versions of the handguns referenced - CT380 and Cm9. I bought the budget versions because they have traditional rifling and I reload cast bullets for both. The triggers are smooth. I got rid of my LCP 380 after getting the CT380. The CM9 is the smallest, lightest nine I own - it didn’t replace anything because most times I prefer to carry a larger handgun. Currently I don’t plan to get rid of either.

 

[wild cat mccane]

The P365 is the exact size of the PM9 and holds more, has better sights, and better trigger.

LCP is smaller than the P/CW380. I owned both at the same time. Everywhere online where people say the CW380 is smaller--you can immediately know they don't own one and can toss their review

My CW380 was a jammer.

 

[rc]

Carl I have no doubt you can get a Kahr to run correctly.... eventually! I know you like to throw shade on people who have had significant problems with KAHR!

Getting one from the factory that just runs out of the box??? Pretty much hit and miss!

I had a 3rd Gen Smith that ran 100% out of the box in 93. I've had other guns since from several makers that would hang up on some HP ammo now and then but otherwise were reliable. My buddy had a Sig 229 that developed extraction problems with wolf steel cased 9mm.

Other than Kahr's jamo matic, the worst defective gun I've had from a name brand maker was a Colt 1991 that had a bad chamber blemish that needed to be polished out to run. Now it's fine but that 1911 wouldn't go through 2 rounds of ball out of the box.

My Kahr K9 had more problems than anyone should have to deal with in a $900 gun and I put many hundreds of FMJ, JHP, both reloads and factory getting through the "break in" with no luck! I know from other Kahr's people I know have bought, videos online and your own statements that Kahr's are not reliable from the factory. I'm now convinced that their "break in" disclaimer l is so they can make excuses for why they are putting out untested weapons and leaving it up to the owners to "fix" them or complain enough Kahr will take care of the issue. I'm sure they also count on many ignorant people who buy a gun just to have an never shoot it.

CZ, Sig, Glock, EAA, Colt, Bursa, Beretta, Kimber and Springfield all tend to put out guns more trouble free than the average Kahr from day 1! If a gun doesn't run right after a 50 round break in, there is no guarantee putting 300 or 500 more round down range will "fix" those teething problems. My K9 was still malfunctioning well after 300 rounds. I even experienced a Kahr cracked magazine follower within the first 20 rounds! I run aftermarket aluminum ones now for reliability.

 

[stephen426]

I have a MK9 and a PM9. The MK9 makes no sense due to the heavy weight for a 6+1 gun. I know that weight helps with recoil, but this is only 9mm. I was also extremely disappointed in the "stainless steel" that Kahr use for the MK9 because mine developed pit rusting after being carried for a short while.

I went to the PM9 after carrying a Glock 26 for a while. The PM9 is slimmer and smaller, but you sacrifice 4 rounds with the flush fitting mag. I was fine with the PM9 for a while until I started shooting with a practical shooting club. This is more for training and isn't a competition, but the long trigger made rapid shooting difficult. The reset is extremely long with the Kahr and you don't get second strike capabilities (not that it usually solves anything). I went to a Glock 43 after that and liked it a lot better than my Kahr PM9. I have since switched to the Springfield Hellcat and can carry 38 rounds comfortably. Do I think I'll ever need that many? No, but better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

For me, I will never carry a Kahr again. I was carrying my PM9 after Hurricane Irma blew through a few years ago. I was sweating like a pig all over the gun while chopping up trees. There wasn't much time for gun maintenance so I know some people will give me grief. The trigger mechanism had rusted to the point that it was hard to pull the trigger. Why make a polymer and stainless gun that has internals that can corrode? Thanks, but no thanks. Glocks have been torture tested by been left on the bottom of the ocean for months. After months, there was barely any pit rusting. My Springfield Hellcat is holding up just as well to being carried in this hot, humid environment.

 

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Carl I have no doubt you can get a Kahr to run correctly.... eventually! I know you like to throw shade on people who have had significant problems with KAHR!

Getting one from the factory that just runs out of the box??? Pretty much hit and miss!

I had a 3rd Gen Smith that ran 100% out of the box in 93. I've had other guns since from several makers that would hang up on some HP ammo now and then but otherwise were reliable. My buddy had a Sig 229 that developed extraction problems with wolf steel cased 9mm.

Other than Kahr's jamo matic, the worst defective gun I've had from a name brand maker was a Colt 1991 that had a bad chamber blemish that needed to be polished out to run. Now it's fine but that 1911 wouldn't go through 2 rounds of ball out of the box.

My Kahr K9 had more problems than anyone should have to deal with in a $900 gun and I put many hundreds of FMJ, JHP, both reloads and factory getting through the "break in" with no luck! I know from other Kahr's people I know have bought, videos online and your own statements that Kahr's are not reliable from the factory. I'm now convinced that their "break in" disclaimer l is so they can make excuses for why they are putting out untested weapons and leaving it up to the owners to "fix" them or complain enough Kahr will take care of the issue. I'm sure they also count on many ignorant people who buy a gun just to have an never shoot it.

CZ, Sig, Glock, EAA, Colt, Bursa, Beretta, Kimber and Springfield all tend to put out guns more trouble free than the average Kahr from day 1! If a gun doesn't run right after a 50 round break in, there is no guarantee putting 300 or 500 more round down range will "fix" those teething problems. My K9 was still malfunctioning well after 300 rounds. I even experienced a Kahr cracked magazine follower within the first 20 rounds! I run aftermarket aluminum ones now for reliability.

Quote " "I'm sure they also count on many ignorant people who buy a gun just to have an never shoot it."



Mighty big statement. I will stick to my experience only and leave the internet for what it is. All 4 of mine, two CM's a CW 380 and a p380 run great and in reality, that is all that matters to me. I would like to have another and was going to buy one, but could not make up my mind. Glad I did not with the fact that there is no ammo. One thing about it, you can still buy what you prefer. Each to his own.

 

[Armybrat]

My PM9, CW45, CW9, and CT380 have all worked just fine

 

[Carl the Floor Walker]

My PM9, CW45, CW9, and CT380 have all worked just fine

Nice ArmyBrat!

Here is a Truglo on one of the CM9's. Notice how bright it is even in just low light. I also have the same sight but Front Sight only that I plan to put on. Arrived last month, but just know motivation since I am not shooting much anymore with the ammo shortage. Miss that terribly.

 

[Alan0354]

Hope the ammo situation gets better. Or else, I am getting plastic toy guns now!!! AND I cannot even keep snapping without racking the slide!!!!

I was talking to my stepson, all his friends are buying guns. That's the problem, everyone buy guns and try to buy ammo. Can't exactly blame them, everyone is afraid of the riots, looting and burning. I just worry the ammo shortage might last longer than we expect.

I am just thankful I can still buy guns, but I won't be able to get another one until two weeks later, that stupid one gun in 30 days law. I am down to Ruger LC380 and Glock 23(If I can find one). I have 2 9mm already, a .40S&W might be a good choice. Both can easily change to 9mm.

One thing discourage about LC380 is that it's really not smaller than my PPKS, just lighter. I am going back and fore between the two guns.

 

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Hope the ammo situation gets better. Or else, I am getting plastic toy guns now!!! AND I cannot even keep snapping without racking the slide!!!!

I was talking to my stepson, all his friends are buying guns. That's the problem, everyone buy guns and try to buy ammo. Can't exactly blame them, everyone is afraid of the riots, looting and burning. I just worry the ammo shortage might last longer than we expect.

I am just thankful I can still buy guns, but I won't be able to get another one until two weeks later, that stupid one gun in 30 days law. I am down to Ruger LC380 and Glock 23(If I can find one). I have 2 9mm already, a .40S&W might be a good choice. Both can easily change to 9mm.

One thing discourage about LC380 is that it's really not smaller than my PPKS, just lighter. I am going back and fore between the two guns.

I was going to buy my son, (Army National Guard Medic, just got back from DC) a Sig M18. Just got a email they are in stock, but $799.00. Too much to pay right now without any ammo to waste. I could spare a thousand rounds of my stash, for training and checking the gun out, but just does not make sense now. Man this sucks!

 

[Alan0354]

I was going to buy my son, (Army National Guard Medic, just got back from DC) a Sig M18. Just got a email they are in stock, but $799.00. Too much to pay right now without any ammo to waste. I could spare a thousand rounds of my stash, for training and checking the gun out, but just does not make sense now. Man this sucks!

At this point, I don't even care if they raise the price as long as it's not ridiculous. I paid $650 + all tax, transfers etc. for my Glock 26. They want $500 for the LC380. I don't know how much is the Glock 23 yet. But I live in Kalif, I better get while I can at this point.

I am usually very cheap, always look for sale and bargain, not this time. Consider how expensive is the ammo, the gun is only part of the cost. I just buy the gun first and wait for the ammo.

I still have about 200 to 300 rounds of 9mm, about 70 rounds of 380. I am actually short on 38spl and 45ACP. Just enough 38 for my wife with her snubby.( she can't rack the slide).

BTW, thank your son for serving. Hope he wasn't one that stuck in the Capital Hill!!! That's sick.