ive been carrying this in the front pocket for 3 days now and i love it. the light weight and flatness makes this thing really conceal well. i can see this becoming the classic pocket auto. i bought a mika pocket holster but i like it unholstered in the pocket, doesnt print badly at all. in my opinion this is the best ever.
pm9 best pocket auto ever?
- Thread starter 2002gti
- Start date
is it safe carry that way? no holster? i carry a 342 and despite the looooong and stiff trigger pull a always stick it in a holster. there have been many instances when i considered just throwing it in a pocket. i know that the pm9's pull is alot lighter than that of the 342, anybody else out there carry DOA's in this fashion?
Safety
This is the second post I've seen recently about intrinsic equipment safety, I think the other was about Glocks. So here goes.
Sure a properly loaded (one up the spout) PM9 is safe--*potentially*. And it had better be! A sidearm's purpose is to prepare the wearer to meet the unknown. If you knew what was coming up, you'd be facing the direction of danger with a long gun firmly grasped in both hands--and you'd have one up the pipe. When we swap our long gun for a holstered handgun, we trade effectiveness for the convenience of having both hands free to go about our daily business. However to make up for not having the gun in our hands and not knowing what direction the danger will come from, we gain some responsiveness and speed. In no way do we get back even half of what we give up in this trade, so obviously we can't afford to give up even the least bit more. In fact, we can expect to be behind the curve somewhat even when going about in Condition Yellow. That's why it's absolutely essential to have one in the chamber (for autos) or one in each of 5 to 8 chambers (for revolvers).
The reason I say the gun is *potentially* safe is because it depends on *you*. You have to know your safety rules first. The test of this is to absolutely know what's safe and what's not. If you feel it's unsafe to have a pocket gun with loaded chamber or chambers, you are absolutely right! You are not ready to carry! You first have to know how your gun works. You have to think this over carefully. With my PM9, I know the trigger has to be pulled back with a certain pressure over a certain distance to fully cock and release the striker. I know that although I use a pocket holster which covers the trigger and helps keep the gun presented correctly, I would be fully confident with the gun bare in the pocket because when my gun is in my pocket, nothing else is in the pocket. And clearly something else would have to be in the pocket to actuate the trigger, so I know it's not going to go off in my pocket. I also know myself and my training well enough to be sure that my index finger will get nowhere near the trigger until the gun's pointed downrange and both hands are on it. So I know beyond any doubt there is no physically possible way the gun can fire unless I deliberately will it so.
So if you don't know your gun and training well enough to know these kinds of things, not only are you an accident waiting to happen, but with an empty chamber, you're basically asking to have your gun taken from you as you attempt to make it ready, unless you first get shot or cut while diddling around.
This is the second post I've seen recently about intrinsic equipment safety, I think the other was about Glocks. So here goes.
Sure a properly loaded (one up the spout) PM9 is safe--*potentially*. And it had better be! A sidearm's purpose is to prepare the wearer to meet the unknown. If you knew what was coming up, you'd be facing the direction of danger with a long gun firmly grasped in both hands--and you'd have one up the pipe. When we swap our long gun for a holstered handgun, we trade effectiveness for the convenience of having both hands free to go about our daily business. However to make up for not having the gun in our hands and not knowing what direction the danger will come from, we gain some responsiveness and speed. In no way do we get back even half of what we give up in this trade, so obviously we can't afford to give up even the least bit more. In fact, we can expect to be behind the curve somewhat even when going about in Condition Yellow. That's why it's absolutely essential to have one in the chamber (for autos) or one in each of 5 to 8 chambers (for revolvers).
The reason I say the gun is *potentially* safe is because it depends on *you*. You have to know your safety rules first. The test of this is to absolutely know what's safe and what's not. If you feel it's unsafe to have a pocket gun with loaded chamber or chambers, you are absolutely right! You are not ready to carry! You first have to know how your gun works. You have to think this over carefully. With my PM9, I know the trigger has to be pulled back with a certain pressure over a certain distance to fully cock and release the striker. I know that although I use a pocket holster which covers the trigger and helps keep the gun presented correctly, I would be fully confident with the gun bare in the pocket because when my gun is in my pocket, nothing else is in the pocket. And clearly something else would have to be in the pocket to actuate the trigger, so I know it's not going to go off in my pocket. I also know myself and my training well enough to be sure that my index finger will get nowhere near the trigger until the gun's pointed downrange and both hands are on it. So I know beyond any doubt there is no physically possible way the gun can fire unless I deliberately will it so.
So if you don't know your gun and training well enough to know these kinds of things, not only are you an accident waiting to happen, but with an empty chamber, you're basically asking to have your gun taken from you as you attempt to make it ready, unless you first get shot or cut while diddling around.
The PM9 is definately one of the very best.....
For the reliability, size, weight, capacity and power that it projects!
For years my fave was a Jay frame Smith of various flavors. Though I have a fond space in my heart for the Colt Mustanglite, I just feel undergunned with a .380.
Milady bought a PM9 a few months back, and it has been superb! In fact I have been pondering the evenual purchase of one as a BUG and deep concealment myself.
But, personally...I would always use a pocket holster, you want the weapon to be in the same position for a no fumbles draw(not to mention better safety). And I would always have a round chambered. When you need it, you need it now and it has to be ready to go. If one hand is busy fending off an attack, how are ya gonna chamber a round?
These are opions formed from my experiences...you can, of course, form your own.
Jercamp45
For the reliability, size, weight, capacity and power that it projects!
For years my fave was a Jay frame Smith of various flavors. Though I have a fond space in my heart for the Colt Mustanglite, I just feel undergunned with a .380.
Milady bought a PM9 a few months back, and it has been superb! In fact I have been pondering the evenual purchase of one as a BUG and deep concealment myself.
But, personally...I would always use a pocket holster, you want the weapon to be in the same position for a no fumbles draw(not to mention better safety). And I would always have a round chambered. When you need it, you need it now and it has to be ready to go. If one hand is busy fending off an attack, how are ya gonna chamber a round?
These are opions formed from my experiences...you can, of course, form your own.
Jercamp45
I just finished a 2 day Defensive handgun course last weekend. Part of the lecture focused on scanning and searching, being aware of what was going on around you..in other words being ready. The other thing they drilled into us was a good holster, spend $600.00 on a top gun and bitch about spending $70.00 for a good holster.
We had one guy that never carried his "Glock" with one in the chamber.
He said he was very afraid of AD/ND so no round in the chamber. I watched him and he was very fast drawing his weapon, racking the slide and fireing, and actually did quite well. But just about two thirds of the other people would beat him and hit their target first. Now this guy was willing to take the extra chance and time to rack the slide to complete his idea of safty.
I asked him why he didn't carry a double action with an external safty. His response was he liked his Glock. I didn't push it, but did notice several of the instructors speak to him about this. He continues to carry the Glock with the chamber empty....His choice.
We had one guy that never carried his "Glock" with one in the chamber.
He said he was very afraid of AD/ND so no round in the chamber. I watched him and he was very fast drawing his weapon, racking the slide and fireing, and actually did quite well. But just about two thirds of the other people would beat him and hit their target first. Now this guy was willing to take the extra chance and time to rack the slide to complete his idea of safty.
I asked him why he didn't carry a double action with an external safty. His response was he liked his Glock. I didn't push it, but did notice several of the instructors speak to him about this. He continues to carry the Glock with the chamber empty....His choice.
Rohrbaugh strenuously objects to use of +P whereas Kahr doesn't (the dealer said +P was a warranty killer when the PM9 was first released, and we read every word in the manual and they had taken that out, so I guess they're sure it's OK now). Anyway I'm not that recoil sensitive and with a 3" barrel, I really appreciate the cartridge making up for the lost velocity.
I use a pants pocket holster (have a Mitch Rosen and a FIST with a Kytac on order), however if there's nothing in the pocket but the gun, I can't see anything that would necessarily make holsterless carry unsafe.
I could see maybe pinning up then stitching around the outline of the gun through both sides of the pocket as it hangs inside the pants to turn the pocket into a holster. Might even be better than a holster that can come out of the pocket on the draw.
I use a pants pocket holster (have a Mitch Rosen and a FIST with a Kytac on order), however if there's nothing in the pocket but the gun, I can't see anything that would necessarily make holsterless carry unsafe.
I could see maybe pinning up then stitching around the outline of the gun through both sides of the pocket as it hangs inside the pants to turn the pocket into a holster. Might even be better than a holster that can come out of the pocket on the draw.
Magsnubby have you been in trunk of my car? 
When I carry my PPK/S in my pocket its fully loaded(1 in chamber) and in a pocket holster. To carry on a empty chamber is just go to increase your chance hurt or killed if time ever comes you need your weapon. Your all ready behind because pistol is in your pocket and not in your hand and now its not even loaded.Would you carry a rev. empty and a speed loader and belive your ready? If you can't rack that slide there no real difference.
When I carry my PPK/S in my pocket its fully loaded(1 in chamber) and in a pocket holster. To carry on a empty chamber is just go to increase your chance hurt or killed if time ever comes you need your weapon. Your all ready behind because pistol is in your pocket and not in your hand and now its not even loaded.Would you carry a rev. empty and a speed loader and belive your ready? If you can't rack that slide there no real difference.Jody Hudson
New member
I too like the Rohrbaugh. I was not able to shoot the pm9 with good accuracy. The Rohrbaugh is EXCEPTIONALLY accurate for me and most others.
As far as PlusP the difference in velocity in such a tiny barrel is negligable according to our chrono testing.
REgarding in the pocket with no holster; positioning is good and I like your idea of the stiching of the pocket to make an integral holster. The other thought I have is that the holster keeps the pocket dirt and lint out of all those tiny places in your pistol. I would suggest frequent air-blasting and checking it with field stripping pretty frequently, to see if it is packing up with pocket lint, etc.
All the best and enjoy your Kahr... check out a Rohrbaugh if you get a chance.
As far as PlusP the difference in velocity in such a tiny barrel is negligable according to our chrono testing.
REgarding in the pocket with no holster; positioning is good and I like your idea of the stiching of the pocket to make an integral holster. The other thought I have is that the holster keeps the pocket dirt and lint out of all those tiny places in your pistol. I would suggest frequent air-blasting and checking it with field stripping pretty frequently, to see if it is packing up with pocket lint, etc.
All the best and enjoy your Kahr... check out a Rohrbaugh if you get a chance.
Jody Hudson
New member
Yes, WWB 115 fmj and Gold Dot 115 or 124