shooter_john
New member
I have been wanting a 'pocket pistol' (but still wanted at least a 9mm) for sometime now, and I was intrigued with the Kahr's but they just don't fit my budget. Then I found the PF9 which is substancially less than the Kahr, and began doing some research. I got on ktog.org, and it kinda scared my with some of the issues reported on the PF9's, but it seemed that 'new' models (post 10/07ish) should be ok. So I picked up this OD/ Hard Chrome model off of gunbroker for a grand total of $290 ($270 + $20s&h, no transfer fee) and hoped for the best. Serial # was well within the "Good to go" range, and finally today I went to the range.
Function:
The biggest problem I encountered was that the magazine would only hold 6 rds instead of 7. No matter how hard I pushed, 7 just wasn't happening.
I started with some 115 gr FMJ's from the 7 yd line, and my first shot was dead on, and pretty much the rest of the mag was too. I put 50-60 more rounds of FMJ through it with the only hiccups being 2 FTF's that appeared to be mag or maybe ammo related. The 'double' trigger reset is different but by the end of the day I had gotten fairly accustomed to it, and was getting good double and triple taps. I never had a FTF because of the trigger, and I actualy found it to be pretty smooth and not that heavy of a pull at all.
Next I wanted to try and find a carry ammo, and my choices at the moment were Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P, and Federal Nyclad 124 gr HP's. Both shot well and functioned flawlessly through several magazines each, but the Gold Dot's were by far the most accurate of anything I put through it (2" at 10 yds).
Shooting the PF9:
Recoil is definitely sharp, but isn't as bad as I was expecting. Sights are decent, but at the distances I was shooting, I was hardly using them anyway and was still getting very good hits on FBI "Q" targets and even on 8" steel. The farther I got from the target, the farther to the left I hit and I really don't know why, but if I ever have to employ this thing past 10yds, it has turned into a BAD day anyhow. It really wan't that bad of a shooter at all.
Final Impressions:
The PF9 (at least new ones apparently) is a great little pistol for what I want, and is ALMOST fun to shoot, and certainly isn't nearly as bad to shoot as I was expecting. Accuracy is plenty good enough at the ranges I would expect to use it at, and it hits very hard for a package this small. I made a 'speed scabbard' and a pocket holster for my PF9, I swear it melts into my hip in the scabbard, and is hardly noticeable in the pocket holster. My initial thought is that this pistol was a GREAT value, and it will most certainly start going with me everywhere I go, even if I have another gun on with it.
Function:
The biggest problem I encountered was that the magazine would only hold 6 rds instead of 7. No matter how hard I pushed, 7 just wasn't happening.
I started with some 115 gr FMJ's from the 7 yd line, and my first shot was dead on, and pretty much the rest of the mag was too. I put 50-60 more rounds of FMJ through it with the only hiccups being 2 FTF's that appeared to be mag or maybe ammo related. The 'double' trigger reset is different but by the end of the day I had gotten fairly accustomed to it, and was getting good double and triple taps. I never had a FTF because of the trigger, and I actualy found it to be pretty smooth and not that heavy of a pull at all.
Next I wanted to try and find a carry ammo, and my choices at the moment were Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P, and Federal Nyclad 124 gr HP's. Both shot well and functioned flawlessly through several magazines each, but the Gold Dot's were by far the most accurate of anything I put through it (2" at 10 yds).
Shooting the PF9:
Recoil is definitely sharp, but isn't as bad as I was expecting. Sights are decent, but at the distances I was shooting, I was hardly using them anyway and was still getting very good hits on FBI "Q" targets and even on 8" steel. The farther I got from the target, the farther to the left I hit and I really don't know why, but if I ever have to employ this thing past 10yds, it has turned into a BAD day anyhow. It really wan't that bad of a shooter at all.
Final Impressions:
The PF9 (at least new ones apparently) is a great little pistol for what I want, and is ALMOST fun to shoot, and certainly isn't nearly as bad to shoot as I was expecting. Accuracy is plenty good enough at the ranges I would expect to use it at, and it hits very hard for a package this small. I made a 'speed scabbard' and a pocket holster for my PF9, I swear it melts into my hip in the scabbard, and is hardly noticeable in the pocket holster. My initial thought is that this pistol was a GREAT value, and it will most certainly start going with me everywhere I go, even if I have another gun on with it.