Driving The Kahr

American Handgunner, Nov, 2001 by Ken Hackathorn

Like many of you, I am always looking for an excuse to procure another handgun. Recently, I added a new one to my pile, a Kahr P9. For use with a fanny pack, I have favored either a S&W Model 3913 or Glock G19. Sometimes my Wilson Compact CQB 1911 does duty in my fanny pack, but my favorite is the Smith 3913.

At the 2001 SHOT Show, I examined the Kahr P9 and noted that it's smaller, lighter and every bit as easy to manipulate as a Model 3913. Kahr pistols have established a proven track record for reliability in a very compact self-defense pistol. With the size of a .380, they fire a proper 9mm round.

The Kahr's DAO design makes for a very simple firing stroke. The DAO trigger action is very smooth and allows for accurate use. The only real drawback to the Kahr is the weight.

Upon first handling prototype Kahr pistols, my feeling was that regardless of how small it was, it was just too heavy to ever be a good pocket pistol or ankle piece. However, Kahr introduced the new P9 with a polymer frame that tips the scales at a scant 17 ozs. Even when fully loaded, it remains light enough to carry in a jacket pocket or a small fanny pack.

So, with a new Kahr P9 in my possession, I set out to give it a shake down. After a few burps on the first 100 rounds, all in the form of failures-to-feed, my Kahr has ran without a problem. My only real complaint is that the slide release is far too bulky for the pistol. It sticks out in an excessive manner and compromises much of the good, slim profile of the pistol. I broke the sharp corners and beveled the edges to make the slide stop more user-friendly. Kahr should address this shortcoming.