Easy to conceal and carry, utterly reliable and approaching the accuracy of a target pistol, Kahr's new polymer-framed P9 is an intriguing handgun. Here's a classic match between brilliant engineering and ergonomic design - a svelte, bantam weight, powerful little 9mm that seems to please nearly every shooter who picks it up.
One of the nice aspects about being a civilian in the world of concealed carry is that there are no "official regulations." You can carry any make, model, caliber, ammunition type, in any holster or by any other means, any time you want.
With that degree of freedom and flexibility, you would think selecting the right make, model, caliber and means of concealed carry would be simple. It's not, and the choices available today, either good or bad, are simply mind-numbing.
Revolutionizing the concealed carry equation, however, is the recent development of compact, light, polymer-framed, DAO semi-automatics. The mini-Glocks and Kel-Tecs immediately come to mind, and now the 9mm Kahr P9, which may be the best of its type.
THE CHIHUAHUA OF HANDGUNS - SMALL & INTENSE
Over the last few years, the small DAO semi-automatic has emerged as the ideal concealed carry handgun.
Without the projections of an external hammer or safety, it can be made compact, streamlined, snag-proof and virtually impervious to lint and dirt.
Produced from a combination of polymers and metallic alloys, it is highly corrosion resistant and almost maintenance free. Most importantly, its operation is very simple and obvious. At a moment of extreme stress, all you have to remember to do is to squeeze the trigger.
Helping to keep compact DAO autos controllable and comfortable to shoot is the modern 9mm cartridge. While it's 98 years old, it's still the most popular handgun cartridge in the world. It's a small but high-intensity cartridge, operating at an industry maximum pressure of 35,000 psi, which is the same pressure standard set for the .357 Magnum.
The performance of modern +P and +P+ loadings for the 9mm is nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, the most effective loading, based on actual street data, is Cor-Bon's 115 gr. JHP at 1,350 fps from a 4" barrel. Yet, the 9mm round is a gentle cartridge to shoot. When wedded to a small, lightweight DAO auto like Kahr's P9, it is high perfect.
If you really haven't followed Kahr as a company, it is a high-tech engineering, contract manufacturing and design house as well as a leading supplier of CNC machine tools and tooling to various industries. One of its principals, Justin Moon, also happens to be a dedicated handgunner.
When Moon decided to design and manufacture a family of ultra-compact DAO autos in 9mm and .40 S&W, he did it right. He began with a clear set of objectives and applied the considerable engineering and CNC production assets at his fingertips to the ultimate design and manufacture of an award-winning line of highly concealable handguns.
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| This end toward target. |
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| When you shoot the P9, the texturing on the rear of the grip actually delivers a message in an ancient, nodular code once carved by Anasazi cave dwellers in the darkest recesses of their desert caverns. This one is thought to read: "Sick of eating cactus. Moving to Oregon." |
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| With stainless steel and polymer construction, the Kahr P9 may be only slightly tougher and more durable than your average M1 tank. |
LOOKS NEW, FEELS FAMILIAR
The new polymer-framed P9 is the latest offering from Kahr, and it incorporates all of the original patent designs and precision of manufacture upon which Kahr has built an enviable reputation.
Picking up the P9, the first thing you notice is how small and light this little 9mm powerhouse actually is; yet with the magazines in place, it has a full, three-finger size grip. The pistol weighs 15.8 ozs. and the seven-shot, single stack magazine, 1.9 ozs. With a 3.5" barrel, the overall length of the P9 is 6"; its height, 4.5"; and the matte stainless steel slide registers a mere 0.9" in width.
In the hand, the Kahr sits very low with a neutral balance. The low bore axis of the P9 significantly reduces muzzle flip and felt recoil, and is made possible by one of Moon's unique patented design features. The P9 incorporates a locked breech and a modified Browning short recoil system, but the barrel camming lug has been offset from its normal 6 o'clock position.
By moving this lug slightly off center, Moon was able to position the trigger mechanism beside the barrel lug, thus closing the distance from the centerline of the bore to the top of the shooter's hand. as a result, the P9 is a natural pointer. Even with the hot Cor-Bon, 1,350 fps 115 gr. +P load, muzzle rise is almost imperceptible and recovery from recoil, immediate.
GO AHEAD, SHOOT IT A LOT!
The petite P9 is a very comfortable handgun to shoot - a quality that will encourage lots of practice and will appeal strongly to less experienced shooters.
Adding to the fine handling of the P9 is its slim, textured, hard-polymer grip. It seems to fit everyone, regardless of hand size, which speaks well of its ergonomic qualities. The slimness of the grip is made possible by a single stack magazine that holds and functions with seven rounds.
The two magazines supplied with the gun are made of heat-treated, stainless steel with a smooth polymer follower. They exhibit no sharp edges. They load easily, and they feed well. In over 500 rounds of shooting assorted hollowpoints and FMJs, we experienced not one jam, misfeed nor any other malfunction for that matter. Kahr does recommend a break-in sequence of 200 rounds in any case.
Indeed, the functional reliability of Kahr's complete handgun line is well established and documented.
When shooting a DAO semi-automatic for the first time, one always wonders what the trigger will be like. Will it stack up? Will it be rough and jerky? will it be too heavy for little or even big hands?
The quality of the trigger and its linkage to the firing mechanism either makes or breaks a DAO semi-auto.
Moon got it right on the P9. The trigger is like a ball bearing on glass - rolling smooth. It's light, short and consistent at 7 lbs. The trigger face itself is smoothly finished so that your finger glides over it as your pull progresses to a clean breaking let-off point.
We've done our share of serious double action work with tuned revolvers, and always found it a real challenge. The P9 puts revolvers to shame. The trigger action on the P9 is so good it's simply in another league entirely - and so are the tight groups it helps generate.
THRIVING ON THE FIRE
With a 5" sighting radius formed by white bar-dot combat sights (factory replaceable with tritiums) plus a Lothar Walther polygonal rifled barrel, the P9 proved remarkably accurate. It shot to the point-of-aim from 7 to 25 yards. It thrived on the hot 115 gr. Cor-Bon load, which would be our load of choice, and it did almost as well with Fiocchi's standard 115 gr. FMJ, which would be a good, inexpensive practice round.
The heavier 124 to 147 gr. factory loads all shot well but not as well as the 115 gr. numbers.
Frankly, in this light, little gun, the traditional 115 gr. 9mm loads will do anything needing doing with less fuss and less recoil.
Under low light conditions, Cor-Bon's use of low-flash powder makes a world of difference and is an invaluable tactical asset. Other brands of ammunition tested in the P9 generated considerable degrees of muzzle flash which were distracting to the shooter and not exactly beneficial to one's night vision. Muzzle flash is an element to be concerned about in defensive pistolcraft. Cor-Bon has confronted the problem and moderates it much better than their competitors.
For the purposes of carry and concealment, Kahr offers three quality leather holsters from Alessi for the P9 - a pocket holster; a double-loop, belt-slide model; and a clip-on inside-the-waistband rig. In the heat of the Arizona summer the P9 carried comfortably in both the pocket and the belt-slide holsters. Whether you carry the P9 in a holster, pocket, purse, briefcase or fanny pack, you'll quickly forget you're carrying it at all.
Could we recommend any improvements in the P9? Just one. We would like every semi-auto to incorporate a loaded chamber indicator, especially a DAO that has no external safety. Having to rack back a slide to check if there's a round in the chamber is objectionable. Give us something we can feel to verify the chamber is loaded and the gun is ready.
Suggested retail for the new P9 is $527, and Kahr extends a lifetime warranty to the original buyer. In addition, Kahr's operating manual is among the finest ever printed.
If you appreciate quality and accuracy in a highly concealable handgun, you'll really enjoy owning, carrying and shooting the Kahr P9.
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