Kahr PM9: An Excellent Single Stack for Concealed Carry

The Kahr PM9 brings a concealable 9mm design to the single stacks market. (Photo: Dan Abraham)

One of Kahr Arms most popular models, the PM9 is among the smallest and lightest single-stack 9mm handguns in today’s market and one of the better choices for deep concealment. The Kahr PM9 is a great concealed carry pistol — carries easily, shoots reliably and uses quality materials in its construction.

The Basics

Anyone who carries a gun every day and all day understands that weight matters. The Kahr PM9 is a little powerhouse packing a punch while only weighing 20-ounces loaded with seven rounds. It sports a 3-inch barrel, yet the slide length is much shorter than similar sub-compact 9mm handguns. When compared to other popular single stacks, the Kahr PM9’s slide is approximately a half-inch shorter. The grip length is also shorter giving the pistol’s dimensions a concealed carry advantage.

The PM9 offers a slim width, perfect for concealed carry. (Photo: Dan Abraham)

When handling a Kahr PM9, it is hard to ignore how thin it is — the width on the slide is 0.9-inches. For concealed carry purposes, this is priceless. Bulky guns can be difficult to concealed carry, but thin, lightweight pistols are a breeze.

A part of the high-end “premium series” of Kahr handguns, the pistol brings parts milled from bar-stock steel with engraving and slide cuts precisely detailed, and the barrel offering polygonal rifling. The other advantage to the premium series is the lifetime warranty that accompanies it along with three magazines in the case. For this review, I tested the Kahr PM9 with blackened slide and upgraded Tru-Glo night sights.

On the Range

The PM9 offers a heavy recoil spring that helps mitigate recoil. (Photo: Dan Abraham)

The Kahr PM9, like all Kahr handguns, has a smooth double-action trigger that breaks between 6.5 and 7-pounds. The benefit of this is consistency shared across the entire Kahr platform. Whether shooting larger .45 ACP pistols or micro .380s, Kahr triggers share the same DAO build and weight. The trigger also resets just slightly short of full position. For many concealed carriers, the DAO trigger introduces an extra safety feature.

A quality that I enjoyed when firing the Kahr handgun involved recoil management. I find the PM0, like other Kahr pistols, handles felt recoil better than similar sub-compact handguns on the market. Shooting lightweight micro-sized handguns can be a daunting task with increased felt recoil and higher muzzle rise. This is not the case with Kahr handguns. Kahr’s strong build quality coupled with a heavy recoil spring tames recoil and muzzle rise significantly. This improves accuracy by allowing the shooter to remain on target with follow up shots.

The Kahr Arms PM9 works well for pocket carriers. (Photo: Dan Abraham)

Despite mitigating recoil, a common complaint about Kahr pistols is that recoil spring and its weight. Some shooters feel that the slide takes additional effort to manipulate. The deep cut slide serrations on the slide aid in this process by giving shooters something to grip as they move the slide. I found it easiest to grip with my left hand at the top of the slide to force it back and then release. Without this heavy recoil spring, the Kahr wouldn’t reduce recoil as well as it does. Most new Kahr pistols come machined extremely tight but the PM9 proved different. The brand-new Kahr PM9 functioned perfectly out of the case. After a year of use, the Kahr PM9 loosened up even more and continues to perform reliably.

Final Thoughts

The Kahr Arms PM9 retails for $762 but can be found for less in used circles. (Photo: Dan Abraham)

Many shooters enjoy the concealability of the Kahr PM9 pocket carrying or holstering it on the hip. Personally, I feel the Kahr PM9 is the perfect concealed carry pistol. Thin, lightweight and constructed extremely well, the PM9, priced at $762, proves why it is Kahr Arms most popular model. I am confident this pistol will work exactly as intended in a defensive situation.

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