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Kahr PM9 or Sig 938, which would you choose?
- Thread starter MarkT
- Start date
ToddDubya
NES Member
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
icyclefar
NES Member
My Kahr must be defective, it doesn't have a safety.
Free state Khar, the mass version has a very nice trigger though, it was either a 100lb trigger pull or an external safety, so Khar actually improved the trigger and added a the external safety.
I got a 238 (before the 938 was available in MA) and always found myself checking and rechecking and rechecking again that the safety was on. The safety is solid by my own paranoia was getting the best of me especially when pocket carrying and knowing what the barrel was pointed at. It also annoyed me that the hammer area was like a magnet for fuzz and I was constantly pulling out dust bunnies. I ended up getting a 'safety' version of the pm9 ant like it a lot. It is too big to pocket carry (for me with a desantis holster) but it disappears IWB no problem. I carried it all summer in a Minotaur holster with 2 Kytex mag carriers, often wearing just a t shirt and felt perfectly comfortable. I have seen people complain about the recoil but I have not found it to be a problem at all. Trigger is smooth and no dust bunnies to worry about. Regarding the safety, I just leave it off and have had 0 problems. My only gripes are that the slide is too stiff for my wife to pull back manually (not a problem for me and probably necessary for the design) and I have noticed some rust near the mag release (didn't know that I was supposed to oil that).
as many have pointed out, the longer smooth pull to be part of the safety of the pistol....the free state models that i've encountered have sub-10 lb pulls and are liquid-smooth....i've not found any super heavy pull kahrs out there.
WRT the safety system, i think their logic was that if they're putting a manual safety then might as well give it a more SA-style trigger pull. personally i dig the longer DA-like pull....also the longer reset pretty much guarantees no matter how shaky one's finger is, less likely to to rip any rounds off unintentionally.
yes i'm aware most people say "train more" or "you just have to be proficient with the gun" or "booger hoook yada yada" but honestly got forbid i'm ever in a lethal encounter i'm pretty sure my hands are going to be shaky so i factor that into my firearm selection.
Despite the fact that I have fired hundreds of thousands of rounds from my 1911s and clones in competition, I prefer a DA gun for self defense (S&W model 60 or 6906). I am not a big fan of safeties on a defensive pistol and refuse to carry an SA pistol cocked and locked loose in my pocket. For pocket carry, I would only use a DA revolver. A pocket gun should be able to be fired more than once from inside the pocket.
dcmdon
NES Member
They are both fine guns. It comes down to you.
Have you shot or carried a firearm that is carried "cocked and locked" before? If not, are you willing to put the training time in to get truly INSTINCTIVE with swiping the safety off when on target, and here is the difficult part, swiping the safety ON when you come off target?
I ask because while I'm no pro, I'm a fairly proficient handgun shooter. I shoot a Glock 34 in 9mm and a Les Baer in .45 competitively. I am about 99.95% reliable in making the switch. But every once in a while, I'll come out of my holster with the Baer and forget to swipe the safety off. Its typical after I shot a match with the Glock.
Because of this, I will not carry a single action 1911 style gun that needs to be carried Condition 1 to be useful.
So again, it comes down to you. What do you have the most experience with? Do you own other striker fired guns that you shoot a lot?
Do you shoot IDPA or USPSA or just local matches with striker fired handguns.
All of these feed into your ability to INSTINCTIVELY run a 938 properly when it matters most.
Don
Have you shot or carried a firearm that is carried "cocked and locked" before? If not, are you willing to put the training time in to get truly INSTINCTIVE with swiping the safety off when on target, and here is the difficult part, swiping the safety ON when you come off target?
I ask because while I'm no pro, I'm a fairly proficient handgun shooter. I shoot a Glock 34 in 9mm and a Les Baer in .45 competitively. I am about 99.95% reliable in making the switch. But every once in a while, I'll come out of my holster with the Baer and forget to swipe the safety off. Its typical after I shot a match with the Glock.
Because of this, I will not carry a single action 1911 style gun that needs to be carried Condition 1 to be useful.
So again, it comes down to you. What do you have the most experience with? Do you own other striker fired guns that you shoot a lot?
Do you shoot IDPA or USPSA or just local matches with striker fired handguns.
All of these feed into your ability to INSTINCTIVELY run a 938 properly when it matters most.
Don
It's my daily. You need to push hard. The only complaint I have with the PM9 is he trigger reset is LOOOOONG. Practice with it and it's not an issue. It's basically the safety feature to reduce the chance of ND.
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Do the springs really wear out after 500 rounds
tried both, the 938 won by a long shot for me, great sights, far superior trigger vs pm9 and also the mag won't bite you hand, like the pm9.
Also a tack driver up to 35', opens up at 40.
Only downside is the plastic trigger has groves and will chaffe your finger after 150 rounds, I replaced it for a metal with smooth sides. I also found thinner g10 grips. I 3oc carry with a remora owb.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Also a tack driver up to 35', opens up at 40.
Only downside is the plastic trigger has groves and will chaffe your finger after 150 rounds, I replaced it for a metal with smooth sides. I also found thinner g10 grips. I 3oc carry with a remora owb.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
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938. I could never maintain a good relationship with my PM9. Between range trips I would lose any rhythm or familiarity I developed with the trigger. I am not an adept shooter. I found the 938 much easier to shoot accurately. For me then, the 938 is more effective and more fun.
M1911
Moderator
I have one. Same size as the PM9, but heavier. Too heavy for me to pocket carry easily. I carry my PM9 instead.
M1911
Moderator
Yes, recoil is less, but the PM9 doesn't exactly have a lot of recoil. But I wouldn't carry it IWB. I had an IWB holster for it, but I never carried it that way. If I'm going to carry a gun in a belt holster, then I carry a gun that is bigger, with a better grip and larger sight radius that is easier to shoot. A Kahr K9 or P9 is a far better gun to carry if you are going to carry IWB.
Once Spring has sprung, give me a shout if you want to try my Kahr collection -- you bring the factory 9mm ammo to Harvard Sportsmen's and I'll bring the PM9, MK9, and K9.
dcmdon
NES Member
How have you managed to work safety manipulation into your practice? On target / safety off.
Off target/ safety on.
Reholster - confirm safety on?
Just curious. I ask because I don't consider a firearm carried condition 3 to be a good choice for someone who is not adept.
Don
p.s. I don't doubt the 938 is easy to shoot accurately. Its a wonderful gun with a very nice trigger.
