I’ve never been a big fan of polymer frame guns. They’re light, some even toy-like. For me, they don’t have the solid grip that I get from metal frames, and they just don’t look as bad-ass as good old fashioned solid steel firepower in the hand. But looks don’t count for everything – especially when considering a pistol that’s meant to be concealed. But my bias for heavy handguns aside, there is definitely something to be said for the plastic fantastics. . .
The Kahr CM9 is the more average-looking (and cheaper) version of its popular, sexier cousin, the PM9. Actually, Kahr’s taken the slightly larger (and just as plane-Jane) CW9 and chopped the barrel and grip to make a truly tiny niney. The difference between the PM and CW guns: they’ve replaced the match grade barrel with regular rifling (1-10 right hand twist), toned down the fancy stuff (squared lines and simple engraving as opposed to the PM9’s roll marking), and ship them with a single six-round magazine.
For a self-defense pistol I want at least one spare mag, but with the extra $200 and change rattling around in my pocket (compared to the price of a PM9), perhaps dropping about $30 for a spare isn’t a real deal-breaker. Although, I’m not sold on the one 6-rounder they give you to begin with. I noticed that it didn’t sit completely flush with the grip, so I gave it a good tap (note: seating the mag aggressively also racks the slide) just to make sure. To my surprise it completely disassembled, spilling the rounds and components to the floor. Awesome.
Being from Wisconsin, I’m paying close attention to what the handgun market has to offer in the way of CCW pistols, and the CM9 fills that bill. I’m an average sized college-aged female, so I like to wear slimmer-fitting clothing. That gives handguns with less displacement more appeal for me. The slim 14oz. Kahr, at only .90” wide, with its 3” barrel hides neatly, even in my skinny jeans.
Functionally, I consider that an upgrade from my SIG SAUER P238 – nearly the same size, the same round capacity, but packing lighter-punching .380 ACP cartridges. Not to mention the internal safeties and striker firing mechanism have their appeal when considering a conceal carry pistol. However, as with any single stack sub-compact 9mm, you sacrifice capacity compared to say, a double stacker like the Glock 26 (10+1) or the sub-compact Springfield XD (also 10+1)… just something to consider.
I expected such a light pistol to snap at the range and it definitely does, but it’s nothing that a firm grip can’t deal with. The only problem is that firm grip must be accomplished with only two fingers. Not a problem if you have smaller hands like me, but if you’re a big guy with meat hooks on the ends of your arms, you may want to opt for an extended magazine.
As a comparison, Beretta recently released a new pistol that fills the same niche as the CM9 – the Nano. It has the same capacity and size as the CM9, but the Nano has a steel chassis in the grip frame that brings its weight to just under 17.7 oz. compared to the Kahr’s more svelte 14oz. While 3.7 oz. doesn’t sound like much, it makes a noticeable difference in ease of carry (better) and how high that muzzle pops (worse) after giving each round its send-off, making the Kahr less pleasant to shoot.
In short it has more muzzle flip. For me that flip, in combination with the Kahr’s long (albeit, smooth) trigger pull, and the lack of a short reset, means potentially less accurate follow-up shots – not something I relish when I only have seven rounds to stop a baddie. So with that bad guy stopping power in mind, I tried out the CM9 with a couple of self-defense types of ammo in addition to my usual (cheap) munitions:
PMC – 115 grain FMJ, 1150 fps
Remington UMC – 115 grain FMJ, 1145 fps
Hornady Zombie Max – 115 grain FTX, 1135 fps (ya know, in case you needed a backup gun against the undead hordes)
Pow’R Ball – 100 grain +P JHP, 1475 fps
Kahr says their guns require a 200-round break-in period, and they do. After 200 rounds of cheap-o PMC (yep, I’m broke-ass), I experienced one stovepipe, and one instance of the slide failing to lock back on an empty chamber. In 200 rounds of Remington UMC, once again, the slide failed to lock back once. For the Hornady, I put 50 rounds through, and experienced another slide lock-back failure. But for the Pow’RBall? No issue in 40 rounds, with the exception of the red imprint my palm was sporting, courtesy of the Kahr’s aggressive backstrap checkering (and damn, did that thing get snappy after a while). While the slide not locking back didn’t impair my ability to shoot, I did find it a little unsettling.
If you’re looking for a light little pocket rocket that won’t break the bank and the 9mm cartridge works for you, the CM9 will suit you just fine. The dot and post sights are great for quick target acquisition, it has crisp slide serrations, and it isn’t so small that my groupings were wild (and I am far from a pro shooter). But the long trigger, snappy muzzle flip, lone magazine in the box, plastic grip, and the over-aggressive checkering leave something to be desired. Call me superficial, but I still don’t dig how this pistol bears more than a passing resemblance to my dorm room refrigerator.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Model: CM9093
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum (Luger)
Capacity: 6+1
Overall Length: 5.42”
Barrel Length: 3.0” conventional rifling (1-10 right hand twist)
Height: 4.0”
Width: .90”
Weight (unloaded): 14 oz., magazine: 1.9 oz.
Sights: Drift, adjustable, dot and peg
Slide: matte stainless steel
Frame: black polymer w/ front and rear strap checkering
MSRP: $517 (about $380 street)
RATINGS (out of five stars):
Style * * *
Plain Jane with a polymer frame. Stainless steel is too eye-catching for my concealed carry comfort, so I guess matte has its place. . . but that doesn’t make it anything to look at.
Ergonomics (carry) * * * * *
Striker-fired, light weight and not a lot of real estate. Pretty hard to beat.
Ergonomics (firing) * * *
It’s a light pistol with only 3” of barrel to send that bullet off on its journey, so it has some snap to it. The two finger grip doesn’t help on that front. This isn’t a range gun.
Reliability * * *
There was one stovepipe during the break-in period (granted, that was likely the cheap ammo), but then there’s that troublesome slide lockback issue to think about.
Customize This * * *
Trijicon night sights and Crimson Trace LaserGrips are options. For such a small pistol, what else do you really need?
Overall Rating * * * *
It’s light, easily concealable and seems to go bang when you want it to. And it won’t break the bank. So what if it won’t win any beauty contests? In all, not bad at all for a budget model mouse gun.
Nice review Destinee. Glad to have a ladies’ perspective on a firearm.
Hope you can make it to the Gateway City for the NRA convention.
My 2 cents,
I’m on my 2nd Kahr. My CM9 had 3 nosedives in the first 100 rounds but flawless since then (350 rnds). My CW9 was absolutely flawless thru 500 rounds before I sold it to get the CM. Yes, the magazines are a known weakness but in 3 years of paying attention I’ve never heard of one falling apart and mine have been fine. You can learn a lot from the guys (and Gals) on Kahrtalk.com. With just a little care and common sense, 9mm Kahrs will run flawlessly. I currently carry the CM IWB or in my pocket very comfortably and with an extra mag I got 14 rounds handy.
BTW I highly recommend a couple hundred rounds thru ANYTHING you’re carrying. You don’t really just take it out of the box, load hollow points and stick in your belt, do you? Don’t you wanna get aquainted with her first? I believe the CM is the best value in a small, deep cover 9mm for the following reasons:
*Easy carrying;
*good ergonomics;
*good USABLE sights;
* slide locks back after last round;
*trigger well balanced for safety AND smooth, easy pull
* mild recoil and good accuracy due to low bore axis and great trigger;
* can take a steady diet of +p. ammo;
*good reliability in my experience
*Made in the USA!
Nothing else in this price range and small size matches up.
We’ve got a couple glocks and other full size weapons in the family but I find myself carrying the CM most and it’s a pleasant shooter to boot.
The CM9 is a good value, The better value in my opinion would be the Beretta Nano BU9. The Nano gives you better accuracy, better sights, less recoil, quicker follow up shots, besides being more reliable and it is built like a tank.
I’d disagree with you, GOOFA, having shot a PM9 and a BU9 back-to-back yesterday. I wanted to like the BU9 more than the PM9, but the Kahr was a nicer-shooting pistol. The PM9 is about 3.7 ounces lights but a good grip kept recoil relatively the same between the pistols for me. Also, the Kahr has a FAR better trigger than the BU9. The Beretta’s take-up is mushy and overly long. The sight difference between the two is a matter of personal opinion: three-dot (BU9) vs. post-and-dot. But as the sights are replaceable on both, I’d say that’s a push. Plus, I’d rather have night sights like Trijicons than either of the stock sights on both pistols. I don’t know that I’d say that the Beretta is “more reliable”. You can find people with who’ve had problems with both pistols. Overall, I am more likely to purchase a Kahr than the BU9. Your mileage may vary.
Brashear… I respect your opinion. I’m sure you realize that the PM9 can cost up to $150 or $200 more than the Nano which currently sells for $399-$429. I will agree on the trigger as far as Kahr’s being better, but I give the Nano trigger a B+ once it is broken in. No manufacturer can give you a smoother DA trigger than Kahr when comparing other firearms in that category. Sights are subjective, many competent users of CCW and BUG’s would never get to the point where sights matter at all. For the most part these are Point & Shoot friearms where you would not rely on sights but you rely on your Point & Shoot skills. As far as Kahr goes, I have owned 10 new pistols from Kahr. I am well versed with Kahr firearms. They are far from being trouble free. Only 3 of my Kahrs have been 100% and that is my K9 Elite, my K9 DLC and my PM9. I have had 3 pistols replaced entirely, 3 slides replaced, one of them due to cracking within 700 rounds, 2 addl frame replacements, 2 barrels replaced and the rest were other misc. problems. I will say this, if you are patient, Kahr will generally get to the bottom of your troubles and your pistol will be trouble free. If you go on Kahrtalk forum you will find a lot of unhappy campers their because ther pistols have been back to repair 2, 3 and on occasion more times. You stated that both guns have their problems. I can guarranty you that Kahr’s polymer line surpasses The Nano in the severity and percentage of problems. Kahr’s P380 has been out just over 2 years and they still haven’t been able to correct it problems and produce a relatively trouble free pistol. One more item, I disagree with you on felt recoil between the two. I shoot between 25-30,000 rounds per year and I’ll stick with my claim. Good luck with your Kahr purchase. Like I said, if you get a good one, you’ve got one hell of a gun.
Nice review, Destinee. You successfully pointed out everything I don’t like about guns that are designed to a price point. They’re not for me when the P.O.U. is to save my life.
POU – is that a Nutnfancy term?
Hey Tim,
Yes, POU is Nutnfancy for Philosophy of Use.
Just common sense stuff put on paper and in video.
I know – I have watched him in numerous videos. I generally like him, although he seemed to get away from what I liked (reviews of guns) and more into the outdoor “run and shoots”, knives, etc… so don’t watch much anymore.
Radman,
Those nosedives may have been from the follower moving past the mag release slot window – follower ledge rubs on the piece of the mag release holding the mag in just enough to slow the vertical travel of the follower. I sanded down the edge on mine and no more problems!
Sparky,
You are correct. I did the same mod ever so lightly and solved the problem. I even did it on my 3 good mags to be sure of no issues.
You must be on Kahrtalk. Lots of good help there for Kahr owners or prospective buyers. I looked long and hard on Kahrtalk and elsewhere before choosing an EDC.
Destinee’s excellent, unbiased review is just the type of info folks need before making a choice.
Keep your eyes, ears and mind wide open!
I LIKE most guns…But you gotta LOVE the one you’re gonna live with everyday.
Hey Will,
I hear ya brother, I’d carry my 12ga or my local Swat Team if I knew combat was eminent…The P.O.U. of these little guns certainly involve balancing EDC/All day carry practically in our normal lives and still have enough firepower to have a fighting chance.
Hey Des,
QUIT SPYING ON ME WOULD YA?? ***LOL*** I think it’s funny that we both got Kahr cm9′s and did video’s on them the same week. I took mine out for it’s torture test yesterday and had almost the same opinion. Two failures to slide-stop, and 2 FTF’s. I won’t give up on it yet. I got it as a BUG and nothing compares to my 1911′s, but it is snappy. Always a great review and if you didn’t get the LOL, I was totally kidding. Take care. Shoot safe and train.
The slide isn’t locking back because of user error. Common with small pistols.
Sure am glad I went with a Sig P250SC. A skosh wider (1.1″), a skosh longer (3.6″ barrel), a tad heavier (about 25 oz unloaded), but I carry 11+1 9×19 rounds, it’s not snappy, the trigger doesn’t suck, and I’m at 400+ rounds (75 +P 124gr JHP, the rest a mixed batch of 124 and 115 grain FMJ – mostly Winchester White Box 100 round Party Packs) without a malf. Came with two mags. Can be swapped into anything from this subcompact into a full size high capacity .45ACP by exchanging non-serialized parts. Grip texture is stippling like slightly worn skateboard tape, not grenade checkering — just as secure, less painful (I’m sure a week at Gunsite would raise blisters. . . but if I was doing a high-volume course, I could wrap the grip in Scotch tape or 100mph tape if need be, with no change in size).
Price? $340 (from a major dealer at gun show).
And it’s dishwasher safe! (Only half kidding — some of the springs might rust, maybe the slide lock lever as well. AFAIK, everything else is stainless steel or polymer.)
Downsides?
Spare mags are pricey — I paid $37 apiece for spares. In other words, about what you’d pay for a good 1911 mag from Wilson.
Sig went with some new, proprietary sight system, so not even sights for other Sig P200 series pistols fit. Meh. . . if you want glowie-sights, make sure you get one with factory Tritium sights (costs more). If big, easy to see white dots cream your Twinkie just fine, you’ll like the standard sights.
Holsters? It is to laugh. . . but Grandfather Oak set me up with a nice IWB Kydex rig (made for a Bersa Thunderer, fits the Sig like they used my gun for the mold).
I think I can live with those cons. Given that I have been knocking my head on the ground five times a day in the direction of Ogden, Utah since the Reagan Administration; that I follow COL Jeff Cooper’s name by muttering, “Peace Be Upon Him”; and this is the first piece of Combat Tupperware I’ve ever bought (only the second I’ve really liked), the fact that this has replaced my Enhanced Combat Commander as my usual daily gun says a lot.
I’m currently working up a review of the SIG/Sauer P250 subcompact. As you indicate, it’s just a hair bigger in every dimension than a Kahr (or a PF9 or LCC9) but it shoots and behaves more like a G19.
Dang Des, nice write up. Got linked over from your video. You’ve got some English skills lady.
The Kahr polymer guns appear to be a nice piece for carry but I have witnessed far too many issues at the range with other shooters and their Kahrs for me to ever part with money for one and then deal with a temperamental carry gun. When it comes to pocket carry I go for an Airweight .38 snub instead.
I just purchased this CM9 and I am surprised at the stiff slide spring. I hope the spring eases up after a couple hundred rounds. If not I wonder if there is an after market spring that is not as stifff Anyone know?
Dan… Some of the Kahrs can require a little more strength to operate the slide. The operation will get a bit easier with more use, but not a lot. That spring weigth has been selected because it gives that selected model its most reliable operation. Different owners use different types of ammunition and a gun must be designed with that in mind. Be careful if you change the spring to a lighter one, it may alter the timing to the point of malfunction, not good. Good luck.
The spring is very stiff out of the box however it will loosen up as you work it (follow the breakin steps listed on kahrtalk) and fire it. I have put 200 rounds through my CM9 and I havent had one failure of any kind. I know some people have had issues but there are many like me that have not had any. Just make sure to follow the breakin steps and it will loosen up. Keep shooting and keep safe.
guess i bought a good cm9 and had a mail-in for free extended magazines.
no problems except for one of 5 magazines seemed to not feed twice so i took it apart and stretched the spring a little and seems ok now. i keep them numbered to keep track.
you don’t need but 2 fingers on the grip so the complaint it being short is nil
it’s all what you get use to.
that and my springfield xdm compact 40 3.8 and i’m pretty happy shooters
Destinee – You mention carrying on-body as an “average sized college-aged female.” What holster do you or would you use for a CCW pistol around the size of the CM9 or Nano? My wife is convinced that carrying on-body is impossible for her, and it seems like you two may have similar builds.
Thanks!
Everything I have heard including this review only confirms my decision to buy this gun. Thanks
nice review , I enjoy reading other peoples comments you can always gain more knowledge. while reading this I’m cleaning the rust off my XD sub compact, I live in a very warm climate and sweat is a big problem IWB holsters soak it up, most of the time I carry it open, that’s where stainless is better. as far as the checkering on the CM9 grip shoot a HK with the sharp diamond points you will grow to love the CM, at the range I use a half finger driving glove it saves on the hands. and for most malfunctions it usually is shooting technique. I just bought a CM9, so I have to go see how well mine shoots.