Should I buy a Kahr MK9?

T

Therapydude

New member
I change my mind about which concealed carry weapon to purchase so many times, it gives me a headache. I've got a Glock 19 that I keep in my truck, but I want something smaller that I can carry with me all of the time (when not at work). I thought about getting a Glock 26, but it seems a little big, especially for summer carry. I could get a CCW chambered in .32 acp (P32, Tomcat, NAA Guardian, etc) but I don't have much confidence in that particular round. The Kahr MK9 looks like a nice compromise. The only problem is, can I trust my life with this weapon? I see HK, Sig, Glock, and other quality firearms at most gun shops in my area (central Arkansas), but never see Kahr pistols. Do shops in my area not carry them because they aren't any good, or is it because they haven't been around as long as the others? Finally, I read that the original run of MK9s had a lot of flaws. Have the bugs been worked out? Would you trust your life with a Kahr MK9? Thanks.
 
The MK9 is a serious little pistol.
With the exception of the heft (21 oz.), it's a joy to carry (but, because of the way I dress, it's not my most frequently carried).
It's probably one of the most reliable compact 9's around and is very accurate for it's size. I've never had a failure to feed and only one or two stovepipes.
It's fits in a pocket nicely and there's some nice IWB holsters available.
A good belt takes care of the heft, by the way...

I most often carry my MK9 when I can wear a shirt draped out (of course, you can do that with your Glock 19 too).
 
I really like my MK9. If you get one make sure you get the nite sights. Mine has never missed a beat. I liked the MK9 so much that I bought a P9 as well. While I have heard that there were some problems with the early P9s I haven't had any with mine. I would rate the Kahr pistols a 10 for concealed carry.
 
Kahr Arms' website, http://www.kahr.com has a boatload of reviews from magazines on their pistols (for what that's worth to you. I own one and love it -- it's very compact, packs a respectable wallop (down you .45 addicts! down I say! :)), and has been very reliable for me.

No FTF, no stovepipes, just lots of "bang!"

Probably your local gunshops don't carry them because Kahr is fairly new. Most folks are looking for a Glock, HK, Sig, etc. Get your hands on one, and I think you'll agree that the quality of manufacturing, assembly and engineering at least match the big names.

As has already been mentioned, they are pretty heavy for their size -- but a good holster/belt combo takes care of that. That weight you feel is all stainless steel construction.

In short, a great little gun. Highly recommended.
 
It's a great little gun. I had some custom work done to mine mainly because I'm anal about certain things. However, straight out of the box, the MK9 is a damn good gun.

Many people complain about the weight. However, I lug around a full size 1911 that weighs around 44oz most of the time. So when I pack on the Kahr, it weighs next to nothing.
 
Personally,

I'm leaning towards the MK40 myself, but the Kahrs are well-made little guns and I'd have no problems toting any of them.
 
i will go out on a very narrow and slippery limb here.

i feel the MK series may well represent the best compromise of power to size ratio available on the market today. with almost any .40 S&W loading and selected 9mm loadings it will deliver terminal performance at least equal to or better than any pistol of any caliber out there with an equal barrel length. it will do all that in a package that is thin enough to fit in a pocket. no other pistol on the market today can touch them in out of the box compactness, ease of use, lack of bogus external levers and safeties, fine trigger, accuracy and available features. features like stainless steel, (yes, extra weight does equal better recoil control) factory night sights, factory wood grips for those who like them and choice of trigger geometry and weights.

you can gather that i like the MK series. BOY HOWDY
my MK40 is my constant companion. i carry it 24-7-365 if not as a primary as a backup. 90% of those who try one and shoot it for any length of time agree that they are fine quaility easy to conceal weapons of the first order.

in my safe i have Sigs, S&W autos, AMT's, Colts, Ruger, Dryse, Walther, revolvers in S&W, Ruger and Colt to mention a few. at one time or another i have carried all of them for CCW that i could reasonably conceal but when the chips are down and i reach for a weapon to carry day to day the Stainless MK 40 Kahr with night sights is either on my hip in a Kramer belt scabbard or in my back pocket in a Kramer pocket holster. I know of no higher praise.
 
Like Riddleofsteel said, awesome little pistol. My MK 40 is in my pocket most of the time, and the weight has stopped being an issue. Buy it and love it! Gary
 
Have you tried Mid South Guns and Ammo in Sherwood? Just right outside of North Little Rock. I think that is what it's called. It's Mid South something. I have not lived there in a few years but when I did I bought a couple guns from there. They have a pretty good selection of guns. There is also a place that has a range on Broadway in Little Rock. Can't remember the name of that one. Not as big as Mid South but they have a few guns as well.
 
Love my MK40. Don't think you could go wrong with an MK9.

You can carry with a tucked shirt with a bellyband or sheath holster, IWB, with the shirt bloused out around the gun. Like Glocks, you need a holster that covers the trigger/guard. Part of the reason I bought mine was because the manual of arms and disassembly are so similar to Glock.

It's not a gun you want to use to going blasting at the range. One box is about my limit with the .40 (never fired the 9). Two boxes (100 rds) and the web between my thumb and hand is bruised, tender, slightly swollen the next day.
 
I have stated before, I will state it again. The MK-9 is a fine pistol. However I am looking at the scar that the little ba$tard left on the thumb knuckle of my shooting hand. Shoot it before you buy it. I did, and now my wife has a G26. ;)
 
The MK9 is a fine weapon, like many have said it's on the heavy side but this makes it a pleasure to shoot. I do not think you'll be displeased. I've had mine since they first came out, no failures of any kind. Get it and enjoy.
 
Have I mentioned how scary accurate they are for such tiny pistols? I'm not that great a shot to begin with, but offhand at 15 yards, slow aimed fire was giving me 1 ragged hole.

The barrels have polygonal rifling, which is supposed to help, but I was truly shocked. And it wasn't a freak occurence either -- Everytime I've been back to the range since (about six times in all now), slow aimed fired at 15yds has been tearing the heart out of the bullseye. Yowza! :eek:

Color me impressed (and not with myself ;))!
 
i have an MK9 & as other folks have mentioned it is a wonderful carry pistol. it is totally reliable -- no failures of any kind so far. it is accurate. not accurate for such a little pistol, i mean accurate compared to full size pistols. it's also quite easy to clean. some people complain that it's awkward to take down but i find it to be pretty easy (perhaps because the slide release pin on mine presses out easily rather than requiring any tapping with screwdriver handles or whatever).

now the P9 on the other hand... well, my advice is to get a MK9 :)
 
JimR:

I have a K9, K40, and MK9. Never shot the MK40. The MK9 is not bad at all in terms of recoil. I can easily shoot a 100 rounds through it at the range. The K9 is even better. The K40 is a bit of beast though. 70 rounds and I'm done for the day with the K40. So it doesn't surprise me that the MK40 has a bit of bite. But the MK9 is not bad, even wwith +P+.

M1911
 
Don't wait, GO NOW!!!

My wife's pistol is an MK9. She LOVES it! I carry the P9 daily. I had an MK40 for a while, which I bought because she wouldn't let me carry her MK9, and had 0 problems with it, but the P9 fits my hand better (Glad to see you're enjoying it, GDH :D ) When Kahr FINALLY gets around to making a Polymer version of the MK9 (MP9?) I'll own one of those too!!!

Hey Pearce Grip... How 'bout a +1 extension for the little Kahr? ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top