New to me Kahr K9. Need some info...

[Tactical Jackalope]

So I picked up a Kahr K9.

The Glock 43 is cool and so is the Smith and Wesson Shield.

But the Kahr's trigger, looks, feel, and overall job being the same as the Shield and 43 won me over.

I have a couple if questions since I've seen a lot of information that varies about them. I'll also be sure to post pictures later on if I can't explain things clearly or they're needed.

One, the box says NYPD trigger. To my understanding and my reasoning, the same people who put on an NY2 1-/12lb trigger atrocity aren't happy with their Kahr pistols having a 4-5lb pull. So rather than blame the root cause which is their lack of training of officers in the NYPD, they blamed the Kahr for the lighter (normal) trigger pull. So apparently, this is the "fixed" version of that. Which to me, is still a light and normal trigger pull. Aside from my opinion on this matter, is that why it says NYPD trigger on it?

Two, it says "BLEM" on the sticker of the box as well. Which doesn't bother me at all.. I used to buy lower receivers for ARs at a nice discounted blemished lower price. Now, is this also why there is a "B" engraved on the frame right at the dust cover/start of the trigger guard? Seems a little silly to flaunt that, I supposed but you never know.

Three, its not the "Elite" but it's a newer version apparently. What seems to be the difference? I read something about trigger and a carbon steel slide or stainless steel slide. Based on any information I've given is there a way to tell what I have? Or would something in the SN give that away?



I really like this pistol and it's reminiscence of older SIG Sauer or Browning High-Power pistols in terms of build quality and machining. Absolutely love it and the trigger pull. I hear this is one of Kahr's best guns alongside the T9.

Seeing as it is not my only "deep concealment" gun, I have high hopes for it. The weight isn't an issue either.

However, if it doesn't pass any of it's tests I will be picking up either another revolver (360PD) or a Glock 43. But let's have positive thoughts.


Thanks in advance!

[HighValleyRanch]

I don't have a K9, but I have the K40. Beautifully made pistol! Smooooth as glass!
Trigger is like butter. Shoots ANYTHING I put it. Small and thin, easy to carry.
Still waiting for Magguts to make their kits for the Kahrs.

The elite has the polished slide. If you like the trigger, I wouldn't worry what the box says.
What's your tests it has to pass? I think of the K40 as my "flat revolver"!
Tests shot that my hollowpoints are at about 400 fpe.

I hadn't heard anything about carbon steel slides. I thought they were all stainless including the black versions. If I found a black K9 I would have to buy it!

Besides the K40, I also have the 9mm Shield first gen and the Kahr PM9 and have a hard choice deciding what gun I like the best

[Charlie98]

I'm in the cheap seats... I have 3 CW9's and a CM9, love the Kahr pistols. One of these days I'll spring for the upgrade, but for now I have no complaints.

I don't know about the NYPD trigger, the length of the Kahr trigger is it's safety... but I've never measured the pull on mine. It doesn't seem overly heavy, but I wouldn't want it any heavier, either.

I've never had feeding or cycling issues with any of my 9mm Kahrs, no matter what I feed them. They talk about a 200rd break-in period, I've never had to do that, either (beyond just shooting the silly things.) I currently carry 135grn Hornady in mine, but I'll switch back to Gold Dots when I run through my current ammo. No feed issues with either or.

They probably mark the blems so someone doesn't try to sell it as 1st quality.

I think the K has a stainless slide, only the C-series has coated steel slides. I also believe the K and P have forged triggers, the C has MIM. Don't quote me on that, but I think that's the difference.

[HighValleyRanch]

Kahr says that the slides on the C series are stainless steel.

[Dan-O]

Very nice. I have both the k9 and mk9 among others. Sometimes I just like the feeling of carrying an all steel single stack.

[Dfariswheel]

The early Kahr K9 was made of carbon steel with a black finish that was bad about rusting and wearing off quickly.
They began using a more durable finish, then after a few years they started making them in stainless which is when I bought mine.
Some new models have blackened stainless slides but all slides seem to be stainless and all steel frames are stainless.

The "NYPD" trigger is the original trigger the K9 was made with.
Back in 1995 when the K9 was introduced that was the trigger that was used, but they didn't call it the NYPD or anything else.

The only change to the original type trigger was the addition of a trigger limiter stop to prevent pulling it too far and causing the trigger spring to break.
On that original model you could pull the trigger back until it contacted the frame. That over-stressed the trigger spring and they'd break.

My early stainless had the old, original type trigger and I broke two trigger springs dry firing it.
The last time Kahr sent me the upgraded trigger with the limiter and no more problems.

After some years in response to customer requests for a shorter trigger pull, Kahr introduced the "elite" trigger assembly that gave a slightly shorter pull.
It now seems to be the standard on most guns and they don't seem to mention it anymore as being special.
Kahr simply used the "NYPD trigger" label as a selling point after the NYPD okayed the K9 for off duty use.
I don't think the NYPD still authorize the K9 for off duty, but Kahr continues to use the name.
It's actually nothing more then the original K9 trigger, with the addition of the trigger limiter to prevent spring breakage.

The K9 Elite model has laser engraved markings, bright polished slide and frame sides, and a beveled magazine well.

Originally, when Kahr started selling blemished guns they stamped a "U" on the trigger guard.
Apparently they now use a "B" but the web site still says a blem gun has a "U".

Of all the Kahr models made over the years the K9 has always had the best reputation for reliability and no problems right out of the box.
They still recommend a 200 round break in, and for something you're going to trust your life to, that just makes common sense.

I recently read something about Kahr now using a machine to give some models of their guns a factory break in, but I didn't see anything on the site.

[Charlie98]

Kahr says that the slides on the C series are stainless steel.

You're right. I just had it in my mind that it was a coated steel slide. I also think I am wrong about the trigger... it's the slide stop/barrel pivot that's MIM vs forged.

[PSP]

My two k9s are an early carbon steel model and a later stainless blemish model with a factory installed elite trigger, which I much prefer. Very reliable through many thousands of rounds until my SS model had a broken trigger bar rendering the gun useless. Took about 10 weeks but Kahr replaced it at no charge. My other Kahrs have been less reliable except for a T9. Enjoy your K9. Check into the kahr forum for tons of info.

Now, is this also why there is a "B" engraved on the frame right at the dust cover/start of the trigger guard? Seems a little silly to flaunt that, I supposed but you never know.

The B does denote blemish. One reason the gun is marked is because the warranty for blemish guns is different. However; as I said Kahr repaired my "B" for free many years out of warranty. Kudos. If I recall correctly "U" marked guns were demonstrator or show models marked down and also warrantied differently.

[Leaf]

Any firearms company who insists I need to go shoot 200 to 300 rounds through their new gun to make it reliable will not be a gun company selling a firearm to me.

[Leaf]

Opps, That was actually Kimber that had the minimum round recommendations. My apologies to Kahr. As you can probably tell, I’ve never owned either.

[kozak6]

It just means they come tight from the factory. I think Les Baer even suggests a break-in period of 500 rounds.

I purchased my Kahr MK9 off the used rack, but I don't think it had more than a magazine fired through it. It was seriously pristine. One of the mags is bad, but I haven't had a single malfunction with the other 300+ rounds in.

If you are worried about ammo cost, no reason you can't hand cycle it a few hundred times while watching tv or a movie.

[Roland Thunder]

I have a PM9, a very nice, quality made gun

[HighValleyRanch]

I would think that one would want to fire 200 rounds at least with a new gun to check for function and become familiar with the manual of arms for that particular pistol.
My used k40 had a problem with the slide locking open during firing. I found that it was the pin in the slide lock/takedown lever had become loose, and replace it and it's functioned perfectly since.
My PM9 worked flawlessly new out of the box during the 200 round "breakin"/familiarity time period with various ammos.

[dgludwig]

I would think that one would want to fire 200 rounds at least with a new gun to check for function and become familiar with the manual of arms for that particular pistol.

That advice would hold true for any firearm being used for self-defense reasons; even for revolvers, in my view. But I think what Leaf meant when he objected to Kimber's admonition instructing the customer to "break-in" their pistol with a certain number of rounds (I've heard that a minimum of 500 rounds is recommended) before any defect would be looked at by them, is the requirement to do so. And with a one year warranty period, any customer who buys a new Kimber pistol better get cracking.

[Skans]

One, the box says NYPD trigger. To my understanding and my reasoning, the same people who put on an NY2 1-/12lb trigger atrocity aren't happy with their Kahr pistols having a 4-5lb pull

You can replace the NYPD trigger with the Elite trigger to shorten the trigger pull to the civilian (normal) length. https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/ca...5-c899d4c35572

[HighValleyRanch]

before any defect would be looked at by them,

LOL, you really think that they are standing behind you counting?
"oh yeah, of course I put 200 rounds through it......Ok, send back the gun then"
Heh,heh, I got away with murder because I only put 150 rounds through that gun!

[Jeff22]

I bought a Kahr P9 in 9mm right after they came out in the spring of 2000.

I bought a used Kahr K9 from a friend in 2010. (I’m at least the 3rd owner. The K9 has the Birdsong Black-Teflon finish and XS big dot night sights)

I bought a used Kahr T9 from a different friend in 2012. This particular gun had very few rounds through it. (He bought the gun for his wife, who really wasn’t interested, and they they got divorced and he didn’t want to keep the gun because he was afraid it had crazy on it. It seems okay to me)

I've fired all three guns a lot without any problems (particularly the original P9) (I usually run about 500 rnds a year through each gun). A few years ago I standardized on the Glock 43 for off duty carry, so I haven’t carried any of the Kahr pistols “for real” since.

The Kahr trigger stroke is a little weird and some people really don’t like it. I was able to adjust to the trigger stroke without any problems. There is no sear reset, and that drives some people crazy. The trigger reminds me of a stock Smith & Wesson M&P pistol.

I like the Kahr pistols for concealment purposes because they're THIN. I have big hands and long fingers. Oddly enough, the Kahr K9 or P9 feels MUCH better in my hand than a Glock 26 or 27. YMMV

Anecdotal evidence would suggest that Kahr pistols in calibers other than 9mm or in the smaller frame sizes sometimes have functioning and reliability issues.

I have a friend who bought a very slightly used Kahr CW9 and he had problems with it malfunctioning – oftentimes the slide would not go fully into battery. He took it to a gunsmith a few times and tried other springs and nothing worked.

I finally borrowed it and put 600 rnds of NATO spec 9mm ball through it, and the problem went away. The gun just needed to be broken in a little. I DID find that the gun worked better initially if I loaded the 7 round magazines with only 6 rounds to begin with. The spring tension was very high and I suspect it was impeding slide travel, causing the failure to go into battery.

(He ended up selling the gun and replacing it with a Smith & Wesson Shield)

Research on several forums devoted to the Kahr pistols revealed that this was a common problem. I did not experience such problem with my new P9 or the other used guns I bought.