your thoughts on 2 guns

[robbran144]

I recently purchased a G26 for summer carry but like everyone else its a touch big in the pocket so i have 2 guns in mind and want opinions from owners as to the good and bad of these said pistols...

my choices are the Kahr pm9 or the Sig p238

i dont care about ammo or caliber war i just want to know about the function and reliability of the 2... I know the sig had a recall when it first came out and alot of people were unhappy but id like to see if thats changed. thanks for your time.

 

[Prometheus]

Friend has the pocket Kahr's in both 9 and 380. Real sights and very accurate and reliable. I can't say anything negative about either. I want to sell my p32 and buy the Kahr .380. The .380 is easier to pocket carry IMO than the 9.

Can't say anything first hand about the p238.

 

[robbran144]

the Kahr 380 is still kinda hard to your hands on...my only fear with it thats why i didnt add it to my list

 

[Hoosier45]

I know what you mean about a touch too big. I bought an XD40 subcompact, and decided I didn't like the way it carried. I carry a Kahr P40 IWB during shorts and t-shirts weather. The P40 has proven very reliable and accurate.

I have no experience with the P238, buy my other Sig's are all top notch. You will probably be happy with either.

 

[Dogman]

Can't go wrong with the Kahr PM9. I carry mine more than all of my other guns put together. Except for a few FTE at first I've had no problems with mine. It does seem to like Speer GD's the best of all the HP's I tried.
I got mine for vacation and summer carry and glad I did.

 

[dom1104]

Yeah PM9 all the way. Cocked and locked .380 in your pocket, is about as bad a combo as I can imagine.

 

[shooter521]

the Kahr 380 is still kinda hard to your hands on...

Not so much anymore; they're all over Gunbroker at reasonable prices (that's where I got mine), and I know of one local shop that had one on the shelf as of last weekend. Definitely should be a contender. I don't consider the PM9 to be a true pocket gun (unless you've got some big pockets), but the P380 certainly fits the bill. I'd take it over the P238, mostly due to concern over carrying a cocked-and-locked gun in the pocket, and accumulating enough dirt/lint/etc between the hammer and firing pin to prevent the gun from firing. Build quality on the P238 appears excellent, and I like the factory night sights.

My

 

[dom1104]

I think with the P238 they said...

"Hey people buy 1911s, and people are buying a lot of .380s, lets combine them...."



<edit: yes yes I know before everyone comes and tells me its a copy of the Colt Mustang.. I know I know...>

 

[Seancass]

I'd go with Kahr. The little one's are sweet! Plus, if it's an option, i'd go with the 9. I've been thinking about picking up a CW series gun, but I might just save up for the more expensive(and smaller) models.

 

[mpholic]

I am currently very interested in the P238 although I have no first hand experience with it. I have yet to see or handle one. There was one at the range the other day and I wasn't there to see it. Darn. I would have to agree with some of the concerns about cocked and locked in the pocket. a quality pocket holster should eliminate most of the concerns though. If lint is a potential problem why wouldn't you clean this out each time you remove it from the holster (I remove my guns from their holster when I am not wearing them to eliminate the possibility of corrosion).

The Kahrs are also excellent choices although I have not had any experience with these specific triggers. My Kahrs are the K40 and the MK9 both of which have silky smooth yet very long pull triggers. I have heard the pollymer Kahrs have shorter triggers but have not actually eperienced this.

I have a Keltec .380 that I pocket carried for awhile and decided that I do not care for pocket carry. I have found even when wearing a t-shirt in the summer I can conceal a larger handgun. I wear a slightly oversize t-shirt untucked and can conceal a Glock G27 IWB AND my KelTec small of back IWB with an extra magazine for the Glock. I'm sure this is overkill for most situations but it does demonstrate what is possible even during summer. Unfortunately this would not work if you prefer to tuck in your shirt or are looking for minimum carry weight.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I'd love to have a 238, being a pure sig fanboy and all, but the price, I think, is a little high, and those keltecs are just SO darn thin. Nothing against the Kahrs, just no experience with them either.

 

[shooter521]

I have heard the pollymer Kahrs have shorter triggers but have not actually eperienced this.

To clarify, all of the current production Kahr pistols except the CW series and the NYPD-spec K9 have the "Elite" trigger assembly, which produces a shorter, smoother (but about 1/2-lb. heavier) trigger pull than the standard trigger found in the CW and older K/MK/P series pistols.

Older Kahrs can be retrofitted with the Elite trigger components, either by sending the gun back to Kahr and having them do it, or by ordering the parts off the Kahr website and doing it yourself.

 

[mpholic]

To clarify, all of the current production Kahr pistols except the CW series and the NYPD-spec K9 have the "Elite" trigger assembly, which produces a shorter, smoother (but about 1/2-lb. heavier) trigger pull than the standard trigger found in the CW and older K/MK/P series pistols.

Older Kahrs can be retrofitted with the Elite trigger components, either by sending the gun back to Kahr and having them do it, or by ordering the parts off the Kahr website and doing it yourself.

Yes, my Kahrs are the older ones with the non Elite trigger. I did order the parts to convert them but was unable to press out the trigger pin. I even used a small hydraulic press and it simply bent the punch. I guess I could have tried a hardened punch but was afraid to damage the gun itself. Oh well my loss. I don't use them as carry guns anyway.

I am glad to hear the Elite trigger is being used almost universally now.

 

[shooter521]

I did order the parts to convert them but was unable to press out the trigger pin. I even used a small hydraulic press and it simply bent the punch.

I sent my K9 back to Kahr for the install, for just that reason. The polymer framed Kahrs are MUCH easier to work on in that regard.

 

[LPPOsecurity]

The Sig would be my personal choice, after seeing and handeling both and then shooting the Sig, I think it is the all around better gun, much more comfortable to me, but in all honesty if i were buying a gun in .380, it would prolly be the keltec or the bersa thunder, my cousin has the bersa and its one of the smoothest and most reliable i have seen, not to mention u would save about $400 with either of those, just my opinion

 

[robbran144]

Thanks for all the replies... On a side note if kahr shortened the trigger pull the old ones must have been a mile pull before it fired because the pm's have a long trigger pull..

 

[robbran144]

ordered a p380 with night sights today, should have it tuesday i hope....

 

[NealWright]

Wow, does everything in life have to be semi-auto. IMHO a S&W Airweight is the best pocket pistol out there! I just got a 642 from a member here (carried a 442 for years). It weighs next to nothing, has plenty of poop ... and slips in/out short pockets easy.

 

[1946]

I used to carry a S&W Airweight until the p238 came into my life. Now whenever the need to carry something discreet, it's the 238 all the way. Much less printing in the pocket. As NealWright said, IMHO. Everybody has different criteria when it comes to carrying concealed.

 

[Liberty Sanders]

This crowd really makes me feel like a dinosaur.

I carry two Cimarron Thunderer single-action .45's and a bug.