Kahr PM series
Encyclopedia
The Kahr PM series is a product line
of double action only (DAO) hammer
less, striker
-fired, short recoil operated, semi-automatic pistols
manufactured by Kahr Arms
in Worcester, Massachusetts
.
The target market
for the PM (Polymer
Micro) line is the civilian concealed carry firearm
s market
, as well as being intended as backup weapons for Law Enforcement officers.
were praised as well-made and solidly constructed, but criticized for their excessive weight which is a disadvantage in a weapon intended for concealed carry. Kahr attempted to address these concerns by introducing pistols which were physically smaller, as well as a line of polymer framed models. The PM series combined both these approaches, introducing polymer framed pistols that were also the smallest Kahr models ever produced.
with stainless steel
slides
which ride on steel inserts within the polymer frames, preventing the wear which would otherwise be inherent with metal slide to plastic frame contact.
Available ammunition
chamberings include 9x19mm Parabellum (PM9), .40 Smith & Wesson (PM40), and .45 ACP
(PM45); magazine
capacities vary between 5, 6, and 7 rounds depending on model and caliber. PM series pistols are noted for being very no-nonsense and utilitarian in appearance, with black plastic grips and a brushed
stainless or blackened Tungsten
TLC stainless slides. Produced by applying a thin but tough protective coating, the TLC patina was labeled "Black Diamond" in early production, and is valued for its lack of attention-catching light reflection in dim surroundings. TLC coatings also serve to protect the slide from oxidization, nicks and scrapes. PM pistols are known for having very smooth and consistent DAO trigger pulls of approximately six pounds, and large and easy to see sights in various configurations including night sights. Simplified controls exemplified by the lack of a manual safety lever are also positive attributes and contribute to a desirable package for concealment use. The PM series is noted for having a fully enclosed trigger transfer bar and the engineering design work necessary to fit it inside the cramped space of the receiver resulted in several beneficial lockwork changes. One such change was that the cartridge feed ramp had to be offset, which in turn allowed the overall receiver design to be thinner, it also permitted the slide to be more squat with a low bore axis, resulting is less muzzle rise and flip. The PM barrel configuration boasts polygonal rifling
, which in theory will wear longer and gather less fouling. Overall, an important innate advantage of the Kahr pistol design is that it is identical in function and trigger action across virtually all Kahr models, meaning that once a user becomes familiar with the handling characteristics and ‘feel’ of one model, the learning curve for mastery of other Kahr firearms is much shorter.
An accuracy test of Kahr’s PM40 published in Shooting Illustrated magazine yielded the following results:
Product lining
Product lining is the marketing strategy of offering for sale several related products. Unlike product bundling, where several products are combined into one, lining involves offering several related products individually. A line can comprise related products of various sizes, types, colors,...
of double action only (DAO) hammer
Hammer (firearm)
thumb|150px|Hammer with an integral [[firing pin]] on a [[S&W Model 13]] revolver The hammer of a firearm was given its name for both resemblance and functional similarity to the common tool...
less, striker
Firing pin
A firing pin or striker is part of the firing mechanism used in a firearm or explosive device e.g. an M14 landmine or bomb fuze. Firing pins may take many forms, though the types used in landmines, bombs, grenade fuzes or other single-use devices generally have a sharpened point...
-fired, short recoil operated, semi-automatic pistols
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
manufactured by Kahr Arms
Kahr Arms
Kahr Arms is an American small arms manufacturer founded by Kook Jin "Justin" Moon , who currently serves as CEO and President. It is owned by the Saeilo Corporation , a subsidiary of Tongil Group, a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church...
in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
.
The target market
Target market
A target market is a group of customers that the business has decided to aim its marketing efforts and ultimately its merchandise. A well-defined target market is the first element to a marketing strategy...
for the PM (Polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
Micro) line is the civilian concealed carry firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
, as well as being intended as backup weapons for Law Enforcement officers.
Development
When the first Kahr pistols appeared on the market in 1994 they were constructed entirely of carbon steel. Early Kahr models such as the K9Kahr K9
The Kahr K9 is a 9x19mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Kahr Arms in their Worcester, Massachusetts small arms facility. The K9 was introduced in 1995 and features a double action only trigger mechanism with a Locked breech recoil operated action...
were praised as well-made and solidly constructed, but criticized for their excessive weight which is a disadvantage in a weapon intended for concealed carry. Kahr attempted to address these concerns by introducing pistols which were physically smaller, as well as a line of polymer framed models. The PM series combined both these approaches, introducing polymer framed pistols that were also the smallest Kahr models ever produced.
Design features
As noted above, PM series pistols are manufacturedManufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
with stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
slides
Pistol slide
The slide is the part of the weapon on a majority of semi-automatic pistols that moves during the operating cycle and generally houses the firing pin or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt...
which ride on steel inserts within the polymer frames, preventing the wear which would otherwise be inherent with metal slide to plastic frame contact.
Available ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
chamberings include 9x19mm Parabellum (PM9), .40 Smith & Wesson (PM40), and .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
(PM45); magazine
Magazine (firearm)
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable . The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action...
capacities vary between 5, 6, and 7 rounds depending on model and caliber. PM series pistols are noted for being very no-nonsense and utilitarian in appearance, with black plastic grips and a brushed
Brushed metal
Brushed metal is metal that has been abraded , usually with a fine grit sandpaper. The brushing gives the metal a distinctive look, as it retains some but not all of its metallic lustre and is given a pattern of very fine lines. It can be compared to metal with several small scratches all running...
stainless or blackened Tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
TLC stainless slides. Produced by applying a thin but tough protective coating, the TLC patina was labeled "Black Diamond" in early production, and is valued for its lack of attention-catching light reflection in dim surroundings. TLC coatings also serve to protect the slide from oxidization, nicks and scrapes. PM pistols are known for having very smooth and consistent DAO trigger pulls of approximately six pounds, and large and easy to see sights in various configurations including night sights. Simplified controls exemplified by the lack of a manual safety lever are also positive attributes and contribute to a desirable package for concealment use. The PM series is noted for having a fully enclosed trigger transfer bar and the engineering design work necessary to fit it inside the cramped space of the receiver resulted in several beneficial lockwork changes. One such change was that the cartridge feed ramp had to be offset, which in turn allowed the overall receiver design to be thinner, it also permitted the slide to be more squat with a low bore axis, resulting is less muzzle rise and flip. The PM barrel configuration boasts polygonal rifling
Polygonal rifling
Polygonal rifling is a type of gun barrel rifling where the traditional lands and grooves are replaced by "hills and valleys" in a rounded polygonal pattern, usually a hexagon or octagon....
, which in theory will wear longer and gather less fouling. Overall, an important innate advantage of the Kahr pistol design is that it is identical in function and trigger action across virtually all Kahr models, meaning that once a user becomes familiar with the handling characteristics and ‘feel’ of one model, the learning curve for mastery of other Kahr firearms is much shorter.
Criticisms
While highly regarded overall, reviewers have offered various criticisms of the PM series. The entire PM product line is known for requiring a 'breaking-in' period. Kahr Arms has indicated that its products are to be broken in with at least 200 rounds fired initially, as is the case with most firearms. In addition, though the 9x19mm Parabellum PM9 has the reputation of being controllable with some minor modification of firing techniques, the .40 and .45 caliber variants are known to produce gun-handling difficulties in rapid fire due to their heavier recoil and resulting muzzle rise. In response to this criticism, some reviewers have observed that very small and light large bore pistols in general share this reputation, suggesting that they are best wielded by experienced and proficient shooters who practice regularly. Other known PM series deficiencies include excessive trigger travel, and a magazine release which occasionally fails to allow magazines to fall freely on the PM40 model. The magazine release and recoil springs on the PM40 pistol have also been known to occasionally break.PM9
9x19 Parabellum caliber. Weight 15.9 ounces, length: 5.3 inches, width: 1.268 inches, height: 4.0 inches, 3.0 inch barrel with 1:10 right hand twist, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two magazines - one 6 round flush fit, and one 7 round extension.Catalog numbers
- Model PM9193 - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide, loaded chamber indicator, manual safety.
- Model PM9193N - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide, loaded chamber indicator, manual safety, tritium night sights.
- Model PM9093 - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide.
- Model PM9093N - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide, tritium night sights.
- Model PM9094 - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide.
- Model PM9094N - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide, tritium night sights.
- Model PM9093L - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide, Crimson Trace laserguard grips.
Accuracy results
The following accuracy results were documented for the Kahr PM9 pistol in The American Rifleman magazine:| Ammunition | Velocity (ft/s) @ 15 feet | Energy (ft•lbs) | Smallest group size (inches) | Largest. group size (inches) | Avg. group size (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hills 124-gr. JHP | 1068 | 315 | 1.75 | 2.75 | 2.15 |
| Federal147-gr. Hydra-Shok JHP | 845 | 233 | 1.38 | 2.25 | 1.85 |
| Hornady115-gr. XPT JHP | 1030 | 272 | 1.88 | 2.63 | 2.08 |
- Results based on firing five five-shot groups at seven yards from sandbag rest.
PM40
.40 S&W caliber. Weight 16.9 ounces, length: 5.35 inches, width: .94 inch, height: 4.0 inches, 3.08 inch barrel with 1:16 right hand twist, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two magazines - one 5 round flush fit, and one 6 round extension.Catalog numbers
- Model PM4043 - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide.
- Model PM4043N - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide, tritium night sights.
- Model PM4044 - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide.
- Model PM4044N - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide, tritium night sights.
- Model PM4043L - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide, 3" Barrel with Lothar Walther match grade polygonal rifling and 1-16 right-hand twist. Crimson trace laserguards grips MSRP is $991.00.
Accuracy results
An accuracy test of Kahr’s PM40 published in Shooting Illustrated magazine yielded the following results:
| Ammunition | Group 1 (inches) | Group 2 (inches) | Group 3 (inches) | Group 4 (inches) | Group 5 (inches) | Avg. group size (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester 155 grain Silvertip hollow point | 4.25 | 4.5 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
- Results obtained firing at 7 yards using a sandbag rest.
PM45
.45 ACP caliber. Weight 19.3 ounces, length: 5.67 inches, width: 1.01 inch, height: 4.49 inches, 3.14 inch barrel with 1:16.38 right hand twist, low profile white bar-dot combat sights/optional tritium night sights, two 5 round magazines.Catalog numbers
- Model PM4543 - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide.
- Model PM4543N - polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide, tritium night sights.
- Model PM4544 - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide.
- Model PM4544N - polymer frame, matte blackened stainless steel slide, tritium night sights.
Accuracy results
The following accuracy test of the Kahr PM45 was published in Shooting Illustrated magazine:| Ammunition | Velocity | Group size (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Black Hills 230 JHP | 766 | 1.29 |
| CorBon 160 DPX | 1094 | 1.53 |
| CorBon 165 PowR Ball | 1089 | 1.33 |
| CorBon 230 HP +P | 885 | 1.45 |
| Hornady 185 JHP XTP | 932 | 1.26 |
| Hornady 230 FMJ | 708 | 1.17 |
| Remington 185 Golden Saber HP | 872 | 1.48 |
- Accuracy results from 5-shot groups fired at 15 yards using a Millett Benchmaster.