Kahr PM9 vs. Kel-tec P-11

[barres]

I own a Kel-tec P-11 pistol. It has gone bang for me every time I have pulled the trigger. It is my pocket gun, when I am wearing something with pockets big enough for this rat gun (it's too big to be a mouse gun). I have been thinking about finding something smaller. And, if at all possible, I'd like to stick with a 9mm.

Enter the Kahr PM9. It's more or less affordable (I can't afford a Rorbaugh, even if I could find one). It's 9mm. It's small. The question is, how small is it? Does anyone have any pictures of a PM9 and a P-11 side-by-side comparing their sizes? I know I'd be giving up 4 rounds (not counting spare mag), but how much smaller (read easier to conceal) is the PM9?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. If there is as little difference in size as I think there is, I may just have to look at P3AT's or LCP's to get a smaller pistol.

[seamusTX]

The Kahr PM9 is really small: 6.5 inches overall length, 4.5 high, 0.9 wide.

The length of the grip is the main factor making a pistol more or less easily concealable.

http://www.kahr.com/PA-1_9mm_pm.html

Look at the 360° view.

I'd buy one if I had the scratch.

- Jim

[Skiprr]

I can't help with the P-11 'cause I don't have one. But the manufacturers' Websites should provide you with actual dimensions and weights.

What I can help with a little bit is a size perspective against a couple of other small pistols. The photos are kinda rough, but here are a Kahr PM9, a Kel-Tec P3AT, and a Seecamp .32. You'll see the overall length of the Kahr is only about .5" longer than the P3AT, but it's blockier and has more mass to conceal at the rear of the slide. The Seecamp is the smallest mousegun I own and the one that slips unnoticed into my front pocket in an R.L. Graham pocket holster (thanks to HighVelocity). The Seecamp is all-steel, and probably a bit heavier than the PM9.

[Keith B]

I own and carry a Kahr PM9 regularly. It is a little smaller than the P-11, but about the same size as the PF-9. very minimal overall. Quality and finish of the Kahr is way better than the Kel-Tec IMO, but they are both reliable once broken in from the reviews and my experience. I compare the two quality wise to a Lexus vs. a Toyota. Both are good, but the Lexus is a lot more comfortable. The Kahr has a different backstrap on the frame, so feels better to me after shooting 50-100 rounds and doesn't tear up my hand as bad.

The P3AT or LCP will definitely be smaller, but you have dropped down to a .380 vs. 9mm. All in all, IMO it really depends on your price range and caliber choice. I like 9mm and wanted the quality of the Kahr, so that is what I went with. There is also a newly listed PM9 for sale by one of the members in the firearms section.

Best bet is find a range that rents them and try them out.

Good luck!

[03Lightningrocks]

I love my PM9. It is easy to conceal and I can shoot pretty good with it. Far superior to the Kel-Tec. these two should not even be in the same conversation IMHO. I have looked real hard at the Kel-Tec and it feels cheap and loose to me as compared to the PM9.

Here is a pic of it in my hand. I am about average height at 5'10" to give you a perspective for the size of my hand and the PM9.