I need my fellow Kahr owners to help me decide on something.

[berettabone]

I have the MK9, K9, MK40, and K40. I've also own the M&P Shield 9mm, 40s&w, and 45acp. I don't recognize any more flip nor is the 40 all that much harder to shoot vs the 9mm IMHO. It's all relative.

Also, know that a lot of people are 45acp fans and will choose that caliber no matter what. 40s&w ammo comes in a variety of grains, velocities, muzzle energy aka foot pounds, low flash/recoil offerings, so on and so forth, so when people make a blanketed claim that a gun chambered in that round flips or is uncontrollable, take it with a grain of salt. There are many 9mm rounds that are higher velocity higher than 40s&w and there are several factory 45acp offerings that are also in 165gr and 185gr* just like 40s&w can be had in that have more or simular velocity and muzzle energy as 40s&w, yet everyone throws out canned responses whenever 40s&w is mentioned. Take it all with a grain of salt because it's not the black and white binary difference that people make it out to be.

As far as your question goes while ignoring caliber, you can akways make the smaller gun bigger, but you can't make the bigger gun smaller. If I was in your case I'd go with the smaller gun because it's more versatile. You can deep concealment and even pocket carry it when need be, or you can use a standard mag with a pinky extension or an extended magazine when you don't need the extra concealablity but want a full grip.

*There are several commercial range and self-defense 45 acp offerings in 185 grain that compare to or exceed the commercial range and self defense of 40s&w in 180 gr velocit and muzzle energy, yet most would, without thinking about it, tell you that 40s&w will kick more and have more muzzle flash just as a programmed canned response. Whether 9mm, 40s&w, or 45acp is snappy or not depends on the specific ammo choice in that caliber that you go with.

I couldn't agree more. Always trying to scare people away from .40. Size of firearm and ammo and shooting technique have always mattered.

[gb6491]

If you can only carry 6+1, .45acp in a lightweight and relatively soft shooting gun is a good way to go. Carried mine yesterday, in my shorts pocket.

PM45 in an Azula soft leather pocket holster

Nice! The 6+1 threw me off the scent a bit

Speaking of which (and FWIW), a P45 (6+1) with a flush fit magazine is only slightly taller than a PM45 with it's plastic base plate. I still think Kahr should offer a metal base plate option for their .45 magazines.

Above image from https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/...5-vs-kahr-cm45

Regards,
Greg

[yqtszhj]

I never realized how close the P45 and PM45 were in size. I wonder if the PM45 slide would work on the P45 frame? A P45 6+1 frame with a flush mag and a PM45 slide might just be something… I may have to test fit later.

[Kahrfan78]

Hey guys great advice and info here. I also like the idea of P45 slide on a PM45 frame with a steel base plate. I to would love it kahr offered a steel base plate for their 45 magazines. Any chance maybe we could organize a group buy maybe we can have some 3D printed even? I know nothing about 3D printing can something even be 3D printed from metal? I would think a good machine shop would be able to make some easily even?

Does anyone here know of Ny other gun makers 45 caliber magazines have steel base plates that would reliability interchange with the kahr arms 45acp magazines?

At Ny rate guys I'm really greatful for the advice given in this post as it helped me reach my decision on keeping my PM45.