Newb question about the K9 and E9...

[TacTeacher]

Hi all. I really like the Kahr pistol line. Especially the steel frame ones. I'm not a huge fan of polymer frames but I see their benefits. Here is the newb question:

What is the difference between the K9 and the E9? I know there is a difference in the front sight (E9 is staked and K9 is dovetailed), but otherwise the pistols look and feel the same.

Any info would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
TT

[jocko]

the E9 is no longer made any more, the K9 is.

Now if you buy the elite 2003 all steel version, you have the k9 with some extras in it, like the standard elite trigger which is 3/8" pull where as the K9 has the NYPD trigger which is 1/2" pull, the elite 2003 has osme nice engravingont he slide and the slide is highly polished.The magqell has some beveled work done on it also. One super looking handgun.

I own a K9 and I am here to tell you this is one fine all steel semi... I could not ask for anything more..

[ripley16]

I believe the E9 has a staked plastic front sight, no dovetail,
hard plastic grips instead of the nice Hogue rubber on the K9,
cheaper looking engraving,
and if I recall, they were mostly two tone.

[TacTeacher]

So the general opinion here is that the main differences between the E9 and the K9 are cosmetic.

My E9 is all black. It looks like all I need to do is replace the grips (I like the rubber grips better), and find night sights for them. If I can't find a front night sight, it looks like I can have my gunsmith mill the dovetail into it. If not, I'll come up with something.

Thanks for the help folks,

TT

[TacTeacher]

Here's another question...

Where can I get regular factory rubber grips for the K9? Kahr has all sorts of grips on their website, but they don't have the factory rubber grips. Kinda odd, but maybe there are some out there floating around.

[jocko]

So the general opinion here is that the main differences between the E9 and the K9 are cosmetic.

My E9 is all black. It looks like all I need to do is replace the grips (I like the rubber grips better), and find night sights for them. If I can't find a front night sight, it looks like I can have my gunsmith mill the dovetail into it. If not, I'll come up with something.

Thanks for the help folks,

TT

knowledge the rubber grips are non existant anymore. They are super grips. I love them on my K9,

Also if your E9 is all black then my bet is that your gun is not stainless but carbon steel and blued. Kahr to my knowledge never put the DLC finish on the lower portion of their steel guns. Night sights will be hard to find and the slide can be dovetailed by a good smitty to and I would guess that you need to order the xs big dot sights from kahr . They say they will not fit the E9 and that reason is the staked front sight, but you can order the older style set which will match the rear dovetail size and then have the front sight dovetailed by a good smitty. again your gonna spend some bucks that you will never recoup fromt hat gun. If your gonna keep it, then maybe money well spend.

Go the the kahr products section and hit on their sights and it will show you what to look for on the bottom of your slide for the machined dot which I am very sure your E9 does not have it, so there fore you will always need to order the old style dovetailed sight set...

You might call kahr and ask for IAN or Clay Covel and ask them if the CW night sights (which has a staked front sight will fit your E9.) The rear cw sight willnot fit due to the different size dovetails but you might just go with the front night sight and be done with it and no machings needed..Certainly something to investigate...

[jocko]

I believe the E9 has a staked plastic front sight, no dovetail,
hard plastic grips instead of the nice Hogue rubber on the K9,
cheaper looking engraving,
and if I recall, they were mostly two tone.

do you know of the E9 has the elite trigger 3/8" or the NYPD trigger in them 1/2". :confused:

[TacTeacher]

knowledge the rubber grips are non existant anymore. They are super grips. I love them on my K9,

Also if your E9 is all black then my bet is that your gun is not stainless but carbon steel and blued. Kahr to my knowledge never put the DLC finish on the lower portion of their steel guns. Night sights will be hard to find and the slide can be dovetailed by a good smitty to and I would guess that you need to order the xs big dot sights from kahr . They say they will not fit the E9 and that reason is the staked front sight, but you can order the older style set which will match the rear dovetail size and then have the front sight dovetailed by a good smitty. again your gonna spend some bucks that you will never recoup fromt hat gun. If your gonna keep it, then maybe money well spend.

Go the the kahr products section and hit on their sights and it will show you what to look for on the bottom of your slide for the machined dot which I am very sure your E9 does not have it, so there fore you will always need to order the old style dovetailed sight set...

You might call kahr and ask for IAN or Clay Covel and ask them if the CW night sights (which has a staked front sight will fit your E9.) The rear cw sight willnot fit due to the different size dovetails but you might just go with the front night sight and be done with it and no machings needed..Certainly something to investigate...

I will probably have my sights dovetailed to the old style to keep it consistant with the old K9. I have a great gun smith in East TN that converted my Beretta to a frame mounted safety. If he can do that... he can do this. IIRC the rear dovetail on the E9 is the same as the old K9 before the change.

It is definately a carbon steel model. I will be bead blasting and refinishing it with a more protective coat. More than likely a Ceramic coat from CCR. Later on I will get either AWC (suppressors) or Tornado Technologies to thread the barrel with a sleeve to extend the barrel out far enough to use my suppressor on it. It's only 3 ounces and shouldn't cause any problems with lockup. So I'll invest about $350.00 in labor and another $100 in parts, on top of the $300.00 I have in the pistol. $750.00 for a custom Kahr out the door... Not too bad.


do you know of the E9 has the elite trigger 3/8" or the NYPD trigger in them 1/2". :confused:

It feels like a 3/8" trigger to me. Buttery smooth not only because Kahrs are like that, but age and use seems to have played a role in that too. No trigger job needed. I might use a reduced power striker spring from Wolff just to see what it feels like, but I think that may end up being "too much" of a trigger job.

[TacTeacher]

knowledge the rubber grips are non existant anymore. They are super grips. I love them on my K9,

Anyone know who was contracted to make the rubber grips? They seem to be a lot like Hogue grips. I deal with Neil Hogue quite often. I'll ask him and see what he has to say.

[Bawanna]

Anyone know who was contracted to make the rubber grips? They seem to be a lot like Hogue grips. I deal with Neil Hogue quite often. I'll ask him and see what he has to say.

I'm pretty certain it was Hogue that made all the rubber grips for Kahr. If Kahr isn't selling them any more Hogue should keep the presses running for those guys that like rubber grips. I'm a wood guy mostly cause I can't make rubber but they do have their place and they do feel really good.

[G31]

E9s came is a few variants. Mine is a two-toned with rubber grips. I've seen them with plastic grips, I've seen reverse two-tone, and I've seen all black. it also looks like the front sight is staked in two places, so you might have two holes to cover up with your dovetailed sight.

Here's mine:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/G31/DSCF1647.jpg

[10Kahrs]

I picked up a used E9 and its all black with kahr rubber grips

[jocko]

I picked up a used E9 and its all black with kahr rubber grips

I have never seen an E9. was the E9 a pre stainless version, i. e. carbon blued steel slide and carbon steel blued frame?? or what.. someone metniton staked front sights like the cw series. Is this on all the E9???

[10Kahrs]

Yes i believe mine is carbon blued steel and yes the front site is staked was thinking of getting the gun re-finished by fords in black chrome and having n/s installed

[TonySoprano]

I have a 1997 Kahr E9 that has the black oxide finish,and is made of blue carbon steel and had the staked front sight,and the NYPD trigger. I changed the trigger to the elite and had a dove tail milled into the slide for the addition of XS Big Dot sight and changed the grips to the wood checkered ones.
I shoot at least 3,000 rounds a year thru it and it has 39,000 thru it since I bought it. I have had only a broken slide stop a few years ago and Kahr CS replaced it for free. The recoil springs are changed yearly and a few years ago I replaced all the springs to put it back to OEM specs. I am looking to retire it and have refinished and replace it with either a MK9 or a K9. You can't go wrong with an E9 in my opinion.

[jocko]

I have a 1997 Kahr E9 that has the black oxide finish,and is made of blue carbon steel and had the staked front sight,and the NYPD trigger. I changed the trigger to the elite and had a dove tail milled into the slide for the addition of XS Big Dot sight and changed the grips to the wood checkered ones.
I shoot at least 3,000 rounds a year thru it and it has 39,000 thru it since I bought it. I have had only a broken slide stop a few years ago and Kahr CS replaced it for free. The recoil springs are changed yearly and a few years ago I replaced all the springs to put it back to OEM specs. I am looking to retire it and have refinished and replace it with either a MK9 or a K9. You can't go wrong with an E9 in my opinion.

what a great report, you put my PM9 to shame. I am a tad over 30,000 (in less than 4 years though) but 39,000 just should tell all readers that indeed kahrs are made to shoot until the cows come home. Nice report. My ol PM9 just keeps pluggiing along. My only broken part was a cracked follower that never even gave an issue until I took it apart to clean the magazine and then it fell apart. again nice report and just continue shooting it like u stole it..:p