Kahr Arms’ K9 Carry Pistol: 25 Years & Counting

They may call it a K9, but this carry gun’s no dog. It’s every bit the fine shooting iron it was 25 years ago…

Twenty-five years ago, in 1994, life was different: People were still listening to Ace of Bass, the wave of expanding concealed-carry freedoms was only just starting to pick up steam, and Kahr Firearms Group had just introduced a stainless-steel duty gun that would become an instant classic, the K9. Standing in contrast to the flyweight polymer-frame semi-autos that were already becoming hugely popular, consumers found that the K9 was a joy to shoot, with a light trigger, virtually no recoil, and stunning accuracy right out of the box. Now, Kahr is shipping 500 Limited Edition 25th Anniversary K9 pistols…and they’re every bit the fine shooting iron they were 25 years ago and more.

This 2019 collector’s gun was first introduced at the 2019 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Each 25th Anniversary gun starts out as a proven K9 pistol, chambered in 9mm and made entirely in the United States from stainless steel. The guns are then custom machined with front and rear slide serrations, slide cut-outs and an engraved commemorative “25 Years” logo. The barrel and trigger are brightly polished. The finish is highly durable Sniper Grey Cerakote. Hogue aluminum grips are custom engraved with aggressive stippling and the new Kahr logo. Tru-Glo tritium sights add a functional touch, angled to allow one-handed slide retraction.

In fact, part of what has made the K9 such an enduring carry gun is that ease of use. A review courtesy of Average Joe’s Handgun Reviews explains precisely why: “The K9 is a near perfect pistol for anyone who must change from shooting strong to weak-handed.  There are no external safeties to engage or disengage and recoil, even with +P ammo, was nil due to the weight of a full stainless steel handgun.  The double action only trigger pull is a little long but very smooth and breaks cleanly at an average of 5.5  pounds of pressure.  I keep seeing the trigger action on Kahr pistols described by gun magazine writers as ‘like a fine revolver,’ to which I say phooey!  It’s better than any revolver I have ever fired…”

Each limited-edition Kahr K9 is engraved with its number in the series of 500. Each pistol ships in a plastic case, with three magazines, a certificate of authenticity, and a matching custom 1791 leather holster. The 25th Anniversary K9 (K9094NC1) has an MSRP of $1649. (Non-limited-edition K9s are available for considerably less.)

Want one of your own? Of course you do; click here to check out the available K9 models and find a dealer.