Kahr Arms X9

Review

Every once in a while, you run across a handgun that fits a need for you. The Kahr Arms X9 turned out to be one of those handguns for me. I was looking to replace my old Kahr CM9 carry pistol with something newer. The X9, with its higher capacity 10 round magazines, seemed like an obvious choice.

I have known about the new Kahr X9 pistol since 2024. However it was SHOT show 2025 when I was first able to hold one in person. I liked the design. Partially because it is a small sub-compact pistol that has a 10+1 round capacity, and because it has optics capabilities. I recently noticed that the X9's were shipping, so I phoned a friend to see if I could get one. Now I am here, telling you what I think about the X9.

I had forgotten how small the X9 was. For reference, I carry my Kahr CM9 a bunch. The CM9 is tiny, so I expected the X9 to be larger. It really wasn't. When you compare it to a Sig P365, the Kahr X9 is essentially the same size. The only exception is that the X9 has a longer slide and barrel, which I actually prefer. The X9's dimensions are: Length - 6.125”, Height - 4.375” with the flush fit magazine, and a Width of 1”. It also doesn't weigh much, clocking in at 17.6 ounces unloaded.

The grip frame on the Kahr X9 has a nice design to it. The grip itself has a sandpaper style texture molded into the side. Then on the front and backstrap are lines made out of little squares. I was surprised at how grippy the front and backstrap are. The grip also dips in at the top. This makes the trigger reach shorter, helping people with tiny hands shoot the X9 better. Without a magazine inserted into the pistol, the grip length is super short. Okay, even with a magazine inserted, it is short. The flush fit magazine actually adds about ⅜ inch to the grips length. Without the magazine inserted, I could get about 1-½ fingers on the grip. With the flush fit magazine I could fit 2 fingers on the grip. To remove the magazine, there is a small mag release button on the left side. It is reversible for those in their right brains. Moving to the front of the frame, Kahr designed the X9 with a 3 slot picatinny rail for mounting lights or other accessories. I liked the feel of the X9’s frame.

Kahr is known for their smooth triggers. The X9 is no different. If you have shot a kahr pistol before, then you know what I mean. Kahr uses a curved trigger shoe in the X9. Now to explain a Kahr trigger. The pull length is long, but smooth. Kahr states it as a DAO, or double action only, trigger. It is very much like a tuned revolver trigger. About half of the travel is fairly lightweight, about 1.5 pounds. Then it morphs into a smooth 7 pound pull at the end. There is no flipper safety like a lot of other pistols. So the trigger itself feels better on your finger. Reset is essentially all the way out on the trigger. I do not mind the long smooth trigger pull of Kahr pistols. After all, the X9 was designed as a carry or backup pistol, not a duty gun.

The last user interface on the pistol is the slide. It literally lets you load the pistol and aim at what you want to hit. At the rear of the X9’s slide are slightly angled slide serrations. Kahr has always done a good job of cutting these to be useful. They are not very deep, but they are sharp enough to get a really good grip when racking the slide. There are also half height serrations on the front of the slide. They are half size because the slide is cut narrower in front. Leaving a design line on the top half of the slide. For slide manipulation, Kahr also gave the X9 an ambidextrous slide release. On the top side of the X9’s slide sits a set of dovetailed sights. The front is a white dot and the rear is a white bar. They work fine and I used them for about 400 rounds before mounting an optic. Yes, the X9’s slide is optics ready.

In 2025, every pistol should come with an optic mount option. Kahr uses a direct mount system on the X9. They cut the slide for a Holosun “K” or RMSc style footprint. This is pretty much the standard for small sub-compact optic footprints. Having a direct mount, instead of a plate, lets the optic sit lower in the slide. The X9 comes with a removable cover plate, so if you don’t want an optic, the pistol still looks nice. Thank you Kahr for using a standard footprint optic cut.

A pistol doesn’t work very well without magazines. Kahr includes two 10 round magazines with the X9 pistol. One has a flush fit baseplate and the other has a pinky extension. I really would have liked to have seen at least 3 magazines included. Maybe adding in one of Kahr’s 15 round extended magazines for a complete package. They do include a grip extension for the 15 round magazines. The 10 round included magazines do rattle when loaded to capacity. Not a huge deal, but if you are running you can hear them. Because the grip frame is so short, and the magazines have a small grip extension built in, they can pinch your hand when reloading. I thought I’d mention it, even though the X9 is not the only sub-compact pistol that does this. Now, there is a huge plus with the Kahr X9. It will accept Sig P365 and Springfield Hellcat magazines, and they function great. This is especially nice if you are looking for extended magazines in the 15+ capacity range. I have even seen 32 round magazines. You don’t see many other companies doing this with magazine compatibility.

At this point in time, I have around 800 rounds through the little Kahr X9. I shot it with the iron sights for about 400 rounds. The sights work, but I wanted a red dot on it. Primary Arms had previously sent me one of their Classic series green dots that have an RMSc footprint. It sits pretty low and is easy to mount. I like these red dots because they have an auto on/off function. The rest of the current round count was shot with the optic. The factory iron sights do not stick up above the optics base. So having an option for higher sights that co-witness might be nice. I am sure sight companies will be bringing them out soon. I did have a few failures to feed and a couple stove pipes in the first 100 rounds. About 6-8 total failures. After those initial 100 rounds, the X9 runs fantastic. Kahr still recommends a 200 round break in period, so I can’t fault them on the failures. I think Kahrs tolerances are a little tighter than some other pistols. This can be good or bad, depending on if you are in the “break in” camp, or the “take it out and shoot” crowd. The X9 surprised me with how well and soft it shoots. I expected super snappy, but instead I got controllable with just a little snap. It has way less recoil and snap than my CM9. I think part of the reason the X9 is controllable is due to the fact that it has a 3.5 inch barrel and is a tiny bit wider than my CM9. I also think it is more controllable than the small size P365, also because of the slightly longer barrel and slide.

The Kahr X9 will make a great carry gun for some people. I plan on carrying it more. It shoots nice. Reloads are easy, just watch out for pinching that hand. I thought the mag release button would be hard to locate, since it is pretty small. However, during practice reloads, I had zero problems hitting the mag release and dropping a mag. Another reason the X9 would make a good carry gun is its weight. With the optic and a loaded 10 round magazine, the pistol only weighs 25.3 ounces. Because of the nice job Kahr does machining their pistols, the X9 is fairly smooth and shouldn’t catch on anything when it is concealed.

If you are looking for a sub-compact carry gun, look into the Kahr X9. It does all the things the others do: It is small, narrow, fits 10 round magazines, and is optics ready. But, it will also take magazines from its competition. That by itself is a huge win for the X9. The handgun also shoots extremely well. The Kahr X9 is a great addition to the sub-compact concealed carry market. Check one out at your local dealer, or take a look at it over at Kahr Arms.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Sub compact, optics ready handgun that can use Hellcat and P365 magazines

Target Market:

Concealed carry

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.54” Stainless Steel Barrel
Length: 6.125”
Height: 4.375"
Slide Width: 1"
Weight: 17.6 oz (Unloaded)
Finish: Blackened Matte Stainless
Sights: White Bar-Dot Combat Sights
Optics Cut: Holosun K or RMSc
Magazines: One 10 Rd Stainless magazine, one 10-round stainless magazine with finger rest grip extension, one sleeve, base lock, and base lock plate for Kahr X9 15-round or Sig 17-round X-Macro 9mm magazine
Grips: Textured polymer
Reversible magazine release
Armor Black Cerakoted Slide
Lifetime Warranty