9mm+p vs 9mm standard

[Montell C. Williams]

I have a Kahr P-9 with Meprolite sights, when shooting 9mm standard pressure 124gr it is right on vertically but with 9mm+p it is about 4 inches low at 12 long paces, I think I will stick with standard pressure ammo as the differance in power isn't enough to make up for 4 inches of vertical displacement.

I know some will say to just hold up more front sight or hold high but in a stressed situation the less you have to remember the better, and this is after all a combat pistol. I'm used to a level sight picture and under stress would revert to that sight picture.

If your gun does this, and it probably will may be you should consider switching ammo.

[Rule10b5]

Same thing with my PM9. I'm an inch or two low at 15 yards with standard pressure 124, but 3-4" low with +p.

Here's another interesting thing (if you haven't noticed it with your Kahr yet). Remove the magazine, cycle the slide, make sure it's unloaded, point in a safe direction, etc.

Watch the slide position relative to the lower.

Now pull the trigger, slowly, while watching the slide from the side.

You'll probably notice that the slide moved down, substantially, the second the "shot" broke.

So if you're aiming based on the position of the slide (and sights) before the shot breaks, you're actually aiming "high" compared to where the bullet will strike when the slide moves down on the shot break.

It's something in the way the trigger mechanism is designed. It seems to make me shoot a bit low -- not enough to matter -- but enough to notice. I reviewed a number of forums about the issue, and it seems to affect some more than others in terms of point of impact.

I wonder if your issue and this one might be related. That is, I wonder if +p makes the slide move "more" down than standard pressure ammo.

[Montell C. Williams]

Well back in the 70s when +p first came out for .38spl I noticed that light weight high speed loads shot low and the old 200gr super police load shot high. Usually even with rifles the lighter faster load usually shoots lowe than standard weight or heavy, slow loads with the same sight setting.

I'm not counting the old 110gr highway master metal piercing loads they used to make as +p cause that designation wasen't thought up yet, it was called high speed.