I carried a P9 for many years and it served me well. I bought a Shield the third day they were released. I took them both to the range to see which one I liked better. They both shot well, but I started to lean toward the shield.

The next day I was sitting at my work bench and cleaning both pistols. As I wiped down my P9, I was shocked to find that both frame rails had begun to crack. The left side rail was less than a quarter of an inch from seperating from the frame. In the over five years I had that pistol, I had shot less than 500 rounds through it. I estimate I was one or two magazines away from having a catastrophic malfunction. I sent the P9 back to Kahr, and because it was out of warranty, I had to pay $250.00 to have the frame replaced.

During the time my Kahr was back at the factory, I shot a total of 680 rounds through my Shield. I did not have a single malfunction. The Shield is completely solid!

When I got my Kahr back, a friend of mine wanted it, and since I no longer had any confidence in the Kahr, it went to a new home. (And yes, I advised my friend of the frame problem, but he didn't care.)

IMHO as a firearms instructor for over thirty years, the Shield is the better of the two pistols, and is what I now carry on a daily basis!