[ChuckB]

Hi, guys and gals. I'm looking for a DAO 9mm pistol. It has to be compact, and fairly light. I've read so much about Kahrs, mini-Glocks, and others, but I'm wondering what's wrong with the Kel-Tec P11? It's light weight and not expensive. I have a P32 that's awfully handy (and works great- after two trips back to the factory!), so I'm familiar with their design concepts. But I don't recall seeing too much here about the KT entry. Any input?

Chuck:confused:

[alamo]

I've got one, great CCW pistol due to it's size/weight and magazine capacity. You'll find the trigger is a bit different than your P-32. It is long, not overly heavy - about 8-9 lbs. Similar to a DAO revolver. There are some modifications you can do to shorten it if you're handy. The trigger stop, trigger shoe and grip extender help too. Check out the KTOG Bulletin Board, lots of good info.:

http://www.ktog.org/vbulletin/

Here's a great site:

http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/index.htm

[Walt Sherrill]

When they first came out, there were a lot of problems -- probably quality control issues -- that were eventually ironed out. For the past several years, nearly every P-11 I hear about has been rock solid.

I carried one as my main CCW for several years.

I started shooting IDPA and tried it there, and found that I didn't shoot it as well as I shot other guns, and basically looked elsewhere. I shot mine okay, after the first couple of shots. (That worried me, 'cause if I ever had to use it in self defense, I may not get a couple of warm-up shots.) Other folks, however, shoot them very well, indeed.

They are surprisingly accurate. And they are a remarkably simple and easy-to-maintain design. (The guy that designed the gun. Kelgren, was the designer of some other very innovative and successful military rifles, by the way.)

You can do most anything that needs to be done yourself, and the warranty is hard to beat. If you haven't already done so, visit www.ktog.org (http://www.ktog.org) the Kel-Tec Owners Group website. (It was down last week for a while; might still be.) Another participant here, guy named Blackhawk, has come up with a very innovative mod to the trigger that makes the trigger (described below) much, much better... or so I'm told.

Two cavaets: 1) the gun is very light. That's good and bad... Good in that its very easy to carry, and bad that the recoil is more than you generally get with a 9mm gun. Nothing horrible, but it takes a little getting used to. 2) the gun has a LONG, DAO trigger. A lot like a revolver in DA mode. That also takes some getting used to. But nearly everyone who shoots them much says mastering the trigger makes them better with their others guns, too. I think it helped me.

Pluses: 1) S&W Model 59 mags work in the gun, which means you can have fairly inexpensive 15-round mags. (Or 12-round if you use the 60-series mags.) Kel-Tec sells plastic spacers for the gap between the bottom of the grip and the mag base that work as a finger grip. 2) The Kel-Tec warranty and customer service is about the best in the industry.

If I like them so much, why don't I have one now? I may get one again, one of these days. I've been carrying a Star Firestar Plus, which has a much better trigger (and which I shoot better, under pressure), and that's being replaced by a CZ-75 Compact. But I may just get another one, one of these days. I still think they're good guns. And had there been Blackhawk's trigger mods back when I had mine, I might still have it.

You could do a lot worse.

---------

Now its time for FIRESTAR, another shooter who participates here, to tell you just how terrible they are. He does that a lot.

(He and I agree on many gun things, but not on Kel-Tecs...)

[rblack]

I've had mine for several years, and it gets carried a lot. I have other pistols that I carry on occasion, but the Kel-Tec usually goes with me. The trigger is not bad for its intended purpose, and lessens the worry of an AD while carrying. I don't think you can go wrong with one of these little jewels.

[stevesmith7]

Well, the question asked why not so I'll try:

1. It's not the most fun you ever had shooting at the range.
2. $199 plastic guns don't impress any of the range snobs.
3. It's hard to stop going back inside after you start down Blackhawk's
trigger mods path, thinking with just a bit more the trigger will get even
more perfect.
4. You'll keep wishing it disappeared in your pocket like your P32, but it won't.

I think the list of whys has been covered. :)

Steve

[justice4all]

The cons have been described perfectly, but IMO they are outweighed by the pros. For around $200-$250 you cannot go wrong.

[TheeBadOne]

I owned the .40 S&W version for a while. I think Kel-tec is the best bang for the $$$ in a CCW/SD pistol.

[Bainx]

Hello folks, I am Bainx and I just gotta tell you, the P11 is wonderfull gun for 9mm be it a primary or backup!
Mine rocks....it has shot about 500 rounds and has chocked only twice in the first 100 rounds.

[Hazwaste]

"2. $199 plastic guns don't impress any of the range snobs."

You are right there. However, I do remember when I was qualifying during my CCW class and a young guy with a Glock 26 (who was having trouble holding his shots in the silhouette at 15') in the stall next to me asked to try my P-11. He did slightly better w/ the P-11, and was really upset that he paid $500+ for his Glock.

I know the P-11 is no Glock, but mine's served me well as a carry piece for 2 years, and has fed over 1000 rounds with no failures whatsoever.

[Marcus]

Yep,good little guns. Not fancy,not for target work but a better combination of power,capacity,weight,ease of carry and cost is nowhere to be had! I still carry mine more often than not and after close to 9000rds. with no problems at all it`s the most reliable gun I own. :) Marcus

[Dave R]

I like mine. Surprisingly accurate once you get used to the trigger. I have been known to shoot mine at 100 yards. Not hard to hit a 2X3 (foot) target at that distance.

[tomr8368]

My only problem with it is the long trigger pull, and as said above, mastering that makes one a better shot. I don't have any functioning problems with it, or my p-32. I have the 40 conversion and that's a hoot to shoot. No problems with it either, tho I know others have had problems. Got to hang on tight...no limp wristing with that one!
For the money, can't beat it, imo.
Tom:D

[444]

I can only tell you about the one I own.

It is a piece of junk. It is basically bolt action. I recently took it out along with a number of other guns to chrono some loads. I took the P11 so I could get some velocity numbers for the 9mm out of a short barrel. I fired a number of loads in 115 gr, 124 gr, and 148 gr. bullets. During this test I managed to get the P11 to actually feed a round like twice out of a couple dozen shots fired. My conclusion: MY P11 is totally unreliable with any load I tried which included all popular 9mm bullets weights in both factory and handloaded configurations. YMMV

[Doug S]

The P-11 is a nice design. I gave mine up because of some extraction problems, but I would consider trying another one some day. Hard to beat for the price and warranty. Most people seem satisfied with theirs.

[tomr8368]

444:
They have a great warranty... have you tried calling the gunsmith there and sending it back?
Tom

[tbeb]

I don't own a P-11. I did own a Grendel P-12 which was .380 caliber, about the same weight as P-11, and designed by same man. I loved it. I fired with a firm grip and never had a problem. When friends fired it using a weak grip (limp wristing) it malfunctioned. Keep this in mind because I'm guessing P-11 will malfunction if limp wristed.

[Oracle]

I had a Kel-Tec P-11, it was a very nice gun. Small, light, concealable, double-stack but thinner than most (definitely thinner than my Glocks), and extremely affordable. For someone on a budget that is looking for a carry gun, this is the ticket. I traded it away a while back, I may get another one of these days.

The only thing I didn't like was, as others have said, the trigger. It is pretty heavy, especially for a semiauto, and has a "sproing" at the end that, to me, is rather disconcerting. It's more of something you need to get used to than something that is a real problem, though, although if you have small or weak hands, you may want to try one out before buying it (my wife didn't like it at all, she had problems with the trigger pull).

[telewinz]

I can rapid fire my P-11 into a 9" paper plate at 50 feet. I enjoy the P-11 so much and it performs so well that my other "fullsize" pistols would stay at home and I'd select the P-11 even for open carry.

I could select the following for open carry but comfort AND performance matters;

Colt Officer's Model, too big and heavy and just 6 rounds

Browning Hi-Power, too big for just 3 more rounds

Colt Trooper, too big and heavy and just 6 rounds

J frame S&W (close 2nd) but only 5 rounds

WHY wouldn't I select the P-11 (and others like it) its just about a perfect solution for day-to-day carry.

[tomr8368]

Ha. I can't even see a 9" paper plate at 50'.
Tom

[ChuckB]

Thanks for all of your comments. It seems that the P11 could be a good choice. I'm still keeping my options open.

Chuck

[Hypnogator]

While a good many Kel-Tec owners are happy as clams with their P-11s, mine physically broke 3 times with less than 1,000 rds through it. Their customer service is great, true (last time they completely replaced the gun with a new one with my old SN#), but it's still needed.

The trigger pull makes accurate shooting very difficult, and I just won't carry a weapon that I can't depend on not to break in the middle of a gunfight.

If you do get one, remember, it's a gun that should be carried a lot and shot a little.

[KeysBear]

I own a P-11 and a P-40. The P-11 is a good choice for a 9mm in a compact and light package. With practice you can become very proficient with one. I would take any comments about it being junk with a grain of salt. The P-11 needs a good strong grip, and some people's hands may not be suited for it. IMHO, when people bash these guns and have a lot of trouble during the break in period it tells me they might need to adjust their grip and shooting style. If they are having problems they should stick with 115 grain standard ammo until they get used to the extra kick from such a light pistol. Don't use 147 grain ammo at all. I had a few misfeeds when I first got my P-11, but I haven't had a misfeed in the last three thousand rounds. Of course I polished the feed ramp to a mirror shine with my Dremel and that might have helped.

Regards, Keys :cool:

[HadEmAll]

Right at about 200 rounds, the extractor hook broke off mine. Thankfully it was at the range, and not when I needed it to work. They fixed it, but with the horrible trigger, and my newfound lack of confidence in it's reliability or ruggedness, I got rid of it ASAP. And to continue, a friend bought a P32 and put 50 rounds through it. He liked it and wanted me to try it. Midway through the second magazine, (it was pretty nice up until then), the slide locked back, and there was nothing I could do to get it released. I was embarrased to take it back to him like that but ..................... He sent it off and they fixed it, but that was enough of Keltec for me. My life is worth to much to me to depend on a brand that has such a track record for having to go back to the factory.

[KeysBear]

If you do get one, remember, it's a gun that should be carried a lot and shot a little.

Hypnogator,
Sorry to hear yours broke three times. That would make me a lot less confident in them too.

You know, if you shoot the P-11 a lot, you could be hitting in the 10 ring a lot more than you might think. Add a trigger shoe, finger rest extension, and a Hogue Handall Jr. and it gets even better. All of my shooting friends love to shoot my P-11 and my P-40.

Regards, Keys :cool:

[KeysBear]

HadEmAll,
I can find two stories of Glocks that failed, or you name the 1911 that didn't work reliably out of the box (I love 1911's - just trying to be fair), or Berettas, or Smiths, but two stories doesn't make a track record. The return rate for Kel-Tecs is not out of the norm for any other manufacturer. Fair and balanced. Go to ktog.org (http://www.ktog.org) if anyone wants more information.

Regards, Keys :cool:

[Walt Sherrill]

Re: carried a lot and shot a little.

Hardly.

I put literally thousands of rounds through mine over the period of 3 years, and never had the first breakage or problem. Nada. But, then, I did the KTOG "Fluff and Buff" when I first got it. It was stone-cold reliable thereafter.

It was the trigger pull that did me in, and there's ways of improving the trigger, now, that I didn't know about then.

The only bright part of this is that I traded the P-11 for an old .22 rifle set up to shoot NRA 50' indoor, and that darned thing will consistently put all of the shots in one hole from a rest, if you put the sights "around" the 50' target. Not a bad trade, if you ask me. It'll do 5 shots in less than 3/8th of an inch, and that, for someone with my slowly failing eyes [age], is not bad.

[Dorrin79]

ChuckB - I had one for a while. My advice is to try and shoot one BEFORE you buy.

Mine was reliable, but the crazy recoil (we're talking 90+ degrees muzzle flip) and ridiculously bad trigger (I swear it felt like 15#s or so) made it so inaccurate and unpleasant to shoot that I was never comfortable with it.

You may like it a lot - for me, I'd rather carry something bigger that I can control and hit what I aim at.

[444]

"They have a great warranty... have you tried calling the gunsmith there and sending it back?"

Tom: It has been back, but not for this problem. After I originally bought it, I shot it for a few hundred rounds. It seemed to run fine and I was very happy with it. Then I started having accuracy issues. I quickly found the problem. The plastic rear sight was freely moving around in the dovetail. I was going to send it in to have it repaired but decided to take it out one more time because I was really enjoying it and wanted to show it to a friend. This time, I had a different problem. The slide went into battery and I could not for the life of me, get the slide to release. I ended up having to use a mallet to get the slide to come back; the gun was loaded and I couldn't send it back to Kel-Tec loaded.
Since I was sending it back, I told them that I wanted a hard chromed slide since this was just about the only part of the gun that could rust. The other day was the first time I had fired it after getting it back and it will not fire more than one round consecutively without the slide remaining to the rear. You have to hit the end of the slide with your palm to get it to go into battery.
I don't know, maybe I am doing something wrong, but I don't think so. I own well in excess of 50 handguns, I have owned at least one handgun since I was 9 years old (32 years of handgun ownership). I have qualified with the 1911 in the military. I have shot IDPA, IPSC, bowling pin matches etc. I have been to Gunsite and Frontsight handgun courses but it could just be me.

[sm]

444
Yep you have a bad one. Your years of firearm experience and ownership...well anything can and will be mfg wrong from get-go. IMO you tried, have lost confidence and you paid hard earned monies ,you need to be satisfied and have confidence.

I'd call and explain, get them to pay postage both ways, and yep tell them you want a new gun with your serial re-stamped. If this don't work when rec'd back, advise how to get your money back. You will either get a refund or sell...bottom line.

Mfgs. have bean counters telling them they spend X dollars in advertising per sale. There is no way to calculate X dollars lost to negative advertising.

Firearms...buddy had a sear break on a Kreigoff 6 mos old...rare indeed...never heard of before ,or since. Still it sucks to have stuff not work regardless of brand name or $.

Nope, not you for sure...it is the gun. I agree with you.

[tomr8368]

I sure agree... they oughta replace it. Sounds like its best used for a doorstop at this point.
Tom

[jdege]

I have a Kel-Tec P11, and I don't like it.

It's been solid, and reliable, and it's small, lightweight, and easy to carry. And it's quite reasonably priced and accurate enough for its purpose.

But I bought a Kahr PM9, and it's at least as solid and reliable, just as small, lightweight, and easy to carry.

The Kel-Tec is uncomfortable to shoot. The trigger pinchers my finger, no matter what I do to it (I've installed the trigger shoe, and then went to work on custom shaping the trigger shoe, and it's better, but by no means comfortable.)

And it has a recoil such that I walk away with a bruised palm after only a couple of hundred rounds.

The trigger on the Kahr is both lighter and smoother, and is far more comfortable than the trigger on the Kel-Tec. And for some reason, the recoil is far less painful. (I think the Kahr has a lighter frame and a heavier slide, or perhaps it's just the heavier springs).

So I enjoy shooting the Kahr more than I do shooting the Kel-Tec. And it's been far more accurate for me.

Which may just be because I practice with it more.

Of course, the Kahr costs more than twice what the Kel-Tec does, and that can make a difference. But I can't get too worked up about a $300 difference in price, when I'm going to be spending a minimum of $500/year in ammo, anyway.

I'm keeping the Kel-Tec around, but it's become my alternate, instead of my primary, carry gun.

[Walt Sherrill]

I think the Kahr is more fun to shoot than a Kel-Tec, too, but...

The metal ones are a LOT heavier. The poly ones are, as far as I can tell, still unproven. They seem to have potential, and are very light. But the one I shot was about the same as the P-11 in terms of comfort.

(And shooting several hundred rounds at a single range session with these guns is not my idea of fun.)

When I carried my P-11, it was with a 15 round mag and a spacer. Still like, still compact, easy to shoot -- as the extended mag made the grip more manageable.

But all of the Kahrs have limited capacity, and I want more than 5-6 (maybe 7) rounds, if possible. And that's the only reason I haven't gotten one, yet. That, and the price.

I'm still thinking about the little polymer 9s...

[444]

About the only time I shoot a couple hundred rounds in a range session is when I am attending a formal class. I don't even shoot a couple hundred rounds in a session with a .22.

[yzguy]

love my P-11...

MANY mods and info can be found here (if you wish to do them):
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/index.htm

and I can usualy be found on the KTOG board...

[jdege]

The only time I shoot fewer than 100 rounds in a range session is when I'm competing in something.

When I'm actually trying to improve my shooting, I do 3-500 round sessions, and try to manage two sessions a week.

[Walt Sherrill]

I shoot a lot of rounds, too, but not with the little guns being discussed.

That can be, as you note, painful.

For me, at least, there comes a point, when you're trying to learn or improve a given skill, that MANY MORE ROUNDS becomes counter-productive.

I suspect that point would come sooner, rather than later, if the gun was unpleasant to shoot.

(My Kel-Tec never struck me as being all that bad, however; I find Makarovs less pleasant to shoot, and they're really not that bad. But I never had the problem with "pinched fingers"; that would be hard to deal with -- sort of like hammer bite with a P-210...)

When I used my P-11 in IDPA matches, I simply didn't notice a difference... and after the first 4-5 rounds I did very well with it.

But that first time out of the holster (a real-world scenario, if you think about it) on the first stge, I had a real problem shooting accurately. That said, I know its NOT always a problem for others, and if it were the only gun I shot, it might not have been a problem for me.

[Okiecruffler]

I had over 10,000 rds thru mine when I traded it off. Only made one trip to the factory, and that was just to get the slide parkerized. I did fluff and buff it, but I don't own a gun that I haven't polished up. My son and I spent a day running 1000 rds thru it. At the end of the day it was still running just fine, wish I could say the same about the web of my hand. I would suggest a slip on grip, wolff aftermarket springs, and a finger extention. Does wonders to reduce recoil.

[mini14jac]

I've owned two.
Never got used to the trigger, but I would still like to get another one.
(And I can't, for the life of me explain why.)
They are a light, handy gun.
Being so light, and having a long, hard trigger, make them less fun to shoot than other guns.
I've got a Kahr PM9 that I'm nuts about, but still occasionally pick up a P11 and think "I wouldn't mind getting another one of these.".
We've still got a P32 and a P3AT that go everywhere we do.

I seem to break a lot of guns. My wife says I shoot them too much.
I don't think this is true, as I've never put 10,000 rounds through any gun, but I do try to shoot a few hundred rounds each month.
All guns will break eventually.
I've sent guns from many manufacturers in for repair.
(I'm waiting on a Walther (S&W) P22 to come back right now.)
KelTec customer service is hard to beat.

[22luvr]

I owned an earlier edition. It painfully pinched my trigger finger on every shot; It ejected brass indiscriminately, sometimes right back onto my noggin; The checkering was rough enough to practically take off a layer of skin (# 400 grit took care of that) Recoil was nearly as stiff as my current 340SC; It got sent back twice for light-strikes, FTF's and FTE's. I was a pocket carrier and yes, you can cram one of them into a pocket but probably be dead before you could draw it in an emergency (some would call it a pocket pistol but it certainly wasn't for me!) The trigger pull, while not heavy, was so long that it often pulled the gun off-target. In short, it was just plain not a comfortable or ergonomic handgun for me to carry or use as a self-defense piece. Needless to say, I sold it after a short time. My P32, on the other hand, was a gem and I toted it around for three years.

I will second mini14jac's testimony to Kel-Tec's customer service. It has always been first-rate. Would I buy another Kel-Tec product? Certainly; I'm waiting for a good price and availability on a P-3AT. All of their products are mass-produced, well-designed, and require a bit more maintenance from their owners than some other handguns. No one out there can touch Kel-Tec for innovation, service, and value.

[444]

I am lucky in that I am still able to just drive a few minutes from my home and shoot. I am also lucky that I have time to do it pretty much whenever I want to. So, I usually shoot several days a week.
I have found over the years that after intense concentration on the sights, that my vision isn't nearly as sharp after a hundred rounds or so. I also find my arms and shoulders getting a little fatigued. Both conditions result in my performance dropping off both in terms of accuracy and also in proper technique. Therefore, when I see that I am not following proper form, or my performance starts to drop off, I go home and resume in a day or two.
If I am practicing action pistol type shooting or the same type of shooting with an AR15, I go through a lot more ammo in a session. I am not using my vision and concentration to the fullest like I am when shooting bullseyes. I am using flash sight pictures and shooting multiple targets. I am not trying for the ultimate in precision-just A-Zone hits.

[mod12]

couldn't recommend more highly. have had mine approx. 15 mos. never a failure of ANY type. i'm puzzled by references to heavy recoil. it has never seemed bad to me. have polished feed ramp but only standard maint. other than that. mine is small, light, concealable, reliable and adequate. price was not and should not be a factor in a purchase of this type. trigger is lighter than some stock revolvers i own. i have heard only positive comments about factory backup. i'm not an accomplished marksman but find accuracy quite acceptable. i have complete confidence in mine. there are a number of mfgs. options available. i have the mag. extension and belt clip. my wife does not find it objectionable to shoot although she is 5'8" and 140 lbs. she has never had a failure with it either. hope whatever you get runs well.:)

[ChuckB]

Wow. Thanks again to all of you who have taken the time to help me make my decision. This is a great group here!

Chuck

[HadEmAll]

When they occur in MY hands, to me it's a track record. I've never had any two of any other manufacturer's pistols malfunction to the point of being worse than useless. You get what you pay for in the pistol world, with a few notable exceptions. The lower priced quality guns comes from the Czech Republic Croatia, and other places outside the boundaries of the continental USA, not Florida.;)

[Tropical Z]

Dang,i didnt know you can use S&W 59 series mags in a P11.Do they require any modifications?

[tiberius]

No mods required, but KT does offer spacers that fill in the gap around the base of the "long" magazines.

[mod12]

GO TO WWW.KTRANGE.COM TO "P11 FORUM". UNDER "POST PICYURES OF YOUR P11" IS A PICYURE OF A P11 WITH SERIES 69 (12 RND) MAGAZINE INSTALLED. SOME PEOPLE WITH BAD EYES, WEAK WRISTS AND A LACK OF MECHANICAL ABILITY CAN'T MAKE ANYTHING WORK.;)

[wally]

HadEmAll,

My 1911 Cold GM (pre series 80) wasn't reliable out of the box needing a new ejector and opening up of the ejection port before it stopped stovepiping. Once it was made right, it was great. Until its extractor hook break off during my CHL qualifer. Does that mean Colts are junk?

I still passed because I'd shot a perfect score up to that point and had the presence of mind to get enough shots off by single loading and shaking the empties out to get a passing score.

I don't have a P11, but I replaced the extractor and my GM is good to go. Its too big to carry but still my first choice in range guns. If they ever figure out how to make guns that don't break, I hope the know-how quickly passes on to making cars, space shuttles, and home appliances too!

--wally.

[ChuckB]

Since posting my question, and reading your intelligent responses, I purchased a P11. I am so glad I did. I added a trigger shoe and mag finger extention from Kel-Tec, and put on a Hogue Hand-all grip. Now that I'm used to it, I find it to be a totally reliable, easy to shoot defense pistol. It's about the same weight as an alloy .38 snubbie, but is narrower and holds twice the number of shots. To each his own, of course, but I'm one happy lad.

Chuck

[mod12]

enjoy chuck, heres to straight shooting.

[pwrtool45]

444

I tend to agree. IIRC, either the `77 (rhodesia) or the `79 (south africa) IPSC world champ won in spite of a government-induced ammo restriction of, I believe, less than 50 rounds per month. Quality, not quantity.

Chuck

There are a total of 4 P32s between me and my friends. We are quite pleased with them. Three of them belong to people who don't read or post to web forums such as this one. If you read KTOG, you'll note a lot of complaints are people just wanting to vent. People who get a functional weapon (espeically a $200 weapon) don't usually feel a similar need to vent. The reputation for guns that break, I think, is based on a statistical population that's by nature stacked in favor of people with something negative to say. As a result, IMO, Kel-Tec gets a bad rap with regard to things breaking. If web forums were indicitive and Kel-Tec was constantly having to pick up shipping those guns back (and sometimes forth) they'd go out of business. There are definitely some bad ones out there, but there are in turn a lot of good ones that you don't hear about (this thread nonwithstanding :D).

[ChuckB]

pwrtool, my P32 is flawless. Since I added Bersa finger extentions to my mags, it's a dream to shoot. And, it's surprisingly accurate for an itty bitty pistol with a long trigger pull. Once one pulls the trigger (on all Kel-Tec pistols) with a smooth, even pull, instead of trying to stage it, it's great.

Chuck

[tatters]

I happen to really like my P-11.. for that matter I really like my P-32.

I call the recoil with the P-11 as "snappy". It doesn't push like a full sized handgun, but kinda gives a sharp bark.

Mine is as reliable as a clock, but in the beginning, it wasn't so. I bought mine waaay back, and did mods to it, and the slide is upgraded to hard chrome.

I don't shoot a lot of rounds from it at once. I have other pistols that are a bit more comfortable to shoot. I use it pretty much as a carry gun that I practice with.

[pwrtool45]

When the stars line up just right, I can keep a magazine full out of my P32 in the black of a 25-yard slowfire target at 15 yards. The long, smooth DA pull is why I like the little guy so much. Shoots a lot like a revolver. :cool:

[SSGAUTEN]

I have been carrying and shooting a Kel Tec P-11 and a P-32 for quite a while. The P-11 is my main (daily) carry gun. In cases where I can not conceal the P-11, the P-32 slips into my Wild Bill's pocket holster and goes everywhere I do.

I have put 300+ rounds thru both guns with zero, zip, zilch nada, malfunctions!
I carry the P-11 in a Don Hume JIT SLIDE NO. 40FS. This is a first class holster for concealed carry and costs less than $20! This holster carries the P-11 high on the hip with only about 1 inch of the holster below the belt line. I have a large box full of "holsters" that seemed like a good idea when I bought them.
Save a lot of money and buy quality to begin with!

I used to carry only revolvers .38 and .357 because I didn't think semiautos were reliable enough. The Kel Tec P-11 was like shooting a skinny 11 shot revolver that I could reload real fast. As you probably guessed, I shot all my revolvers DAO, so the move to the DAO of the Kel Tec was a natural move for me. I find the Kel Tec pistols to have a better double action trigger on them than some of my revolvers (Rossi NOT my S&W).

The MAIN reason for carrying my Kel Tec's? I hit what I aim at!!

[SapperLeader]

I think once you get a p-11 up and running the first time, their great guns. I purchased a p-40 almost two years ago(I knew this particular p-40 wasnt working), and shortly after that two friends of mine purchased p-11s. The two friends with p-11s have had flawless luck out of the box. My p-40 is going for his third trip back to the factory. Trip one to try to get the p-40 to actually work. Trip two to convert it to a 9mm p-11 and get night sights. That last trip the gun broke while shipping it back to me. I was talking to the gunsmith Rick last night, and I am shipping it back today. Rick told me he was tired of the drama of my pistol, and was going to give me a new frame and start from there. I also have a p-32 which has been flawless out of the box, with over 700-1000 rounds through it. So out of the four keltecs ive had experience with, three worked, one didnt, and the one I didnt was a known lemon when I got it. I really want this gun for a jogging pistol, but I might use it as a deep cover pistol while I save up for a kahr.

[azrael]

I liked my p-11 so much I bought another one!!!( I always wanted an excuse to make myself a double belt rig)...My p-32 was 100% reliable out of the box...I recommend kel-Tec's to anyone..

OHH and one more thing...you CAN use a p-11 in a pocket holster...I make them everyday...you just have to have a BIG pocket...OR have someone sew bigger pockets into your jeans...remember...we dress around the gun not the other way around. :D

[yzguy]

just for those who may be interested...

S&W 69 series mags (12 rounders) as carry mags with less over all height than the stock 10 rounder and a pinky extension:
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/sw12.htm

which mags fit the P-11 and how:
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/mags.htm

and new owner info if anyone is interested:
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/newownerinfo.htm