Keltec 9's...

Kel-Tec has a good reputation for warranty service, but you may get the pistol back with the same problems, and a note saying you're probably limp-wristing it. I've had 4 of them, and only the P-32 was reliable enough to carry routinely.

I have had several over the years and each one of them needed a "fluff and buff". Completely strip it down, even take out the firing pin and then start checking for burrs, plastic flash, metal chips in the firing pin hole, you name it, look for it. After I did this all problems went away. Then shoot the crap out of it to help break it in.

I found with both my P-11 and PF-9 it took a couple hundred rounds to wear them in. And you do need to have a positive hold on them to prevent FTEs. For what it's worth, they both forced me to work out stoppages quickly and efficiently. After break-in, they both behaved well.

No problems with this one...yet

I had a P-11. It was accurate once I got used to the trigger. I didn't have any problem with it. I did buy a metal mag catch from a guy at KTOG. I would probably contact Kel-Tec & give them a chance to make it right.

pwillie said:

I have two that fail to fire...will not eject in a timely manner...any ideas about a fix?...these pistols are almost new! ...does the SST change out work?..thanks in advance

Click to expand...

If they fail to fire on the first round chambered....it's very likely that the slide isn't fully home. If the first round fires but then light strikes afterwards....you aren't releasing the trigger all the way to fully cock the hammer.
When don't they fire?

My P11 gave me no problems. I eventually traded it in towards a G26 because the trigger was so stiff, but it was reliable and decently accurate.

My PF-9 was a pile of garbage. YMMV

pwillie said:

I have two that fail to fire...will not eject in a timely manner...any ideas about a fix?...these pistols are almost new! ...does the SST change out work?..thanks in advance

Click to expand...

I had that happen on my 2nd P-40 or whatever they used to call them. so I bought 2 more The malfunctioning one is 'parts'. Go see the thread about not shipping guns as a reason why.

I like Kel Tec’s & have owned 2 P-11’s, 1 P-40, 1 PF-9, 2 P3AT’s, and 1 P-32; still have a P-40, P-11 and both P3AT’s.

I only recommend Kel Tec handguns to folks who like to tinker on their guns. Fluff & buff, change out magazine springs, install triggers (Northwood, RTK, Galloway), etc, and always keep them cleaned & lubed. Some are reliable out of the box, & some need tweaking.

If you want reliability with no effort on your part, get a S&W M&P or a Glock or a Ruger. If you want the smallest 10+1 capacity 9mm & are willing to learn a DA trigger, get the P-11. If you want the thinnest, lightest .380 pocket pistol, get the P3AT. But be ready to tinker.

I have apparently been lucky.

I bought my P3AT brand-new, and it has a decent trigger. For some shooters it's easy to limp-wrist, but if you hold it properly it's very reliable. I carry it often. It's not fun to shoot, but at SD ranges I am accurate with it, and it's very easy to conceal.

I bought my P32 used in nice condition for barely over $100. Its trigger is decent and it's never malfunctioned for me. It has almost no sights and I don't trust the caliber for SD, but as a range toy and challenging plinker, it's a great gun for the money.

My P-11 cost $200 IIRC. It had some finish wear but came with a spare magazine. The trigger was quite stiff. I shot about 200 rounds through it without malfunction, and its accuracy was pretty good once I got used to the trigger. However, I got a good deal on a Glock Model 26 not long afterwards, and its trigger and sights and overall ergonomics were so much better that I traded the P-11 towards something else just a couple of weeks after I got the Glock.

YMMV.

Over the years I have had like 6 or 7 KelTec guns. Sold the all in the end. Just too quirky and not GTW reliable.
As a novelty and range attention getter they are OK. Especially the PLR16.

I've got a PMR-30, had two P-11s, a P3AT, and a PF-9. I found all but the PMR-30 to be reliable and accurate guns that I didn't enjoy shooting. The P3AT was ok, but the trigger guard was hard on my trigger finger; the similar Ruger (almost copy) LC9 with a slightly larger trigger guard was not a problem. I've fluffed and buffed all of the kel-Tecs but the PMR-30, which didn't seem to need it. Great trigger on that gun.

I think a lot of these small guns (regardless of gun maker) cause problems -- because not everybody can shoot them well or consistently. Nothing wrong with the guns and nothing wrong with the shooters, but the gun/shooter interface just doesn't work -- and it leads to problems.

(One of my shooting buddies who could shoot circles around me with most guns claimed the P3AT was a piece of crap. I let him try mine, and it shot like a piece of crap in his hands -- I reloaded it and shot a small 6-shot a 3" group at 30' shooting rapidly. It wasn't the gun -- just a bad fit between him and the gun.)

^^ Good to hear. They're definitely not the best "starting out" guns for the inexperienced.

Because many of these guns are so inexpensive, they are a FIRST HANDGUN for many shooters.

As noted above , they are "definitely not the best 'starting out' guns for the inexperienced -- or for those who have mostly shot revolvers or long guns...

Was contemplating a small carry semi-auto; Keltec was in mix. Every pistol I own performs as well as I am able to shoot them. Let me put it this way: from the posts, why buy something that won’t do what it’s supposed to do when you need it to without extensive babysitting and tinkering? And of course, then it’s too late. Probably go with little Glock-but personally, only it’s mother couldn’t call it ugly. But it works like it’s supposed to.

Let me put it this way: from the posts, why buy something that won’t do what it’s supposed to do when you need it to without extensive babysitting and tinkering?

Click to expand...

"Extensive" probably isn't the proper term to describe a "fluff and buff" and the related "babysitting"; arguably many of the Kel-Tec guns just don't need it. And a lot of folks find that Kel-Tec and them just don't get along.

If you have a number of different handguns, you'd be able to do the fluff and buff quickly and easily. If you have experience with a variety of handguns you might never have a problem. If this was a FIRST semi-auto, however, I'd expect a lot of complaints. The little Kel-Tec P32 appears to be one of the most trouble-free .32 you can get. My PF9 never burped (but I found it a painful gun to shoot -- I traded it and a little cash for a Ruger SR9c, which I still have.)

Most of the Kel-Tec guns I've owned were not, for me, pleasant guns to shoot, and I want a gun I'm going to practice with. Maybe I'm more recoil sensitive than some -- but I was shooting a .50 Desert Eagle a week or two ago and would much prefer shooting it to a Kel-Tec P-11 or P3at. I shot most of my keltecs every now and then at the range, to remember what I needed to do.

My PMR-30, however, is a joy -- after I really read the manual closely and started loading the magazines the way I was supposed to...

1KPerDay said:

My PF-9 was a pile of garbage. YMMV

Click to expand...

So was my P-11.

The various KT carry guns are just that....being among the smallest and lightest available doesn't make for a great shooting experience most of the time. The VAST majority of KT's work just fine and many that seem to have problems are actually a 'shooter interface' issue. Some people...even experienced shooters just don't shoot them well and the way they fit into the hand (or don't) can make for limp-wristing symptoms even when the shooter is holding tight.

Back when the P-40's were being sold a BUNCH of them were sent back to the factory for malfunction problems....and not amazingly about 99% were just fine. Of course there were the occasional broken parts but most malfunctions were because the P-40 is a snorty little bitch to shoot and many were just not able to hold onto them well enough to prevent misfeeding.

I run heavy bullets in my KT's and have adjusted the springing accordingly and have excellent function as a result. The poor manufacturer is expected to offer a pistol that will eat just about anything the owner decides to feed it....and if you spring it to work with the lightest bullets it's going to get battered all to heck by the heavies. Mine being sprung for heavy means it totally refuses to run with less than 124 Nato and just forget about 115's. Stick in 147's and it runs all day long. When you have very little slide mass the springs become very sensitive to how the pistol works and this can even involve the flesh compliance in your particular hand as to what will work or not. I LOVE how the KT's carry...so did the work to make what I have run. If someone is a casual owner or one not inclined to work with things to get what they want...give the KT's a try and if they don't work for you...go to something else.

I appreciate the comments. I was writing as someone preparing to purchase a semi-auto for concealed carry. Whatever that pistol turns out to be will be my fourth semi, joining my four revolvers.

The contributing authors I’m sure are correct in their opinion in all they state regarding KT’s. The point I was attempting to make was simply that if one was to carry a concealed handgun, and if , God Forbid, it needed to be used to protect my or my family’s safety it should be one that fired, and if required, continued to function. I have no interest in purchasing any carry weapon which has a reputation, however slight, of not being able to do what it was made for.



Finally, any gun I end up choosing to carry will be one that I’ve practiced with and whose trigger pull is less than what 25 quarter pounders weigh.

Long way around the barn, but that’s me. (My late wife always noticed; just said “Jim, your barn’s getting bigger”.)