improperlyaged
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- May 3, 2013
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A couple of months ago I got an idea to buy many of the more budget priced 9mm on the market and then do a quick buy or not to buy review on each. I have now bought and shot several of those pistols and have a general idea as to whether or not they make good pistols.
Here is a link to the original thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=765000
And now several of the promised reviews in no particular order.
Kel Tec PF9
My opinion: What promised to be a very good conceal carry gun turned out to be a pile of junk (IMO YMMV). I shot around 100 rounds through this gun (which I bought used) and it had a number of failure to feeds, failure to extract, failure to go into battery, and several double feeds. I understand that many say they have a break in period but this gun was used and the previous owner had put several boxes through it. It may have just been me but I would not trust my life to this gun. 2/5 because it is comfortable to hold and carry.
Accuracy: This gun shot very high for me. I was unable to hit the target not more than 15 yards away. Sure I got them on the paper, but nowhere near the actual black. Though a 3" group did happen, it was after many tries and most of my groups were much larger. 1/5
Trigger: Sucks and I didn't expect to be any good for the price. Long creepy and strange feeling. I have shot toy guns that had similar triggers. 2/5
Reliability: As noted above, I wouldn't trust this gun. 2/5
Cost: 5/5 I paid 150 for this gun and got a box of ammo with it.
Shootability: This thing is uncomfortable to shoot, though it is comfortable to hold that doesn't mean it isn't a 9mm in a very small package. 3/5
Next up is the Kel Tec P11
My Opinion: I liked this gun much more than the PF9. I picked up 2 and both surprised me. They were both completely reliable up to the 150 rounds I put through each. I was expecting something similar to the PF9 and I would carry these guns without any qualms. Now I only put a small number of rounds down range but they did work through all of them. My overall opinion is favorable
4/5. I give this because I liked the combination of capacity and size in an affordable pistol. Even though it will take some time to get used to that trigger.
Accuracy: Here is where I have a lot of dislike for the gun. Even after putting 300 rounds down both, I never was able to keep them on target as I would like due to that heavy trigger. It was just too long and spongy. 2/5
Trigger: Long and spongy, too long and too spongy. And too heavy. 1/5
Reliability: It was for the few I put through it a reliable gun. 5/5
Cost: Neither cost me more than 200 so 5/5, Oh and these were both brand new.
Shootability: I found these much easier to shoot than the PF9 but still had some snap to them. Maybe it is just the 1/16 of an inch thickness difference between the two. Unfortunately the trigger caused me to shoot quite a bit off to the right. Though I did get several 3" groups at 15 yards, they were always off to the right of the target. 3/5
Smith and Wesson Sigma
My opinion: I broke this gun. I got it used (hard to find new) and have no idea how many rounds had been through it before I got it. I broke the striker after 150 rounds. Started out well and then it down hill from there. Light primer strike after light primer strike. I took it back where I got it and he gave me a full refund. So My review is this, get a new one. Don't bother with the old ones unless it is a really good deal as you never know who has done what to your gun.
NA/5
Accuracy: Consistently shot high and left for me and several others that shot it before it stopped working. I didn't bother measuring but they were palm size or smaller. 3/5
Trigger: Yeah it is every bit of awful that people make it out to be. 1/5
Reliability: No idea. It did work fine till the light primer strikes so I will give it a 2.5/5
Cost: Cost me a little over 200 so 4/5
Shootability: Feels nice in the hands and points very well. Recoil is minor. Trigger makes good accuracy very hard. 3/5
Smith and Wesson SD9VE
My Opinion: Buy one. They are very nice and I am going to keep this one. Shoots fine (trigger still isn't that great) points fine, very reliable light recoil etc. I really liked this gun, in every aspect. I only have one issue and that is the trigger.
Accuracy: Once I got used to the trigger I was getting 3" groups all day at 15 yards. 5/5
Trigger: It is heavier than a glock but very consistent in how it pulls. Breaks cleanly and is smooth with no grit. But it does take some getting used to. I had to put about 100 rounds through it before I started improving in shooting. 2.5/5
Reliability: It worked. I tried and failed to make this gun malfunction. 5/5
Cost: It is the most expensive that I have thus far bought for this project. Cost me 319 +tax 3/5
Shootability: Besides the trigger, great shooter. Im keeping this one.
Sar B6P
My opinion: I had the compact version of this CZ knockoff. It would make a great bedside, house or even truck gun. If it were bigger. Since I only had the smaller one I can't comment on the full size version but the smaller one is far too awkward for concealed carry and doesn't hold enough rounds for home defense. It is slightly larger than a Glock 19 and holds 13 rounds in the mag. Plus it has sharp edges everywhere and they will pinch you even if you are not carrying it. Though it was very reliable it did break also. They steel slide inserts broke off after about 90 rounds (though I didn't figure it out till I got home and shot it several times while it was broke, it did function even with a broke steel insert). 2/5
Accuracy: Its a double/single, so first was always a flyer where all the following shots were in a 2.5" cirlce. 4/5
Trigger: Double action was very heavy, long but consistent and smooth. Single action was a dream. 4/5
Reliability: Gun worked even when its guide inserts were broken. 5/5
Cost: These are going for around 300 but I paid 240 for mine. 4/5
Shootability: If it weren't for all the sharp edges it would get a 5/5 but as it is, it gets a 4/5.
Thanks for checking this out and I will give updates as to some of the other guns on the original list.
Here is a link to the original thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=765000
And now several of the promised reviews in no particular order.
Kel Tec PF9
My opinion: What promised to be a very good conceal carry gun turned out to be a pile of junk (IMO YMMV). I shot around 100 rounds through this gun (which I bought used) and it had a number of failure to feeds, failure to extract, failure to go into battery, and several double feeds. I understand that many say they have a break in period but this gun was used and the previous owner had put several boxes through it. It may have just been me but I would not trust my life to this gun. 2/5 because it is comfortable to hold and carry.
Accuracy: This gun shot very high for me. I was unable to hit the target not more than 15 yards away. Sure I got them on the paper, but nowhere near the actual black. Though a 3" group did happen, it was after many tries and most of my groups were much larger. 1/5
Trigger: Sucks and I didn't expect to be any good for the price. Long creepy and strange feeling. I have shot toy guns that had similar triggers. 2/5
Reliability: As noted above, I wouldn't trust this gun. 2/5
Cost: 5/5 I paid 150 for this gun and got a box of ammo with it.
Shootability: This thing is uncomfortable to shoot, though it is comfortable to hold that doesn't mean it isn't a 9mm in a very small package. 3/5
Next up is the Kel Tec P11
My Opinion: I liked this gun much more than the PF9. I picked up 2 and both surprised me. They were both completely reliable up to the 150 rounds I put through each. I was expecting something similar to the PF9 and I would carry these guns without any qualms. Now I only put a small number of rounds down range but they did work through all of them. My overall opinion is favorable
4/5. I give this because I liked the combination of capacity and size in an affordable pistol. Even though it will take some time to get used to that trigger.
Accuracy: Here is where I have a lot of dislike for the gun. Even after putting 300 rounds down both, I never was able to keep them on target as I would like due to that heavy trigger. It was just too long and spongy. 2/5
Trigger: Long and spongy, too long and too spongy. And too heavy. 1/5
Reliability: It was for the few I put through it a reliable gun. 5/5
Cost: Neither cost me more than 200 so 5/5, Oh and these were both brand new.
Shootability: I found these much easier to shoot than the PF9 but still had some snap to them. Maybe it is just the 1/16 of an inch thickness difference between the two. Unfortunately the trigger caused me to shoot quite a bit off to the right. Though I did get several 3" groups at 15 yards, they were always off to the right of the target. 3/5
Smith and Wesson Sigma
My opinion: I broke this gun. I got it used (hard to find new) and have no idea how many rounds had been through it before I got it. I broke the striker after 150 rounds. Started out well and then it down hill from there. Light primer strike after light primer strike. I took it back where I got it and he gave me a full refund. So My review is this, get a new one. Don't bother with the old ones unless it is a really good deal as you never know who has done what to your gun.
NA/5
Accuracy: Consistently shot high and left for me and several others that shot it before it stopped working. I didn't bother measuring but they were palm size or smaller. 3/5
Trigger: Yeah it is every bit of awful that people make it out to be. 1/5
Reliability: No idea. It did work fine till the light primer strikes so I will give it a 2.5/5
Cost: Cost me a little over 200 so 4/5
Shootability: Feels nice in the hands and points very well. Recoil is minor. Trigger makes good accuracy very hard. 3/5
Smith and Wesson SD9VE
My Opinion: Buy one. They are very nice and I am going to keep this one. Shoots fine (trigger still isn't that great) points fine, very reliable light recoil etc. I really liked this gun, in every aspect. I only have one issue and that is the trigger.
Accuracy: Once I got used to the trigger I was getting 3" groups all day at 15 yards. 5/5
Trigger: It is heavier than a glock but very consistent in how it pulls. Breaks cleanly and is smooth with no grit. But it does take some getting used to. I had to put about 100 rounds through it before I started improving in shooting. 2.5/5
Reliability: It worked. I tried and failed to make this gun malfunction. 5/5
Cost: It is the most expensive that I have thus far bought for this project. Cost me 319 +tax 3/5
Shootability: Besides the trigger, great shooter. Im keeping this one.
Sar B6P
My opinion: I had the compact version of this CZ knockoff. It would make a great bedside, house or even truck gun. If it were bigger. Since I only had the smaller one I can't comment on the full size version but the smaller one is far too awkward for concealed carry and doesn't hold enough rounds for home defense. It is slightly larger than a Glock 19 and holds 13 rounds in the mag. Plus it has sharp edges everywhere and they will pinch you even if you are not carrying it. Though it was very reliable it did break also. They steel slide inserts broke off after about 90 rounds (though I didn't figure it out till I got home and shot it several times while it was broke, it did function even with a broke steel insert). 2/5
Accuracy: Its a double/single, so first was always a flyer where all the following shots were in a 2.5" cirlce. 4/5
Trigger: Double action was very heavy, long but consistent and smooth. Single action was a dream. 4/5
Reliability: Gun worked even when its guide inserts were broken. 5/5
Cost: These are going for around 300 but I paid 240 for mine. 4/5
Shootability: If it weren't for all the sharp edges it would get a 5/5 but as it is, it gets a 4/5.
Thanks for checking this out and I will give updates as to some of the other guns on the original list.
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