Kel Tec P-11 reliability and durability

[sm]

Realizing what the KT market is, I'd still like an 4" bbl, or option for my P-11. Legal bbl limit is 4" here for hunting. Not that I would choose a 9mm, or purposly shoose this platform, but walking the property per se I'd be legal. Not that I haven't had some groundhogs run into some 9's while on private property.

22 lr perhaps? dunno:

 

[Blackhawk]

22 lr perhaps?

Anything's possible, but I doubt it.

22s are great blowback design rounds, but KT doesn't have any experience with them, insteead prefering the superior (IMO) locked breech designs. In addition, there's a loud and consistent wail that the only thing wrong with the P-32 is that it fires the wimpy .32 ACP cartridge, and can't KT just ramp it up to at least .380? But I haven't heard anybody wanting a new 22 pistol design since Ruger and Browning own that market segment.

The .32 and .380 rounds are within a hair of each other lengthwise, and design wise, it would be easy to modify the P-32 design to handle .380s.

There are very few people on the planet who've fired the P-32 sized Rohrbaugh 9mm Luger, and I'm not one of them. However, the reports are that its recoil is very close to a PPK .380, which is heavier and a blowback gun. That's due to the locked breech design of the Rohrbaugh, but the point is that a locked breech KT designed, P-32 sized 9mm mouser shouldn't have much more recoil than a .380, and maybe the same if KT added some steel here and there, like maybe a steel frame instead of aluminum.

Speculation's fun, but we'll probably just have to wait and see because I've got a feeling that security at KT is tight and the employees are very loyal.

 

[sm]

BH

I agree wholeheartdly about the 22lr, and blowback, just the topic came up and how KT might design something. Agree the market in semi spoken for...

I doubt if they'd ever go anything less than a .32 (someone in hashing around thought .25acp)

I'm sticking with a .380 or single stack 9mm as my guess.
But, hate to place a bet on what Blackhawk orders in Feb.

 

[concerned citizen]

kel-tec p-11.

I've owned two and both have been 100% reliable. One thing i would stick with the plastic guide rod, I swapped the plastic out for a metal one and with in 50rds noticed the frame getting battered from the metal rod, I had put about 500 rounds through it with the plastic rod with no issue..

Hey Blackhawk...did you get an e-mail from Eric Rohrbaugh about taking orders for the new little 9 and being on his list to receive first dibs? I would have taken him up on the offer but I don't believe they will ever be legal in massachsuttes, same with whatever the new kel-tec offering will be...

 

[Blackhawk]

Pocketman,

No email, but I'm supposed to be in line for an early R-9.

Why don't you think the Rohrbaugh's will ever be legal in MA? The MS-9 with the internal magnetic trigger lock would satisfy the laws there, wouldn't it?

 

[Okiecruffler]

I'd be willing to bet that a .380 on the P11 frame will be one of the new offerings since they already make one for export. High on my wish list is a .45, same gun, only a bit bigger.

 

[Blackhawk]

You may be right, Okiecruffler, and that's a KT pistol I wouldn't buy. Wouldn't be interested in a P-11 chambered for a .32 or .25 either...!

 

[sm]

Okiecruffler:
whew, thought I was all alone wanting a 45 ACP KT

 

[yzguy]

chaim,
you could get that P-40 and then if you don't like it trade for a 9mm slide and barrel. You can usualy find someone willing to trade even for you, and since the barrel and slide are just machined parts you can use normal mail to exchange them. You would have to double check your specific state laws, but I'm pretty sure that would fly.

Also KT might exchange the .40 for 9mm if you call up and ask them (but I would give someone on the boards first wack at upgrading because they are not selling any more.)

 

[concerned citizen]

Blackhawk...The MS-9 with the internal magnetic trigger lock would satisfy the laws here I believe but i'm starting to give up hope for any changes in this state.

Thus far glock,H&K,Kahr and NAA are not interested in doing buisiness here. We have heard for over a year that glocks will be compliant, they have the internal lock,loaded chamber indicator,NY+ trigger all that was left was a hidden serial #.
The boston pd. dept is issued the glock 17/19 and they are not even on the compliant list to be bought new...

The attorny general ingnors requests for what is needed to be done for compliance.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

I sure hope the P11 is good! I am going to try and get one next weekend at the show, or if I fail there, at the shop.

 

[Pico]

Future Kel Tec

Saw this at the KTOG site. How about a lightweight .50 BMG for their next pistol ?

I really like these guys....

Seriously, since a coworker told me how his wife's P-32 surpassed his own NAA Guardian, I've been intrigued by KT products. My P-11 has not had any fluff and buff procedures other than a trigger stop and it shoots fine. No problems so far but I'll inform the group when I have some...

Glad to be aboard, too, from TFL:

Pico

 

[Dave R]

Another happy Kel-Tec owner. I find the accuracy surprising, once I got used to the trigger. I have shot mine at 100 yards, at a junk real estate sign. Hit is almost every time. Surprised me.

 

[Blackhawk]

If you can hit that sign at 100 yards with a Kel Tec, you're cheating, Dave. I'll bet you're holding your P-11 with a firm grip!

Seriously, every P-11 owner who complains about accuracy seems to take loose one handed Leo Carillo type shots. Remember him? He was Pancho, the Cisco Kid's sidekick on the old TV show. In the horseback running gun battles, he'd kinda swing his revolver around and it would go off somewhere in the arc. Even as a little kid, I thought that was hilarious. Turns out that a lot of handgun shooters are so used to heavy pistols that they think pulling the trigger the instant the sights are on target is proper shooting technique. Maybe they can get close if the pistol's heavy enough and the trigger's short and light enough. Then P-11's eat their lunch because they're light with a long, heavy trigger.

Trigger control is the key to shooting P-11s accurately. The guns themselves are, as you say, surprisingly accurate!

 

[tatters]

Mine is a fairly early model. I had some initial problems with it.

KelTec stood behind it and made it 100%. I had the blued slide
nickel plated by the wonderful Jack Fuselier. The gun ran great till the extractor broke. I sent it to KelTec, they not only fixed the problem under warranty.......


Since the slide was nickeled, they must have assumed I didn't want a blued slide. They replaced the slide with a chrome one at no charge. An upgrade for free!

Their service is why I own a P-32 as well.

My P-11 has a ton of rounds through it by now.

Great gun.

 

[Felonious Monk]

My P11 (s/n 117xxx)
--was the first gun I ever bought ('tho I was given a snubbie first)
--was purchased instead of a Taurus PT-111 (thank G-d)
--was purchased from another KTOG member
--has enabled me to learn about minor home 'smithing
--has been 100% reliable
...and I love it.

All that said, it's a little too big to carry as an always gun.
Not quite what I want for a Home Defense or SD gun.
For sentimental reasons (you never forget your first ), I'm not going to get rid of it, but I "need" another P32 worse than I "need" a P11.

If a compact 9 is on your radar screen, this is the one to get.
Kahr (wassup wit da Moonie thing?) is comparable at twice the price
Glunks have just never turned my crank
Sigs seem nice, but they better be for that kind of money.
YMMV

 

[sm]

OT P-11
I was instructing a left handed student. I put one of those green stick on felt furniture protectors on the side. I did this for her to 'touch'-keeping finger off trigger along side of gun in a safe manner, to ingrain the habit. Another student with a more expensive gun noticed " ha ha whats that for?". Another instructor " thats to protect the KT from the rough shooters bench". Fellow immediatly had to go check his gun for scratches.