Kel Tec PF-9 key hole at 3 yards

[deanl]

I just got a Kel Tec PF-9 Chrome. Nice gun and very thin to hide on the waist band. I took it out and shot several types of ammo and different weights as well through it. The rounds my gun liked was the Federal Hi-Shok 115 gn JHP and the Federal American Eagle 115 gn FMJ ball. I found that they would key hole in the paper less than the others. Has anyone else had this problem? I think that if they are almost sideways at 3 and 5 yards they are tumbling at 10. I can keep all rounds in the bottle shooting from 3 to 15 yards but at 20 -25 in is getting hard to control. It is a small gun, this I know. I am not excited to carry as a back up or ccw loaded with tumbling hollow points. I do have a call in to Kel Tec but I was curious if anyone has noticed the same problem with tumbling rounds out of this otherwise great gun?

 

[Navy joe]

What bullet weights were keyholing? 147s will do that if there is not enough twist to stabilize them.

 

[deanl]

Everything I put through it would key hole. the 115 gn would do it as well. I did try the 147 gn and the 125 gn all of which tumbled.

 

[M'bogo]

I'd quit shooting it and be on the phone with Kel-Tec ASAP.

M'bogo

 

[loop]

You probably have a damaged muzzle. A slight burr or ding at the crown of the muzzle is about the only thing that could do that beyond ammo issues. Since you are using factory ammo and a variety of different kinds that is unlikely to be the issue.

Nines are prone to keyholing with hot ammo, but that is usually only experienced by handloaders who go well beyond spec.

Contact KT, if it is not a burr or ding it may even be the barrel is not perfectly round. There is no other reason I can think of that would cause your problem.

Don't shoot it until you have a new barrel or know the cause. If your barrel is out of round it can wear the slide unevenly and create new issues.

 

[rcmodel]

Hey!
People pay big money to make long bullets tumble and increase wounding with the AR-15.

Kel-Tec just does it for you free!

rcmodel

 

[Nasty]

No such issues with mine...in fact, it's very accurate and has been 100% reliable. Gold Dot 124 (regular for practice, +P for carry)

 

[deanl]

Got it sent in and we will see how that goes. I had them look at a few other adjustments they can do to it as well. I have heard that most all Kel-tec guns need adjusting but that they do it well and with a smile.

 

[shep854]

deanl, if you haven't already, hop over to http://www.ktog.org and check it out.

It may be a "groupie" site , but you will find lots of information and helpful people.

 

[chris in va]

Yeah, let us know what the verdict is from Kel-Tec.