Kel-Tec Quality Control Check

Your opinion of Kel-Tec Quality Control

  • None of my Kel-Tec products had any QUALITY issues out of the box.

    Votes: 206 65.8%

  • At least one of my Kel-Tecs suffered from minor QUALITY issues.

    Votes: 45 14.4%

  • At least one of my Kel-Tecs suffered from major QUALITY issues.

    Votes: 34 10.9%

  • At least one of my Kel-Tecs had to be returned to Kel-Tec for repair.

    Votes: 44 14.1%
  • Total voters
    313
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J

Jbabbler

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Dec 22, 2008
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Location
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This unbiased poll is for those of you that own any Kel-Tec firearm. Based on some recent posts over at Ktog.org, it was suggested that a poll be performed at a neutral, unbiased forum. I am making this post to get an idea of how many people are pleased with the build / material quality of their Kel-Tec products.

Please vote with the selections that most match your experience with any Kel-Tec products.

Do to the limitations of the polling software, I had to limit the number of letters in the choices to 100 each so if they sound overly simplistic, I plead software limitations :) Basically what I want to know is did any of your Kel-Tec firearms suffer from an issue that the Kel-Tec Quality Control department SHOULD have been reasonably expected to spot before it left the factory. OR Did any of your Kel-Tecs suffer from poor overall quality in general.

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
Thanks...
 
Last edited:
My experience...
I have had multiple Kel-Tecs and each has been a different experience.
  • My PF-11 was great from the box and never had an issue.
  • My P32 would not feed more than one round, ever.
  • My P3at has functioned fine but the finish wore off of the slide in less than a month.
  • My 1st Pf9 got so loose after 100 rounds that I returned it for a new one. The second one had a horrible finish that was worn from the box.
 
can't begin to tell you all the issues I had but would 17 times back to the kt factory for all 3 of my kts' be any indication..
 
The only KEL-TEC I own is a P3AT .380, that has NEVER had any issues.
Of course, I coated the slide with a coat of Blue Wonder Armadillo, as
its like putting a raincoat on your firearm. Mine is carried everyday in a
Uncle Mikes #2 pocket holster, and the finish is just fine after 'bout a
year of toting~! :scrutiny: :cool: ;)
 
Why don't people also put down when they bought their Kel-Tec. I have a new PF-9 and have had zero issues out of it. Even feeds the cheap WWB JHP's just fine.
 
I bought a used P-11 from a co-worker (unaware of it's age) who made me aware that the take down pin would come out after heavy firing.
Sure enough it would and dump the slide, barrel and spring out on the ground in front of me. :(

I returned it to Kel-Tec and within 4 weeks I got it back looking like new.

I then swapped it in on a new SR9 :neener:

It did shoot just fine upon its return but, IMO a 9mm in this size is too small, a .32 or .380 in a pocket pistol would be easier to handle.

BTW, the trigger pull is much nicer on the SR9. :)
 
P-32, P-11 and a PLR-16. None of them have ever given me any trouble. Well to be perfectly honest I do have one issue with the PLR-16........It eats ammo way to fast!!!!!!! :D
 
P-32, P-11 and a PLR-16. None of them have ever given me any trouble. Well to be perfectly honest I do have one issue with the PLR-16........It eats ammo way to fast!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
How does your PLR16 compare to other AR variants? I have been looking at them but never had the chance to fire one.
 
Had a Sub2000 9mm Carbine. Only issue was the front sight blade broke under recoil (flourescent red plastic). Mine was one of the early ones and the new sight blade they sent me was much better.

Currently own a PF-9. Bought it new in the box and the only issue I had with it was their failure to trim the mold flashing off the polymer frame. Centerline of the grip backstrap, trigger guard inside and out, the mold flashing formed a ridge sharp enough to be extremely painful under recoil. Got my box cutter razor knife out and smoothed it out. Fixed problem and they told me that doing that myself wouldn't void the warranty.

They also provided a steel magazine release to replace the polymer one when I requested it as normal magazine insertion at the range was destroying the plastic. I believe all the new ones come with steel mag release buttons now.

Those are the only issues I've ever had with my Kel-Tec's and they were both definitely QC related.
 
I bought a new P3-AT from my local store 2 years ago this month. I have carried it almost every day in a back pocket with little wear to the finish.

It has been mostly reliable, though my round count on it is pretty low, around 300. I had a couple FTF incidents where the slide did not fully enter battery. At tap to the rear of the slide fixed the problem. It was with old factory ball ammo (early 90's police ammo).

I have been happy with it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a pocket pistol.
 
I'd recommend them to anybody. I bought a Kel Tec from a pawn shop (1st gen) P3at and she had all sorts of problems! The brass would eject right into your face!! The trigger had a lot of creep and after a few shots, the magazine would simply fall out of the gun!!!:what: I called them up and they had me ship the gun to them out in Florida. 12 weeks later, I get a package from them and the guns slide and barrel had both been replaced. I suspect that they also tuned the mag release or replaced it. What a difference!!! It was like a new gun! The brass no longer hit me in the face, the mag has not slid out, and the trigger feels (although obviously not as nice as my 1911) great! This pistol has been great. Would highly recommend on account of Kel Tecs customer service.
 
My wife and I both bought early 1st Gen .380s. Hers was perfect from the get-go, but mine had a real hard trigger pull that Kel-Tec fixed, and it was perfect afterward. I then bought a PF-9 that has been flawless, and is my daily carry. The only thing better than my PF-9, for me, would be a P4T5, ya know?
 
The P3AT I bought quickly had trouble retaining the magazine--would drop it and shuck the rounds, so to speak. The reason it did this was because of operator error: in the course of slamming the magazine home, I shaved the plastic mag catch and prevented it from securely latching.

I considered it my fault, and Kel-Tec immediately sent replacement parts I ordered--all free.

OTOH, if they had used a better plastic, or (preferably) metal for that catch, the problem would not have happened at all.

The change drill I now use includes a deliberate and slow magazine change--which I am (marginally) OK with, since I really doubt magazine changes would be likely in a typical defensive scenario.

Jim H.
 
The only thing better than my PF-9, for me, would be a P4T5, ya know?
Click to expand...

Lol... That would kick like friggen mule. I don't know that I would want to shoot that gun for money. :eek:
 
My P-32 was one of the ones in the 12xxx range that had a defective trigger axis and had to go back. The symtom: the trigger would pull all the way back and still not fire.

They fixed it quickly and it's been fine ever since.

While they had it I spent the $20 to upgrade from blue to hard chrome, so it all worked out. The slide I got back was straight and true; the sights on the one I sent in were a touch off center. I bought it because they weren't any on the shelves back then and I had a plan for hard chrome anyway.

John
 
How does your PLR16 compare to other AR variants? I have been looking at them but never had the chance to fire one.
Click to expand...

No buffer tube haning out the back end like the AR pistols, that is why I bought the PLR. I have not fired one of the AR pistols but I am sure it is just as accurate and it does take standard AR mags. I am very happy with mine.
PLR-16complete.jpg
 
P3AT - no problems other than they could have smoothed down some of the polymer burrs on the trigger.

Not really a QA issue and certainly not something that affects the performance.


Easy enough to fix on my own with some fine sandpaper and about 2 minutes of time.
 
Yeah, Moss Pawn in Jonesboro, GA has his P11's at $335+.

If you drive across the street to Arrowhead Pawn they are $20-30 cheaper and 5 miles away at Forest Park Army Navy they are $289.
 
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