Kel tec?

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sanerkeki

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I do a lot of shooting at the range and most of my autoloaders are hk's, sigs, barretass and xd's. I was few times at a gun shop and noticed Kel tec pistols that are 250-350$ brand new.Why are they so cheap? I am not concered about dependability since I would not carry a kel tec but more as far as quality. All I am looking for is a economical range gun that I will shoot for fun, but at the same time I do not wanna be jamming or taking the gun appart every 50 rounds.
 
I'll tell ya, I have a Kel Tec P11 9mm and I love it! I paid $250 out the door, it chews up any ammo I feed it. Never had a jam in over 1000 rounds, just cleaned it before my first time out with it then never looked back. They do have an extremely long trigger pull, it is DAO, so it feels like my revolver. Once you're used to that, I think you'll love it. I switch off with my Glock 27 for carry, this thing disappears in my front pocket, the Kel Tec that is. It came with a factory 10 round double stack mag, you can get an optional 12 rounder from the factory. Good purchase I think, these things are pretty good quality for the cash!!
 
I pose this question... why are the other guns so expensive? I had a P3-AT and it NEVER jammed or failed. I just couldnt find .380 ammo!
 
I am not concered about dependability since I would not carry a kel tec but more as far as quality.
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Whats the difference (dependability/quality)? Why would you not carry a Kel Tec? And why are you not concerned about dependability? If you choose your carry guns based on their flashy good looks, don't buy a KelTec. If you choose your carry guns based on their performance, KelTec makes a fine product that I am sure you will love.

PS... don't get confused between "affordable" and "cheap". KT's are "affordable".

...
 
Wife and I both have PF9's and they have been 100% out of the box. Hornady Critical Defense works great in both pistols. I handled a Walther PPS this afternoon and put it back due to cost and already having the PF9. Similar capacity for 2x the cost just was not worth it to me. Same could be said for some S&W 3rd generation autos. These are great values.
 
sanerkeki said:
I do a lot of shooting at the range and most of my autoloaders are hk's, sigs, barretass and xd's. I was few times at a gun shop and noticed Kel tec pistols that are 250-350$ brand new.Why are they so cheap? I am not concered about dependability since I would not carry a kel tec but more as far as quality. All I am looking for is a economical range gun that I will shoot for fun, but at the same time I do not wanna be jamming or taking the gun appart every 50 rounds.
Click to expand...
They're lower cost (note: not cheap as they are good pistols) because they're not made to shoot 30,000 rounds out of them and not experience any wear.
 
I pose this question... why are the other guns so expensive? I had a P3-AT and it NEVER jammed or failed. I just couldnt find .380 ammo!
Click to expand...
That's an interesting question. For the other gun makers, I believe the applicable phrase is "whatever the market will bear". I think Keltec's main priority is to make a gun that functions, and that's about it (which is fine with me). Perhaps part of that comes from being a small company with the founder having control over everything still (guessing about Keltec, don't know for sure).
 
Kel-Tecs are not range guns. They're made to be shot a little and carried a lot.

I believe Kel Tec used to say on their website that their pistols have life expectancy of 6000 rounds.
 
Kel-Tecs are not range guns. They're made to be shot a little and carried a lot.

I believe Kel Tec used to say on their website that their pistols have life expectancy of 6000 rounds.
Click to expand...

This is true... and if you happen to wear one out, just send it back to them and they will make it good as new.
 
Does anyone do trigger work on these things? I handled one today and the pull felt just like my LCP, entirely too long. I would like to switch over to the PF-9 because of 9mm availability but I don't like the trigger that much.
 
The long trigger is the only safety system the Kel-Tec guns and the Ruger copy have.

Consider them to be just like a DAO revolver, that happens to be an auto-pistol.

rc
 
I have 3 k/t's. 2 P32's and one 9mm. None worked out of the box and all had to be sent back to k/t. They did fix all 3 in less than half an hour as I made a road trip. Had they test fired them prior to shipping they should have fixed em before they left their facility.

Since they fixed them I have had no problems whatsoever.

Would I buy another k/t product? No. LCP? Yes.
 
warhawk83 don't worry about the trigger. It does get a bit better with use . But they are meant to be carried and are not a range gun. That what the toys are for.
sanerkeki, Range guns don't always make good carry guns and carry guns should not be to smooth and lite of trigger. My two carry guns have the worst triggers i own and i plan on keeping it that way. Just go to youtube and look up stupid cop and a video of a woman leo almost shoots a guy allready in cuffed and splatering him and a cop with frags of bullet and road. Even glock has several heavier triggers for law enforcement now to help keep that kind of problem from happening.
 
+1 on the comment "Why are other guns so expensive?"

Kel-Tec manufacturing process + materials = efficient production costs. I hear they are not a very large company?

The guns are simple and can be very reliable, not real pretty to look at though.

Bersa also makes some excellent firearms at a reasonable price and they are pretty to look at.
 
This past weekend I was range officer on the pistol side of our range (Manchester State Forest, Wedgefield, SC) and a lady who was taking the Concealed Carry course brought a Kel-Tec 32 to familiarize with before her qualification next weekend. In the process of helping her with handgun basics I handled and fired the little 32 and was very pleasantly surprised at the fit and function. Brand new, never fired, and 50 rds without a hiccup. Very compact, very light, and this lady who had never before even handled a handgun (shotguns & rifles she had fired, so not a pure neophyte) had no problem hitting the kill zone at 7 & 15 yds. I think now I would consider one, the small 32 notwithstanding. You could stick that thing in your sock! :p
 
Kel tec?

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I do a lot of shooting at the range and most of my autoloaders are hk's, sigs, barretass and xd's. I was few times at a gun shop and noticed Kel tec pistols that are 250-350$ brand new.Why are they so cheap? I am not concered about dependability since I would not carry a kel tec but more as far as quality. All I am looking for is a economical range gun that I will shoot for fun, but at the same time I do not wanna be jamming or taking the gun appart every 50 rounds.
Click to expand...
:scrutiny:Can't even spell Beretta:rolleyes:wants an economical range gun:scrutiny::confused: Whats he afraid of wearing out some of the most popular semi auto pistols made?
I would think somebody that did a lot of shooting would have heard of KelTec.
I guess I'm just a cynic but dependability vs. quality and would not carry a KelTec something smells in Denmark.
 
To the original poster

If you want something in the same price range that you can use as a range gun look at a Smith and Wesson SW9VE. "Affordable". Very reliable. Similar long trigger to the Kel-Tec though probably heavier yet no un-manageable. And they are a steal with the current $50 rebate or two free magazine offer.

I've got the SW40VE, the 40 caliber version of it. I've had it going on three years and 3K rounds with not the first issue.

All the Best,
D. White
 
I agree with Bradley above. If you're not looking for a good carry gun, save your money. I have 2 Kel Tecs and they have never jammed or given me any grief with any ammo.

But if you're looking for cheap fun at the range, get a Hi-Point. Had a few of those and they are fun and cheap. Especially the .45.
 
I had 3 KelTec As of Sat I now have 4 and looking at another I always have 1 in pocket and wife caries one and daughter will have one come the 25th My 3 have been 100% reliable and are nearing the 1000 round mark KT has a lifetime warranty to original owner wear it out and they will replace #2 daughter will be getting one early next year
 
i own a kel-tec p3at (380). it did jam quite a bit at first. i ended up sending it back, they replaced the entire slide assy. after that, it was golden. i occasionally get one or two jams with my home brewed ammo, but that is after at least 2 or 3 boxes of ammo in one session. fun little guns. and actually, if you keep them clean, very reliable even for ccw duty (at least after break-in).
 
Well, thank you for your info, I think I will pick one up this weekend and hopefully experience all the benefits many of you have from a Kel tec :)
 
In my experience, Kel-Tecs are good guns. I've owned 4 (P-32, P-3AT, P-11 and PF-9), and all have been 100% out of the box. I carry a PF-9 in t-shirt weather. No other 9mm is as nice to carry.
 
I have the 9mm Kel Tec and carry is loaded with Corbon or +P Gold Dots.

Did a trigger job on it since the factory trigger is too heavy for anything but close work.

This is not a range gun but it will shoot each time the trigger is pulled.

Kel Tec keeps coming out with what folks need and want at low prices.

The quality is good and their stuff works.
 
I bought a P11 back in 1996 or so. First gun I'd ever owned or bought.
It was a great purchase.
1. Its simple to field strip and clean.
2. Ammo is cheap (lot cheaper then!)
3. If you can shoot it well, you can shoot just about any pistol well.

The KTOG website has some tricks to make it easier to shoot. The mag extension helps.
Also, to keep the trigger overtravel under control I've glued a pencil eraser behind the trigger so that it stops the trigger after it trips the hammer and not much more. I Sharpied it black so it matches the frame. Kinda kludgy, but it works.

I've had very few, a couple at most, failures to feed or eject.
The extractor or slide release lever broke once but that was after thousands of rounds and the factory fixed it promptly.

I'd carry it if I had a license.
 
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