Kel-tecs, need honest info here

[sevenpoint62mm]

I've thought about getting a small pistol for my mom as mentioned here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=82485

So a kel-tec is recommended and I went to the store to see one. Picked up the .32, which was the only one they had. I liked it, I liked it alot. Comfortable, small, and a good punch for the size. Then he tell me the .380 is marginally bigger, so I look it up on kel-tecs site. Its a hair bigger, seems small/light so I decide this is it. I call a few other store see if they have one in stock,..

only to hear stores say its a bad gun, don't bet my life on it. Now I know the kel-tec is picky on ammo. However from what I'm read on the kel-tec owners forum they work well if the ammo is carefully picked and the gun worn in.

Now this is my mother's life we're talking about, more important to me then my own. I would just give her my .38 special if she'd use it but she won't. Assuming I go with the .380 and something like a Winchester Silvertip is this going to be reliable and safe?

 

[ksnecktieman]

I have a keltec p32, and a p11 (the nine millimeter) both have been flawless since day one. Buy one and test it,,, if it does not work keltec will fix it. I think it is a good choice.

 

[wally]

These little guns are unique in size and power to weight ratio and are worth a little futzing around and a trip back to the factory if necessary to get them working right.


OTOH is it a good gun for your mom?

Why won't she use your .38 and why do you think she'd go for this?

Think she can rack the slide?

Won't have problems with "limp wristing"?

Can she even pull the trigger? its too heavy for some -- my wife needs both right and left index fingers to shoot mine -- very poor gun for her.

My wife is 5'2" 105 lbs and can bench press 70 lbs so I'm betting so stronger than average for her size, but just does not have the hand strength to work the slides on most autoloaders. A heavy trigger is a problem too. Best gun I have for her is my Beretta 86 with the tip up barrel so she never has to rack the slide to load it, cocked and locked the trigger is no problem, DA pretty much takes both hands and two index fingers to shoot it.

--wally.

 

[bradvanhorn]

I have three Kel-Tecs, and all have been reliable - I trust my life with them daily. However, I agree with what Wally just said. Your Mom needs to get involved in the purchase so you don't get her something she won't use. I'll also add that any S&W J-frame 38spl (the S&W 638 being my favorite) would probably be a better choice if she's not really into guns.

 

[steelhead]

When I first bought the P32, I had a lot of problems with FTE's. I sent it back to the factory with less than 50 rounds fired. It was repaired and worked fine ever since. Kel-Tec has great customer service and turnaround time was less than a week.

I have now put over 800 rounds thru the P32 with any further incident. After the next 200 rounds of S&B, I had no further issues with it's reliability and I trust it. No problems with any loads or brands. All load, shoot and eject just fine.

I raise the same concerns and questions as the others, however, and I feel she would be better served with a revolver. I would also stay away from the .380 Kel-Tec but not because of reliability but recoil. She, being new to guns, may not want to shoot it again after trying it.

You might also want to look at the Beretta Tomcat with it's tip up barrel. That takes care of pulling the slide - if that is an issue.

Overall, it sounds like a .38 revolver is what is called for (Taurus or Smith) but I would not worry too much about the Kel-Tec's out of the box reliability. If by chance you get a problem, Kel-Tec will fix it for you.

 

[FThorn]

I just bought the P-11 yesterday as my first handgun. Took it to the range and had 3 problems with it out of about 80 or so rounds.

I had one round that did not go into chamber correctly. What is the term for that?

I had two rounds that didn't go bang.

I used Winchester White Box 115 GR FMJ from Wal-Mart.

Being my first time with my own gun at a range, I'm not sure what to think. I sure hope it gets better than that, though.

But for $179 gun I didn't expect perfection. I like the ergonomics of the gun, though. I got the Hard Chromed one, and put a Hogue Handall JR. on it for $8 from popguns today. People should get awards for putting those things on grips!

 

[FunYet]

Drastic Plastic

Perhaps this will not be a popular answer since I know there are many who love their Kel-Tecs, but…

Every Kel-Tec I’ve owned has had problems and they’ve had problems early on. My current Kel-Tec, a P3AT, broke after 50 or 60 rounds. The magazine flew apart while I was shooting the gun. The gun has now been at Kel-Tec for close to 4 weeks. My experience with Kel-Tec has not been if the gun will break, but when. I would not want “when†to be a time when I need to depend on it.

 

[Murphster]

I have the P-32. It's always fed, fired, and ejected reliably. Actually, it was mine. My wife now claims it as hers. I wouldn't let her tote it if I didn't trust it.

 

[telewinz]

My P3AT has functioned great (H serial number prefix) and I use 102 grain lead RN bullet reloads. Should I ever decide to CCW it would be my choice, thats what I purchased it for. I own 8 other CCW type handguns but I chose the Kel-Tec. What higher recomendation is possible?

 

[JohnKSa]

Send the slide and barrel to Kel-Tec with $20 and have them hardchrome it. It seems like this buys you a little bit better reliability, somehow.

Then put 200 rounds of Winchester SilverTips through it. My guess is you'll never have a malfunction. The P32s seem to like this load.

If you do have a malfunction, you can try the "fluff&buff" that the Kel-Tec owner's group describes. I don't know exactly what it entails since my wife's P32 has never malfunctioned.

 

[Missouri Mule]

After putting a couple hundred rounds through a buddy's P3AT I am currently looking for one of my own.

In asking for advice for a pistol for your Mom it would be helpful to give more info., eg. experience with guns, physical condition. etc.

If you are asking if the little Keltecs are "good" guns, I will say yes.

With my somewhat limited experience with it, I will also say, buy one.
Let her shoot both and let her decide. I would almost bet she would choose the more shooter freindly 38 snubby.

Most of the complaints I have heard personally about the P3AT are shooter related. It is a tiny, light weight litle pistol and must be treated so.
IMO it is not for a beginning shooter to learn with.

 

[sm]

I have never fired a small Keltec.


Mom's and whatever...let them pick their guns - always.

Take to range and try a variety. If she shoots a Med frame snubby revo, I betcha she likes it best...
No matter what, Always Always let folks try for themseves and shoot a variety. Always let the choice be theirs...

Etched in granite on a mountain top somewhere...It is written....

Too many folks buy a used police trade in revo , older well made guns, regardless of gender, age, skill level...many are in purses. They tried before buying and bought a good used one.

This too is on that granite tablet...

 

[tarheel]

I love my P-3AT. The 3AT just had it's one year birthday, over 30,000 sold in the first year, there have been some problems but if there is, send it to KelTec and they will fix the problem and usually send back a much improved gun than the one you send in. I am always amazed at people that say "I've owned several KelTecs and thery are junk or no good", I would think that if I purchased a certain brand of gun that after having so many so called problems, I don't think I could say that I owned several!

 

[sevenpoint62mm]

Ok I think I have my answer. I feel Kel-tec is good but sounds like everyone gets a little homesick and needs to revisit the factory once. If I get one I plan on putting a White trigger on it, blowing a few hundred rounds to test it, then resend the factory for a checkup. I'm going to take her up to the store, pop in a full clip (if dealer permits), and let her get a feel for it. If she like the way it feels then good.

Some asked about why she doesn't like my 38. Well she thinks its too heavy (only 15 oz empty) and has too much bang. Keep in mind she doesn't like guns like most women but realizes her neighborhood isn't as safe as it once was. While a revolver is without a doubt more reliable its only 5 shot model and if she needs it to work I want it to protect here as good as I would. IMHO I'd rather have 7 shots of .380 then 5 shots of .38 assuming no other factors. This is based off her lack of accuracy. Also because my uncle was shot 3 times pointblank with 38 soft points 30 years ago and didn't even see a doc for nearly an hour. He was clearly lucky but I don't her to have to count on luck. So assuming I do all the motions and take the right steps her P-3AT will be there for her.

BTW whats a fair price to pay for a P-3AT?

 

[tarheel]

One dealer here in NC sells them for $220, but most others in the area are $249

 

[Chewie]

If she doesn't like the bang of a 38 she's really going to be unhappy with that tiny 380. They're noisy and kick. I have to agree that a 38 revolver with the right loads would be the way to go. I personally have the P-11 in 9mm and like it, but it does kick and has a long trigger pull

 

[sevenpoint62mm]

Seems like the 9mm version has a big size jump from the .380 version

If she doesn't like the bang of a 38 she's really going to be unhappy with that tiny 380. They're noisy and kick. I have to agree that a 38 revolver with the right loads would be the way to go. I personally have the P-11 in 9mm and like it, but it does kick and has a long trigger pull

Well I don't to force her to use the 38 but maybe its for her own good. The handgrips are ego-molded ruber and that 38, like most, is a very very accurate, even with a megastub 1 7/8 inch barrel. Problem is getting her to the range is like getting one of use to an BATF building. Anyway, I'll try to fight the good fight and teach her to try a least enough to get over the sound of it.

Maybe I'll get myself a P-3AT in place of my S+W.38, if I can get the wife to agree.

 

[mod12]

i have both a p11 and a p3at. i have not had a malfunction with either. approx. 900 thru the 11 and 100 thru the at. the recoil with either is stout. i believe she should definitely shoot the .380 before buying it. takes some hand strength to rack the slide. a stiff wrist is mandatory to avoid spent brass to the face which can be disconcerting. a bursa finger rest fits perfectly with no alteration and adds considerably to controlability. i have a slip on grip on both. the "totability" can't be beat. i can't think of a da trigger that is much lighter that i would want to carry as that is the only "safety" on this gun. maybe a p32 would be more suitable. fractionally lighter weight and pull. reassembly can be a problem getting guide rod and springs back together first few times. i've lightly fluffed and buffed both my k-t's and highly polished the feed ramps. factory and user support is available thru www.ktrange.com

 

[Jeff Timm]

Range time is essential. Best to start with a .22 and work up from there.

I met a lovely lady a few years ago. Her neice ran a local indoor range. Her pistol and her only firearm is a Ruger Standard Mk. I. I saw her shoot.

She was very well protected.

Geoff
Who considers the legend of the "one gun man," naw, I'm boring enough.

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

I have had ALL of the Kel-Tec (KT) pistols except the .380: I traded a Taurus 9mm for the KT 9mm because of the much better trigger. I had the KT in .40, and it was wonderfully accurate-more so than a pistol of this power & size should have been. I had the .357 sig barrel conversion for the .40-WOW! Now this was a HANDFUL, but nowhere near as accurate-sold off the conversion. I carried both the 9 & then the 40 daily, and carried the .32 for backup. My wife has the pink 32 also. It's just a matter of time until a .380 goes into the safe (or my pocket).

I'm one of those who never had a problem with the KT pistols that wasn't shooter related. In fact, KT no longer chambers the 40 because too many were sent back for repairs when nothing was wrong with them other than the fact that too many people couldn't shoot the 40 in such a small, light pistol.

They're good pistols, in my never-to-be-humble opinion, but they're not for too many brand new shooters; a certain level of experience is recommended.

 

[KLR]

I have owned two. A P-11 with a stainless slide and a P-32. Both broke soon after getting them. The P-11's slide cracked from the ejection port forward for about an inch or so. Apparently they discontinued the stainless slides for that reason. The P-32's sear/transfer bar got to the point where the trigger would be all the way back and the hammer wouldn't fall. Both were returned for store credit. Never again.

 

[mod12]

gee klr, seems like nothing goes right for you. when are you moving back to nh?

 

[FunYet]

_____________________________________________________
I am always amazed at people that say "I've owned several KelTecs and thery are junk or no good", I would think that if I purchased a certain brand of gun that after having so many so called problems, I don't think I could say that I owned several!
_____________________________________________________

A very valid point! I've owned several Kel-Tecs because I knew many people have had good luck with Kel-Tecs and thought I might get lucky. I like the idea, size, and weight of the Kel-Tec, just have not had luck with them.

 

[azrael]

Here is my .02 peso's...

I own 2 p-32's, 2p3at's and 2 p-11's

I shoot them alot...

I carry a combo of them everyday...

I trust my life with them...

I make holsters for them...<~~~shameless PLUG!!

Would I suggest they be a "first" gun?? NO!!....I agree with what wally and others have said...Get her a good revolver and buy her some classes to learn how to use it..




The CHIMERA is coming....

 

[Drakejake]

I own and have carried all of the Kel-Tecs except the discontinued .40. My opinion: they are unmatched for firepower in a small, light package. They are good values for the money. I think they are very hard to shoot accurately because of the trigger, but they are designed for close-up "work." The designs are good but production quality is inconsistent. You may have to send the gun back to the factory several times to get it to work, but the customer service is excellent

Drakejake