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Keltec P11 or PF9? Share Your Thoughts

Which would you buy or did you buy?

  • Kel Tec P11

    Votes: 17 33.3%

  • Kel Tec PF9

    Votes: 34 66.7%
  • Total voters
    51
  • Poll closed .
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Not open for further replies.
There's a big .380 comparo in this month's American Rifleman. I'd been Jonesin' for a Taurus PT738, STAINLESS, but I don't know, damn, can't make my mind up on what I want. I'm thinkin' I just don't need another .380. I pocket my P11 quite easily and never carry the .380 I have now. I like the stainless, though.
 
The PF9 to me feels like a slim auto.
The P11 feels Glock-esque in it's thickness and relatively square corners.

In 2009, P11s were relatively easy to find.
The PF9s were like hens' teeth.

I would pick the PF9 any day of the week and 2x on Sunday (because on Sunday I pocket carry, and that extra width makes a differnce).

Q
 
To me, the trigger on the P11 seems heavy mostly due to its narrow width. If I could change one thing about Kel-Tec's designs, I'd want a wider, metal trigger.

As it is, I did modify mine by permanently attaching their wide trigger shoe (which required modifying the frame as well) which many people argue against (the 'what happens if the shoe comes off and jams it?'...but even if it DID manage to come off after all the attachment methods I've got on it, it would pretty much just fall out of the trigger guard and work normally).
 
To me, the trigger on the P11 seems heavy mostly due to its narrow width. If I could change one thing about Kel-Tec's designs, I'd want a wider, metal trigger.
Click to expand...

There was a gunsmith on KTOG making wide triggers and offering them for sale there. I haven't gone there in a long time, but if I put a wider trigger on it, that'd be the way to go I think. I don't like the trigger shoe deal. I don't know if that guy is still over there or offering the trigger, was tempted to get one at the time. Don't even recall what he was charging, but seem to recall it was reasonable.

You're right, the narrow trigger gives the impression of more spring than is actually there, combined with the long trigger throw. A wider trigger would give a better feel to it.
 
Oh, and verified, P11 has double strike capability. The hammer is not precocked like the PF9/P3AT. It is at rest. There is near equal weight on either side of the hammer to make it inertia free so that dropping the gun is not hazardous despite rumors to the contrary from the KT detractors. If the thing went off from a drop, it'd have to be from the top of a 10 story building or something enough to cause the firing pin to move against the spring, because the hammer has no inertia against the firing pin. It is a very fast hammer blow that causes the firing, thus the strength of the spring and length of the trigger throw. The PF9 precocks the hammer, has hammer mass so that it has inertia and requires less spring in the first place.

Hope I explained that right.
 
I didn't like the position of my P-11's trigger so I heated the trigger up with a hair dryer & bent it like I wanted it. Held it like that until it cooled & it works for me now. One advantage of the plastic trigger I couldn't have done that with metal.
 
I was considering a PF-9 or P-11 until Tuesday. I was at the range practicing for my bullseye match tonight and had a bunch of my other guns at the range too. One of the guys I shoot bullseye with had a brand new PF-9. He let me put a couple of rounds down the pipe. I carry my XD-9 sub-compact regularly and was considering buying a pocket gun. I knew the recoil would be more pronounced than my XD-9SC, but I really didn't expect that it was going to be that much more. I wasn't fond of the trigger, but I know why the pull is so long. It just didn't give me any way of telling when the hammer would release. He was shooting some crappy factory reloaded ammo and the gun failed to fire 12 of 25 rounds (Ultramax I think). I took some of those rounds and loaded them into my XD and all of them fired. I gave him some of my left over 147gr. match ammo and it didn't seem to have any issues with those. At this point, I think I'll stick to dressing around my XD instead of getting a pocket gun. I know not all people have that option and NEED a pocket gun. I just thought it would be nice to have.
 
Wrong. P11 is not drop safe.

I don't care to search for it, but a guy in Salt Lake City (where I live) a year ago was visiting a Chili's or Apple Bees when he drop his P11 and it fired. Story from Deseret News or SL Tribune show his gun in a bag.

KTOG has done a lot of tests on the p11 being drop safe, but the simple fact is it does not have redundant safety if it is dropped.

It has double strike because it is not drop safe (according to Kel Tec design).

On the PF9, most reviews say you have to hold on tight. The reason isn't because it will smack you in the head. It will fail to eject or feed if you don't. Your form must be tight. My PF9 (rule or exception) was the pits. But I like the idea. If it could accept more limp wristing it would be okay. Since it does not, the p3at was a better choice for me in all situations because I can not get 2 of them to fail because of limp wristing.
 
Don't even mess with Keltec if you value your life. Just get a G-26 and
put up with the extra thickness. Your life is worth the extra $200.
;)
 
I have family members who own P11's. The triggers feel like pulling a shovel through soft concrete. I wanted a fullsize 9mm cartridge not a 380, in a pocket gun, and the PF9 fit my hands and works well. I'm not missing the extra couple rounds, I usually carry a single stack 9 or 45 OWB anyway. I did a shave job n the grip frame to smooth it out a bit and cut the contour of the back of the grip behind the slide to fit me better. Everyday pocket carry gun.
 
Haven't shot the PF9. The P11 I have shot a little. Only about 10 mags through it. Not mine, my fathers and he got it back in the late 90's, say 96-97ish if I remember right. Using a firm grip, I could feel the polymer handle deform in my hands. I really didn't like it at all. If the PF9 doesn't do that.... it gets my vote, hands down.
 
PF 9: what i noticed

after debating whether to get a P11 or PF9 i went with the PF9 mostly due to its smaller size and lighter trigger pull. with one exception it has fired perfectly and has had no failures to feed or extract.

i tried limp wristing it and it had no effect. still worked 100%.

the exception is that the hammer was not strong enough to light the primers on some corbon +p 9mm rounds i bought. this is most disappointing because i was hoping to carry it with +p rounds down the stack. it only lightstriked on the corbons, it has worked 100% with 6 other kinds of ammo. i currently carry it with some remmington hollow points. the corbons live in my sig pro now.
 
I like my P11 , it is very reliable...

and I would take it any day over a 380 for sure. I usually carry my Colt Detective IWB but sometimes carry the P11 as a backup as well. I had the trigger worked on and it is hard to beat for the price. I have no experience with the new PF9. Wiley Clapp , in his latest concealed carry book gave the P11 the best semiauto CCW for the money.
 
smartshooter.45 said:
after debating whether to get a P11 or PF9 i went with the PF9 mostly due to its smaller size and lighter trigger pull. with one exception it has fired perfectly and has had no failures to feed or extract.

i tried limp wristing it and it had no effect. still worked 100%.

the exception is that the hammer was not strong enough to light the primers on some corbon +p 9mm rounds i bought. this is most disappointing because i was hoping to carry it with +p rounds down the stack. it only lightstriked on the corbons, it has worked 100% with 6 other kinds of ammo. i currently carry it with some remmington hollow points. the corbons live in my sig pro now.
Click to expand...
Congrats on the purchase. Which Corbon's were they? I have had no issues with DPX in any of my guns.
 
Well, my P11 loves Corbons, but probably has a little better hammer strike with the longer throw and better spring. IIRC Corbon uses CCI primers? Does that PF9 not like CCI or Speer? CCI primers are the hardest out there that I know of.

BTW, I'd never pocket carry a G26. I don't currently walk with a limp and desire to keep it that way. :rolleyes:
 
Originally Posted by smartshooter.45 View Post
after debating whether to get a P11 or PF9 i went with the PF9 mostly due to its smaller size and lighter trigger pull. with one exception it has fired perfectly and has had no failures to feed or extract.
Click to expand...

BTW, glad you figured it out. :D I don't think you could go wrong either way. Kel Tec has the best customer service that I know of, too, great company to deal with. That backs up their lifetime warranty. That PF9 will serve you well.
 
IMO, the PF9 is much easier to carry concealed *and* has a better action. It is *highly* shootable!
 
corbon lightstrikes

ninjafeint said:
Congrats on the purchase. Which Corbon's were they? I have had no issues with DPX in any of my guns.
Click to expand...

they were normal corbon +p hollow points. they werent dpx or powerball. cant remember what grain bullet it is. i took the lightstriked corbons and loaded them up in my sig pro and they all fired on the first strike so the rounds were fine. they just must have harder then usual primers like someone mentioned earlier.

mcgunner said:
BTW, glad you figured it out. I don't think you could go wrong either way. Kel Tec has the best customer service that I know of, too, great company to deal with. That backs up their lifetime warranty. That PF9 will serve you well.
Click to expand...

thanks mcgunner. im happy with my purchase and the price i paid. so far so good. hasnt had any problems besides those already discussed. its so nice to be able to carry a pocket gun and not feel underpowered.
 
thanks mcgunner. im happy with my purchase and the price i paid. so far so good. hasnt had any problems besides those already discussed. its so nice to be able to carry a pocket gun and not feel underpowered.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and the accuracy for me is the clincher. I can hit what I'm shooting at even if it isn't that big. :D The little .380s haven't impressed me with accuracy. Oh, sure, people will say "they're not target guns, they're intended for close range defense". Well, fine, but I still like carrying a gun I can hit a coke can at 25 yards with. Call me crazy, but I'm kind of into accuracy. My P11 shoots consistent 3.5" groups from a rest at 25 yards. I've not fired a .380 that's any better than twice that group size, frankly, from that range. A .380 needs precision. Head shots are preferred with it. I have more confidence in a torso hit with the 9mm +P.
 
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