Thinking of getting a kel-tec pf-9

[Just One Shot]

I recomended the P-11 to a deacon at church because of his price range limitations and him wanting something in 9mm to CC. I had heard good reports on it and his hands are thick so I figured it would be better for him than the PF-9.

We took it to the range to check it out and while it shot decent it was just brutal on the hand. I had to take my pocket knife and perform minor surgury on the trigger. It had a ridge left over from the mold that would almost cut you when you fired it. Even after the mod the trigger shape and design was still painful to our fingers.

I don't have a problem with many guns hurting my hands. I have an LCP that some say gives them problems when they shoot it. I don't have an issue with it even though I can only get 2 fingers on the grip even with the extension.

The P-11 is very uncomfortable to shoot for any period of time and a person needs to practice with their CCW. If he had more funds available I would have directed him to the XD 9 SC. While it is a little larger, it's not anywhere near as hard on the hand to shoot.

Before you purchase anything I suggest you go out and fire the different brands and models for yourself. You should be able to find a range that rents guns or find someone who will let you shoot theirs. The money you spend up front may prevent you from making a mistake that will only cost you more money to correct.

After all, there's no such thing as a one size fits all when it comes to handguns. What works for one may not work for you. Your preference may not work for your wife either so you should include here in your research.

Good luck on your decision!

 

[MachIVshooter]

Is the recoil out of these guns too much for my 5'2'' 120lb wife? She has tiny hands which Is good (really good in ways) to fit the grip, but if the recoil is that bad.....

Her stature isn't the issue. Hand strength and tolerance for the sharp recoil is. There's only gonna be one way to find out. Make sure she can control it well enough one-handed that it doesn't short cycle from being limp wristed; this is a frequent problem with featherweight automatics. My little sister is a seasoned shooter and pretty strong for a girl, but she cannot handle my S&W CS-45 one handed with enough authority to ensure reliability.

 

[Joe Demko]

I like my j-frame better.

 

[mordechaianiliewicz]

Don't think about it. Just buy one.

 

[Bill B.]

The PF9 however is a different beast.
My PF9 has a long but smooth trigger, not a hard pull at all, same with my P3AT
Both guns are reasonably accurate, thin and light.
My only complaint about the PF9 is the same thing as one of the things I like about it, it's thinness.
I shoot it a couple times a week, carry it more often than not, and the only problem I've ever had was FTE once when it was dirty.
Keep a firm grip on it and the recoil ain't bad.
If you need a gun that's easy to carry, easy to shoot, easy to take care of and won't bust the bank, you could do a lot worse.

+1 .........Pretty well sums up my experience with a PF9! I was expecting the recoil to worse and was expecting the accuracy to not measure up. I was wrong on both accounts! You can do "A Lot" worse than buying a Kel Tec!

 

[Bulldawg55]

Got a PF9 last year. Felt it's a great buy.I have carried it on several occasions but I'm not sold on it's reliabilty yet. I only have about 300 rounds through it. It's flat, light and plenty accurate for social work. A target gun it is not. It's also pretty stout in the recoil department. I definately wouldn't recomend it over a light weight Smith for a newbie.It's in my summer gun rotation with a S&W 360 and Glock 33. I'm sure I'll get it running smoothly by summer and have just what I antisapated.

 

[jonboynumba1]

I actually just got back from shooting a box and change through my new slightly used (read broken in well...I'd guess at least 400-500 rounds) PF9...I sold it new at the shop and took it back in trade a few months later last week...I decided what the heck and traded a $200 gun I hated for it...I carried it out again this afternoon with a box of PMC bronze FMJ 115gr to help me get used to that MUCH different than my XD9 trigger...I occassionally jerk it a bit towards the end of the long travel but when I manage to pull smoothly or pre-load it and break the end of the pull smoothly it actually will cloverleaf fairly reliably at 7 yards (21 feet I figure is probably really a LONG shot for this type of gun in a deffensive situation...at 15 yards I'd sure rather have my XD....actually at ANY range I'd rather have my XD 4" service! The groups are bigger but two notable cloverleafs within the 3 mag group I shot (24 rounds) on paper

When I don't feel like carrying it or need something that hides better I deffinately feel confident I'll be able to rapidly dump rounds into a decent pattern between softball and coffee can sized at 7 and 15 yards respectively with a few hundred more rounds downrange...I need a little more trigger time with it but it has impressed me for what it is. Still has 100% reliable rating with me so far...feels well broken in already so I expected that...I really didn't think it would be this accurate though...me and that LONG DA trigger are the only thing keeping it from better groups...multiple cloverleafs within that group tells me it's more my not being used to that trigger...I think decent work could be done with it...certainly accurate enough for a deffensive pistol....surprisingly so for under $300!! But I doubt most of us will do much better than softball size repeatable groups with that trigger...but again....I think the gun is capable of keeping them all in the black at 15 yards...even if I aint there yet with it. deffinately a gun you'll have to get to know for a few-hundred rounds unless you are a natural with long DA pulls (I am decidedly NOT coming from a 1911/GLOCK/XD kinda background...mostly the first two until the last couple years)

On a Champion/scorekeeper 25 yard slowfire pistol target 23-24 rounds @ 7 yards (not warmed up with this new piece either...still decidedly getting used to it) 3X, 5 -9rings (all of those cloverleafed with one of the X's at 2:30), 3 -8rings (3 oclock), 3 -7rings (4 oclock), 5 in the 6 ring where I pulled em to 2 oclock...4 of those are cloverleafed together and one a bullethole away! That would be my fault-LOL, 1 5-ring, two on the paper where the 4 ring would be if there was one I think I pulled one or two off the paper on the right 3pm...I may have forgot to top off the mag one time though (may have been 23 rounds)

So in closing about half are in the black and 25% more just outside it on the edge cloverleafed due to me not being good with this trigger setup yet and pulling my shots all over the place as I adjusyted to it a little...and the flyers are VERY likely "all me" as well. I really feel the biggest limitation is my limited time shooting this cool cheap-arse lil 9er!

I sat down (my backs been botherig me) and shot some cans and shotshell hulls (empty) at 7-10 yards as well after that and accuracy was around 75-80% as well really taking my time (still jerked the end of the travel a few times badly here and there!...gonna take some more range time for me and this gun but I do like it!) I think I'll be shooting reliable fist sized groups with it by the end of the weekend if I can make the time and a few hundred more rounds by then...I deffinately feel it's within the guns abillity...probably even at 15 yards...I just gotta get used to this thing...it's odd...but not too bad a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG trigger to work with! LOL...you aint gonna squeaze one off by accident!...I'll give it that! Recoil is not as bad as I remembered it...I think I'm used to keeping a good grip on the skinny bugger now! Though about a box of ammo is all I'd probably care to shoot in one sitting...maybe two (with a break inbetween!) I'll post some pics of my groups when I feel I'm doing the gun justice...it's different enough I don't think it'll mess with my shooting of my XD....which is pretty well ingrained at this point...I really don't see a change in my regular pistol anytime soon...but i think this one will do well in rotation for light carry days off and overall wearin kinda days...should see a LOT of use this summer!

So far...I'm really impressed...I had an OLD P40 and it was a NIGHTMARE to shoot and couldn't hit anything with it! This is like my old p32 was...cute cheap and surprisingly decent for what it is! Definately a good "young poor and broke" CCW choice...or in my case "I need a cheap summer beater" kinda toter! I'd buy another one...and probably will next month for the wife -if she likes it half as much as I do!

 

[huduguru]

I'm 0-2 on Keltecs, will never buy another. Just save up and buy two
snubbys. Can't beat a New York reload.

 

[Hellbore]

I have a Kel-tec P11 that is my every-day carry piece. I carry it with the belt clip and to me this is the most convenient method of carry I have ever found and easiest to conceal with the type of casual clothes I wear.

Does the PF-9 have a belt clip option? It looks to me like the same belt clip from the P-11 would fit. Since it is so thin, I would think that a PF-9 with belt clip would be the ultimate in convenience and concealability. It's already thin to start with, then you would need no holster to make it thicker...wow.

When I first got it, I did a fluff 'n buff on it to smooth things out, polished the feed ramp, etc. My P11 only has about 500 rounds through it because honestly, I don't shoot it much, it's not that fun to shoot. However, in those 500 rounds, I can honestly say there has not been a single malfunction. This is a better track record than most guns I have owned.

So honestly, my own experience has been pretty darn positive with them.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Is the recoil out of these guns too much for my 5'2'' 120lb wife?

Can you get her to gain 40 or 50 pounds? Sorry, I'm joking.

I carry the hard chrome PF-9 daily, IWB. It conceals and carries very well; the best I have when I can't afford to be made. Shooting it is not fun. I have shot it in drills and it proves easy enough and as accurate as needed. I have owned it for years but I shoot it rarely (because it's not fun). I believe I have had 1 failure that was not my fault (failure to extract). I did my best to TRY to get failures, and I was able to get it to fail by short-stroking the trigger. I could get it to fail some of the time doing that. Otherwise, it has been quite reliable for its size. Total of more than 400 rounds through it.

 

[wild cat mccane]

I wont get into how much I didn't like mine.

But I will point out that *for me* the P3AT is substantially smaller, easier to hit what I aimed at, and was able to do that faster.

Yep, there are only few 9mm's that compare in size, but overall length make it a large package for the pocket. When wrapped in any holster not kydex it becomes even more cumbersome.

P3AT looks only a little smaller on the gun counter, but makes a huge difference in the pocket.

 

[dal205]

I have had a PF9 for over a year now. Mine is very ammo sensitive. It is also not a gun you want to shoot at the range all day.

On the plus side, though, it fits in the back pocket of chino pants in a cheap holster I picked up on Ebay, costs half as much as a Kahr, and shoots Hydra-shoks all day long. I carry it when I need to be more discrete than my IWB G36, but not so discrete I need my LCP. If I had the decision to buy it all over again, I would. It's a decent pistol at a great price point.