Kel-Tec P11/P40 opinions requested

  • Thread starter Thread starter OF
  • Start date Start date
O

OF

New member
Howdy folks,

I'm doing a little research for a good friend who needs a piece for occasional (in the city mostly) carry. He's not a gun nut: if the weapon isn't small, light and comfortable he's likely not going to take it with him. It'll be his first handgun and CWP. The budget has room for $200-250 for the firearm...not alot, I know.

I've suggested so far (used) Ruger SP101's in .357, Taurus 85's in .38 +P and Bulgarian Makarov's in 9x18. He's concerned that the revolvers aren't going to be flat enough for him (very tall and thin build), and he may be right...although I've never carried a wheelgun myself so any advice on that is more than welcome. Holster is looking like IWB in an Alessi Talon Plus.

Then I noticed the Kel-Tec gear in 9mm and 40auto. I've heard very mixed reviews on this stuff. This is going to be defensive weapon and I need a gun/ammo combo that's going to work. I'm looking for information on reliability with different HP ammunition and general shooting/carry opinions. Is it a piece of junk? Should I even be considering them?


Thanks,

- gabe
 
I own a P-11 and a P-32. I am comfortable with either of them. I have used a number of ammo/gun carry combinations. I have only had problems with Blazer ball round empties sticking.
All the HP rounds I have used in both guns have functioned well, and I currently carry CorBon 115 +p in the P-11 and Silvertip/ball combination in the P-32.
BTW, I am of smaller stature, and these two pistols fit me perfectly.

------------------
And if you hear from my Louise, won't you tell her I love her so?
 
I carry a P11. It feeds 115 gr FMJ perfectly. Mine also feeds Blazer ammo well. Currently I'm carrying with Federal 124 gr Hydrashok. I had one failure to feed with a Hydrashok. Following that failure, polished the feed ramp with 400 grit sandpaper and followed it with 600 grit. No problems since. I ordered a sight kit from Kel-Tec and replaced my rear sight to elevate point of impact. The trigger pull (length and weight) could possibly be considered a disadvantage, but I suppose all DAO's will be that way. My P11 has been reliable, it is easy to conceal, carries 10+1 rounds, and I'm glad I bought it.
 
While the Kel-Tec P11 (and the similar Taurus Mellenium) is a great concealed carry weapon it is NOT, repeat NOT, a good FIRST handgun for any shooter. (I have a P-11 and its a fine gun, and I shoot very well with other pistols, but am only fair-to-middlin' with a P-11 under stress [as in IDPA matches].)

These are reliable, light, durable, and reasonably accurate weapons -- but they are very hard to shoot well. It takes lots and lots of practice and for a new shooter, probably more shooting and frustration than the shooter is up to handling.

(The reasons there are so many used Kel-Tecs and Taurus Milleniums available, and so many people who hate them has to do with the shootability of the guns.)

Let him start with a good, used, small J-frame S&W, and get some experience. A Ruger SP-101 would be a good second choice. The Makarovs are fine guns, but a little anemic with regard to cartridge, and some of them have a pretty stiff recoil.

Keep in mind that small, light and comfortable are sometime mutually imcompatible traits. (Small and light to carry, very uncomfortable to shoot.)
 
The pros to the Kel-Tec are reliability, size, weight, and firepower. The cons are the trigger and shootability.

It reminds me of my S&W 342ti (that's the titanium hammerless J-frame). I love to carry it, but hate to shoot it. As if the recoil isn't hard enough to control, you have to deal with a long heavy trigger pull.

Anytime you go to a smaller, lighter gun with a bigger round and a DAO trigger, you're going to have that problem, though.
 
I am trying to like my P11 because it is light and fairly potent. Trouble is, mine keeps ejecting empties all over the place (in a 330 degree arc), including the user's face. Trigger is so heavy that my hands start to shake after a hundred rounds, same as with some 45s.

When I am not flinching from empties, it will shoot 1" at 20ft which is adequate. Recoil is not particularly brisk. I hope KT will finally fix the gun for me this time (that would make it the third trip).

I am trying to make it work because the only other guns that weigh that little are Kahr P9 and Mustang Pocketlite and I'd hate to go shopping again. I am researching the other two and also MK9 now.

P32 is very nice but it is hard to shoot accurately. Moreover, mine just cracked the slide to the left of the ejection port (it stil functioned but needed help into battery). I am sending it back and upgrading to a chromed slide. Not sure what caused the problem, maybe bad ammo but most likely some defect in the slide.
 
I can reccomend the P-11 or P-32.Own both, and they are serviceable and definitely light enough for everyday carry.Accuracy is good enough for what your friend will be doing with the pistol.And the trigger will probably matter less to a newer shooter,who hasn't yet been spoiled by trigger jobs.I have fired a P-40,and would hesitate to suggestit,especially to a novice shooter.I am in no way sensitive to recoil,but the P-40 was not comfortable to shoot.
 
Good points, folks. I'd love to see him step up from a 9x18 to an actual 9mm in an auto, but not if he can't put the rounds inside one minute-of-a**hole at 7 yards. He's not a slight man, he's tall and thin but has large hands. We haven't been shooting together very much and I don't have a good feel on what he would be able to handle accurately. I have a friend who recently picked up a P11 and hopefully I can get him out to try it. If he doesn't have a problem with it, then the options are opened up a bit.

Oleg, your comments on the general flakey disposition of the Kel-Tec's is in line with what I've heard before. I'm fairly certain the Kahr 9mm's are out of reach, financially. I've beaten the 'you can't skimp on life-support equipment' argument to death with him and it's going nowhere. The budget ends at $250 and I can't seem to find any K9's for less than $400.

I'd love to see him with a used .357 SP-101, and have been hammering him mercilessly about it but he's very concerned about the piece being uncomfortable. Any wheelgun-packers want to give me some advice I could share with him? Is it really just not a big deal, or should we keep looking for a slim auto?


Thanks again everybody, TFL is the best thing to happen to the net since Al Gore. ;)

- gabe
 
I love my Kel-tec P-11. I also don't feel that the trigger pull should be much of a problem with paractice even with 1st time shooters. The key is practice practice practice. I will say that the reliability of Kel-tec from my experience has always been very good. I own one and 2 of my friends as well and we have yet to experience any problems with them.
They are light and hold 11 rounds total of 9mm and are great for conmcealed carry.
:)

------------------
"what gives a government that arms the whole world the right to disarm it's own citizens?"
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GRD:

I'd love to see him with a used .357 SP-101, and have been hammering him mercilessly about it but he's very concerned about the piece being uncomfortable. Any wheelgun-packers want to give me some advice I could share with him? Is it really just not a big deal, or should we keep looking for a slim auto?[/quote]

The SP-101 (or a S&W .357) might still be a good option -- if he uses .38 special, or .38 special Plus P. That's a bit less brutal, still has a lot of punch, etc...

I was hesitant about a P-11 (I have one) for him -- its hard to shoot well, etc. -- but I would NOT be concerned about reliability.

A small (snub-nosed) revolver isn't likely to be much different. I mentioned I did only so-so with a P-11 in IDPA; the same was true of when I shot my small .357 revolver. Snub-noses are also very hard to shoot well.

So if he goes for a small revolver, make sure it's at least a 3" barrel, preferably 4". That would be a little less concealable, but a whole-lot more shootable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top