KelTec P11

B

BobRowe

New member
I'm looking for a small 9mm pistol for a summer CCW gun. The smallest carry guns I own are a GLock 19, a H&K USP Compact, and a Kimber Compact. I've read some on the KelTec P11. The specs show that it is somewhat smaller and a lot lighter than the SIG 239.

Does anyone here have experience with the KelTec P11? Thanks.
 
Do a search and you will find lots of discussion on the P-11.

I've owned one for about a year. I really like it. It carries easily. Small and light. Mine has been very reliable, although there are some mixed reviews there.

Accuracy is much better than I expected. I can consistently make 2-3" groups at 15 yards. I have plinked with it out as far as 100 yards :eek: See my post on that topic.

If you want to spend twice as much, you can get a Kahr with half the capacity, but a better reputation. Or a Glock with similar capacity and better reputation.

Personally, I think the P-11 is a great value.
 
I had one for a bunch of years. It was totally reliable, and the belt clip made it easy for summer carry. I bought it because the price was right, and I figured for what I had in it, if I boogered it up trying to tweak it, I wasn't out that much. It was a fun project gun. Put it through the "fluff-n-buff" process outlined at http://www.ktog.org/ .

The only problem (sic) with the gun is its long, heavy, double action trigger. It's not really a problem at all on a carry gun. But as my range time went up, I wanted something with a better trigger. I also wanted something in .40S&W. So after saving up my pennies for a while, I sold the P11 and bought a Glock 27. No regrets.

In summary, I had and liked the P11, especially for concealed carry. Check out KTOG at the link above. Lots of good info there.

(And I still have my P32, by the way.)
 
I've got one, no problems and it feeds without jams at all. Also have the p-32 and the .40 conversion for the p-11. Great guns, great prices, lifetime warranty and if you call them with a problem you can talk to a live gunsmith. Really, a live person on the phone. Without going through 23 choices. One thing, I use Winchester silvertips and Winchester range ammo with them. That's what they recommend and I've had problems with Remington. Also, keep em clean and oiled.
Good Luck. Tom
 
Legionnaire mentioned the trigger, and I disliked it as well. Then I added a trigger shoe, and it made all the difference in the world. Some don't like them, but it sure helped in this case.
 
Thanks for the info on the P11, guys.

I recall seeing that the manufacturer recommended Silvertips. Have any of you handloaded ammo for the P11? If So, what was your favorite load? I'd be handloading practice ammo here, not barn-burner stuff. And, for carry, I'd use factory ammo.

Thanks.
 
Bob Rowe, I load for my Kel-Tec with 5.0(five) grains of AA#2 with a S&B or Win case, WSP primer, and 115 FMJ Hornady- OAL at 1.140"

This load cycles the Kel-Tec well as is fairly accurate.
Velocity is 1050-1075 fps depending on weather. And the brass doesn't "grow" much at that velocity.

Johnwill, I load for mine because I have the empty brass. I don't usually watch TV or do much else either. Hunting, Reloading and Shooting is my hobby. My reloads are under 7 cents a piece. vs about 12 cents per store bought, after I have the brass, so I get to shoot more. More bangs for my bucks:D ----------Chainsaw
 
I have one. I can't argue with anything that has been said. However I am not totally satisfied with it, more like one of those, for the money it is a great gun. I had mine break down on me, I returned it to the factory and got excellent service. I did have one gripe with the service however. The plastic rear sight was driven into the dovetail so that it sheared off some of the plastic. They didn't even bother to trim the excess plastic away. I have a hard time accepting the plastic sights. I also had a problem with my plastic rear sight freely moving around in the dovetail. It is fairly accurate. Other than that breakdown I haven't had issue with the reliablility. Every round I ever shot in mine was a handload. My preferred load is a 124 grain plated cast bullet with Allient Power Pistol powder. I reload tons of 9mm and consider it well worth my time.
Now here comes the classic reply on TFL. If I was buying a small gun of this type for CCW, I would get the Glock.
 
444,

I noted your comment about the P11's rear sight. That might not be a problem if I get night sights for it.

How is the front sight attached? Is in dovetailed, pinned, or cast as part of the slide?

Thanks.
 
Chainsaw,

It doesn't sound like the P11 is too fussy for ammo. I have some REmington 124 gr FMJ and JHP bullets that I use for my handloads for my other 9mm guns (Glocks and a Ruger), so that would probably work. Thanks for the info.
 
I am not mechanically inclined but I believe the slide has a hole drilled in it and the sight blade has a pin that fits in the hole. I don't know the correct term for what that is called.

I have also considered sending the gun away and having a set of quality night sights installed. For me, it would improve the gun 100%.

I have not found the P11 to be fussy in the least about loads.

One thing about the clip. I put one on mine and found it to be the handiest (sp ?) little carry rig around. You don't even need a belt. However, there is nothing protecting the trigger, so I quit carrying mine with the clip for possible safety reasons.

Definitely get the one with the hard chrome slide. If you don't, you can send it to Kel-Tec and they will replace the slide with one that is hard chromed. I live in the desert with almost zero humitity and I still had a problem with rust. Carrying the gun with the clip, right against your skin, resulting in my gun being covered with sweat everytime I looked at it. I had to disassemble the gun every night to clean it to prevent rust.
 
I used to won one and it was relible as I could want a carry gun to be. No, it is not ammo picky either, will digest just about everything. It carries well, holds ten rounds, and is not the kind of carry piece you need to baby. I traded mine in eventually for a Glock 26. I found it to be easier to shoot accurately whne rapid fire, multiple targets were used as opposed to the P-11, that's not to say that the P-11 isn't a good gun, It's just not a Glock either ;)
 
I've owned one for about two years. It's a good compromise for Texas summer carry (especially in jogging gear). I'd rather be carrying a Colt Commander, or my H&k .40C, but this heat really drives you to alternative choices. I had an Ashley Big Dot tritium front sight put on, and feel pretty confidant about this pistol for a self-defense selection. Not as my first choice, but for the reasons mentioned. And as far as the DA trigger goes...ditto. geegee
 
Mine was a lemon.........most are not

I got an early one and it had to be sent to the factory twice for everything from light strikes, to failures-to-feed to failures-to-extract. I no longer have it but I have heard that the newer serials in this model are MUCH better. I never had too many problems with the long trigger pull; it was the unnerving "clink" I used to get when I got a "light strike." Mine would shoot anything or malfunction on anything, depending on it's daily mood.

Seriously though, when it came back from the factory the second time, it was reliable and I only sold it because it was not comfortable in my hand.

I had mine for two years in the Georgia humidity. I kept it well-greased and oiled and it never showed any traces of rust.

Would I buy another one? Would you believe YES? As long as I got a newer one. It's a lot of firepower in a little tiny package.
 
I've owned one, and sold it. If you do a little research on the KTOG forum, you'll find that many P-11 owners have the same problem i had (and the reviewers at Gun Test magazine as well).

After a while (it was about 300 rounds for me) the takedown pin on the left side of the frame begins to work itself loose. This results in the slide locking open after a every few rounds, as recoil jars it part-way out of the frame.

There are a few fixes for this problem on the Ktog website (filing the pin, replacing the pin, bending the retainer spring for the pin), but NONE of them are permenant.

The takedown pin is a problem waiting to happen in many P-11s, and until Kel-tec re-exmines the design of the pin and replaces it, i suggest you don't buy a P-11. I do enjoy Kel-tec products (i have 2 P32s) but i can't recommend any other handgun they sell. Yet. If they fix this flaw, i'll be the first in line to pick up a new one.

Best.
 
Well, folks, I bought a KelTec P-11 yesterday, and got rid of it within 24 hours! What a piece of junk! I can't say they all are, but this one (new) certainoly was.

When I got it home yesterday, I used Hoppe's to clean all of the storage oil off of it, I then lubed it normally. I hand-racked a magazine full of dummy rounds through it. They went through OK, but I really had to yank hard on the slide.

I took ti to the range today. I loaded two rounds of 124 gr. Gold Dots in it and racked the slide. Again, it was hard to rack. Aimed at the target, pulled the trigger through its DAO stroke, and....Click!. No Bang! As I found out later, the rim of the round did not slip under the extractor, and when the slide went forward, it really jammed up. Neither I nor anyone at the range (in a gunshop) could get the slide open.

I took it mack to the gun shop where I bought it. They (owner and help and gunsmith) worked 15 minutes on it, and finally got it open. They gave me full gredit for it, and I added a couple of bills and got a GLock 26. Operates just like my G17 and G19. About the same size as the P11, maybe not wuite as thin.

I then came home and called up the two holster makers I had ordered from yesterday, and changed my order.

Somebody throw a bucket of water on me if I ever consider getting a KelTec again!!
 
BobRowe,

Well that's one of the reasons P11s have to be broken in. They're tight when new, and mine needed a gorilla, size large, to release the slide with the slide stop lever. Racking was initially difficult, and loading a magazine needed an extra bowl of Wheaties before taking that task on!

However, it's been 100% reliable, and after being broken in, it's as smooth and sweet as any pistol I've had or fired.

Most of the reported difficulties with P11s seem to involve new guns, and the Fluff & Buff drill is mainly an exercise performed on new ones.

The breaking in requirement isn't peculiar to KTs. I was looking at a Kahr P40 at a gun shop, and, finding the slide a LOT harder to rack than I expected along with noticing the amused smirk on the gun guy's puss, I handed it to him to rack. He turned red from exertion as the smirk turned to desperation. He racked it, but not without assuming the look and stance of somebody eliminating an intact watermelon.

Sometimes, like with a lot of other things, experience makes things a lot more satisfying. If you get the opportunity to fire a used P11, try it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top