Tell me about Kel-Tec.

F

FUD

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Originally, Taurus was viewed as a S&W (revolvers) & Beretta (pistols) wanna-be and their firearms were viewed as cheaper & of lesser quality than the 'Big Boys'. It's only been within the last decade or so when they started coming out with new designs, that they began to be seen as 'one of the Big Boys' -- some people still have a lower opinion with regard to the quality of their firearms.

I tend to view Kel-Tec in pretty much the same light -- I don't see them as one of the big boys and the quality of their firearms to be secondary when compared to others. HOWEVER this is only MY PERCEPTION of them and is not actually based on any factual experiences.

I've read a lot of positive things about their products here on TFL and I don't want to miss out on a good thing just because I might have a faulty perception of them.

Can anyone tell me some things about Kel-Tec? How do their firearms compare to similar ones from other makers? I understand that they are thinner and lighter than others but how does that transalate into recoil & reliability?

FUD
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Share what you know & learn what you don't
 
I have had good luck with a P32 and less luck with a P11. KT customer service is very diligent and they are trying to make it right.
 
If you buy a Kel-Tec (and I have three) you need to be prepared to put a bit of work into it (polishing feedramps, etc.) Once you do that they can be wonderfully reliable.

ktog.org has all the tech stuff if you want to check it out.
 
kel-tec quality is good but for the prices they charge (low to high $200s), they can't do the extra fit and finishing that you would get and expect on a glock or sig for more than double the price. therefore, some of them (not all) need some fluffing & buffing to bring them up to full reliability. see the "tek werks" link at the www.ktog.org website.
i've enjoyed working on my p-32 & p-11, never worked on a gun before. i felt comfortable doing it as i found it was pretty easy and fun to do. some of the things i did probably weren't necessary as i really haven't had anything but couple of failures to extract on my p-32, works fine now. i polished the feed ramps, slide rails, hammer/slide interface and polished the trigger bar. got them nickeled plated by a gunsmith at the ktog website for $25.
these guns fit a niche for me - carry guns, small, lightweight & reliable. i have a glock 19 & S&W revolvers for the house.
 
Have a Kel-Tec P11 that has been flawless. Bought it as a project gun, to learn its inner workings. I enjoyed taking it apart and doing the "fluff and buff" described on the KTOG web site (http://www.ktog.org). Also have the .40 caliber conversion. Only problem I ever had was a broken slide lock, right after I installed the .40 conversion. Gun still functioned, but the slide wouldn't stay back. Quick call to Kel-Tec and they sent a replacement, no charge. With finger extensions on the mags, I can get a full grip, which is a requirement for me on a carry gun. The trigger is smooth, but long and hard, even with the newer 8.5# trigger. I've heard both Mas Ayoob and Greg Hamilton speak highly of them, especially in terms of "bang for the buck."

I also have one of the early P-32s (Ser# <150). That one took a trip to the factory to get it working smoothly, but it has been fine since.

Reliability on both has been excellent, although they don't get shot as much as some of my other guns. They aren't Glocks. But they do shoot. No complaints from me.
 
If you plot the guns that are available with firepower against size and wieght, you will find Kel-Tek on the edge. Their products are state of the art. They make Glocks look like big, heavy, underpowered paper wieghts [ and I own several Glocks].

Of course more firepower to wieght can be had with hot rod guns and hot rod loads. There again, Kel-Tek is one of the best places to start.
 
I have a Kel-Tec P-32 and had a problem with extracting Fiocchi Ammo. One phone call to Kel-Tec and two days later I had a new extractor and spring. It works like champ now. I, too, had fun taking it apart ( a snap) and polishing it up. I now have the slide at Jack Fuselier's to be nickeled.
I find the recoil very light even without taking the light weight into consideration. Buy one you won't be sorry.
 
FUD,

I shot some rounds out of Noban's P-32. I was impressed by everything about the pistol: accuracy, workmanship, shootability.

Regards,

Ledbetter
 
Quality? Let`s just say I`ve seen guns that weren`t any better for twice the price. True they sometimes need a little tweaking (like many of the old standbys) but they can be quite good out of the box too. I know the new ones have better fit and finish than my old one. YMMV but my P-11 has well over 5000rds. through it now,everything from Triton Quickshoks to Wolf hardball,and has NEVER jammed in any way! I can`t say that for any other auto I own. Yes,I did F&B it (not because it actually needed it but it treated me well so I thought I`d treat it to some extra TLC). I also have yet to replace a single part. I got a new recoil spring at about 2000rds. (free,and they sent a new guide rod too) but the one in the gun wasactually slightly stronger than the new one so I left it in. I`ve been waiting for it to get shorter or weaker than the new one before I replace it...it`s been a long wait. :) Marcus
 
I like my KelTecs. P-32 and P-11 have been great. The P-32 has been 100% except for operator error. The P-11 has been to Florida twice.
Great service when you need it, though.

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"Any world that I'm welcome to.....Is better than the one I come from"
 
Because cops can use full-size handguns with better accuracy and recoil: 50% bigger and 100% heavier...but with less recoil and possibly better triggers. Given a choice to carry openly, I'd take a Glcok 17/21 anytime...but if that isn't possible, KT P11, Kahr P9 and the like really shine.
 
Two reasons:
(1) They don't to carry concealed and
(2) Kel-Tec doesn't offer all the perks the big boys are capable of offering.

Get a P-11, give it a little TLC, spend a little time with it and you'll wonder why you didn't get one sooner. If you still don't like it I'll take it off your hands for $150.

RKBA!
 
I don't understand, practically everyone that sings the praises of Kel-tec has had to send it back to the factory?! I think I would want something a little more reliable to bet my life on. I'll trust my big ugly paperweight anyday!
 
Hey guys, cops do carry backup guns. But they carry guns that work, like S&W640's or G26/27 Glocks.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gitarmac:
I don't understand, practically everyone that sings the praises of Kel-tec has had to send it back to the factory?! I think I would want something a little more reliable to bet my life on. I'll trust my big ugly paperweight anyday![/quote]

I don't think that's true at all -- that everyone who sings the praises has had to send their gun back to the factory. A large and growing number are very pleased and have had NO problems.

I've had one for several years, and it has functioned flawlessly from day one -- and its never been back to the factory. (That was not true with my last two Berettas.)

I did "fluff & buff" mine before shooting, but I've learned that this is a good practice with any new gun, as it speeds up the break-in process (doing in an hour or two what generally takes several weeks in a non-F&Bed gun.)

I liked mine, but found it hard to shoot well. I've since put it at the back of the gun safe, and carry a Star Firestar Plus (alloy frame) instead. I find the Star easier to shoot well, about the same size, similar capacity (but 8 ozs. heavier). If it weren't for the Star I'd still be carrying the P-11.

If you want a light, reliable, and durable 9mm (or with the P-40, .40 cal) for up close and personal, you'll be hard pressed to beat the Keltec.

[This message has been edited by Walt Sherrill (edited September 03, 2000).]
 
FUD: My experience is the same as Oleg Volk's. P-11 marginal quality and ergonamics, P-32 much better. And they do try hard to support their products. Regards, Dennis
 
FUD, I've got a P11 and I am satisfied with it. I've had one failure to feed with a hollow point. I polished the ramp ever so slightly with some 600 grit sandpaper and have had no more FTF's. I think I've got somewhere between 300 to 500 rounds through it. I've added a taller rear sight (from Kel-Tec) to bring up point of impact, and I added a grip extension (from Kel-Tec) to my magazines. The trigger is DAO and long and will require some practice. The P11 conceals nicely in an Uncle Mikes #1 IWB and goes BANG! when I pull the trigger. It's not as accurate as my 1911, but then I didn't expect it to be. At 15 yards, it will do what it was designed to do.
 
Just a question. If these KelTecs are so good, why don't all the cops use them?

This cop does carry a Kel-Tec P-32 on and off duty, as a backup/off duty weapon. Mine has been 100 percent reliable. It can be carried when nothing else is suitable.

7th

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 7th Fleet:
Just a question. If these KelTecs are so good, why don't all the cops use them?

This cop does carry a Kel-Tec P-32 on and off duty, as a backup/off duty weapon. Mine has been 100 percent reliable. It can be carried when nothing else is suitable.
[/quote]

Had to call you on this one. I bought my first Kel-Tec -- a 4 serial number gun -- from a cop. I was at the table next to him at a gun show and he said, "Hey, take a look at this." He'd sewn a holster pocket into his cowboy boots and he pulled his pant leg up under the table and pulled out the little 9mm. It felt really good in the hand and carried 11 rounds of 9mm. Besides that, it weighed under a pound! I bought one, took it to the range, and it's functioned flawlessly since. Can't recall but I think that was 6 years ago or so. He'd sold 40 to other police officers by that point and about as many to private citizens at gun shows.

Your assertion that because All police officers don't carry it then it's not good is strange. Saying the AK-47 is a bad assault rifle because every soldier doesn't carry one is an example of the same logic. Facts are, I often carry mine and I know at least one cop who swears by his.

You say yourself that the P32 finds itself useful for you in certain situations. What other gun fits the same situation as the P-11? The Glock 26 is massive compared to the Kel-Tec.

Personally, I'd like to see a 380 single stack in the KT family as well as a reintroduction of the Grendal updated to Kelgren's current production standards.

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God made us in his own image.
Thomas Jefferson made us free.
John Browning made us equal.

Without Browning, we might not know about the other two...
 
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