Well as much as I like my P-32 and the design of the P-11 I am giving up on the P-11. I continue to have FTE with the P-11. Today I had 2 FTE and the side locked open prematurely once in 50 rounds. I'm willing to accept that it may be me and not the gun (but I doubt it) as Kel-Tec couldn't find anything wrong with the extractor. Also I continue to use cheap ammo (Winchester White Box & UMC), but this is what I'd like to use for practice ammo. Regardless this gun is not reliable for me so I've decided to go ahead and sell it. I feel a little guilty selling this pistol, but Kel-Tec feels that there is nothing wrong with it and I don't want play around with return factory trips. I will probably tell whoever I sell to about my experience with this gun. In the mean time I'll stick with my P-32 for CCW.
Giving Up On The P-11
- Thread starter Doug S
- Start date
Winchester white box ammo just doesn't work in my P-11. But UMC does fine. I have several other pistols which do fine with the Winchester. I was also having jamming problems with the P-11 and sent it in to Kel-Tec. They replaced the barrel (and apparently the recoil springs) and I now have no jams with UMC. I also have adopted the isoceles stance to provide stronger recoil resistance with this potent little pistol.
Drakejake
Drakejake
Walt Sherrill
New member
White box doesn't work well with a number of guns...
If you're going to sell a gun because you can't shoot cheap ammo, you're going to lose a LOT more on the sale or trade than you would using more expensive ammo...
My P-11 loved CCI Blazer, Sellier & Bellot, Mag-Tech, PNP, IMI and Denel 115 gr FMJ. You can get CCI Blazer and S&B from Natchez SHooters supply for under $5 a box if you buy 10 or more boxes.
(Thats www.natchezss.com)
I gave up on my P-11, too, but not because of the gun -- I could never really get as proficient with it as I would have liked. That was my fault -- not the gun's fault.
It was accurate and reliable and durable through thousands of rounds. I just could never get the hang of the long double-action trigger. Others don't have my problem.
If you're going to sell a gun because you can't shoot cheap ammo, you're going to lose a LOT more on the sale or trade than you would using more expensive ammo...
My P-11 loved CCI Blazer, Sellier & Bellot, Mag-Tech, PNP, IMI and Denel 115 gr FMJ. You can get CCI Blazer and S&B from Natchez SHooters supply for under $5 a box if you buy 10 or more boxes.
(Thats www.natchezss.com)
I gave up on my P-11, too, but not because of the gun -- I could never really get as proficient with it as I would have liked. That was my fault -- not the gun's fault.
It was accurate and reliable and durable through thousands of rounds. I just could never get the hang of the long double-action trigger. Others don't have my problem.
FWIW I`ve had FTEs with Win.White box in a number of guns that are 100% with anything else. There`s a reason that ammo is SO cheap,it`s just not as good as a lot of other ammo. That said I love it for practice anyway,I just wouldn`t count on it for defense. I love my lil P-11 but a relative of mine had slide stop issues with his and eventually traded it on a Kahr K-9 Elite which he`s tickled with (especially since he had an Optima 2000 mounted on it). The P-11 was fixed and working fine when he traded it,he just didn`t trust it anymore. Since confidence in a carry gun is critical it was probably a good decision for him anyway. Marcus
Walt, your words ring true. I do expect to take a loss and I agree that cheap ammo is not a good reason to get rid of a gun. Even so these malfunctions together with a couple of other one time glitches (takedown pin popped out once and it locked open prematurely today) have brought me to the point that I find myself more focused on waiting for the next malfunction with each shot than I am on hitting the target. To be quite honest it's just no fun to shoot my P-11 anymore. I readily admit my reasoning is probably faulty (no doubt my wife would agree). I'm thinking a revolver like the Taurus CIA model 650 may be a nice alternative to the P-11, at least I wouldn't have to worry about limpwristing with that one . 
I appreciate the feedback.
Doug
I appreciate the feedback.Doug
Marcus,
I missed your post while typing mine, but you are exactly right. It really has come down to a trust issue and I just don't feel comfortable keeping a gun for self defense that I don't trust. No doubt Kel-Tec makes a good product. I love my P-32 and have had zero problems with it even with UMC and Winchester White Box as well as Hydrashoks and Silvertips.
Doug
I missed your post while typing mine, but you are exactly right. It really has come down to a trust issue and I just don't feel comfortable keeping a gun for self defense that I don't trust. No doubt Kel-Tec makes a good product. I love my P-32 and have had zero problems with it even with UMC and Winchester White Box as well as Hydrashoks and Silvertips.
Doug