P11 and PT111 owners, sound off ! ! (need your help)

[JeffLrrp]

My father has decided to get me a more concealable pistol for my birthday -- I carry my XD9 all the time but want something a bit smaller.

I've heard good and bad things about both the Kel-Tec p11 and the Taurus pt111, but specifically like to hear about three issues important to me.

durability- can it stand up to holster and pocket carry, and a hundred rounds a month for a couple of years?

reliability- A few hiccups are fine during a break-in period, but after about two hundred practice rounds I need to be able to trust my life to the gun.

shootability (w/ standard 9mm hollowpoints, not +p) - I will most likely be using a standard 9mm jhp.

Don't worry about telling me about the P11's loooooong trigger pull -- I grew up shooting DA revolvers

Kel-Tec P11 and Taurus PT111 owners: I need your advice ! ! !

 

[txshootist]

I have carried the P11 for a couple of years now and have really appreciated it's size, weight and ease of carry. Mine has been totally dependable and I have had no problems with it. I carry min mostly IWB using the clip offered by the company. It just totally dissappears that way. Highly recommended.

 

[txshootist]

I have carried the P11 for a couple of years now and have really appreciated it's size, weight and ease of carry. Mine has been totally dependable and I have had no problems with it. I carry min mostly IWB using the clip offered by the company. It just totally dissappears that way. Highly recommended.

I also find it very shootable with standard JHP ammo. I normally carry 115 gr. JHP.

 

[jakeswensonmt]

I have a Kel Tec P11.

durability- can it stand up to holster and pocket carry, and a hundred rounds a month for a couple of years?

It should easily eat 2.4K rounds, at least 5-6K, and properly lubed probably far beyond that. And if you do wear out the P11, Kel-Tec will make it like new. Their customer service is top notch. Taurus makes big talk about warranty, but good luck getting them to actually fix anything.

reliability- A few hiccups are fine during a break-in period, but after about two hundred practice rounds I need to be able to trust my life to the gun.

Mine has yet to malfunction after about 600 rounds.

shootability (w/ standard 9mm hollowpoints, not +p) - I will most likely be using a standard 9mm jhp.

I've used mostly CCI FMJ and WWB JHP and FMJ in mine, 115 and 124 grains both IIRC. Haven't tried any +P, nor will I (see: "recoil", below.) Accuracy is decent if you can get a good trigger pull, surprisingly good out of that tiny barrel. Recoil will get your attention, but it's managable. My hand starts to tingle after about 50 shots.

The K-T isn't all that pretty to look at, the finish is pretty basic, but it's a great little pistol and I trust mine completely. Should also mention that it's tiny and light. Disappears into even a summer outfit.

 

[ISC]

I'v had 2 keltec P11s, both were great. I sold the 1st one to my sister and she used it to shoot a carjacker 6 months later. It got lost by New Orleans PD during katrina aand she never saw it again. If it had been bigger or bulkier she wouldn't have had it with her and who knows what would have happened.

They both had a couple misfeeds for the first couple boxes of ammo, but have been completely reliable since then. The trigger pull is horrible, but the first one was even worse. I heard they lightened it from 13 to 11 pounds. I like.

I like that it takes the same mags as my S&W and my Marlin camp 9. I carry it with the 10 rd mecgar in and a 15 rd reload in the holster. My sister got the Taurus to replace her P11. It looks almost the same and had a safety and she figured it was a better gun since it was more expensive. She also thought the contrasting logo was pretty. She doesn't like it and keeps trying to talk me out of my P11.

 

[AdamSean]

The P-11 will be easier to carry in your pocket and is a very reliable pistol after the standard break-in period and fluff and buff. The main downside is with a full magazine, it rattles loudly! I have heard that it can be fixed by squeezing the magazine sides in a little.

My choice would be with the Taurus PT111 Millenium Pro. Get the Pro model as the trigger pull is clean and crisp like a Glock. It is darn accurate to boot. It is a little bigger than the Kel-Tec so is not a good pocket carry gun, but sits nicely in an IWB.

Good hunting.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

I have 2 P11s, one with over 5000 rounds through it with no signs of undue wear.
They are the BIC pens of the carry pistols-cheap, light, reliable, and small.

 

[jakeswensonmt]

The main downside is with a full magazine, it rattles loudly! I have heard that it can be fixed by squeezing the magazine sides in a little.

It can be fixed, I did it and it was pretty easy. Here is how.

 

[john_55]

I asked myself this same question 2 months ago, although I also considered the G26, and KT P9 as well. I went with the Taurus for a few reasons.

1. I put all of them in my pocket. They were all basically the same, except that the KT P9 was thinner, but it didnt make too much of a difference in my jeans. the p11 and pt111 are basically the same size, no difference in carrying in my opinion.

2. The taurus and glock had better finishes, unless you can find the kel tec in chrome.

3. The Glock was too much money, so it was between the taurus and kel tec.

4. I decided against the kel tec p9 due to the fact that it was new and dont think the kinks have been worked out yet.

5. After holding the p11 and pt111, the taurus felt much better in my hand and had an external safety, which the kel tec doesnt. the taurus was $299 in Stainless, and the p11 was $270 in blue. I couldnt find a chrome one and I had been to several stores.

6. I went with the taurus. It has been very reliable. they are both probably the same for the standards you are looking for. I would hold both and see what feels better. dont think you will go wrong either way.

 

[chris in va]

Can't say as I've had an issue with my P11 except for the excessively long trigger pull. Should do just fine with 1200 rounds a year. I did the trigger pull mod which helped some.

Walther just came out with a 'pocket 9' that might be worth looking at.

 

[Richard]

I have an early PT111 and its trigger is among the worst I have ever used. I complained to Taurus, they acknowledged the problem, but they refused to do anything. Therefore, I say they have no customer service, Taurus will get no favorable comments from me, nor will I buy their products. Regards, Richard

 

[michigun]

Keltec-P11 Pix

See my P11 pix
I bought it brand new $319 at GM. Jammed after 50 rounds at the beginning twice. I removed a smaller recoil spring and only retain the outer recoil spring then it shoots much better with 30% less recoil, more accurate. I added a finger extender, cleaned it and oiled it after 150 rounds all problem gone away. So far I shot 2500 rds without a hickup. You must squeze the trigger half way until feel it ready to fire then squeze it all the way to shoot. Do it 50 times and get use to it then you can hit any
spot you want accurately. I realized that P11 is most accurated 1 to 2 inched group at 15yds. 7yds is about 4 inches. It eat any brand of 9mm. There is no need to adjust the trigger to be lighter if you love it. This gun is not good looking but when you hold it you would like it and the more you shoot the more you want to carry it. It is definitely will send the bad guy to hell from 7 yds to 25yds easily.
It is very easy to disassemble, deep clean, oil and put it back without a brain to do so.
I saw a used one in MCSports for $109 with two mags and finger extenders. I carry it 24 hours a day even go to bed with it at night. See the pix

 

[Hornett]

I have had both.
I presently own the 3rd generation PT111 mil pro. The 3rd generation trigger is better than the previous models.
I traded my P11 because I didn't like the trigger. YMMV
If you lay the two guns side by side, you will see that they are basically the same size. The difference is that the P11 is much thinner.
The P11 wins hands down for concealability. I only traded mine to get a P3at in Hard Chrome.

edit to add

The main downside is with a full magazine, it rattles loudly!

This is true.
However only with the ten round mags.
The 12 round mags have a better follower design.
I called Kel Tec about my rattle and they sent me the 12 round spring and follower free.
Fixed the problem.

 

[Dilligaf]

PT111

My take? Piece of crap. Worst trigger pull of any pistol I have ever owned. Even more important, poorly designed.

At 60 rounds, the ejector popped out of the frame. Sent it back under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work 5 weeks). At 165 rounds, the newly repaired ejector snapped in half. Sent it back under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work, 7 weeks). At about 280 rounds (I can't find my notes) the frame cracked at the forward pin that holds the rails to the polymer frame.

After they replace the frame under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work, 11 weeks!!), I sold it as fast as I could.

I really like their revolvers and have never had a problem, but I won't buy another autoloader from them.

 

[Qwiks draw]

Have a third generation PT111 Mil/pro with over 9000 rounds through it. Use standard pressure 9mm. through it for the most part. +P works well in them, but the shorty barrel doesn't give enough velocity or energy boost to make +P that practical.

No problems so far and running like a champ.

 

[jakeswensonmt]

At 60 rounds, the ejector popped out of the frame. Sent it back under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work 5 weeks). At 165 rounds, the newly repaired ejector snapped in half. Sent it back under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work, 7 weeks). At about 280 rounds (I can't find my notes) the frame cracked at the forward pin that holds the rails to the polymer frame. After they replace the frame under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work, 11 weeks!!), I sold it as fast as I could.

So for a grand total of 280ish rounds, you shipped it back 3 times, which probably cost you ~$100? Which would make about $0.36 per shot just in shipping. That's why I won't buy Taurus.

 

[Dilligaf]

Didn't cost me a dime to ship it. Where I usually shoot is also where I usually buy. When it broke, I walked out of the range, up to the counter and told them it broke again. They took it from there. I don't know if they have some arrangement with the factory or not.

On the flip side, as I said earlier, I really like the revolvers Taurus makes and have never had a problem with any of the ones I have owned (or currently own)

 

[Jkwas]

PT111

My take? Piece of crap. Worst trigger pull of any pistol I have ever owned. Even more important, poorly designed.

At 60 rounds, the ejector popped out of the frame. Sent it back under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work 5 weeks). At 165 rounds, the newly repaired ejector snapped in half. Sent it back under warranty (Elapsed time for warranty work, 7 weeks). At about 280 rounds (I can't find my notes) the frame cracked at the forward pin that holds the rails to the polymer frame.

Yes, I've heard/read many similar stories about the original PT111 in your picture. Horrible guns. The re-designed 2nd generation (a completely different gun) PT111 MILPRO is a terrific gun. Mine has over 1000 rounds thru it, and has never, I repeat, never had a malfunction of any kind. It has been as reliable as my Ruger P89 and that's saying something. It has a great trigger, is very accurate, and easy to carry. I also like the manual safety feature. I've not handled the 3rd generation with the new trigger, but I'm sure it's every bit as good.