Tell Me About Your Kel-tec P11
- Thread starter FLA2760
- Start date
I didn't expect much from mine when I bought it used for $200, but I've been pleasantly surprised. The trigger is long and hard. You can either lighten it with some home gunsmithing (the instrructions are at ktog.org) or you can get used to it. I trained with it a lot and got used to it. Then I got surprised by how accurate it can be. Maybe mine's a jewel, I dunno. It'll shoot 3" groups at 15 yards from the rest. But the trigger makes that open up when shooting offhand.
In fact, I once shot it at 100 yards at an abandoned real-estate sign. Hit it the first try. Couldn't believe it. Then went 8 for 10 on that magazine. I'm sure I pulled the misses because of the stiff trigger. Granted, that's like 36MOA or something, but it impressed me.
Reliability has been fine, other than with steel-cased Russian ammo. It won't digest that stuff.
In fact, I once shot it at 100 yards at an abandoned real-estate sign. Hit it the first try. Couldn't believe it. Then went 8 for 10 on that magazine. I'm sure I pulled the misses because of the stiff trigger. Granted, that's like 36MOA or something, but it impressed me.
Reliability has been fine, other than with steel-cased Russian ammo. It won't digest that stuff.
chris in va
New member
Mine's worked pretty well. No real malfunctions to speak of. Sure the trigger is looooooong but it's just so darn thin and light, I don't care. Wearing one right now actually.
I use an inexpensive DeSantis IWB that is made for the P11 and it works quite well. You can even get a retention strap for it or use it lefty.
http://www.desantisholster.com/n87.html
Oh, and the trigger pull force can be adjusted. Simply take the spring pin out, fashion a new stainless pin with a hairpin bend (nail, etc) and voila. Shortens the hammer spring travel.
I use an inexpensive DeSantis IWB that is made for the P11 and it works quite well. You can even get a retention strap for it or use it lefty.
http://www.desantisholster.com/n87.html
Oh, and the trigger pull force can be adjusted. Simply take the spring pin out, fashion a new stainless pin with a hairpin bend (nail, etc) and voila. Shortens the hammer spring travel.
I carry mine every day, either in a fanny pack holster, or in a generic nylon holster that seems to work for me. I've got 6-800 rounds through it. Sorry I stopped counting long ago. The only time it has ever malfunctioned was with reloaded ammo. With anything else, WWB, Rem-UMC, Blazer Brass, American Eagle, it just goes bang and makes a hole in the target. It shoots better than I can shoot it. "Fluff and Buff?" Not a bit. I didn't even clean it. Just took it out of the box and shot it.
I've had mine almost 10 years (low 5 digit serial#). Use only factory mags. Aftermarket mags suck and gave me nothing but problems. Mine also occasionally doesn't fully extract WWB ammo. All other ammo works fine. I believe in a thorough break in and after that there shouldn't be problems. Again, since break in, with factory mags and WWB only for practice all is fine. By the way I paid $180 OUT THE DOOR!
I carry it in a pocket holster or Thunderwear.
I carry it in a pocket holster or Thunderwear.
Steve, just in the interest of "full disclosure", there are lots of threads on the P-11 over the last few years. Not all of them are complimentary. Do a search and you'll get the bad as well as the good.
As you can see, the folks who have responded so far are all fans. I certainly am.
As you can see, the folks who have responded so far are all fans. I certainly am.
re your P/11
HI
Thank you everyone for your replys. I am seeing good reports. I was considering a Taurus Stainless Steel snubby SS UL and then I thought the Kel Tec P/11 gives me more firepower weighs in less and cost about the same. I already have a S&W 642 in .38 but it has become the wife's glove box gun. The P/11 sounds very tempting in that the Glock27 as much as I like it is sometimes just too bulky. I live in Florida so it is a consideration. I always have my P/32 on me as a BUG and I really like it. Do you load FMJ or HP for CCW in your P/11? Thanks again.
Steve
HI
Thank you everyone for your replys. I am seeing good reports. I was considering a Taurus Stainless Steel snubby SS UL and then I thought the Kel Tec P/11 gives me more firepower weighs in less and cost about the same. I already have a S&W 642 in .38 but it has become the wife's glove box gun. The P/11 sounds very tempting in that the Glock27 as much as I like it is sometimes just too bulky. I live in Florida so it is a consideration. I always have my P/32 on me as a BUG and I really like it. Do you load FMJ or HP for CCW in your P/11? Thanks again.
Steve
3" groups? That's good. I haven't shot mine at paper.
I think I have 800 rounds through mine. It has digested S&B 115gr JHP's and WWB 115gr FMJ's. I limp-wristed it once and induced a malfunction. The gun has been 100% reliable as long as you hold onto it. In my hands it's accurate enough to bang away at 8" plates at 50 feet. In somebody else's hands I'm sure it could do better.
It's heavier than my airlite snubby, and doesn't slip out of a pocket quite as easily. I really can't think of anything bad to say about it. Especially not for the $220 (hard chrome).
I've been carrying the S&B JHP's in it, just because they're cheap enough I can afford to practice with them and run enough through to check reliability.
I think I have 800 rounds through mine. It has digested S&B 115gr JHP's and WWB 115gr FMJ's. I limp-wristed it once and induced a malfunction. The gun has been 100% reliable as long as you hold onto it. In my hands it's accurate enough to bang away at 8" plates at 50 feet. In somebody else's hands I'm sure it could do better.
It's heavier than my airlite snubby, and doesn't slip out of a pocket quite as easily. I really can't think of anything bad to say about it. Especially not for the $220 (hard chrome).
I've been carrying the S&B JHP's in it, just because they're cheap enough I can afford to practice with them and run enough through to check reliability.
As far as the 9mm version goes:
Mine worked ok for about a year or two. It's not a very sturdy gun because Kel-Tec does not recommend using +P ammo in it regularly. What good is it if you can't practice regularly with the ammo you intend to use for SD? This logic escaped me when I bought mine years ago. However, I only use 147 gn., high quality HP's that have standard pressure now. Just my .02
Mine worked ok for about a year or two. It's not a very sturdy gun because Kel-Tec does not recommend using +P ammo in it regularly. What good is it if you can't practice regularly with the ammo you intend to use for SD? This logic escaped me when I bought mine years ago. However, I only use 147 gn., high quality HP's that have standard pressure now. Just my .02
Kel-tec 9mm
When I bought my Kel_tec it was the ONLY gun they made. The Serial number has only zeroes and then 3 digits. It's an EARLY GUN! I have since then carried it day in, day out for up to 18-hours a day. As far as +P, I carry a +P Gold Dot load in it Georgia Arms first made back a decade ago that pushes the 115gr GD at 1250 fps (probably out of a 4" nominal tube). I have fired an estimated 200+ of these Gold Dot loads (the Georgia Arms Sheer Power Plus loading) plus maybe 4-500 rounds of mixed ball and Hp loadings. It has not failed to feed or fire even once. For a spare mag I carry a stainless steel S&W 669 mag with the Kel-Tec filler attached that allows the mag to blend with the Pistol's grip. I swap both the ten-round mecgar mag and the 12-round Smith mag out about every 6 weeks for another pair and then strip and clean them.
I have been very satisfied with my ancient Kel-Tec 9mm.
When I bought my Kel_tec it was the ONLY gun they made. The Serial number has only zeroes and then 3 digits. It's an EARLY GUN! I have since then carried it day in, day out for up to 18-hours a day. As far as +P, I carry a +P Gold Dot load in it Georgia Arms first made back a decade ago that pushes the 115gr GD at 1250 fps (probably out of a 4" nominal tube). I have fired an estimated 200+ of these Gold Dot loads (the Georgia Arms Sheer Power Plus loading) plus maybe 4-500 rounds of mixed ball and Hp loadings. It has not failed to feed or fire even once. For a spare mag I carry a stainless steel S&W 669 mag with the Kel-Tec filler attached that allows the mag to blend with the Pistol's grip. I swap both the ten-round mecgar mag and the 12-round Smith mag out about every 6 weeks for another pair and then strip and clean them.
I have been very satisfied with my ancient Kel-Tec 9mm.
NW MountainMan
New member
good little gun for the $
I have had nothing but good luck with mine. Eats all types of ammo and I have never had a single FTF/FTE in over 1000 rounds. Trigger is the pits but its a great DAO gun with second strike capability. I normally carry it while jogging in a fanny holster loaded with Cor-Bon + P. (Kel-Tec says occasional shooting with +P is ok but not a steady diet of it)
I have had nothing but good luck with mine. Eats all types of ammo and I have never had a single FTF/FTE in over 1000 rounds. Trigger is the pits but its a great DAO gun with second strike capability. I normally carry it while jogging in a fanny holster loaded with Cor-Bon + P. (Kel-Tec says occasional shooting with +P is ok but not a steady diet of it)
deputy tom
New member
I shot my P-11 approx. 200 rounds and the slide-stop popped out and was lost.They sent me a replacement (free)and I put it together and traded it for a glock 19.It wasn't satisfactory and I traded it for a Springfield which I loved.YMMV.tom.
i got mine used for $190 and bought the lighter (8.5lb) main spring, trigger shoe, 12 round mag with finger rest from Kel-Tec and i loke the little bugger. its travels with me durring the summer in a pocket holster in the cargo pocket of my pants or shorts. mine doesn't seem to like the OAL of 147 gr rounds but 115gr gold dots work just fine. the long trigger pull does take some getting used to, but nothing a little practice won't cure. its a great combination on light weight, concealability, capacity, power and price. its not a lot of fun to shoot a lot at the range. it'll make your hands sore in short order but its meant to be a carry-a-lot, shoot-a-little type of gun. i say you should get one. if you don't like it you can probably sell it for pretty close to what you paid for it and it will only cost you $20 or so to try a new gun out.
Bobby
Bobby