Posted on 06/10/2002 9:47:19 PM PDT by Polycarp
Anyone familiar with the Kel Tec P-11 9mm for concealed carry? I'm wondering if any FReepers have experience with this particular little semi-auto, and whether it is a reliable gun.
I'm also curious how many FReepers who have concealed carry permits do indeed carry at all times.
I also found the overall P11 frame to be too small for my hands. The reach is too short. The tip of my trigger finger runs into the tip of my thumb. A Smith L-frame is just perfect in my hand. The N-frame isn't bad either.
I have held one but never fired one. It seems to be well made with a nice finish.
And I would REALLY like to have a SUB 2000. Maybe for Father's Day. I've been hinting.
Check out their website. Kel-Tec
I've read this too, but there is a trigger spring kit that supposedly smooths out the trigger pull. Also, it is DAO with a LONG trigger pull, since there are no other safeties on the gun, apparently. So from what I have read, after some practice, the gun can be fired as accurately as other comparable sized semi-autos.
I'm considering purchasing one but only because it is so easily concealable yet has full 9mm power (as compared to 32 or 380.) But I am not that knowledgable about pistols beyond what I've read, so I do appreciate the input.
Everywhere it's legal. It's no use if you don't have it with you.
Great DAO trigger, superior accuracy, flawless functionality, slim single column profile, polymer frame, no external safety
I prefer Glocks and a .45 caliber, but they can't make one that is shootable AND concealable in my estimation...Had one and couldn't stand to shoot it.
for fathers day, dads hope for a Kimber!!!
Btw, the best place I've found for firearms-related questions is www.thefiringline.com
You'll find more than a few freepers there, and your gun questions won't get lost in a sea of other subjects.
This is always the best route when you're talking about a piece of equipment that your life may depend on. A four hundred dollar Ruger will throw a group the size of a saucer with a reliability that I'd estimate at around 95%...a five hundred dollar Glock with throw a group the size of a golf ball with a reliability of just under 100% ( I know theoretically someone must have had a Glock jam, but neither of mine ever did...never)
Check out a 6 shot, 32 H&R magnum revolver. Same ft-lb delivery as a 38SPL, but easy to conceal and 6 shots instead of 5 in a small carry. The guys that teach the Utah CCW course at the local gunshop said it was the most commonly observed CCW choice in their classes. The S&W Model 331 (with hammer) or Model 332 (enclosed hammer) are the favorite models.
My wife intended to trade the P11 9mm in on the S&W 332. After some consideration, we selected a 38SPL hammerless, all titanium Taurus. We reload 38SPL by the hundreds around the house. I would have had to buy new dies and conversion kits for the Dillon RL550B had we selected the 32 H&R Magnum. It was a practical issue of having plenty of ammo around for regular practice.
My daughter has a P-11 and she and I both like it compared to my wifes' Colt Pocket Nine.The P-11 is light,has a larger mag capacity than the Colt and we've seen no feeding problems with it at all.The price is in favor of the P-11 for sure.The Colt would be more accurate at a distance but a DA really is for up close defense,not coyote hunting.
If you don't mind a little less power than a 9MM Luger and want to save some money,look at a Makarov.They come in .380 or 9MM Makarov caliber which has more power than the .380 but a little less than a 9MM Luger.You can even get a spare barrel to change out so you can shoot either cartridge but I've found no reason to do so myself.
The Makarov is DA or SA and has a decocker so you have the best of all worlds except the power of a 9MM Luger.
A Russian or Bulgarian Makarov has a decocker safety that you push down with your thumb to fire which I much prefer over some knockoffs that the safety is pushed up to fire and seems klutzy to me and my family.
The only drawback I've found with the Russian or Bulgarian pistols compared to the other Makarov knockoffs is that they are not quite as sleek looking and the grip is not quite as comfortable in the web of your thumb but with handling regularly you get used to it.
Used Makarovs in my part of the country can be had at gun shops for 130 to 150 dollars each or new for about 200 IIRC.I've never paid over 130 for a number of used Makarovs and have not been any less than very happy with every single one.
Also,I believe the 9MM Makarov cartridge is the most powerfull cartridge used in small frame pistols,so you get a reasonably easily concealable pistol with pretty fair power in a slim package.
I've used handguns since I was very young and always had top of the line firearms.Because of my work I often keep a pistol wet all day long and got to feeling bad about abusing expensive guns.
I thought the Makarov pistol would give me a cheap pistol I wouldn't feel bad about ruining but wouldn't really care to use,either.Once I tried one out I really like them and now everyone in my family has grown to think they can hardly do without at least one apiece.
Gun for money they really are hard to beat if they are the size you would be comfortable with carrying.
If you're interested,a google search would give you more info about them but whatever you end up getting I hope it's perfect for "you".
I have money down on a 6 month old used p-ll in perfect shape, great price, but I'm still undecided. The Kahr mk 9's look like very sweet guns too, even smaller than the p-11 by a fraction.
My family likes the tip up barrel 22 DA Berretas and if you get one used for around 200 dollars you could have something to drop in a pocket and hardly know it's there.
It's just a thought but you might like a Berreta 22 DA for very easy carry along with having a Makarov so you would have a little more power in your car or to carry in more likely trouble areas.
Both pistols function much the same and a backup in bad areas could be nice.You could likely buy both used for about 350 total and the 22 is real cheap practice that would cut the cost of only shooting a larger cartridge to get used to a DA-SA.That's why I got my first 22 DA Berreta for my family and it became another pistol that my wife and all my kids had to each have one of their own,they liked it so much.
The Mak is a hair longer through the "top length" but has about another inch in length in the grip.The grip is slightly wider on the Colt but not a lot.
The Mak might not work well in a pocket but I don't like to depend on DA only.
I know a LEO that pockets a Colt Pocket Nine and he loves it.Another wants to buy my wifes but we have a "problem" with never wanting to sell a gun.;o)
The LEOs I know say the Kahr is really nice and don't talk the KelTec up but I don't know if they've even used one.My daughter and I like hers better than the Colt mostly because of the light weight and so far not a single problem with it even though I call it her "toy" gun because it's so light.It's light weight would be nice for a pocket gun,I would think.
We've gotten some Taurus pistols and really like them,plus their prices are pretty hard to beat.Taurus has a reasonably new,small,pocket size 9MM DA-SA out that I've been wanting to see but I don't get to town very often.The pictures and what I read about it makes it sound like it might be a nice one for what you want.I want to see one to find out if I can get my wife away from a DA only pistol for her carry gun.
With the Maks,I like to push the safety down to fire(the same reason I like a full size Taurus 9MM over a Berretta)but if you don't mind up for fire you might like some of the Mak knockoffs.They're sleeker,more comfortable in your hand and might pocket better.
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