[Chris Stephens]

Hi there all,

I wanted to find out if anyone had any experiences good/bad with the Kel Tec P-11 9 mm pistol?

I am comtemplating ordering/buying one if I can gather some informative information. I have been visiting the KTOG website, but wanted to get some opinions from any owners here on HandgunsandAmmunition.

Specifically, I wanted to get impressions on reliability, accuracy and concealability.

Thank you,

Chris

 

[shooter58]

I have carried a P-11 for a little over 2 years now. It is the second one I have owned. I foolishly traded the first one off and couldn't wait to get another.
I carry it one of three ways: using the clip to carry IWB, in a Don Hume IWB holster, or in a belt slide OWB.
With the clip IWB, it is virtually undetectable, and extremely comfortable.

As for dependability, this current one has been completely dependable and trouble-free straight from the box. My first one, I had to polish the ramp a little, but this second one has been flawless. It feeds all the JHP and FMJ types with no problems.

 

[strider72]

I have a nickel P11 myself. No problems...same with my P32.

 

[Guest]

I have two P-11's and have used a P-11 for everyday CC for about 6 years. I've been shooting them in IDPA in standard service pistol class against Glocks and Sigs for 4. In short, Ive used the gun very hard and been pleased with its performance. It is a great value for the money.

My experience is that mechanically the P-11 is reliable but it is not durable in the way an all metal service pistol is. After all, nothing is free. You have to give up something for the small size, light weight/ high power ratio. That something is durability. The gun will physically break as it reaches the end of its design life, ultimately showing a crack in the right side of the slide. The gun doesn't blow up or endanger
the shooter, it just slowly but progressively fails, giving the owner lots of warning. Fortuantely, Kel-Tec has a life time guarentee and will rebuild the gun at no cost to you other than one way shipping. They've done this for both my P-11's.

However, this is probably not an issue for most people. Not many people put 4,000 rounds a year through a P-11 as I do. I also suspect that any plastic 9mm which weighs less than a pound empty is going to have similar problems.

The P-11 is more demanding on the shooter than a heavier gun. It is absolutely essential that you provide a firm grip against which the gun can recoil or you end up with failures to feed as the slide literally runs out of steam. A LOT of new owners limp wrist, have failures to feed, and blame the gun simply becasue they do not understand this point.

Also, if you are not a revolver shooter, the trigger will take a bit of getting use to. It is not hard or heavy, just long if you are used to single actions. If you chose the P-11, you have to commit to learning the gun. This will
take at least 200 rounds. You have to learn to pull the trigger straight through, searching for the break point will throw off your rounds. Kel-Tec offers a trigger shoe which frequently helps new owners master the trigger.

The P-11 is basically an automatic version of the J frame. A little harder to shoot, but a lot easier to conceal. If that is what you want, then the P-11 is a good choice.

Hope this helps.

Regards-conwic

 

[Guest]

I'm basically a Sig P239 fan, but on a whim last year I purchased a new KelTec P11 for $225. I was in a gun shop on other business and saw it in the display case. I liked the size and feel of it, and had heard good (and bad) things about the KelTec pistol line.

BUT - I had read only good things about KelTec's customer support and service, so with a lifetime warranty I bought it.

It has been more than accurate between 5-7yards. I consider this distance self defense range, and shooting a bad guy further out would only put you in legal jepardy anyway.

With the exception of Wally World white box ammo it has been 100% reliable, ball or HP's. This WW ammo apparently varies a great deal from batch to batch, as it also has caused me problems in my Walther P1 and my Star BM.

So, I don't use WW for personal carry ammo....

I love the little pistol. I purchased a P32 a couple of months ago, and it too has been very accurate (at self defense range) and 100% reliable.

I sometimes read on various forums where KelTec's are "jammomatics", or SNS but that is 180 degrees from my personal experience.

I am fond enough of my 2 KelTec's that I plan on buying a P3AT in the future... I wouldn't keep buying KelTec's if I didn't have faith in them and I consider them to be a great firearm bargain. (As are Bersa/Firestorms, but that's another story).

Best Wishes..

 

[Guest]

Yep, Ihave one, did have two but the daughter-in-law is the proud owner of the second one now! It is in the battery of CCW pistols that I own and carry according to conditions. It has several hundred rounds of Speer Gold Dot's through it and I have had zero problems. An excellant value in a CCW arm, by no means a target pistol it does do all that will be required of a "get off me" gun. BTW, the Kel-Tec belt clip is GREAT for discrete carry.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there all,

My local dealer has ordered one for me to look at this week. He is going to keep it in the store as a stocking item and he has found it hard to keep any Kel-Tec's on the shelf--regardless of calibre and size.

Apparently, the P-32's are favored as BUG's by the local LEO officer's. The P-11 he is getting in is parkerized with the Olive Drab grip.

I am very favorably impressed with the replies that I have recieved so far and look forward to seeing and handling the P-11. Since I have become a fan of single column magazine 9 mm, this just may be the ticket as a everyday CWP gun.

I agree with Conwic that shot hard, the P-11 will probably suffer from accelerated wear on the frame and moving parts, but I am confident that with Kel-Tec CNC's lifetime warranty and outstanding customer service, that I won't be shopping for a second P-11 when and if the pistol gets worn out.

There are not a great many products on the market that offer those benefits and my experience with Kel Tec's customer service has been outstanding so far.

Chris

 

[Guest]

My experience was a little different...

I bought a P-11 soon after they first came out several years ago. It was not uncommon to see them selling in the $350-$400 range back then. I was initially intrigued by the size and weight efficiency of this gun. My favorite carry load at that time was the CorBon 115 grain +P ammo. I don't consider myself overly sensitive, but the recoil while not exactly brutal, was certainly hand-stinging to say the least. Also, when they first came out, the trigger pulls were somewhere in the 12-15 pound range. As hard as I tried, I was never able to master the trigger to my satisfaction. It is extremely rare for me to sell a gun once I've made the purchase; in the case of my P-11, I made an exception.

In all fairness, it's my understanding that Kel-Tec has since reduced the weight of the trigger pull. I may try another one at some point in time.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there Catbird,

Yes, I've heard the same comments about the older P-11's on the KTOG website and have heard that Kel Tec has come out with a lighter trigger pull.

Tomorrow, my dealer will have one in for me to look at and get some impressions (and hopefully a sale).

Another point that I've heard about is the amount of trigger slap one gets on their trigger finger from shooting the P-11.

Unfortunately, you can't have everything with "a up close and personal" defense weapon like the P-11. Should I decide to buy it, I will post my initial impressions here, but from the responses so far, it seems like it may be all good.

Chris

 

[Guest]

Hey Chris,
How's the weather in North Myrtle Beach?

If you go for the P-11, you might check out the triggershoe that Kel-Tec sells. I usually don't care for triggershoes on my guns, however it DID help with my P-11 trigger finger comfort. They are very easy to install...just tighten a couple of setscrews.

If you get it, write back and let us know what you think.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there Catbird,

Hopefully, I will have the P-11 in hand today! I asked them to order the parkerized one with the olive drab grip, but would have loved to have had one with the chrome slide and black grip.

Since I live 5 blocks from the beach, I can tell my wife that I needed it for those long walks on the beach and I need something more salt air/corrosion resistant.

The daytime weather is about average for this time of year. Date time highs in the mid-50's and mostly sunny. Great for golfing and not so great for swimming in the Atlantic. The golfers are coming into town as I write.

Thank you for the advice on the trigger shoe. Should I buy the P-11 today, I will put on the top of my list along with a decent holster and extra magazine.

Life is good when you live at the beach...

Chris

 

[Guest]

[quote author=carolinaman
Hopefully, I will have the P-11 in hand today! I asked them to order the parkerized one with the olive drab grip, but would have loved to have had one with the chrome slide and black grip.

You may still be able to get that chrome slide. Kel-Tec has had an unpublicized offer where they would replace your blue or parkerized slide with a new chrome one for all of $20. You might want to call them to check to see if they are still offering this. You just ship them the slide- which is not serial numbered and thus not a "gun"- and they send you back a chrome set up.

If you are looking for holsters for new the P-11, GrandFather Oak ( www.grandfatheroak.com) has excellant pocket holsters for both P-11's and P-32's at $15 to $!8 . He's close, up in NC. I've been very pleased with his P-11 holster. Surprisingly fast.

Regards-conwic

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there Conwic,

Thank you for the Holster Information.

I am probably going to order another De Santis Nemesis from De Santis when I pick up the P-11.

I couldn't get around to getting the P-11 today and besides when the salesman called to say it came in, he informed me that his distributor shipped the one with the black grip instead of the olive drab one that I wanted. :

On the KTOG board, it sounded like they discontinued the chrome slide program for the P-3AT, but still have it for the P-11. I have been advised to call them to find out.


Chris

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there all,

Thank you for the replies and they obviously helped me make my decision.

As of 9:30 am this morning (Eastern Time), I now own a Kel Tec P-11.

Chris

 

[Guest]

I'm sure you will be pleased with your purchase. Welcome to the club.

Re the P-3At, I believe that Kel- Tec has discontinued chrome slides for the first generation of guns. They have started producing a second generation gun with a sllightly different shaped and weight slide and a really beefed up extractor. So, apparently they are not making any more first generation slides, chrome or blue. I'm guessing that this won't effect the P-11 or P-32, but you never know.

Regards-conwic

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there Conwic,

Thank you.

I am going to be spending a lot of time enjoying the new P-11 and can't wait to take it to the shooting range.

In consideration of some of the other choices I was comtemplating, i.e. Glock 27, I am very pleased by my decision as the P-11 is definately smaller and has a better profile for concealed carry.

As to the mode of carry, I am reconsidering my holster options. While the P-32 is a great pocket pistol and I carry one everyday now, the P-11 may not fit this role given my size, stature and wardrobe to be as easily concealed as a pocket pistol as it is much larger-yet still smaller than the G-27.

The trigger shoe and extra magazine are definately at the top of list for the first accessories that I buy for the P-11.

After I have spent some time shooting the P-11, I will consider getting the chrome slide and barrel option. Since I live here at the beach, the salt air can play havoc with traditional blued finishes.

Chris

 

[Guest]

Good luck on your quest. There are lots of carry options available; I'm sure you will find one you like. Since you are calling Kel-Tec anyway, you might consider their clip attachment which allows inside the waistband carry without a holster. Many owners are comfortable with that given the long trigger on the gun, though not all. I have not used it though: there's already too much of me inside the waist band.

I find that I can pocket carry my P-11, but only with very careful choice of pants. I find cargo pants and shorts where the outside cargo pocket ( and the small stuff I put in them) covers the gun pocket to work best. In particular, I find Columbia cargo shorts to work well and be very comfortable here in the SC summer. But you'll never get a P-11 to dissappear inside of a pocket like a P-32 will. You will have a lump, though you can disguise the lump to look like a wallet.

Regards- conwic

PS- when you get the extra mag, go for the 10 round mag, not the 12 round. 12 is a round too far for reliability.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there Conwic,

Thank you for the kind advice.

Are the 10 rounders more reliable than the 12 rounders?

The trigger pull on my new P-11 is going to definately take some getting used to. It is heavier than most revolver triggers that I have tried in the past. First on the list is, now, is a set of snap caps from A-zoom if I can find them locally and if not, I will order them from Midwayarms.com.

As for attire and carry, I too am not a great fan of inside the waist band carry. I suffer from a little too much inside the waist band expansion. I like the pocket carry mode and will find a solution. The problem for the most part is pocket size. Because of my job requirements, i.e. dress code, for the most part I can't wear cargo pants or shorts. However, I can wear Khaki's and the local Belk's department store carry's the widest selection of brands.

Question. When reassembling the P-11 last night and after cleaning, I had the hardest time getting the recoil springs back in the P-11. The coil of the inner spring would interfere with the insertion of the recoil rod through its respective hole in the front of the muzzle? It took a lot of attempts and effort to get it lined up correctly. Also, the barrel rides back in battery with the slide when reassembling the pistol and has to be pulled stoutly forward out of battery to get the assembly pin lined up.

In spite of this, I am very impressed with the contruction of the pistol.

Chris

 

[Guest]

Question. When reassembling the P-11 last night and after cleaning, I had the hardest time getting the recoil springs back in the P-11. The coil of the inner spring would interfere with the insertion of the recoil rod through its respective hole in the front of the muzzle? It took a lot of attempts and effort to get it lined up correctly.

Since my P-11 is long gone, I don't recall exactly whether mine had this issue or not. Is it feasible for you to insert the guide rod/spring assembly into the slide first, compress the same so that the rod pokes out of the front of the slide and then slip the barrel in underneath?

I have a Colt Pony PocketLite whereby this is the only way it can be done.

 

[Guest]

Hello, Carolinaman, It is an impressively simple design , isn't it.

1. The 10 round mags are much more reliable because their followers have legs attached to the bottom of each corner. This makes it very stable and prevents binding. The 12 rd mag is the 10 rounder with the legs removed to give extra room. Since the follower is not as stable, it will rock from side to side as it feeds. It is not uncommon for the 12 rd mag follower to rock up on one side and lock the slide stop back with one round left in the mag. It will do that regardles of whether you load 12 rds or as few as six with my guns. If you want more rounds, you can buy the 15 or 12 round mags from S&W model 5900 series or 6900 series mines and use them in your P-11. They do extend out the mag well though.

Mastering the trigger is key. The snap caps are a great training tool. I'de also suggest you start with the target close in and concentrate on a smooth steady pull, extending the range as your groups become closer, on target and more consistent. The trigger shoe may also help. Also check to see if your trigger has any overtravel- breaks but then keeps going back. That can throw your shots off a little as well. If it is a problem, email me at [email protected] about making a simple , but effective trigger stop with a pencil earser and super glue.

I'm afraid being fashionable and pocket carrying are hard to mesh. My wife refers to my clothes as "clown pants" for their bagginess. But I am retired and can get away with it. Have you considered taking a pair of pants to the semstrest and having your pocket enlarged ( if necessary to fit the gun) and a layer of something thick attached to the outside of the gun pocket lining to help mask the gun? Somehting liek those iron on patch things perhaps. Old timers used to have pockets made up of soft leather just for this reason. It sounds silly, but to see if this might help try putting two layers of duck tape on the outside exterior of the pocket lining and see if that helps in masking the gun's shape. I had the pocket on on eof my pants extended a while back. Only cost me $12 for the work.

Normal for the barrel to ride back with the slide. But it should slide forward again very easily by just tilting the gun muzzle down. May need a bit of firing to smooth that out. It is a new gun; there are always break in periods. In the meantime, feel around the slide opening to see if there is anything rough there. Same with the opening for the recoil rod. Any small metal debris from the manufacturing process there? Check the tip of the recol spring to see if it is smooth. Also, you may be trying to put the rod tip through at too great an angle from the side. Instead of coming in from the side of the barrel, try sliding it in from on top of the extended base of the barrel, down and forward, wiggling it slightly from side to side. Experiment a little. You'll get the hang of it; just a matter of getting use to the little pecularities.


Incidently, you may want to consider using a light gun grease on the slide, frame interface. You really need a lasting lubrication here to minimize friction in such a light gun. I use small amounts of a lithium grease and have never had a problem with sand even though I practice and shoot IDPA in what was once a sand pit.

Regards-conwic