Your Opinion on Kel-Tec?

tr fox

I read an awful lot of supportative comments from Kel-Tec owners. Yet I also sometimes read about Kel-tec owners who have problems. So, I have posted my thoughts on this below and I would like some feedback from anyone interested. Thanks.

I am also starting to think that with some of the smaller firearms manufacturers that sell a low priced product, to try and still make a reasonable profit, they let their new firearms out of their factory without going to the expense of a careful, post-production examination. Instead they leave that examination to the purchaser of that firearm. A purchaser I might add that will in most cases do a much closer and maybe better job on that "final" inspection.

I have followed the Kel-tec story closely and from a few different vantage points. I don't know as much about the Kel-tec PF 9 as I do about the P11 and others. But it appears that it is true that on a regular basis, a few new owners will find that his new Kel-tec malfunctions as soon as the first time at the range (we all agree we should give a brand new gun reasonable range time before we depend on it to save our life, don't we?).

But then the story always seems to play out that the new owners ships his defective firearm off to Kel-tec, it is repaired quickly, for free and done well, and then that owner goes on to have no further problems with his Kel-tec.

If my observations are incorrect, somebody please tell me. If necessary, start a new topic thread.

fastcarsgofast

Never had any problems out of either of my Kel Tec pistols.

lcdrdanr

Same here. I shoot a P32 and it works like a Timex watch, takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Never done anything to it other than cleaning and lubing.
Have a P11 bought new, before firing it I lubed it with a teflon based grease and never had any problems with it. Don't even clean it that often. Read about the various modifications but didn't want to put that much effort into it.
Put a 40 S&W conversion slide on the P11 frame, ported barrel, and the only problem was when I purposely limp wristed it. Same gun shooting with the 357 sig barrel had two FTF with the last round in the magazine. I suspect the magazine but only had two mags with me and was low on ammo. Haven't shot the sig since.
I've got less than $650 in both guns plus the conversion barrels.
I have no problems with KelTec reliability although I have heard most of the horror stories.
I think it's a matter of the squeeky wheel, the only people you hear from are the vocal ones who had problems, the other huge majority never had a problem and therefore don't write in to complain.

heliman

I have had a P32 and currently have a P3AT. I had to replace the extractor on the P3AT after about 150 rounds. I carry it daily and have found that you need to clean it often and rotate the magazines once every couple of weeks. I try to shoot it once a month or so and haven't had anymore problems. If there is an issue, they have an excellent customer service department. I would buy another one of their products without hesitation.[:)]

Maalox

I have a PF-9 and it works fine. I think it says something when a company takes back any problems no questions asked and provides a fully functional firearm in return.

I have heard as many stories about Kimbers having to be sent back as I have Kel-Tecs.

Now which is better... releasing a new model before it has had a thorough beta test mode or holding on to one forever like Rock River has been doing with their .308 rifle? Both situations make for a few unhappy customers.

rambo rebel

any weapon can malfucntion but the k-32 I have has been reliable.

stankemp

P3AT owner.
Easy to carry, 7 rds (6 in mag). It does like Silvertips and that's good. Very few jams (lately just 1 FTF in last 100 rds). I put the $6 plastic mag extention on it and it does feel better (should come from the factory like this). Recoil is not really bad or even an issue.
One design complaint I have is that the mag release can be accidently hit while shooting the gun. That's not good.
Stan

RogueStatesman

A friend of mine has one and he said that there were so many troubles with it, he now utilizes it as a trot line weight and claims that it works fine that way!!

ginger49023

I agree with stankemp.
Easy to shoot, not bad recoil and does indeed feed Silvertips well.
No complaints for why I bought it.

goldeneagle76

just got a P3AT a month or so ago. Only about 60+ rds through it so far but not one issue. Shot Winchester bulk and Remington Golden Sabre's just fine.

tr fox

Man, you are all singing a song that is music to my ears. Seeing as how I went wild and in the space of only a few weeks bought 2 Kel-tec. P11 in 9mm with the hard chrome slide (didn't want to worry about my sweaty body damaging a blued slide).

Here In KS, our CCW does not restrict us to any specific firearm or even to only carrying one firearm at a time. I figure if I have even a small doubt about my P11 it is not much more trouble to carry two of them as to carry one and a spare mag.

Just my way of doing things. Probably won't suit everyone else.

shane

I've sold alot of the P38T's to LEO's in my county and they carry them as backups. The interseting thing is that they have all told me that they have to qualify with them the same as a service pistol at 30yds. Every officer I've asked about this says that they have had no trouble doing it. Most say that they paint the front sight white. One officer who is a good friend of mine brought in his target to prove to me that he did qualify because I always kid him that I'm a better shot than he is, granted his shots were all over the paper he was shooting a gun so small some folks couldn't have seen it (the gun) at 30yds. So based on customer feedback and some realtime shooting one myself I say Kel-Tec's are a great gun for the money.