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need advice on kel tec
range
Member Posts: 554 ✭✭✭
i want to buy the kel tec pm30 is that a good choice for dependablity ?
Comments
They have been making the PMR 30's for something like 3 years. They are still in such short supply, scalpers are selling them for twice the nominal MSRP. Ammo is also in short supply. I've seen it selling for anywhere from $25 to $40 a box.
Unless your related to Bill Gates, I would hold off on buying one.
EDIT #1,
Here is a site that gives you .22 Mag velocities for various barrel lengths. Some of the cartridges with 30 grain bullets will give you 1550 FPS, from a short barreled pistol. Such as a PMR 30.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html
As far as finding one, rufe has covered the bases. Good luck.
The truth is that I see a greater percentage of issues requiring return to the manufacturer with these than any other type of small autopistol.
More power to those who own one and have had no issues, but based upon my observations it's not a brand I recommend when people looking to purchase ask my opinion.
EDIT:
quote:Originally posted by gunnut505
TXS-You use the name, Kel Tec generically, to group "small autopistols" as being substandard in some way, but from experience gained over several ownerships of AMTs, Kel Tecs, Bonds, High Standards, and myriad other small-framed, mostly polymer-based or stainless guns; I haven't seen near as many guns at fault as I have shooters of dubious ability.Let me reword for clarification...
It's been my observation that Kel Tec pistols are the most problematic out of all the brands of small autopistols I see on a regular basis. Also, by this I'm referring to a higher incidence of mechanical issues which require return to the factory for repair or replacement, not simply operator errors.
As I said before, more power to anyone who has had good luck with their Kel Tec. However, I'm in a position to see many samples of each type on the line and this larger data base shows they tend to be a crapshoot.
The early-on problems Kel Tec had with the PMR30 were barrel-related, but it was the incorrect rate of rifling, allowing bullets to tumble and keyhole.
The only heat-treatment issue I recall was with the Grendel P30, and it had to do with subbed-out firing pins.
Mr Kelgren was a DESIGNER and Engineer for the Grendel firm, and was a paid employee even though the name appears to belie that.
Kel Tec CNC started just after Grendel passed from the business scene in 1985.
Mr George Kelgren helped start and design the PMR30, but is no longer employed by them.
TXS-You use the name, Kel Tec generically, to group "small autopistols" as being substandard in some way, but from experience gained over several ownerships of AMTs, Kel Tecs, Bonds, High Standards, and myriad other small-framed, mostly polymer-based or stainless guns; I haven't seen near as many guns at fault as I have shooters of dubious ability.
It's possible to achieve ownership of the elusive PMR30 at a reasonable price; you just have to stop bidding when it reaches $550.
BTW-If you haven't got a small warehouse of ammo already; rotsa ruck.
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i want to buy the kel tec pm30 is that a good choice for dependablity ?
A friend got an early one and it was a jam-o-matic.
Supposedly Kel-Tec has worked out some of the issues with these and they work better now.
The design is certainly clever, but personally, I'm not a fan of .22 magnum from handguns (in any platform). The round uses slow burning powder to get max velocity from a rifle. From the short barrelled PMR-30, an ordinary 40 grain solid .22magnum will get about 1200 fps. . .which is roughly the velocity of a .22LR from a rifle. The .22 magnum wastes most of its potential from short barrels, converting the extra unburned powder into a big muzzle flash (which will both give away your position and blind you at night).
Admittedly, you're probably going to have a hard time finding any on the shelf right now due to the lingering .22LR ammo shortage, but the CCI .22LR 40 grain "Velocitor" rounds will give you 1150fps muzzle velocity from a 6" barreled handgun.
In other words, its possible to get nearly the same ballistic performance using premium .22LR ammo from a good handgun, as you can using .22 magnum ammo in the PMR-30, IMO effectively negating one of the only real advantages of the .22 magnum handgun platform.
Since you're asking about "reliability" presumably you're thinking of using this gun for personal defense. IMO, don't.
Again, .22 magnum from a handgun just isn't a great defense caliber. If you're going to use a full sized gun like the PMR-30, you should probably be using a better caliber.