Kel Tec

[icallshotgun88]

I've been looking for an inexpensive .380 or 9mm and have heard the quality of the Kel-Tec is good, but when I looked on the California Roster, they do not even list Kel-Tec at all.
Are all Kel-Tec's off roster?

why not a used glock, sig or M&P for the handgun?

there are always police trade-ins avail be at most stores that are extremely reliable and inexpensive

[desertrider]

I have a KelTec P11 9mm. It's not trash. It has fired each time i have pulled the trigger.

However, with that said, it's still not a good pistol. It was the second pistol i ever bought, and i only bought it because it was $250 dollars, brand new, in 2003.

The parts are cheap plastic. The fit and finish are crude. Now that i know more about guns and have owned many others, i would not buy another KelTec pistol.

If i were you, i would buy a used, inexpensive handgun that is not a KelTec.

Lol says it's not trash then continues to explain why it is trash...

I fully understand alabamacoastie's position in stating that his Keltec isn't trash while at the same time describing its shortcomings.

Trash would mean the gun either doesn't function at all, or is so unreliable that you never know when it will fail.

He's had his Keltec for 13 years and states it fires every time he's used it. By definition I wouldn't call that gun trash. It may be built crudely from inexpensive materials, but if it works, it works. Same can be said for Hipoints.

Based on his experience he recognizes the latter and has learned to accept that there are better options than his Keltec and would advise others to explore other options.

I've got a Hipoint carbine, and that thing works great even though it is crude, ugly, and cheap compared to my other toys. I wouldn't consider it trash though.

Edited to admit I type too slow. alabamacoastie responded before I finished pecking at my keyboard.

[Rockit]

Kel-Tec P3AT
It's an inexpensive gun the fills a niche. Small and light.
My wife has carried one for almost 10 years. Shoots the snot out of it. I've shot it hundreds of rounds...maybe thousands. (Guessing there is 3-4k rounds total.) Completely acceptable accuracy.
She's tiny. She can carry it in summer clothing and not be uncomfortable or obvious.
I've carried it at the gym, running and places where ccw is generally frowned upon, but legal, and I want deep concealment...heck..I had it inside a dry suit while scuba diving because I didn't want to leave it in the truck.
Fit/finnish is not the best. materials are apparently adequate since it has functioned flawlessly and has not turned into little bitty chunks.

To call it junk is just elitist snobbery.

[92705tom]

Actually that is on my short list as well, as is the Kahr .380, S&W Body gaurd,
and I was also looking into the Ruger LCP and Tarus.

My life, and the life of my family are worth more than $350 each. Please reconsider what you are really asking for. God forbid the time comes that you need to use it you want it to work with out question and be the best choice for that person who is using it.

We all have opinions about what make and model are best. Find a range with a large rental selection and shoot them first. If it means making a trip to Arizona or Nevada to shoot off roster guns then make the investment.

Kel-Tec: Never owned one. Never shot one. No Opinion.

[Doggboy]

Shot my friends keltec 9mm this weekend. It functioned fine, but it has to have the worst trigger pull I have ever experienced. It is DAO and has what feels like a 4 inch long trigger pull that is less than predictable. The RSO was laughing watching us shoot it because he could see from about 30 feet away how long the pull was. Like others have said, spend a little more and get something else.

[bluranger]

Taurus PT-111 G2........!!! I think it's a better value than the keltecs....yes, off roster as well....

[Bowas]

I am not set on the Keltec and it is off roster anyway and I'm not interested in buying used at this level.

I was thinking also of the Bersa (but wish it had a shorter barrel) as for myself, I am wanting a backup type, subcompact as I had a good compact 9mm, so I was looking for something affordable and with sufficient quality for not only myself, but for the reliability for my children as well.

[Bowas]

Taurus PT-111 G2........!!! I think it's a better value than the keltecs....yes, off roster as well....

Not on the roster either.

[BoJackUSMC]

With that price... might be better off SD9VE under $350 usually... if not with little more police trade in used Glock 17.

[Doggboy]

Why not the M&P subcompact. You can find them under 400 new, and alot of ranges will sell their rentals, so you could probably get one for less. Where you located?

[bwhited]

My Kel-tec always worked.
It seemed to be more of a toy than a firearm but it worked and was accurate. What more is desired?

[89 Vision]

I have a P3at and a PF9. The PF9 feels a bit better craftsmanship wise. The P3at is like a crude LCP. I have no problem with Kel Tec firearms in general. A lot of them require some break-in and fluff and buff, but that doesn't make them a bad firearm IMO.

[zoid52]

I have a Grendel p12 which is the company that was the precursor to Keltec. I bought it in the early 90's thinking it was a cheap Glock. Cheap is right.

[Bowas]

Why not the M&P subcompact. You can find them under 400 new, and alot of ranges will sell their rentals, so you could probably get one for less. Where you located?

Visalia

[ojisan]

I have a KT P32 and a P11.
Both have been reliable from the very first shot.

The P32 is the same size as many .22LR and .25ACP mouse guns with a much better cartridge.
It is also the lightest mouser available.

The P11 is best thought of as a 11 shot S&W 442/ 642.
Add the optional trigger shoe and the pull will be much easier and hammer release will occur with your finger not so far back.