Fondled a Kel-Tec PF-9 this week

[U.S. Patriot]

Even though I just recently bought a FNP9, which I paned of replacing my Xd with as my daily carry gun. I want something smaller for summer, something that's easy to conceal by just throwing my shirt over it. I was thinking a .38 snub, but not a big fan of revolvers. Then I was looking at the Taurus 709 slim in 9mm. Have heard some issues with them. Do not know enough to make a real decision. I was at Bite the Bullet the other day. I noticed Bob the owner had one on his hip. He had one in the case too. It was slightly over $300, or maybe just under cant remember. Picked it up, and it had a pretty good feel. Not a big fan of DAO, but that's what practice is for. Heard a lot of good things about them. They are the same capacity as the 709, smaller , and about $100 cheaper. That means a holster, and money for ammo .

My ? is for those who own them, or shot them. How is the recoil? Is it more muzzle flip, or a push? I want to make sure I have good enough control, to be able to place accurate shots. I also know this is a close range weapon. I have some 124 grain Black Hills JHP's. Thought they would be will suited, since they are a lighter bullet and have a higher velocity

 

[LEaSH]

I like it. Definitely likes to flip. Mine has been behaved at the range reliabilty wise. I like 124 jhp of any major brand. I've gotten lucky with accuracy. I'm not a great shot - but every once in awhile...

They only come with one mag. The 709 comes with two. The PF9 doesn't have second strike ability, I'm not sure of the 709.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

I put about 20 rounds through mine with no issues - granted that's way to small a round count for an accurate overall assessment but that was my experience with it. Does flip but disappears into a pocket. I hear you're supposed to be about 200 rounds through then to get everything slicked together right.

 

[451_Detonics]

I have been carrying mine for some time now and have somewhere between 1000 and 1500 rounds through it. Mine has not had a single malfunction with either practice reloads, a 125 jhp at 1100fps, or with my carry ammo, 115 CorBon. The muzzle is a little flippy but very controllable. Dry fire a couple hundred times with a snap cap and the trigger smooths out very nicely. This gun carries well in pocket, Don Hume J.I.T., or in a concealment T-Shirt (my favorite). Those who shot mine at the last NWI shoot up in Winamac were surprised at how well the gun handled and how nice the trigger was. Accuracy is very good and the sights are easy to use.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Cut up sections of bicycle innertubes around the grip were necessary for mine. Not fun to shoot but it is not designed to be fun to shoot. Hard for me to be accurate with but everything is hard for me to be accurate with!

Sold it in a pinch but I'll probably buy another one in the future.

 

[paperboy]

I have been carrying mine for some time now and have somewhere between 1000 and 1500 rounds through it. Mine has not had a single malfunction with either practice reloads, a 125 jhp at 1100fps, or with my carry ammo, 115 CorBon. The muzzle is a little flippy but very controllable. Dry fire a couple hundred times with a snap cap and the trigger smooths out very nicely. This gun carries well in pocket, Don Hume J.I.T., or in a concealment T-Shirt (my favorite). Those who shot mine at the last NWI shoot up in Winamac were surprised at how well the gun handled and how nice the trigger was. Accuracy is very good and the sights are easy to use.

I have shot this pistol and I must say it is very controllable and easy to shoot. I am not a fan of the P3AT but I did like this pistol......

 

[Cam]

I had one and made a decision to sell it after picking up an LCP. I love the LCP, but find myself wishing I had kept the PF9. Likely there will be another in my future. As others have said, not necessarily fun to shoot, but very utilitarian and mine was very reliable.

 

[slacker]

For $266 out the door the PF9 is a great deal (PSS, blued, about 3 months ago). I have two of them, and each has about 250 rounds through it. No malfunctions on either one.

It is by no means a fun gun to shoot since it is so small and is firing a relatively large caliber. There is quite a bit of muzzle flip, and follow up shots can be a little slow because of the DAO and recoil/flip (at least for me).

Overall, I say grab one!

 

[JohnP82]

I have always been pleased with the keltecs I have fired. I have never had any problems out of any of them. The pf9 wont be much fun for more than 100 rounds at a time at the range, but I think they are good guns. For me they do flip, but they are not at all uncontrollable. Good luck with your decision

 

[LLDJR]

451_detonics, great input!

Personally, I would like to hear form people with 500+ rounds on the PF9, 709 or P11

You can't beat the 709 slim or PF9 for the price, but in reality, I may just stick with my P380 and an extra max mags

I had the Kahr PM40 and it was a great pistol, but just a fuzz to big for my skinny (sort of) waist,, the P380 is perfect for all the time, every day carry,, but I guess I would like a 9mm when I don't have to carry IWB.

Keep us posted, US PATRIOT,

 

[chef larry]

Carry a PF-9 all the time with round count at 233 and it is snappy, thats what you get with a small and light pistol. When new and breaking it in, did the limp wrist and had problems, just keep it clean and oiled so it runs fine.

 

[techres]

Recoil is not bad, less than a j-frame.

YouTube - goodpf9

 

[Indy317]

Two co-workers each have one. One, who is ex-military and a gun guy, had nothing but good things to say about it. The other one, also an LEO, who I don't know if she would be classified as a gun person, didn't say anything bad really, she just had some reservations about how it shot. Said it at least worked though. I have thought about getting one if I didn't get a compact Glock, but I did get a G23 issued to me and I have no problems carrying it....the G22 was getting to be somewhat of a pain. I think there is considerable kick, and for some folks who don't focus on the physics of shooting, and haven't shot a lot of snub nose revolvers or high power guns, it seems to be a bit much. That is what I got from reading about 10-20 various reviews on various gun forums.

If you can deal with "the kick," then I would grab one up. By the way, the co-worker gun guy said he got his for about $225 at the Indy 1500. I think list price was around $275 and he just asked the guy "What is the lowest you can go on this?" Guy said something about wanting to get something going (guess he hadn't sold a pistol at that point), so he made him a great deal.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Recoil is not bad, less than a j-frame.

YouTube - goodpf9

Thanks for posting the video!

 

[Indy317]

Thanks for posting the video!

Watch the video till the end, then you see other videos at the bottom. One is called "badpf9." It jams once with magazine #1, then something happens on the last round with magazine #2. Not sure if it was a different PF9 or what.

 

[ultraspec]

If you have the money go with a Kahr Pm9.

Story: A good friend got a PF9 and I was thinking about getting one so we went to the range to shoot it, while it was ok the recoil was pretty snappy with regular 124 grain FMJ's. I wound up deciding against it and bought a Kahr PM9. My friend with the Keptec came to the range last week and shot my PM9 now he wants one of them instead, especially after seeing my groups out of the little PM9 copmpared to the Keltec.

I will say if you dont have the money for the Kahr, the keltec is a good gun. I ahve one of their P32's that I got when they just came out. Great little shooter too.

 

[mdwildcat04]

I was torn between the P11 and PF9. I went with the P11 for a few reasons.

1. higher capacity
2. the PF9 is still a new design
3. (most important ) It is what the shop had in stock

I love the gun, easy to conceal, and fires an easy to find ammo. Recoil was a little rough, but not as bad as I expected. Two magazines later, I was already use to the recoil. Normal 9mm causes an annoying muzzle flash, but Hornady Critical Defense seem to work perfectly!

 

[WestSider]

I was torn between the P11 and PF9. I went with the P11 for a few reasons.

1. higher capacity
2. the PF9 is still a new design
3. (most important ) It is what the shop had in stock

I love the gun, easy to conceal, and fires an easy to find ammo. Recoil was a little rough, but not as bad as I expected. Two magazines later, I was already use to the recoil. Normal 9mm causes an annoying muzzle flash, but Hornady Critical Defense seem to work perfectly!

Mind telling me where you found Critical Defense 9mm? I have been combing the local gun shops around Indy for weeks trying to find some, Out of stock everywhere...

Are you in Evansville?

 

[insidethebunker]

I bought a PF9 two years ago and mine was a dog... the more I shot it the more it jammed. I put well over 200 rounds and it got worse with time. I actually had dreams where it jammed when I got jumped. It got to the point that I gave up on it and bought an XD9-SC to carry, which I love and that is accurate as all get out with 300 rounds down the tube. I kept it clean and lubed. I bought 2 extra mags to see it was the mags. I found that longer ammo didn't jam as much. In the end it would jam 1 or 2 times a magazine. I was afraid it was me, limp writing, cause it does kick. 2 months ago a gunsmith told me to send it back to Keltec to have them look it over and I did. In the letter I sent with it I straight up told them I thought it might be me limp wristing. I just got it back yesterday from Keltec. Looks like it wasn't ALL me... they replaced the whole lower grip, unspecified internal parts, replaced 1 or 2 of the 3 magazines, and they polished the feed ramp and test fired it. It does now have the metal magazine release so maybe it is squared away. I'll take it to the range in the next week and see if that cured it. All an all it would take at least a 100 rounds to convince me to carry it and in the end I might just leave it in my GHB.

 

[techres]

Watch the video till the end, then you see other videos at the bottom. One is called "badpf9." It jams once with magazine #1, then something happens on the last round with magazine #2. Not sure if it was a different PF9 or what.

Sorry, I missed this post. I posted the original one to talk about recoil as an issue and recoil alone. That is why it stood alone as a movie and without the other one.

Reliability was a separate issue and I put up a thread with all the results I had at the time here. That second video is in the thread:

Range Report: Glock 26 & Kel-Tec PF9

That is a more detailed look at it.