Who has any experience with Kel Tec pistols here?

[ram57ta]

I'm not ready to buy yet...just looking at reviews and trying to determine what CCW weapon I ultimately want to go with. I am seriously looking at the Kel Tec PF9 for its thin profile, light weight, and the price doesn't hurt. I'm not impressed with the thickness of the Khar PM9 so I'm not considering it. I looked at the Ruger LC9 earlier but personally don't think I like the awkward safety given the gun is already a long trigger double action...and appears to be a copy of the Kel Tec. I don't want anything smaller than 9mm. Anyone got any experienced opinions here?

[LANTIRN]

No experience with Kel Tec, but my wife has a Khar CW9. I am 5'6", medium build, and I can conceal that gun without even trying; if I went and bought a decent inside-the-waist-band holster I'd be able to conceal it wearing little more than tighty-whities and a wife beater. After we broke it in the CW9 has run like a champ; trigger pull is a little long but very smooth; even recoil is not bad. I had my doubts about the gun at first but I really have a hard time finding something negative to say about it; the only thing bad I can say about it really is that it does not hold that many rounds, but that is why it is so thin. It does the job it is built for very well.

[ram57ta]

Yeah from looking at the two Khar's side by side and talking with the very biased sales person he made it clear there's very little difference between the PM9 and the CW9...one has a stainless slide and one doesn't...and the price difference is 100 between the two. It just feels a bit fat compared to the KT and Ruger. They had a 9mm Diamondback DB9 which is rediculously tiny for a 9mm...but I've read several reports of the guns blowing apart after a few rounds which is something I would prefer not deal with..plus they kick like a mule. The Kel Tec's seem to have a pretty good history once they've been broken in and cleaned and they also have a great warranty.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Yeah from looking at the two Khar's side by side and talking with the very biased sales person he made it clear there's very little difference between the PM9 and the CW9...one has a stainless slide and one doesn't...and the price difference is 100 between the two. It just feels a bit fat compared to the KT and Ruger. They had a 9mm Diamondback DB9 which is rediculously tiny for a 9mm...but I've read several reports of the guns blowing apart after a few rounds which is something I would prefer not deal with..plus they kick like a mule. The Kel Tec's seem to have a pretty good history once they've been broken in and cleaned and they also have a great warranty.

The PM9 is a great gun. The pf9 will do what you need it to, but it's not a quality piece by any stretch of the imagination. But like you said, it's .02" thinner. It's also significantly taller/longer.

The difference between the PM9 and CM9 are as follows
PM 9 CM9
2 magazines 1 magazine
hex rifling traditional rifling
scroll engraving line engraving
forged slide stop MIM slide stop
metal front sight plastic front sight



I'll tell you right now that the PM9 / CM9 are 10x the gun that the Kel Tec is. Don't get me wrong, I like the Kel Tec, but it's 250$ for a reason.

You won't find an easier to shoot pocket 9mm than the Kahr.

[Droppedlime]

I recently bought a PF9 after so many members on here and other forums gave good reviews. I haven't looked back yet, $250 from Buds. I have about 130 rounds and only 3 FTE. Those all came from dirty ass WWB ammo that I will never buy again. It is a very good gun for the money, and easily concealable.

[LANTIRN]

I recently bought a PF9 after so many members on here and other forums gave good reviews. I haven't looked back yet, $250 from Buds. I have about 130 rounds and only 3 FTE. Those all came from dirty ass WWB ammo that I will never buy again. It is a very good gun for the money, and easily concealable.

I don't know what the complaint is with Winchester White Box; I use that ammo a lot and I don't have any complaints. Any gun can have problems, and any ammo manufacturer can have the occasional problem as well. WWB has performed just a good as any other "budget" ammo I have tried. Actually for several years WWB was the only ammo I bought for my handguns and I seldom had a problem. The only reason I use other brands now is that Remington and Blazer are available in greater quantities and if bought online at cheaper prices so I have been buying more of them; still with very few problems. Blazer 9mm has given me zero problems with my XDM and the only problems I remember with my CW9 were during the break-in period. I still buy WWB on occasion when I am picking up last minute stuff at Academy and I really don't have any complaints about it, with the exception of the very occasional failure to fire which I find in all brands from time to time.

[ThreeFingerPete]

I recently bought a PF9 after so many members on here and other forums gave good reviews. I haven't looked back yet, $250 from Buds. I have about 130 rounds and only 3 FTE. Those all came from dirty ass WWB ammo that I will never buy again. It is a very good gun for the money, and easily concealable.

If you think WWB is dirty, then don't bother shooting 9/10ths of the other ammo on the shelves.

[helosailor]

If you think WWB is dirty, then don't bother shooting 9/10ths of the other ammo on the shelves.

Bingo!

[Grimpala]

I don't know what the complaint is with Winchester White Box; I use that ammo a lot and I don't have any complaints. Any gun can have problems, and any ammo manufacturer can have the occasional problem as well. WWB has performed just a good as any other "budget" ammo I have tried. Actually for several years WWB was the only ammo I bought for my handguns and I seldom had a problem. The only reason I use other brands now is that Remington and Blazer are available in greater quantities and if bought online at cheaper prices so I have been buying more of them; still with very few problems. Blazer 9mm has given me zero problems with my XDM and the only problems I remember with my CW9 were during the break-in period. I still buy WWB on occasion when I am picking up last minute stuff at Academy and I really don't have any complaints about it, with the exception of the very occasional failure to fire which I find in all brands from time to time.

All I've ever shot out of my .40 XDm is WWB, never had an issue with it.

[EW]

x5! I have never had an issue with any of their ammo and I would not call it dirty at all.
A single stack kahr is plenty thin. I would never own a kel-tec.

[Moose242]

I have a kel-tec PMR30 and it is very fun to shoot, but it is more of a gimmick than anything else.

It is quasi reliable and I would take it camping/hiking, but I do not think I would trust my life to a kel-tec product. The way I see it is that if you are going to carry something that may one day save your life, you need to splurge a little.

[ceyko]

I'm not ready to buy yet...just looking at reviews and trying to determine what CCW weapon I ultimately want to go with. I am seriously looking at the Kel Tec PF9 for its thin profile, light weight, and the price doesn't hurt. I'm not impressed with the thickness of the Khar PM9 so I'm not considering it. I looked at the Ruger LC9 earlier but personally don't think I like the awkward safety given the gun is already a long trigger double action...and appears to be a copy of the Kel Tec. I don't want anything smaller than 9mm. Anyone got any experienced opinions here?

Just out of curiosity are you set on 9mm or would 380 work?

[LANTIRN]

I have a kel-tec PMR30 and it is very fun to shoot, but it is more of a gimmick than anything else.

It is quasi reliable and I would take it camping/hiking, but I do not think I would trust my life to a kel-tec product. The way I see it is that if you are going to carry something that may one day save your life, you need to splurge a little.

I would tend to agree, except that that doesn't mean you have to go out and buy a $1,500 handgun. There are plenty of very reliable guns in the $500 - $1,000 price range (glock, XD and XDM come to mind). That being said I totally agree that I would not trust my life to a $200 gun just because it was cheap. If I buy something for protection, a shitload of research into reviews goes into it, and then ample time at the range firing HUNDREDS of rounds though it to make sure it is reliable. Trust in guns has to be earned.

[Moose242]

I would tend to agree, except that that doesn't mean you have to go out and buy a $1,500 handgun. There are plenty of very reliable guns in the $500 - $1,000 price range (glock, XD and XDM come to mind). That being said I totally agree that I would not trust my life to a $200 gun just because it was cheap. If I buy something for protection, a shitload of research into reviews goes into it, and then ample time at the range firing HUNDREDS of rounds though it to make sure it is reliable. Trust in guns has to be earned.

I agree 100%. $500 can get you one hell of a carry gun these days.

Hell, my every day carry is a smith and wesson J frame I got for $400!

[Droppedlime]

If you think WWB is dirty, then don't bother shooting 9/10ths of the other ammo on the shelves.

That's fine with me atleast it ejects!

I've just had better luck with Federal and Remington UMC for plinking. I know all ammo is dependent on a gun by gun basis. Some guns will like it and others won't.