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Gun Tests gives Kel-Tec PF-9 am F rating.

9K views 36 replies 36 participants last post by  Gibber 
#1 ·
Gun Test magazine August 2010 (pg. 24) Gives the PF-9 an "F" rating. "This pistol had the most felt recoil and was the least accurate -- We suspect from the heavy trigger."

This was among 11 other 9mm pistols (tested in 2007) beginning with the Springfield P192029LP which retailed at $1253.00.

I have to totally disagree with the review. While I would not give the PF-9 an "A" rating I think it deserves a "B-" or "C+" all things considered. It is a light weight 9mm pistol and as such it would have significant recoil. But for a pistol that can be had for well under $300.00 (Typically $259.00) I consider a decent buy.

Any thoughts?
 
#2 ·
Gun Test magazine August 2010 (pg. 24) Gives the PF-9 an "F" rating. "This pistol had the most felt recoil and was the least accurate -- We suspect from the heavy trigger."
Well, just from that quote alone, I'd give gun test an F. They sound like a bunch of pansy ninnys. Of course it has a lot of recoil; its a tiny pocket rocket. And of course the trigger sucks; its a cheap pistol. However, that should not have affected the accuracy of the gun; it boils down to the shooter not being able to handle a heavy trigger.
All things considered, Keltec does a great job in their nich market. Building inexpensive ccw pistols.
 
#29 ·
Ditto.

A gun that size and power is going to be right on the edge for a lot of people.

Online reviews of the PF9 will often say something like "recoil was brutal".

I just bought one, an impulse purchase. I've run most of a box of Remington FMJ through it. I did not find it at all painful or difficult to shoot. About par shooting .38 +P through my Taurus 605. The PF9 fills pretty much the same niche.

BTW, I don't think the trigger sucks.
 
#3 ·
Personally I would rate it a B- to a C+ at the least. F is WAY to low. And My grade isn't even taking into account the price, just the size ans weight. The gun is plenty accurate one you get the hang of the trigger. Does the article state how long they spend shooting the gun?
 
#4 ·
And SWAT Magazine in September 2008 gave the PF-9 glowing reviews.

For every review/rating, there's another out there somewhere that contradicts it... Which just goes to show that reviews/ratings in gun rags are basically worthless.
 
#8 ·
I would not give the one that I shot an F, maybe a C. It does have a lot more recoil than my Kahr P9 , the trigger isn't as good and I don't shoot it as accurate, but it didn't have any failures with 3 of us shooting it. My friends wife, whom he bought it for, shot it the best. Thin, lightweight, 9mm and cheaply priced, it has a market.
 
#9 ·
I got a couple of their rags and wrote them off. Eval'd far too many top of the line firearms (with good ratings) and too few economy class firearms (which naturally got lower ratings than the ToL models. It only makes sense that the $2000 custom job would work/handle/ be more accurate. While some of their comments were accurate, many were, like most reviews, simply personal opinions (didn't fit my hand well, etc.). Well, duh! No, a double stack .45 isn't going to fit too many women's hands.
 
#11 ·
I really don't give a rats behind what Gun Test magazine thinks, one of the worst magazine publishings I've ever delt with.
 
#18 ·
There's a reason I don't but gun magazines. Its all opinion and editorial and have denounce perfectly fine products while praising the virtues of garbage. They're basically full of gun snobbery. I'm sorry but I just remember all the horrible articles about Hydrostatic shock that ran around the publications that made certain ammunition seem like Jesus bullets. Maybe I'm a bit jaded.
 
#19 ·
I got a P11,12 +1 in a small package,I'm not gonna be shooting bullseyes at 25 yards,but at SD ranges,10 yds or less It will put them where I need em.You want honest reviews I would trust ordinairy people who carry and shoot them daily,not a gun that gets shipped and they do a one day review
 
#36 ·
i have never had any problems with any of my kel tec guns. they are not range guns they are carry guns.
^^^^^^I'm in this camp ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

On this one.
My p11 shoots alright. never failed to go pop. its light and conceals well.
 
#21 ·
Kel tec pf9

Have put appx. 300 rounds thru my pf-9. Recoil is hard, but you would expect that from a 13 oz 9mm. At 20yds all shots in probable body mass. It is a concealable defensive weapon. When needed it will be within 10', accuracy no problem. The heavy trigger is a safety measure. Give it 3/4 pull aim and fire ..no problem. Don't listen to reviews judge it yourself. Great weapon for the price........
 
#24 ·
I don't own a PF9, so I am neutral. Testing these & complaining about recoil, accuracy at a certain distance , is not the intended purpose of the little firearm. Tests & statistics can be found to suit anyone for any purpose. If I can carry it well concealed, it will function well, & I can hit a torso at 10 ft.,,, I'll take one.
 
#25 ·
I love statistics and survey and data crunching, however to cover every thing well it is beyond tedious and would send many of us to the loony bin :blink:! There are alot of variables when it comes to testing certain firearms and how you compare them to others... There summary in the most recent addition does not state why they failed the pistol and I disagree with them sometimes and here was one, I went out a bought a PF9. I have since sold it but not b/c I had any issues (I just wanted a J frame which was more versatile for me to carry in different positions) in fact a friend of mine has it and it is running fine for him too!

Here is the quote from that issue November 2007: "What we couldn’t tolerate was the trigger function. The trigger was the longest and heaviest of those tested, but we could have gotten used to it, if it were not for what we consider to be a design flaw. We believe in properly resetting the trigger after each shot to increase accuracy. After we fire a pistol we hold the trigger to the rear of the trigger guard and then release it forward until a click is heard, and then we apply steady pressure for the next shot. If you try that with this pistol, you will only hear a click instead of a bang.

According to the Kel-Tec manual on page 12 under the subhead "Malfunctioning," a misfire is most likely the result of faulty ammunition. Then, the manual continues, "Another potential cause is that the trigger was not allowed to fully reset after firing. The hammer is then dropped from the hammer block, which will not fire the cartridge.""

So they were staging the trigger for accuracy when they got their malfunctions... whether or not this was remedied by KT after 2007 their test pistol serial #R1541. I do not know but evidentally not many people listen/feel that first click when releasing the trigger, but I do not shoot the Sig DAK and am definitely not a huge authority on these things but I release my trigger all the way on all my pistols, I did not see why this was a problem for them and even though they allowed others at the range to shoot the KT they warned them of the trigger... is that posioning the sample, research and data is quite difficult to control... it is also possible they recv'd a lemon, it does after all happen, even to the "higher end companies".

I don't think they are intentionally biased, testing, recording and reporting make you the target because it is now in print, they are not my only source but they are one I use, if you only learn from one person you only know what they know and who they learned from... right? They often re-test some guns later, as the market changes so maybe they will or they won't, you could write or email them and see...

I think it is clear the PF 9 has a good reputation for what it is and it goes to show everyone of us has our preferences and should thoroughly test our equipment!
 
#27 ·
I agree, they should take price and weight into account when judging characteristics like trigger pull and felt recoil. However, I'm done with Kel-Tec pistols after my ejector broke in about the first year and seeing a cracked PF9 frame after just a few months use.
 
#28 ·
bad rating

Of course it has recoil. You buy this gun for the small package easily concealed high firepower, not as a 50 yard tournament gun. Get real: its a close range self defense weapon. Self defense, statistically is 2.3 shouts at 21'. I can do that with a beretta 950 in .25 auto. IF I had to use a gun in self defense, I'd rather have the PF9.
Yes, recoil does effect the second shot, however, with teh 9 MM you may not need a second shot.
My $.02
 
#32 ·
I think "F" is a bit harsh. It's an OK pistol for the price. Mine would completely choke on WWB, but that was simple to solve. It also wasn't crazy about GD's, so I fed it GS's and HST's. which were reliable. I sold it two years ago when I got my first Kahr.
 
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