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My sister just got her ccw permit, but she still doesn't have a pistol and I stumbled across a kel-tec pf-9 the other day at a gun show. For the type of carrying she will do and the very affordable price point of under $300 is it a good reliable carry gun?
PF9's tend to be kind of hit or miss. Some run like like Swiss watches and some run like crap. If your not used to a DA trigger the trigger can be a bit hard to master and because of the extreme light weight they are generally not terribly fun to shoot. That being said, if you get a good one it can be a great a carry gun. If your willing to spend a couple bucks more the Kahr CM/CW series have a better trigger and are generally said to be of higher quality while still keeping close to the specs of the PF9.
Mine has been perfect. No problems whatsoever. My 17 yo son shoots it well and very accurately.
It is plain jane, but does the job. IMO, a bargain at $270.
Sigman:
I don't own one, but Rollo's description is accurate from all accounts. If you get a good one it's great; if you get a bad one, well you know. One thing though is that Keltec's service is excellent.
One more thing ....the gun is only 12 oz. and it can beat your sister up pretty good if she's new to shooting. There are better choices out there. Look at some of the Ruger line of guns. For $100 more, she can get an LC9 which is about the same size as the PF9, but 17 oz. and reliable.
I concur with the previous posters. I own a PF9 now and have had good luck with mine. That being said they are not considered by most to be fun to shoot and they can be easy to limp wrist due to the light weight. If she was my friend or family and a new shooter, I would suggest something else, a little more user friendly. The S&W Shield sounds promising but hard to find. Maybe a Kahr CW9/CM9? Ruger LC9 is a good candidate as mentioned.
I own one, and it is the sorriest POS in the gun safe, which it never leaves anymore.
Mine was a lemon, on the upside, Keltec has great customer service.......you will probably need it.
I would look at the Ruger LC9 / Smith and Wesson Shield / Kahr CM9. Just a little bit more in price, and a much better product.
Dont be cheap when it comes to something your life may depend upon.
Most of them work well. The guns that don't run will be made right by kel tec's customer service department. The important thing is making sure the gun you have works. You can't just buy the thing and carry it assuming it will work. Instead you have to take it to the range and make sure the gun will work with the ammunition you intend to carry. They aren't perfect, but they work- sometimes it just takes a little effort to get it that way.
Mine was a problem from the start. Sent mags back to factory for new ones, Sent the weapon back once came back with a new extractor and still had issues. Left it with a local gunsmith that polished the feed ramp, removed a burr from the new extractor. It shot fine for about 200 rounds, then had issues again.
They are temper mental and are a harsh gun to shoot for anyone. Definitely not a gun you want to shoot several hundred rounds thru at the renage, and with the tempermental issues, they, in my opinion are not dependable enough for self defense carry.
Traded it to a local gun shop for a new XDS. Have over 1000 rounds thru the XDS, no issues. Range ammo, self defense ammo, eats it all! And, with the 5 round mags and the
Pearce grip extensions I put on it it is easier and more gentle to shoot then the PF9.
I have a PF9 and it works for me. For a new shooter or someone who is recoil sensitive this is not the option. I would opt for a softer shooting 9 mm or even a revolver. If she has a chance to shoot a couple of different guns at a range before purchasing that would be best.
My wife thought it was great.
Until she shot it. Sore hands after less than a box of ammo and a handful to get repeat on target shots.
Sold it the next day.
I could never get enough ammo through mine to develop sore hands, but it definitely has unpleasant recoil.Quote:
Originally Posted by NC Bullseye
Biggest POS I ever owned. I would never trust my life to a Kel Tec.
I actually like shooting mine, but it has had a few problems, and I will echo what the other posters have said about it being a poor choice for a new shooter.
I always bring it when I take a new shooter to the range, and they always walk away reconsidering the tiny lightweight gun they thought they wanted (whatever the make). Big guns are just easier to shoot.
IMO the Ruger LCP conceals better, has very manageable recoil, and is accurate if you can live with the .380. In the same price range as the PF-9 is also the SCCY, which seems to be getting quite a bit of traction in the gun magazines lately. It is thicker than the PF-9 (I think it's based on a KelTec P-11), but it feels good in the hand and should be more pleasant to shoot.
I had two of them. The first one was great. After a while I picked up a second one just to have an extra one. After 400 rounds of break-in ( VERY painful by the way ) It still could not get thru a clip with out a jam, FTF or a stove pipe. I sent it back and got a new one but had lost confidence in the gun. I went to the Walther PPS.