I am shopping with my girlfriend for carry-friendly 9mm compacts (for her).  We found an interesting Kel Tec P11 in a local gun shop.  I'm not too familiar with the brand, and wanted opinions on reliability, durability, etc....

Hoping to run across someone at the range that will allow us to pop a few rounds.  Until then, please hit me with your experiences.  Thanks!

 Hiya Squib,

 I have a P11 that I bought new about 3 months ago, about 200 rounds through it.  The only FTE and FTF were from limp wristing it.  I've been shooting cheap Russian steel cased and CCI Blazer through it.
 I don't think I'd recommend it as a carry weapon for your GF unless she's got really strong hands.  My wife can barely rack the slide and she has to cover the ejection port with her hand when she does.  The recoil is sharp and abrupt, I think mainly due to its light weight.  It will end up bruising your hand after an extended shooting session.
 The trigger pull is long and hard, enough so that my hands start trembling after about 20 shots.  
  You may want to check the Kel-Tec owners group.  I have found it to be very reliable just not very refined.

mike

www.ktog.org

Should find all the info you need there.  I want one but have not been able to swing it yet.

I'll second what mm38 said about the sharp recoil. I damn near dropped it the first time I shot it!  Mine has never had any kind of malfunction after about 500 rnds or so.  I carry mine just about every day, but it does have a slide that most women find difficult to rack and I think that the trigger is set at about 37 lbs or so.  My wife shot mine once and promptly handed it back to me and said "no way".  I would definitely have her try it out before you bought it, but then again it's cheap enough to buy and if she doesn't like it you can just keep it for your self.

YMMV

Thanks for the info, guys!  We're still looking around, and I'm insisting that she shoots them first to see if she likes the feel.

I'll check out the link now.

My experience with the P11 was horrible. It has easily the worst trigger pull in all of the concealed handgun world. The P32 does not seem to suffer from this. My wife glanced at them(P11s) when we were CCW shopping, but she settled on a Glock 19 (with the ambition to steal my G26). The P11 is probably just fine if you are really pressed by budget constraints, but my personal experience is that I'll pay more for a gun I can shoot well. I could not shoot the P11 well enough to justify carrying it.

Quoted: My experience with the P11 was horrible. It has easily the worst trigger pull in all of the concealed handgun world. The P32 does not seem to suffer from this. My wife glanced at them(P11s) when we were CCW shopping, but she settled on a Glock 19 (with the ambition to steal my G26). The P11 is probably just fine if you are really pressed by budget constraints, but my personal experience is that I'll pay more for a gun I can shoot well. I could not shoot the P11 well enough to justify carrying it.

After reading the above posts, she started looking around again.  Lately she's looking at the G26 or G27, which I don't mind being a Glock owner myself.  No worries about stealing mine, however, as I shoot .45 and she's looking for a little less kick.

Also has the added benefit of being more likely to run into someone else at the range who has one (Glock).  Easier to mooch a few test rounds.  

Well, hell. "Sharp recoil", "owie", "ewww, I almost dropped it"...there is one thing you guys forgot: "Can't hit shit with it."

Wimps, no wonder the .mil switched to .223 :P

Quoted: Well, hell. "Sharp recoil", "owie", "ewww, I almost dropped it"...there is one thing you guys forgot: "Can't hit shit with it." Wimps, no wonder the .mil switched to .223 :P

Huh?

Quoted: Quoted: My experience with the P11 was horrible. It has easily the worst trigger pull in all of the concealed handgun world. The P32 does not seem to suffer from this. My wife glanced at them(P11s) when we were CCW shopping, but she settled on a Glock 19 (with the ambition to steal my G26). The P11 is probably just fine if you are really pressed by budget constraints, but my personal experience is that I'll pay more for a gun I can shoot well. I could not shoot the P11 well enough to justify carrying it. After reading the above posts, she started looking around again.  Lately she's looking at the G26 or G27, which I don't mind being a Glock owner myself.  No worries about stealing mine, however, as I shoot .45 and she's looking for a little less kick. Also has the added benefit of being more likely to run into someone else at the range who has one (Glock).  Easier to mooch a few test rounds.

I've never shot a 26, but I have a 27 and again my wife hates it.  It has a very snappy, sharp recoil.  The .40 is a pretty powerful round for that small of a pistol.  Again, have her try it out.  Personally I love my 27 (and BTW I CAN shoot very nice groups out of my 27 as well as my Kel Tec.)and my P11, but you really need to practice with them because they do shoot differently than full sized pistols.

In comparing to a Glock, I like the fact that in the event of a misfire you do have 2nd strike capability.
And they are more reload friendly, if thats a concern.

The way I found to start shootin' a Kel-Tec (or most any other gun) is to start close and work your way back, adjusting sights along the way.

 I haven't really had a problem hitting the targets.  I can place all the shots within an 8" circle at 7 yards and put all into a silhouette at 25 yards.  Not easy though, after 1 or 2 magazines my hands start trembling when I put pressure on the trigger.
 It's definitely a point and pull.  Close in it's more than adequate, but don't expect to compete in Bullseye competition with it.

mike