[davek128]

Last year I purchased an P 11. Other than a Pellet Gun its been my first handgun. Living in New Jersey; obtaining a pistol permit can be rather a big PITA. Criminal background check, mental health check, fingerprinting, etc etc...And once you get the permit, its only good for 90 days. And you can only buy 1 pistol every 30 days.... You can renew it once...After that its no good. Our choices of gun stores are a bit limited here and most of them stock the expensive models, Glock, S&W, Ruger, Kimber, etc. I asked them what the cheapest 9mm they had was, and it was a Taurus for $500 to $600 (not sure of the model number) When I asked for something a little cheaper they laughed at me....Well anyway with my time running out on the permit, not the mention that it was Winter time and snow storms, I did some research and purchased a P11. It was inexpensive; roughtly $265. After Watching Youtube videos and seeing bad things about Keltec, I wondered if I made a mistake....maybe I should have bought a SCCY or the Taurus.... Well anyway I didnt fire it as there are not too many ranges here...plus my wifes honey do this list....Well this past summer an indoor range opened up in the next town to me and I took my P-11 there...Boy was I impressed....this is really a nice gun... Recoil is not too bad...I put about 50 rounds thru it.... I fired my friends Sig P226.... but like my Keltec P-11 better...Just wish I had the chrome colored slide.....maybe I could spray paint it...

 

[TxCajun]

The P11 is a very good gun and I'm glad you like yours. Don't forget to clean and lube after shooting. Generally speaking, spray painting the slide is not a good idea. It doesn't hold up and leaves a mess behind. You could, in the future, have the slide refinished. Cerecoat and other finishes come in a variety of colors.

 

[jonnin]

heh, so now you know how much value to put on internet information about products.

All the cheap gun manufacturers have a bad rep online because the hard core gun nuts can't believe that you can get a good gun for less than 500 or so dollars. Some of this dates back to the days when cheap guns actually blew up at an alarming rate (early 60s). Some of it is just snobbery. Kel tec has procuded some guns that didn't work. So has every other company out there. My first sig needed gunsmithing work out of the box (cheaper than mailing it back) and I had a S&W revolver that was a total failure. Stuff happens in mass production and assembly to every single manufacturer. Even browning, a fairly snobbish brand, made some rifles with salt treated wood that rusted out inside before they left the factory. Sccy has a bad rep too, but they have been improving their quality. Taurus started out making some junk, and produces quality products now.

Glad you are satisfied with your pistol. I can't imagine having to live in a police state like that. I would be about 150 years old to have had to buy my guns one per month!

 

[boomerweps]

I had ARGUE with the salesman at my LGS and get the owner involved just to get them to order me a P11. A year or two later and they're now carrying the KelTec line ;(

 

[jonnin]

Why the frowny ... sounds like you might have been a key player in making that happen, which has to be a good thing. Annoying to have to pay the shipping fee, but a good outcome.

 

[davek128]

NJ info

heh, so now you know how much value to put on internet information about products.

All the cheap gun manufacturers have a bad rep online because the hard core gun nuts can't believe that you can get a good gun for less than 500 or so dollars. Some of this dates back to the days when cheap guns actually blew up at an alarming rate (early 60s). Some of it is just snobbery. Kel tec has procuded some guns that didn't work. So has every other company out there. My first sig needed gunsmithing work out of the box (cheaper than mailing it back) and I had a S&W revolver that was a total failure. Stuff happens in mass production and assembly to every single manufacturer. Even browning, a fairly snobbish brand, made some rifles with salt treated wood that rusted out inside before they left the factory. Sccy has a bad rep too, but they have been improving their quality. Taurus started out making some junk, and produces quality products now.

Glad you are satisfied with your pistol. I can't imagine having to live in a police state like that. I would be about 150 years old to have had to buy my guns one per month!

You can only obtain 3 pistol permits at a time...so technically i could buy 3 pistols in 3 months, go thru the crapola to get 3 more pistol permits and buy 3 more (if i could afford them) Rifles are a different story, you can buy as many as you like (or afford !!) even a bb or pellet gun pistol needs a pistol permit....and NYC is even worse the NJ....but this is where the job market and family is....

 

[gordon11]

I got rid of my P11 long ago, but only because my hands are in rough shape and I finally got to where I couldn't handle the trigger pull at the range. It's not really a range pistol, but I do shoot my carry guns. All of that said, I'm still a huge P11 fan and often recommend them. 90% of the population probably doesn't have the hand strength issues that I deal with, and when you take that out of the equation, it's hard to beat the utilitarian function of the P11. I put over 1600 flawless rounds through mine before I sold it. I'm rare on this, but I actually like the "strictly business" appearance of them.
Congrats on your purchase.

 

[850sub]

I shot my P-11 yesterday. And as usual, after a couple mags I was done. I can't imagine (OK, I can, but you get my point) shooting a P-40. I guess I really only got it to go with my Sub-9 and S&W 5903 (see first post in the post a pic any pic thread) that, and it was o.d. green and much less than $300. I love the compact capacity, but the PF-9 is easier to shoot. True, its not a range gun. More like a belly gun (stick it in bad guys belly and pull trigger). I just can't shoot it enough to be proficient with it. I get over 8" spreads at 10 yards. That's not good enough for me. I had the factory go over it, replacing the trigger and sights and had them re-park my barrel while they had it. I got pop's trigger, but have yet to install it... But it has been 100 percent reliable.

 

[buzzsaw]

850sub,

Didn't you shoot my P-40 at Phideaux's last year or the year before? I do agree that it is not a range pounder, and neither is the P-11. I did once fire 50 rounds through the P-40 in a single session. My trigger finger was stiff, and my hand was numb after that. When I switched to my Glock 17, it got to bouncing, and I bump fired about 12 rounds before I got it stopped. I did manage to keep it on paper. Several other shooters were staring at me, presumably thinking I had a full-auto Glock 18. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to reproduce that particular manual disposition since.

buzzsaw-in Georgia, where at least one city has mandatory gun ownership. Take that! New Jersey and NYC.

 

[Super Buick]

Dave, I have experienced the same thing. It seem like some people desperately want to believe that the $600 or more they paid means they have a superior firearm and makes them better than others who paid less. It's quite an interesting dynamic.
Glad you like it and this site is an excellent resource for any p11 related questions you have.

 

[HitManX]

I am unsure if I could pay $600 for a Taurus. Arrogant gun stores make me laugh, just watch how long they will stay in business when they are condescending to their customers.

My P11 had a few quirks initially, the spring was too weak that held the slide retaining pin in place. It would work itself out after a bit of firing. Five minutes on the bench to tweak it and never a problem since. I have not been carrying it lately, opting to pack a .45 auto due to the current issues we have going on down here in Dallas/Fort Worth area. The P11 has turned into my backup for now.

I picked up a P40 top end for it a while back, shoots like a snubnose 357. Pretty fun.



Best thing to do for the P11 is the metal trigger, I believe mine is from Northwood. Nab some more mags and some of the P40 mag extensions, they are awesome.

http://www.keltecweapons.com/p-40-discontinued/p-40-accessories/p40-1-extension/

 

[warthog]

Ive carried my P11 for 15 years now. Only stoppage I've ever had was the ejector breaking. That was in year 12, and KT took right care of me. I never have shot many +P rounds, always standard pressure. After all! You're not going to be further than 10 feet from a perp, don't see the need for +P

 

[kingplanet]

Kennesaw, GA here- where it's the law to own a gun in the city limits if you're a homeowner
I've had zero issues with my P-11 after 450 rounds. I did put a Hogue sleeve on it and feels great.

 

[archiballsholebroke]

I have carried legally in S.C. now for 40 years this year. I carried 2 S&W J frames for over 20 of those years. Then I tried 2 G26s, too heavy. Then I went with 2 KT P11s. The KT11s weighed LOADED what the G26s weighed empty! The P11s were 100% reliable with 115 grain ball, but not with anything else. 147s were a no go! So now I am back to 2 revolvers. I now am carrying 2 Taurus Views. With 148 grain plated full wadcutters they weigh 11 ounces on the postal scales. I live on my own range and have a 25-100-300 yard ranges. All metal reactive targets. I am the "B" in B&M Rifles. Feel free to Google it. My range is not open to the public, it is invite only..You members of this site are NOW invited to stop and visit if you find yourself around Myrtle Beach, S.C. For over 50 years I have shot in all disciplines except 2700. And have been successful. Do not fail to contact me if I can be of any service. As for my daily carry? The quest continues. Remember!!! Carry every step-shoot every day!!

 

[sargecol115]

Dang Archiball, why not just carry the 50 B & M........it seems light enough!!!

 

[archiballsholebroke]

Sarge, just got back..got a little hurricane going on here in the Myrtle Beach area. Thanks for looking at the B&M Rifles site. Hope you liked it! The 16 inch 50s weigh just a shade over 6 pounds. Launching a 500 grain bullet at almost 2,300 fps. Carry alot..shoot a little. Since I was outside in the rain this afternoon I am carrying my KelTec pmr30. I can't say enough about these guns..great! CCI mini mags of 40 grains give 100% reliability. Going back out to make sure everything is in place here at The Battery Oaks Range. I will check in tomorrow if we still have power.

 

[KCAutoBob]

Wondered if I made a mistake buying a P-11 -not really

Reading this thread has got me smiling. There have been times when I thought maybe so... I bought my P-11 back in '97 when I was looking for something to carry but easier to hide. I was in a gunshop in Parker, AZ and got the recommendation on it. Looked at Makarovs, oh, all sorts of pistols, but ended up walking out with the P-11. Trying to learn to shoot the darn little thing was frustrating and got me blisters on my trigger finger. I think that was the worst thing- that darned trigger! I could qualify with it quarterly, but as far as reliability, my finger was more the problem than the pistol. Years went by... and then a while back I caught wind of the Northwood trigger (Pop's) and as Uncle Si says, "HEY" I bought one and installed it. It wasn't hard to do. And like others had claimed, I loved it.
No more blisters, no pinched fingers, it seemed like a different gun! It doesn't change the heavy trigger pull, or anything like that. ( It does reduce over-travel, true...) It was just easier to pull the trigger. Hey...
I actually got pretty good with it. Now, because I modified something other than the sights, and changing department regulations, I can't carry it right now. What do I carry? Either a Kahr PM9, or a 9mm Shield. But I really do miss the P-11. It's small, lightweight, better capacity (10, 12, or 15 round S&W 69 or 59 magazines fit in the thing) and it has proven to be superbly reliable. In a few months I'll retire, move to a state of sanity (out of CA!) and I'll probably go back to carrying the P-11 By the way, mine is just plain ol' black, except where there's holster wear... P.s.: forgot one thing that helped, too - the Hogue Handall Jr.