Compulsive Shopping: Just Bought Another Gun!
I have GOT to stay out of gun shops. I have a terrible time trying to leave one without buying something, even when money is in short supply.
So, I wandered into a shop I don’t often visit and they have 75-feet of glass counters filled with pistols. You don’t find that that often in a Vermont gun store. Already my wallet is getting warm in the pocket.
A clerk comes over and asks what I’m looking for and I honestly state that it would be nice to have a cheap (not much money with me) and lightweight pistol for the pocket. Something I happen to be missing at the moment. I think his whole sales-pitch took about 30 seconds to sell me on a Kel-Tec PF9:
Naturally, I walked out with it. Don’t know much about Kel-Tec but next Sunday I plan to head to the range and try it out.
I’m (and this is what sold me) really impressed with the slim, “flatness” of it. It can’t be much more than the width of a 9mm cartridge. Very light and small, it slips easily into any pocket and doesn’t create much of a bulge or “sag” when there.
There’s no safety so for the moment I’ll just carry it un-chambered and hope I’ve got time to work the slide. It’s interesting that the trigger “swings” free when un-chambered. And, it was cheap. I bought an extra magazine for it, too.
Don’t know how it will shoot, yet, but I like it already.
Feel free to tell me I effed-up or that I made a wise-buy.
Have a great weekend and as always, thanks for stopping by!
27 Responses to “Compulsive Shopping: Just Bought Another Gun!”
on 01 Jun 2008 at 10:47 am # Kevin P.
Glock’s don’t have safeties either and it is entirely possible to carry them safely chambered. You just need the right holster that completely covers the trigger guard and is rigid enough to prevent the trigger from being activated.
on 01 Jun 2008 at 10:56 am # Gregory Morris
I love my P-32. Regardless of the low price, Kel-Tecs are good guns. Just find a good pocket holster for it. The trigger pull is long enough on my P-32 that I have pocket-carried it chambered without any worry… its not unlike a revolver really. There is also a belt-clip for the P-32 and P3AT (not sure about the PF-9.) Basically you can carry it clipped IWB without a holster at all. It works well, and I never felt the trigger was in danger of being pulled.
A quality pocket gun is always a good thing to have.
on 01 Jun 2008 at 11:56 am # Walt
Jeff:
I’ve been carrying a “Baby Browning” for more years than I care to remember. I have found that if you line the inside of your pants pocket with rip-stop nylon the pocket will not develop holes and the gun is less noticible and easier to take in or out, no drag. Any fabric store should have the rip-stop.
on 01 Jun 2008 at 12:03 pm # Daniel
Jeff,
Welcome to the land of impulse buying.
Although, now you have given me an idea for my next gun as well.
Arrg!
Although, I wish Maryland was as progressive (might that be right?) as Vermont. I would have to wait 7 days before collecting that purchase.
on 01 Jun 2008 at 12:14 pm # john
I just bought a kel tec p 32 and i love it! just watch out for lint build up from pocket carry!
on 01 Jun 2008 at 12:37 pm # ChillyWilly
I have found the DeSantis Nemesis to be the best pocket holster for my KelTec P3AT (380 auto).
Word of warning: firing the light KelTec is going to hurt. (The bad guy more than you. But still, don’t take a 100 box of WWB out to the range and expect to get through all of it in a day.)
Happy Shooting,
Will
on 01 Jun 2008 at 2:19 pm # Sevesteen
Keltecs are double action–They aren’t fully cocked until you pull the trigger, pretty much like a Glock. Like a double action revolver (that you haven’t manually cocked) as long as the trigger is covered, it is safe to carry.
I’ve got a P3AT, the smaller, 380 version. I’ve shot the PF9, and I think it is a little more comfortable than the .380–The gun is enough bigger to compensate for the difference in cartridge.
on 01 Jun 2008 at 9:24 pm # Justin Buist
I do that with a P3AT from time to time. It sits loaded in a desk drawer and if I hear something funny around the house into the pants it goes.
Quite handy.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 7:39 am # DCP
I have carried the Kel-tec P3AT for years. I carry it in a pager pal with the fake pager replaced by my cell phone holster.
No one has ever noticed anything.
YMMV, IANAL, NWEOI, etc.
DCP.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 9:08 am # Quentin
Jeff, down here in Texas lots of dealers have told me they sell more Kel-Tecs as CCW guns than any other brand. You’re in good company.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 10:04 am # Balhincher
Jeff, I have a P3AT Kel-Tec and find it very easy and convenient to carry. I use a nylon Uncle Mikes pocket holster and simply stick it in my jacket or pants pocket. The nylon holster is very inexpensive and seems to work just fine. The leather ones are very nice but much more expensive.
I would suggest a visit to the Kel-Tec user’s group at the link below. There is a lot of good information and exchange of ideas about your pistol and others there.
My little 380 has a pretty sharp recoil but doesn’t actually hurt. And it is surprisingly accurate for such a small and inexpensive gun. Much more than necessary for its intended purpose.
Have fun with your new nine mm.
http://www.ktog.org/
on 02 Jun 2008 at 10:57 am # John in MA
As the others have said, your Kel-Tec is safe to carry fully loaded. The long trigger pull makes it safe like a revolver. As with any new carry gun, shoot it a bunch to break it in and confirm reliability. Be sure to run a box of your carry ammo through it, too.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 11:01 am # Cepik
Jeff,
A co worker has the exact same gun and he swears by it. I have been looking at the Kel Tec Sub 2000 9 mm carbine but am having a rough time locating any. Now I feel that I HAVE to buy one!
on 02 Jun 2008 at 11:13 am # theirritablearchitect
I’m an early P-32 owner (serial in the HUNDREDS range), and I’ve carried it for over eight years now.
I shoot it very little, but recently did so while at the range, realizing I had several boxes of .32 ACP in the range box. Still shoots several inches low (at 15 yards, no less) and dead-on windage. Reaffirmation of why I carry it, in a Galco PH436 pocket holster. Considering how jamb-prone semi-rimmed cartridges are in autoloaders…well, this thing just sings!
I’ve looked at both the P3AT and your new PF9 with similar thoughts as yours.
You may want to check out the Kel-Tec Owners Group website for information sharing with others. I’ve found a couple tips over there that were quite helpful.
I doubt you’ll be disappointed with your purchase, sir.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 11:56 am # Greg
I carry a KelTec P40 (40S&W). It’s a great pistol. I haven’t had any problems with it in the 6 years I’ve had it. There’s a KelTec owner’s website: www.ktog.org/. They’re a pretty good group.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 12:58 pm # wrangler5
Do check out the KelTec owners website. There is an extensive body of lore and knowledge about how to make the P3AT (and the 32, I think, but I’ve only looked for the 380 stuff) more reliable out of the box. Generally referred to as a “fluff & buff”. I don’t know if there’s similar lore on the PF9, which is a lot newer, but it’s worth a look.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 3:04 pm # SteVe
Can’t add much to what’s already been said. I’ve had a P32 for a few years & last year added the PF9. They’re light guns, only meant to be shot enough to stay in practice. I had the clip that retains the assembly pin on the P32 break after about 600-800 rounds, but KelTec’s good service had a new one out to me in a couple days.
I haven’t had much luck feeding JHP’s thru the PF9, but I did find PowRballs seem to feed ok. I could send it back to KT, but now that warm weather is here, I’ll be pocket carrying most of the time. I use a http://www.jsholsters.com/ leather pocket holster for both KTs.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 7:37 pm # GreatBlueWhale
I like Kel-Tecs, but the slide always bites the web between my first finger and thumb. Otherwise, their fine little guns.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 7:38 pm # GreatBlueWhale
Gee whiz, I can’t spell at all today.
on 03 Jun 2008 at 12:24 am # Joe Carpenter
The PF-9 has a definite rise when firing, and the ?bevels? on the front and rear of the handgrip can dig in from being “sharp”/new. Either they’ll wear down, or just hit it with some 400grit.
Weird: I found by reading the manual, it says to drop the slide by pulling it back, not the “slide release” lever. I guess its made more for engaging the slide stop manually than dropping the slide?
I love my P32, probably going to do the PF9 thing soon.
on 03 Jun 2008 at 10:44 am # fuzzy
“Weird: I found by reading the manual, it says to drop the slide by pulling it back, not the “slide release” lever. I guess its made more for engaging the slide stop manually than dropping the slide?”
That’s pretty standard. The lever is there to engage the stop when the mag isn’t empty, as well as let the slide forward when the mag is empty. I’ve been told when you’re chambering rounds, you want the slide coming forward from the full recoil position, and without being “ridden” or slowed in any way. On the other hand, if you’re not chambering rounds, I believe you can damage the sear (at least on 1911’s) so you should ride the slide all the way into battery.
on 03 Jun 2008 at 11:29 am # Homer
Picked up a PF9 a few weeks ago because it fit a specific need, and the online reviews were pretty good.
Kel-Tec makes a belt clip that attaches to the right side, and it’s pretty easy to install. I didn’t notice any problem with the clip hitting my hand or getting in the way when I shot the gun.
I did notice that at 10 yards 130 gr Winchester White Box shot about 5″ high; I have several boxes of Federal 9BP (115 grain HP), which is what I intend to use in it, and that printed about 2-2.5″ high at 10 yards. Both rounds grouped well in the gun: standing Weaver produced about a 4-5″ group with the white box and 3-4″ with the 9BP. Close enough for carjacking distances.
The specific need? I had to attend a black tie event and there was no way I could wear the usual rig (HK full size USP in a Galco SSII shoulder rig) under my tux, a revolver of any size would bulge in my pocket, and I wanted something with a bit more snort than my 3AT. With the belt clip it worked perfectly because the gun is so thin. Off stage, I removed my tux jacket for a few minutes, forgetting that I had the PF9 clipped on. No one noticed it, because it’s black against a black tux and the belt clip holds it very low.
I’m not at all impressed with the trigger on the PF9 - very long, slightly gritty pull with a let-off deep in the trigger guard, which is difficult with my large hands - but I didn’t buy it for precision target work. I want to shoot it some more (next IPSC match I’ll take some white box along and run through a couple of stages with it after the match), but I think it just may replace my 38 snubbie as a pocket pistol.
on 03 Jun 2008 at 1:01 pm # John
I have or have had KT
P11
Sub-9
P32
P3AT
The P11 was my warm weather off-work carry for several years. Not the most fun to shoot, but those long DAO trigger pulls will really teach you good fundamentals- and when you switch to something like a Glock or 1911, you’ll be able to shoot like they’re full auto.
on 03 Jun 2008 at 3:57 pm # Carl H.
Kel-tec makes good little pistols. About 50% come out of the box with everything suiting their owner, the other half need a ‘fluff and buff’ or require a trip back to Kel-tec. DO NOT feel like the lone ranger if you have to send your pistol back, I have lots of friends with these and more than half either gunsmithed them to suit themselves or sent theirs back in. Universal happiness with the returned and/or slicked up product. Another thumbs up for the Kel-Tec owners group, a lot of great info there - tho’ much is for the older models.
Yours is just a bit large for me to pocket carry in summer, but that clip would work fine. IMHO, the P3AT is about as large as I like in a front pants pocket. DiSantis Nemeis is great, recommended for coat pocket carry - I don’t pocket carry a gun without a pocket holster. They’re dirt cheap, and cheap dirt and lint prevention. (I oughta write ad copy)
Enjoy your new pistol. Good buy. Keep selling small foreign cars and buying small American guns. That balance of trade suits me just fine.
on 03 Jun 2008 at 10:25 pm # HokiePundit
I’ve got a P-3AT and a Kahr PM9 and I’ve found that getting the magazine extension makes a massive world of difference to being able to control my shots.
on 04 Jun 2008 at 7:39 am # Jeff Soyer
Thanks for all the advice. The KTOG.com site is a good one.
BTW, my decision to go with 9mm instead of .380 or something else was strictly based on economy. I have a ton (okay, maybe 1/2 ton) of 9mm already on hand because I have my PT909 and my Marlin Camp Carbine. It simplifies things if I have a lot of guns all firing the same caliber. Also, I never seem to have problems with 9mm jamming. Must be the perfect shape for feeding or something . . .
on 04 Jun 2008 at 7:50 am # Cybrludite
Let’s put it this way: If I’m dressed, sober, and not at work, then I very probably have my P-32 near to hand. I’m convinced that if any of my guns ever save my life, it’ll probably be this one because I’ll most likely have it when I need it. It’s not a death-ray like my S&W 686 with the super-hot Buffalo Bore .357s or my 1911 with the Federal +P EFMJ, but it’s tiny and weighs less than a loaded magazine for the .45. As far as reliability goes, the only time I’ve ever had a problem was when I managed to hit the mag release while practicing my pocket draw.