Kel-Tec PF-9 slide broken; giving up on this platform

[1KPerDay]

Update: Few weeks ago I sent them my broken slide and the barrel (which they wanted back). Kel-Tec they emailed me and said I needed to send the entire pistol back in, which I refused to do, as it would cost me half of the value of the gun to ship. I asked them to simply replace the obviously defective slide. They replied that they could send me a slide and barrel only but they wouldn't guarantee that it would work properly. And that if I had problems in the future I would need to send the entire gun back in. I agreed to those terms and asked them to send me a complete slide and barrel.

Got a package from kel-tec today; apparently they decided not to replace the barrel (which I didn't understand anyway) and just sent me back my barrel with a new slide (same tan color which is fine by me). Work order said they replaced the slide, polished the feed ramp and fired for function, with no malfunctions.

Installed it on my replacement gripframe with original guts+Northwood trigger and fired 5 mags of 124 grain ball with zero malfunctions, including weak hand, strong hand only, and freestyle. So it's working again. Which is good. It'll take some time and more rounds before I stop crossing my fingers every time I pull the trigger though. LOL And I would NEVER carry this pistol or use it for anything other than a range demo now.

 

[Sarge7402]

Tell you what, I'll trade you even for a Rumanian 380 based on the PPK design.

 

[paulsj]

It's inexpensive carry gun probably not designed to be shot many hundreds of rounds.

 

[1KPerDay]

Still feel like that is totally unacceptable. Who ever heard of a pistol that's only good for a couple hundred rounds. By the time you can hit anything reliably you have to buy a new one and start over? Hogwash.

42 more rounds through it today. still works.

 

[stchman]

Not a fan of Kel Tec, I had a P11 and it was a jam-O-matic. Sold it. I have a S&W Shield 9 and it has shot hundreds of rounds with no issues.

 

[Englishmn]

Sold my pf9 didn't trust it, seemed like every time I shot it there would be a hole missing on the target, and I'm pretty sure it was not double punching. I won't carry anything I can't put all rounds on target. Never had any jamming or other issues. Went to a j frame 357 hurts to shoot but I hit good with it, much better than I could with the pf9.

 

[Blkhrt13]

It's as if you knew I read a review or two on the pf9 last night. So up this jumps. I know the shield is the current it but I wanted a hammer fire dao. Guess I should look at the ruger if I can find an older one.

 

[1KPerDay]

or try the new Springfield

 

[zaitcev]

I wanted a hammer fire dao. Guess I should look at the ruger if I can find an older one.

SIG P290RS

 

[Blkhrt13]

Will look at those as well

 

[Luger_carbine]

The SCCY CPX is also hammer fired DAO.

 

[Blkhrt13]

The SCCY CPX is also hammer fired DAO.

True that. But it's basically a p11 copy with some mods. After seeing the post about a sccy randomly going off due to some odd issue I'm off them too. Although I'm not sure it's generation.

 

[mjsdwash]

I would sell it quick. I like my Keltec, and never had a problem with it, but I did have a rock island that jammed frequently enough that I prepared to clear a jam every time I fired any 1911, every shot. It took hundreds of rounds after getting rid of it to get used to a gun that worked. You may have a perfect gun now, but you may never really be confident in it.

 

[Kahrmine]

The price difference in the offerings from Keltec, Taurus, and Canik, among others in their class, is not worth the difference. Especially when you can just spend a little bit more and get yourself a Ruger and enjoy and trust your weapon.

If money is no object, there are plenty of quality firearm manufacturers out there.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Send it back, get them to fix it or replace it then sell it if you don't feel comfortable with it.

I've had a PF9 for many years that I bought new. What I've seen is people either have stories like this or don't have any problems. I've yet to see any stories in between. Couple this with the PF9 being marketed as an inexpensive carry gun, many went to new shooters like I was. So I take many of the critical stories with a grain of salt.

My experience is that the only issues I've had were due to key inexperience with shooting when I got it. Hence my statement above. I'd get failures because of holding it with bad form. Once I figured this out, all been good. Well that and initially cleaning really well and making sure it was lubed well and that any rough spots were smoothed over.

So sure as a maker of inexpensive products, Kel-Tec has made some that need warranty work. But I've only heard good things about their service.

 

[Blkhrt13]

Credit must be given they were a trendsetter in the conceal carry market. I've been ogling the pf9 forever. But I see cracked frames and slides and think nope.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Credit must be given they were a trendsetter in the conceal carry market. I've been ogling the pf9 forever. But I see cracked frames and slides and think nope.

My thought is if OP gets it fixed or replaced hopefully they'd sell it at a good price so someone can get a deal.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

, including weak hand, strong hand only, and freestyle.

Is that where you shoot behind you between your legs?

LOL And I would NEVER carry this pistol or use it for anything other than a range demo now.

That's a real bummer because typically small carry guns are not particularly fun to shoot recreationally. Of course there are exceptions. Is this one of them?

I had an FNP 45 as my bedside gun. It ran great through the first few hundred rounds, and then the magazine springs all failed. I replaced them, but I never did get the thing running 100%. Even if I had FN fix the gun, I never would have trusted it for defense again. I got rid of it, and haven't been able to buy an FN product since.

That may change though.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Is that where you shoot behind you between your legs?

That's a real bummer because typically small carry guns are not particularly fun to shoot recreationally. Of course there are exceptions. Is this one of them?

I had an FNP 45 as my bedside gun. It ran great through the first few hundred rounds, and then the magazine springs all failed. I replaced them, but I never did get the thing running 100%. Even if I had FN fix the gun, I never would have trusted it for defense again. I got rid of it, and haven't been able to buy an FN product since.

That may change though.

I don't think the PF9 is too fun to shoot. I also have an XDS45 and the 45 is much more enjoyable to shoot. Much better build quality, better distribution of the recoil, and overall just a much better gun. But then again it cost almost twice as much as the PF9.

That said, I'm also a fairly strong guy so I'm sure it may even be worse for some. I typically go to the range, do what I plan to do as far as work on skills then when I'm done shoot a few magazines with the XDs 45 and the PF9. But this is when I'm done with everything else so I'm not sore, tired, and beat up by them.

 

[1KPerDay]

Is that where you shoot behind you between your legs?

That's a real bummer because typically small carry guns are not particularly fun to shoot recreationally. Of course there are exceptions. Is this one of them?

No. With the stock trigger it is positively unpleasant to shoot, particularly with defensive ammo. With the Northwood trigger in the trigger sting is mostly gone and I can shoot about 5 mags through it before I start flinching and missing. I mostly intend it to be part of the small 9s I keep to let friends try at the range who are considering carrying one. Kahr PM9 (which is amazing), Glock 43, Shield 9, etc. Most people who like or at least can handle the aforementioned small 9s shoot a few shots through the PF-9 and decide they don't like it and would never buy one. Those other three are fun to shoot (for me) and well made pistols. The PF-9... not so much.