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Kel-Tec PF9
Review
I
recently picked up a 'lightly used' Kel-Tec PF-9 that the original
owner had accessorized and thought that I'd share... The original
owner reportedly didn't like the recoil and traded it in. I got a
very good deal on
this gun or
I would have been unlikely to
consider it...
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
Calibers:
9x19mm
Weight
unloaded (no magazine) : 12.7 oz.
Loaded
magazine : 2.8 oz.
Loaded weight
w/Laser: 20 oz.
Length
: 5-13/16"
Height
: 4-5/8" (as shown)
Width
: .88" (1-3/16" incl. Pocket Clip)
Barrel Length
: 3.1"
Capacity
: 7 + 1 rounds
Accessories:
Magazine Grip
Extension Plate
Pocket/belt
clip
Arma-Laser for
PF-9
The PF-9 is a
locked-breech delayed recoil semi-automatic with a revolver-style
double-action (only) trigger, a steel slide and a polymer frame.
It's maker bills it as the flattest and lightest 9mm ever
made. The gun's manufacturer says that you can run a
limited quantity of +P ammo through the gun but that firing excessive
amounts of this ammunition will accelerate wear. The pistol is provided
with a 5/64 inch Allen Wrench to allow removal of the extractor.
. The Magazine Grip Extension Plate was provided with the gun
when new along with a standard flat magazine base plate. The
standard sights are high-visibility three-dot sights. This model has
the contrasting hard-chromed slide and has an MSRP of $390 though you
can get them quite a bit cheaper than that on the open market. The
Arma-Laser unit is specific to the PF-9 and retails for $159- again
these are commonly available for rather less than that. The laser is
adjustable for elevation and windage with the Allen Wrench provided
with the laser. The polymer casing of the laser is a good match
for the gun's frame.
TESTING
I took this
gun out to the local range to try it out naturally. I
brought 100 rounds of Fiochi 115gr FMC ammo, a handful of Corbon 115Gr
+P JHP and even a couple of Mag-Safe PFPs. To dispose of
reliability issues (which reportedly plagued some early guns) the gun
functioned flawlessly. On a whim I loaded the mag with an empty casing
and hit the slide-release. The gun chambered the empty
casing! The magazine sits quite high in the well so it is a
fairly straight-shot from there to the chamber.
Accuracy is
quite acceptable- with very little practice I was able to shoot sub-1
inch groups at 7 yards and not much larger groups at 15 yards, the
longest distance that I fired the gun at. The gun shot very close
to point-of aim at both ranges- closely enough that any variance might
as easily been me as the gun. While I had little trouble with it
it should be said that this isn't the easiest gun in the world to
achieve tack-driving accuracy with. The trigger pull isn't light
and stacks notably as you approach release. On the other hand it
is smooth, and with practice you can use the 'stacking' to your
advantage- effectively cocking the piece with the trigger and pausing
for a split-second to refine your sight-picture before applying the bit
of additional pressure needed to fire the piece.
The Laser had
apparently never been sighted in- using the provided Allen wrench I was
quickly able to adjust the beam to match the point of impact of the
rounds at 7 yards. This caused the rounds to strike 3 inches high
at 15 yards but given the parallax between the beam emitter and the
short barrel I didn't mind and found it easy to compensate for
this. Once adjusted the beam stayed 'sighted-in' through all
subsequent firing. I was not able to fire quite as tight of
groups using the laser, but this is the first time that I have used a
laser on a handgun so that's to be expected. The Laser has a
small 'off-switch' located on the bottom, but is designed to be left in
the 'on' position. The manufacturer states that the batteries are
good for up to one year on 'stand-by' but that if the gun is shot
regularly you can anticipate changing the batteries 3-4 times a
year. The laser is activated by a skin-conductivity plate located
inside the front of the trigger-guard. This intrudes into the
trigger-guard far enough that persons with large fingers (like myself)
might find it difficult to fit the trigger-finger in while wearing
gloves. I don't know if gloves would activate the laser, but it's
unlikely to be an issue as I don't normally wear gloves, even in the
winter-time.
Unfortunately
this also means that you have to insert your finger into the
trigger-guard to activate the laser; I'd much prefer that they relocate
these plates to the outer-edge where a normally extended trigger-finger
would activate the laser naturally without having to put your finger on
the trigger.
A number of
reviewers have commented on the recoil and it is quite sharp; that's
only to be expected in a lightweight gun shooting a powerful cartridge.
I suspect that many people (like the gun's original owner) will find it
quite unpleasant. The texturing of the grip has also come in for
criticism as being too sharp but I did not find this to be the case
when actually firing. While the recoil is definitely not pleasant
I experienced no soreness or rubbing from the afternoon's shooting.
The gun is
quite light and flat, and the pocket-clip does hold it in place well in
a waist-band or pocket though surely a proper holster would be more
secure. Despite the short sight-radius and stagey trigger-pull I
had no difficulty shooting the gun accurately. This would be a
very good gun for concealed carry and as mentioned the recoil is sharp
but not so bad as to preclude practicing extensively with the gun if
you are willing to put up with it. The gun is very easy to
disassemble for cleaning- simply lock the slide back and hook a
fingernail in the plate just ahead of the slide-release and withdraw
it, then slide the slide assembly forward off of the rails.
As to the
laser- in addition to my reservations mentioned above I view it's
primary function as intimidation; many people don't seem to realize
that a laser on a handgun only really helps if you are already a good
shot. Frankly I can fire faster and more accurately with the
sights than I can with the laser. While the laser does allow some
versatility (like firing accurately from 'the hip' or in reduced
lighting conditions) I would never have bought one separately to mount
on the gun. On the other hand it's a neat-o gadget and I'm a guy,
so I won't be removing it! I'll practice with it and will try to learn
to get the most out of it. The manufacturer recommends that you
not dry-fire these guns, so Snap-Caps will be needed for practice.
If the gun
continues to display the reliability that it has so far I'd have no
qualms about recommending this gun for low-profile concealed carry-
with the same caveat that I always apply that the user practice
extensively!
Addendum:
The week after I wrote this review on a whim I loaded the magazine with
empty cartridge cases and hand-cycled them through the gun. The
empty cases chambered and ejected without a bobble.
Extraordinary!
Further Addendum: After firing 700 rounds the long projection on
the ejector broke. I called the factory and they promptly sent me
a new extractor, no questions asked. The amaxing thing was that
the with the broken extractor the gun would experience intermittent
failures to eject with low-powered 'range ammo' it continued to
function flawlessly with high-powered defensive ammo. This gun
has been sold on to a friend who promptly named it 'Winona.' If
you understand that reference you are well and truly a geek! I
got it immediately of course.
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