When looking for a good example of the most popular American carry gun, the slim line 9, the Kel-Tec PF9 is a good place to start. This is among the least expensive quality handguns and a proven performer. The Kel-Tec PF9 was among the first ultra light 9mm handguns. The pistol features a polymer frame and double action only trigger. The trigger is tight but smooth breaking at 6.5 pounds. This isn’t a striker-fired handgun; the PF9 uses a hammer.
The unloaded weight is a light 12.5 ounces. The pistol is 5.25 inches long and width is .9 inch. The PF9 is small but has an advantage in its seven-round magazine versus the six-round magazine of some small 9mm handguns. When you compare the pistol to the 8.5-ounce P3AT .380 from the same maker, which has an overall length of 5.2 inches as well, the PF9 offers considerable advantages at very little extra girth. The big difference is in power.
The 9mm Luger has benefited a great deal from ammunition and projectile development and the PF9 might look better today than when first introduced. The pistol is conventional for a polymer-frame gun. The grip treatment offers good abrasion and adhesion. The sights are adequate and the slide is slim and easily holstered. The double action trigger is smooth enough with a rapid reset. The ejection port is large enough for administrative handling.
Firing the DAO trigger is much different than addressing a single action trigger. The movement to the rear and to the front after reset demands coordination. The pistol is fired, and the trigger is given time for reset. The DAO Kel-Tec is smooth enough for good hits at moderate range. The sights are adequate and the pistol is a true pocket handgun. There is no manual safety, the DAO trigger is the safety feature. The locked breech action is conventional. The takedown isn’t difficult.
The PF9 illustrated has been fired extensively with a variety of ammunition. These included the Federal American Eagle 124-grain FMJ, the Federal Syntech 115-grain as training loads, and the Hornady 124-grain XTP +P. The interesting Hornady 100-grain LITE has been proofed for reliability. For a heavy bullet choice, the 147-grain SIG Sauer Elite V Crown has been tested. All loads fed, chambered, fired, and ejected without issue.
Be certain the hands do not ride the slide with this pistol. It is easy to do with the short slide 9mm and a common cause of malfunctions of pistols this size. Firing quickly at the seven-yard range, the PF9 gave a good account of itself. The groups were adequate for personal defense with none straying from the ‘kill zone.’ Just the same, this handgun is more difficult to control than heavier pistols, which is to be expected. Inexperienced shooters might find it difficult to control. The +P loads were not markedly more difficult to control in the PF9 with a strong grip on the handgun.
The magazine release is positive in operation. Speed loads were not difficult to accomplish with practice. After the combat firing exercises it is good to take a few shots at long range, confirm the zero and check for absolute accuracy. The DAO trigger is long but smooth and demanded attention to detail.
The Kel-Tec PF9 gave reasonable results with the single best group running three inches for five shots from a solid bench rest firing position, with some 4 inches at 15 yards. The pistol never malfunctioned and gave a credible showing. It is a true 9mm pocket pistol well suited to personal defense, concealed carry, and home defense. If you can carry a larger and more manageable pistol, you should. The PF9 is a good choice for concealed carry.
Do you carry the Kel-Tec PF9? How does it compare to other carry guns? Share your answers in the comment section.
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This is great for conceal carry. It is light and easy to carry all day . It is accurate enough for its size .
I was really glad to see this article. So many people dis the PF9 in favor of the Ruger or other pocket pistols and it really just demonstrates that they have not ever really shot the PF9. I carry one five days a week at work where I have to be completely concealed in a Viridian pocket holster and I am comfortable and confident with it. I take mine to the range every week and put at least three to four magazines through it at 5 – 10 yards with well grouped shots in the kill zone. The trick with any pocket pistol is to learn to develop a smooth trigger pull under time constraints. Beyond that, this gun is reliable. I shoot everything from brass cased reloads to steel cased Russian 9mm for practice, and always finish up with a magazine of +P HP. Bottom line, this is a great little gun that beats the heck out of a .380 as a deep cover EDC.
I’m a NRA and Texas Highway Patrol Fire-Arms Instructor. I have used the PF9 as a back-up to my Department issue SIG TAC Ops 1911 and have Full Confidence in this firearm. Yes the trigger is a bit heavy, but when I pull the trigger it has always gone bang, with more than 3000 Hot Loads through the barrel. Thank you for an Honest, Objective, Review, As always! One thing I did do was get the Twisted Industries .22 conversion, and that helps with more range time and fewer $’s spent.
Kindly,
Robo Cop
The Keltec PF 9 is an o k pocket pistol.
It is certainly small and inexpensive.
The double action only trigger is horrendous.
If price is the only consideration, it will serve.
There are lots of other, better, choices out there
I suggest the YouTube review by nutnfancy. I personally prefer Kel-Tec’s P11. Marginally larger, with double stack 10-round mag. 12 and sub gun mags available. Some of them require break-in, which reduces slide tension and trigger pull. Are there better guns? Yes. For the money? Probably not.
I used to have one of these. It is very light, flat, inexpensive and carries really well. However, I had some issues and traded it off. The trigger on mine was pretty smooth and light, so that was never an issue. The sights are good.
However, the takedown pin would walk out when shooting, locking up the gun. Called Keltec and they sent a revised type of retaining spring that solved that problem. But then field stripping became a three-handed job.
Their customer service department is top-notch. I know that will generate some snarky comments, but they are a lot easier to deal with than most manufacturers. They have no problem sending parts out fast. They also included installation instructions for the new spring. I don’t think they charged me anything for it either.
My last deal-killer was the recoil. Even though it’s only a 9mm, the high bore axis and light weight made fast, accurate shooting difficult. It was pretty unpleasant to shoot. I’m not very recoil sensitive. I’ve got .357 snubbies that are more fun to run ammo through.