During the pandemic I shifted to the much more affordable 22lr cartridge to offset for ammo shortages and expense. I began collecting different varieties of pistols. When I saw the keltec p17 in all it’s hideous and cheap glory I wanted one. It took some time and I found a used p17 that was a little pricier than I originally wanted. But with the scarcity of the firearm I jumped on it being the only one I have every been able to lay hands on. Well the first outing showed the probable cause of the original owner deciding to part with the firearm.

The slide is not powerful enough to strip a round from a full magazine and fully go into battery. Granted I really didn’t care too much because for a pistol that is supposed to retail for $170 I didn’t expect Wilson combat quality. So with some tinkering I made some lower power magazine springs that remedied the issue but under normal firing conditions it was not powerful enough to lock the slide open. I figured eventually I would make a stiffer spring for the slide since I believe that is the cause.

So finally last night I figured I would give it a shot and reach out to keltec. I was up front about not expecting any warranty work being I wasn’t the original owner. Instead I was reaching out so they could point me in the direction for a possible spring replacement to purchase. Well this morning I received a response essentially saying they couldn’t diagnose the issue without the pistol, but if I give them my making address they would be more than happy to ship me a spring free of charge to check if that would fix it.

This is my only keltec and granted it is only a spring. But for them to respond in such a timely manner and try to remedy an issue so quickly and easily I’m very impressed. Hopefully this gets the pistol going. Granted it is hideous and cheap. It’s a very fun 22 to take out and plink with.

Kel-Tec customer service has always been great for me. I remember when I had a SUB2K, they shipped adapters for other magazines for free when I inquired.

I have a P17, though I've never shot it without a suppressor on the end and have never had any failures. The can does give additional back pressure which aids function. It's no heirloom quality gun, but for $200 through their first responder/military program, hard to beat.

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Psalm 27:2

The issue I have been having is racking the slide it hangs up on the first round. Then the subsequent 4-5 rounds. Once pressure from the magazine spring lightens up it functions fine. So hopefully the spring they send me give la the slide enough power to overcome the magazine spring.

Kel Tecs seem subject to the love or hate paradigm. I love mine. There are many in the family from P32 to Sub 2000. All have been very good firearms.

How true.

I had great experiences with customer service. Plus, enjoyed visiting their shop when driving past on vacation. Met a customer service rep and service tech, nice and helpful folks.

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Life Member SAF, CCRKBA, FOAC

Love my P17 to death!

Had a P11 for years. When I first got the gun it shot quite low. I contacted Keltec and they shipped me a taller sight pronto. Agree that their customer service is top notch in my experience.

Their customer service was good to me also.

My only Kel-Tec is the PMR30. Finding the proper ammo for your handgun is the biggest issue at least until it's broken in. The PMR30 recommends minimum 40gr ammo but I'm now able to use Hornady V 30gr with no malfunctions ever. I just give it a good cleaning every other outing.

I have multiple 22LR semis that I bought brand new and after numerous problems with FTF using CCI 40gr I decided to step things up a notch. I bought 500rds of CCI Stingers and that fixed everything. I can even go back to the regular CCI 22LR with no malfunctions. Just sped up the breakin period.

Those CCI Stingers really pack a punch which helps in a blowback firearm. Heck, You might even see a ball of flame come out the muzzle on occasion which is always a crowd pleaser.

I had a Kel-Tec, maybe it was a P9. It was a piece of junk. Routinely jammed. I sent it back to Kel-Tec. They rebuilt it or something. It was still a piece of junk, a total jammamatic. First and last Kel-Tec for me.

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Come and take it!!

Love my P32.

I paid over MSRP for my P17 also. It runs like the Energizer Bunny. Sold off the TX22...and then thought the P322 was going to dust it.

NOPE.

K/T has super trigger, accuracy and reliability.
My PMR seems to run well, also. I had a bad
experience with a P32 like 20yrs back, so I know
not all is rosey with the brand.

I figured I would post an update. I contacted keltec 9/1/2020 and they promptly responded 9/2/2020. Addressed my issue I was having and my possible solution. Asked for a shipping address to send me a replacement recoil spring. I received said spring at no charge today 9/6/2020. That in itself is something I’m extremely satisfied with itself regardless of the outcome.

I removed the original spring and with a side by side comparison the spring is noticeably shorter by about 3/8”. So I install the spring and it still hung up cycling by hand. Then looking over the fairly filthy pistol noticed a couple dry spots. So after a few strategic drops of oil it will strip and load a round off a magazine from all 4 magazines I have. Something it would not do at even a moderately repetitive rate before.

I’m very pleased with not only the exceptional customer service. But with being able to get this dinky little pistol back to a usable condition. Hopefully this is it and now it will run like a track star.

I have a PMR30, 22 mag about 10 years old, and a 2 year old CP33 .22 rf pistol. Both are fantastic shooters, even though loading the mags requires actually reading the instructions. A Speed Loader helps tremendously.

I have fortunately never required their warranty service for anything. I also had one of their early (25 years ago) P11 pistols with no problems.
I am a fan you could say.

I have a PMR 30 and it works well. I have never had to use their customer service. Have had friends that have availed themselves to K-T Customer Service. They just drive up and talk to them. Usually get a cup of coffee in the waiting room while their guns are being worked on. Just about 50 miles up the road.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

When I bought my PF9 (been awhile) I bought it at a shop maybe 10 miles from Kel-Tec. As I was heading home my son was driving so I decided to tinker with the gun. Putting it back together while on the road I managed to jam the takedown pin in the wrong spot. I couldn't get it out so I told my son to turn around and head to their shop. Once in their parking lot I went to their door (just a blind steel door in a unmarked warehouse) and banged on it. A guy opens the door and after I explain he lets me in. He takes the gun into another door and comes back out with it fixed a couple of minutes later. A few years later I dropped the PF9 and screwed up the rear sight. The next time I was in the area I went and banged on their door again. A few minutes later I had it back in my hand with a new sight. Neither incident cost me a dime. It's been a fair number of years ago so I don't even know if they're in the same building or if they're as tolerant and helpful.

A friend of mine bought a P-32 in the late Nineties because it was the only pistol he could wear at work and escape detection. He practiced often with it and one range session he let me try it. I was pleasantly surprised. A few years later when Kel-Tec brought out the P3-AT I bought one.

I have other .380s that are classier or bigger or more fun to shoot. The Kel-Tec P3AT, double action only, no second strike action. Trigger pull is long but consistent and not particularly heavy. Recoil operated, it is the smallest and lightest of the bunch and, as mentioned above, not "fun" to shoot. The locked breech does help slow things down as the recoil impulse seems noticeably less snappy than a PPK or a 1910 Browning.

It does everything it is supposed to do, every time. The belt clip is useful and lends itself to convenient and accessible pocket carry IN THE RIGHT KIND OF POCKET!!

If the Kel-Tec has a flaw, it is a critical one. The magazine release can be activated in a tight pocket. You could draw and fire the one round in the chamber and have the magazine hit the floor. That being said, it gets carried a lot because it as much gun as can be concealed under the circumstances.

P-32. Great little pocket pistol with a large bunch of fans. It was my EDC for 4 years before I bought my Seecamp.

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John

I had a PF9. The most jammomatic *** I've ever owned. Would never consider any Kel Tec product again.

When I bought a PF-9 about 15 years ago the salesman warned me that some were jam-o-matics but don’t worry because Kel-Tec will fix it. Sure enough it was miserable on the first range trip. It took exactly 10 calendar days between dropping it off at store and picking up effectively new gun. They replaced just about everything except the frame. Has run like a top ever since.